Commentary: Mark 13:1-8 Part 2

Chapter thirteen of Mark's Gospel is distinct from the rest of the book in content and form. Dubbed "the little apocalypse," it presents the only extended discourse of Jesus in this Gospel, a speech devoted to a theme (the end times) that is hardly touched on elsewhere. Small wonder that form critics have speculated as to whether the chapter originated as a tract (or perhaps two different tracts) that the evangelist found and incorporated awkwardly into his narrative. Such questions are unresolvable, but in any case do not touch greatly on the interpretation of the verses selected for today's lesson. These verses merely introduce the speech, which this year does not get read (though we sample from the Lukan parallel on Advent 1). The lectionary cuts the text off before the really apocalyptic part begins.

Jesus predicts the destruction of the temple in terms reminiscent of former prophets (Mic 3:12; Jer 26:6, 18) and is later asked privately by four of his key disciples when this prediction will be fulfilled. We know that the answer could have been simple: 70 C.E. But the latter part of the disciples' question broadens their concern: "What will be the sign that all these things are about to be accomplished?" They are interested not just in the destruction of the temple but in the full panoply of events that they have heard must attend the end times. The disciples assume that the destruction of the temple will portend these events. It is possible that Jesus and Mark assumed this as well, though both of the latter allow that their assumptions could be mistaken (13:32-33).

The Mount of Olives is a suitable location for this discussion not only because it overlooks the temple precincts physically but also because of the imagery it acquires from certain Old Testament texts. Ezekiel saw the glory of God leave the temple and come to rest on the Mount of Olives (Ezek 10:18-19) and Zechariah designated this mountain as the locus for God's final eschatological victory (Zech 14:3-6).

Does Jesus ever answer the disciples' question? Not in the verses chosen for today. Eventually he will indicate that the "sign" which accompanies the accomplishment of all things (v. 4) is a desecration of the temple (13:14), which I take to be a genuine prediction of the destruction in 70, still a future event for Mark and his first readers. Scholars less comfortable with the predictive power of scripture sometimes take the curious phrase "desolating sacrilege" to be a reference to an earlier planned desecration under Caligula, or else they assume that Mark must have been written after 70 (which would otherwise seem unlikely). In any case, it seems clear that Mark would believe contemporary Christians are living in the days of tribulation that began with the event of desecration and will continue until Jesus returns. The fact that these days have extended for some nineteen hundred years now might surprise him (13:30), but this would not affect his basic point: we are living in a time of trouble preliminary to reception of ultimate salvation. The definitive symbol of this time is the absence of the temple, that is, the absence of any obvious sign of God's presence. For Christians, of course, such tribulation is represented not only by the absence of the temple, but also by the (visible) absence of Jesus (Mk 2:20; 14:7).

The lectionary text for today contains Jesus' words of warning regarding how to live in this time of tribulation, in these days of absence. The great temptation in such a time is to embrace naive optimism. The danger of being "led astray" by popular messengers who offer a more cheerful word than that of Jesus is very real. We would like to think our troubles are almost over when in fact they are only beginning (v. 8). False prophets and false messiahs (cf. 13:22) promise "salvation now" in the midst of tribulation, but it is always an empty promise exposed in the next travail. The fact that such messengers speak in Jesus' name, arrogating to themselves the authority to speak for him only compounds their guilt, and our humiliation for repeatedly heeding them.

Mark's image for hope is confident but not naive. It is the traditional symbol of birth pangs, a time-honored metaphor for the terrific suffering through which God's new age comes into being (see Is 13:8; 26:17; 66:8; Jer 4:31; 6:24; 13:21; 22:23; 49:22; 50:43; Hos 13:13; Mic 4:9-10). To recognize trouble as "the beginning of birth pangs" is to realize that deliverance is certain but not soon. Indeed, the agony is expected to increase; times will get worse before they get better. Still, the suffering prescinds life not death. Thus, tribulation itself becomes the "sign" that salvation is coming and the worse things get, the more certain the hope of salvation becomes.

Mark, we know, is fond of secrets. The coming glory of God's salvation is hidden in the present tribulation in precisely the same way that the victory of Christ is hidden in the humiliation of the cross and the reign of God is hidden in Jesus' fraternity with outcasts.

Mark Allan Powell