The Gospel of Mark
What are the Signs? Mt 13,5-23
Going astray: 13,5-6
"Began to..." is used some 26 times in the Gospel. It's a favourite expression of this evangelist.
After the opening "look out", these two verses begin with "do not be led astray" while concluding that many will in fact be led astray.
There will many claiming to be acting in the name of Jesus. The Greek literally says "I am", a phrase with divine overtones in the OT, Is 43,10 being a good example. The phrase is used by Jesus after he walked on the water. While it is best to translate this as "it is I", we need to be aware of those overtones.
Thus these two verses set the tone for the whole speech and will taken further in 3,21-22. There will be a constant need for discernment, the need to look deeper and to recognise the hidden deceptions. Many will fail to do so and be easily led astray.
Tribulation: 13,7-8
The central word here is "must". God's plan must be fulfilled and this will involve the tribulations of this world, wars and cosmic events. There is plenty of evidence of this in the Old Testament quotations I gave: Is 19,2 (wars); Is 13,13 (earthquakes); Is 14,30 (faminine). The Ezekiel quotation (Ezek 14,21) is a good summary with sword, famine, wild beasts and plague as God's "four deadly acts of punishment" (NRSV). The four horsemen of the Apocalypse (Apoc 6) include famine as here.
However, the end is not yet. That we have seen is the question in verse 4. Labour pains are a common image for the sufferings of God's people. The three references make the point quite dramatically.
Handed-over: 13,9-13
Matthew and Luke have different agendas to Mark providing far more of Jesus' teaching throughout their Gospels. So what is said by Jesus in this speech in Mark is covered and repeated elsewhere by the other two Gospels. For Mark, it is especially these verses which speak of the experiences of the disciples following the departure of Jesus. That emphasises the point I made in the overview about the importance of this speech for Mark's Gospel.
Thus the "look out" of verse 9 is unique to Mark, though what follows is also to be found in the other two Gospels. This is a sign that all this is part of common early Christian tradition which may well go back to Jesus himself.
Also special to Mark is the emphasis that the Gospel must first be preached in verse 10. Mt 24,14 is rather different because Matthew will be making the point at the very end of his Gospel, Mt 28,20. In both Gospels, the preaching must be to all nations, the whole world. "Gospel" or "Good News" is a key word for this Gospel (1,1.14 and elsewhere). 14,9 repeats the proclamation being to the whole world.
The key word in this section of the speech is "handed over" in verses 9,11 and 12, which may also be translated as "arrested" or "delivered up". The point though is that as John the Baptist was handed over (1,14) so Jesus will be handed over (10,33) and in the future the disciples too will be handed over. The path of witness and suffering is described for John the Baptist (6,17-29) and for Jesus (the Passion) and that is the fate which will be shared by the disciples.
In verse 9 there is also a reference to witness, a theme of great importance for Christians. The reference I gave to the Apocalypse is only one among many.
"Being led to judgement" in verse 11 is found only in Mark. The mention of the Holy Spirit indicates again that Mark is using common tradition.
Verse 12 brings out the consequences of being handed over: death.
Verse 13 again speaks of "my name" as does verse 6. This time though it is Jesus to whom it refers.
The conclusion speaks about the end (verses 4 & 7) with the call to endurance. The Wisdom of Solomon may well have been written against the background of Jewish martyrs. It shows clearly the hatred the wicked will have for the righteous.
We return to the main page to continue reading.
Tribulation: 13,14-20
The original abomination of desolation refered to a Greek statue erected in the Temple (1 Mac 1,54), an act of total sacrilege. Here in Mark it is followed by "he", changed to "it" in most translations. "He" would indicate that the abomination is a person, perhaps a reference to the Anti Christ of 2 Thess 2,3-4
The description that follows fits a Palestinian background. "Woe" in verse 17 comes from an OT oracle of warning. The two Amos references are good examples.
Verses 19-20 conclude this central section with an emphasis on the tribulation of those days. The elect to be saved must be the disciples themselves. By shortening the days, Jesus indicates this will not go on for ever so that there can be salvation.
Going Astray: 13,21-23
False prophets were a constant concern in the Old Testament as the two references to Deuteronomy show.
False Christs are mentioned only here and the parallel verse in Matthew (24,24). They may be the anti Christs which are implied in verse 14 and found in 2 Thess 2,3-4 as mentioned and who are a major theme for the first letter of John (1 Jn 2,18).
"Signs and wonders" is a common biblical expression, again as shown by the references. In the Gospel of John, Jesus says that "unless you people see signs and wonders you will not believe." (Jn 4,48) which provides a commentary on this verse.
Jesus' statement in verse 23 is effectively unique to Mark. This concludes a thoroughly prophetic presentation, Jesus preparing his disciples, the elect, for what is to come.
We can now return to the main page.