Mark 13 – Signs of the End and the Coming of the Son of Man
Mark 13 contains Jesus’ Olivet Discourse, where He reveals future trials, tribulation, deception, and glory. This prophetic chapter calls believers to watchfulness, endurance, and unwavering faith as history moves toward His return.
A Prophetic Warning and Hopeful Call to Endure
In Mark 13, Jesus outlines the destruction of the temple, the rise of false messiahs, persecution, and His glorious return. Known as the Olivet Discourse, this chapter is both a warning and a hope-filled promise. It invites readers to stay alert, trust God, and endure to the end.
✔ Jesus foretells the destruction of the temple.
✔ Believers are warned of deception, wars, and persecution.
✔ The abomination of desolation will arise.
✔ Cosmic signs will announce the return of the Son of Man.
✔ Only the Father knows the exact hour—so watch and be ready.
📖 Key Verse: “And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.” – Mark 13:37
🔎 Jesus prepares His followers for hardship—but also for glory.
Mark Chapter 13 - Overview
Mark 13:1-4 – The Temple’s Coming Destruction
📖 Mark 13:2 – “There shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.”
🔎 A shocking prophecy—fulfilled in 70 A.D. when Roman General Titus besieged Jerusalem and destroyed the Second Temple. Historical accounts by Josephus describe the temple being set ablaze and dismantled stone by stone to extract the gold that had melted into the cracks. This event marked not only the end of temple-based worship but also the collapse of Jewish national identity for centuries.
📖 Mark 13:4 – “When shall these things be? and what shall be the sign…?”
🔎 The disciples, stunned by Jesus’ prediction, ask about timing and signs—setting the stage for the Olivet Discourse, where Jesus blends near-term judgments with long-term prophetic insight.**
Mark 13:5-13 – The Beginning of Sorrows
📖 Mark 13:6 – “Many shall come in my name… and shall deceive many.”
🔎 False messiahs and teachers will arise—deception will be widespread. This has been evident in early centuries with figures like Simon Magus (Acts 8) and in modern times through numerous self-proclaimed messiahs and spiritual movements.
📖 Mark 13:8 – “These are the beginnings of sorrows.”
🔎 Wars, earthquakes, and famines are not the end but birth pains leading to it. Historically, the fall of Jerusalem (70 A.D.), global conflicts like World Wars I & II, and increasing natural disasters echo this warning—signs intensifying like labor contractions.
📖 Mark 13:9 – “They shall deliver you up to councils… and ye shall be beaten.”
🔎 Persecution is part of the Christian walk—but God’s Spirit will speak through us. This was fulfilled in the book of Acts and continues in regions where believers face imprisonment and martyrdom.
📖 Mark 13:13 – “He that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.”
🔎 Endurance and faithfulness are non-negotiable in the end-time journey. This call to perseverance applies both to the early church and modern believers as we face societal pressures and spiritual compromise.**
Mark 13:14-23 – The Abomination of Desolation
📖 Mark 13:14 – “When ye shall see the abomination of desolation… flee to the mountains.”
🔎 A reference to Daniel’s prophecy (Daniel 9:27; 11:31; 12:11)—a defiling of the temple and an urgent call to flee. This has both historical and prophetic layers. Historically, it refers to the desecration of the temple by Roman armies in 70 A.D. Prophetically, it points toward a future Antichrist figure proclaiming himself to be divine (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4).
📖 Mark 13:19 – “For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning…”
🔎 A time of unparalleled tribulation—both historically and prophetically. While the Jewish-Roman War brought devastation, this also points to the Great Tribulation at the end of the age, still to come.
📖 Mark 13:22 – “False Christs… shall shew signs and wonders.”
🔎 Miracles do not always mean truth—discernment is crucial. Jesus warns that deceptive supernatural events will mislead many, especially in the end times. This echoes Revelation 13:13-14 where the false prophet performs signs to deceive.**
Mark 13:24-27 – The Coming of the Son of Man
📖 Mark 13:24-25 – “The sun shall be darkened… the stars of heaven shall fall.”
🔎 Cosmic signs signal divine intervention and the climax of history. These apocalyptic images echo Old Testament prophecies in Joel and Isaiah, underscoring the magnitude of the coming Day of the Lord.
📖 Mark 13:26 – “Then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds.”
🔎 Fulfillment of Daniel 7:13-14, where the Son of Man is brought before the Ancient of Days and given dominion, glory, and a kingdom. Jesus is identifying Himself as the divine, preexistent figure of Daniel’s vision—a claim to ultimate authority and messianic fulfillment. This return in the clouds is also echoed in Revelation 1:7 and points to a visible, glorious return of Christ to judge and to reign.
📖 Mark 13:27 – “He shall send his angels… and shall gather together his elect.”
🔎 The final gathering of God’s faithful—His redeemed. This verse resonates with the trumpet call imagery of Matthew 24:31 and 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, signifying the completion of redemption and the inauguration of the eternal kingdom.**
Mark 13:28-37 – The Parable of the Fig Tree & Call to Watch
📖 Mark 13:28-29 – “When her branch is yet tender… ye know that summer is near.”
🔎 Just as fig trees signal the seasons, end-time signs point to Christ’s return. The fig tree is also a recurring symbol of Israel (Jeremiah 24; Hosea 9:10) and its spiritual condition. Jesus used the fig tree earlier (Mark 11) to symbolize fruitlessness and judgment—here it represents prophetic signs of approaching fulfillment.
📖 Mark 13:31 – “Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.”
🔎 Jesus’ promises are eternal and trustworthy—more secure than the cosmos. His Word remains the unshakable foundation amid global upheaval.
📖 Mark 13:33 – “Take ye heed, watch and pray.”
🔎 Spiritual readiness is not optional. Watchfulness defines the faithful. Like the wise virgins in Matthew 25, believers must stay filled with oil—the Holy Spirit—and be prepared for the Bridegroom’s return.
📖 Mark 13:37 – “What I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.”
🔎 Jesus ends His prophecy with a universal call—stay awake, be alert, live prepared. This echoes Paul’s admonition in 1 Thessalonians 5:6, urging believers to be children of light, not asleep in darkness.**
Mark Chapter 13 - Deeper Study
Overview: End-Time Signs and the Return of Christ
🔹 Timeframe: Jesus’ final week before crucifixion, teaching on the Mount of Olives.
🔹 Setting: Looking toward the temple in Jerusalem.
🔹 Theme: Watchfulness, tribulation, deception, and the hope of Christ’s return.
Key Takeaways
🔑 The temple system would be dismantled—Jesus is the new temple.
🔑 Deception and persecution will increase—stay anchored in truth.
🔑 Christ’s return will be visible, glorious, and global.
🔑 We must live every day with spiritual urgency and readiness.
🔑 Endurance, not fear, is the mark of the faithful
Prophetic Patterns & Dual Fulfillment
🔮 Daniel’s Prophecies – The abomination of desolation (Daniel 9, 11, 12) has both past (Antiochus Epiphanes, 70 A.D.) and future (end-time Antichrist) fulfillments.
🔮 Temple Destruction – Fulfilled historically in 70 A.D. and points to a deeper spiritual shift.
🔮 The Gathering of the Elect – Echoes OT imagery of divine regathering (Isaiah 27:13; Deuteronomy 30:4).
🔮 The Fig Tree – Israel often represented as a fig tree (Jeremiah 24; Hosea 9:10)—pointing to national and spiritual seasons.
Historical & Cultural Context
📜 Jewish Apocalyptic Thought – The disciples were familiar with end-time imagery and expected Messiah’s deliverance.
📜 The Roman Threat – Political instability made Jesus’ prophecy even more shocking and dangerous.
📜 False Prophets – Many arose in the 1st century and continue to arise today, misleading many.
💡 Final Reflection: Are You Watching?
Mark 13 is a wake-up call to the Church:
📌 Are we rooted in Scripture—or vulnerable to deception?
📌 Do we endure trials with faith—or fall into fear?
📌 Are we living for today—or preparing for eternity?
🚀 The Son of Man is coming. Let us be found watching, praying, and ready.
Jesus Foretells Destruction of the Temple
Mar 13:1 And as he went out of the temple, one of his disciples saith unto him, Master, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here!
Mar 13:2 And Jesus answering said unto him, Seest thou these great buildings? there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
Signs of the Close of the Age
Mar 13:3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives over against the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately,
Mar 13:4 Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled?
Mar 13:5 And Jesus answering them began to say, Take heed lest any man deceive you:
Mar 13:6 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
Mar 13:7 And when ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars, be ye not troubled: for such things must needs be; but the end shall not be yet.
Mar 13:8 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows.
Mar 13:9 But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them.
Mar 13:10 And the gospel must first be published among all nations.
Mar 13:11 But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost.
Mar 13:12 Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death.
Mar 13:13 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
The Abomination of Desolation
Mar 13:14 But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains:
Mar 13:15 And let him that is on the housetop not go down into the house, neither enter therein, to take any thing out of his house:
Mar 13:16 And let him that is in the field not turn back again for to take up his garment.
Mar 13:17 But woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!
Mar 13:18 And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter.
Mar 13:19 For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be.
Mar 13:20 And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect’s sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days.
Mar 13:21 And then if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Christ; or, lo, he is there; believe him not:
Mar 13:22 For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect.
Mar 13:23 But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things.
The Coming of the Son of Man
Mar 13:24 But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light,
Mar 13:25 And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken.
Mar 13:26 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.
Mar 13:27 And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.
The Lesson of the Fig Tree
Mar 13:28 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When her branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is near:
Mar 13:29 So ye in like manner, when ye shall see these things come to pass, know that it is nigh, even at the doors.
Mar 13:30 Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done.
Mar 13:31 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.
No One Knows That Day or Hour
Mar 13:32 But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.
Mar 13:33 Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.
Mar 13:34 For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch.
Mar 13:35 Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning:
Mar 13:36 Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.
Mar 13:37 And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.
Date Written
Around 55-65 A.D.
Written By
John Mark
Language
Greek
Verses
37