Read Mark 13 at Bible Gateway.
Mar 13 outline:
Mar 13:1-2, Jesus foretells the destruction of the Temple
Mar 13:3-4, The disciples asked Him, When will these things be + what will be the sign when they will be fulfilled
Mar 13:5-13, Jesus answered, What will be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled: the end is not yet
Mar 13:14-20, Jesus answered, When will be the throwing down of the Temple
Mar 13:21-37, Jesus answered, What will be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled: the end is near
Mar 13:5-37 chiastic structure:
1a.1) Mar 13:5-6, Jesus answered: Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He,’ and will deceive many;
1a.2) Mar 13:7-8, Wars + earthquakes + famines + troubles, but the end is not yet;
1b.1) Mar 13:9-13a, The tribulation of those days;
1a) Mar 13:9a, But watch out for yourselves;
1b.1) Mar 13:9b, They will deliver you up to councils + beaten in the synagogues + brought before rulers and kings for My sake;
1b.2) Mar 13:9c, For a testimony to them;
central axis) Mar 13:10, And the gospel must first be preached to all the nations;
2b.1) Mar 13:11a, But when they arrest you and deliver you up;
2b.2) Mar 13:11b, Do not worry or premeditate what you will speak. But whatever is given you in that hour, speak that; for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit;
2a) Mar 13:12-13a, Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake;
1b.2) Mar 13:13b, But he who endures to the end shall be saved;
1c) Mar 13:14, When you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not” (let the reader understand), “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains;
central axis) Mar 13:15-16, “Let him who is on the housetop not go down into the house, nor enter to take anything out of his house. And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes;
2c) Mar 13:17-18, But woe to those who are pregnant + nursing babies in those days! Pray that your flight may not be in winter;
2b.1) Mar 13:19, For in those days there will be tribulation, such as has not been since, nor ever shall be;
2b.2) Mar 13:20, Unless the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake, whom He chose, He shortened the days;
2a.1) Mar 13:21-22, “Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or, ‘Look, He is there!’ do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will rise and show signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect;
2a.2) Mar 13:23-37, The end is near – at the doors;
1a) Mar 13:23, But take heed; see, I have told you all things beforehand;
1b) Mar 13:24a, But in those days, after that tribulation;
1c) Mar 13:24b-26, The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars of heaven will fall, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory;
1d) Mar 13:27, And then He will send His angels, and gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest part of earth to the farthest part of heaven;
central axis) Mar 13:28-29, Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender, and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see these things happening, know that it is near—at the doors;
2d) Mar 13:30, Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place;
2c) Mar 13:31, Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away;
2b) Mar 13:32, But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father;
2a) Mar 13:33-37, Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is/ parable of the absent householder.
At the beginning of the chapter, the disciples ask Jesus two questions. Jesus’ answer to the disciples’ questions forms a chiastic structure (above). Now in order to understand this, we have to compare Jesus’ answer here with His answer to the same questions recorded in Matthew (where the disciples ask Jesus three questions, but His answer in Matthew is point for point comparable to His answer in Mark):
Mar 13 compared to Mat 24;
correlation of Mar 13 to Mat 24, detailed notes.
These notes will make more sense with an understanding of Jesus’ answer that is recorded in Mat 24 (my notes on that here).
But it is important to note, that the events of the destruction of the Temple form the central axis. Surrounding that, is the great tribulation. In fact, in history, the great persecution of the Roman state against the church began before the destruction of the Temple, in 64 AD in the reign of Nero, and ended after the destruction of the Temple, in 313 AD with the rise of Constantine.
Surrounding the great tribulation, on the front side of the structure, are the signs, but the end is not yet. On the back side of the structure, are the signs that the end is near, at the very doors.
please consider this chiasm of Mark 13, the indents didn’t paste when I copied, nor did the highlights and colors
A Bookend 1-13 when 4; beware 5, 9, 33, 35; come 6, 35, 36; hour 11, 32
B Next layer in 14-18 when you see
C center, 19-23 those days, tribulation, elect
C center, 24-27 those days, tribulation, elect
B Next layer in 28-31 when you see
A Bookend 32-37 when 4; beware 5, 9, 33, 35; come 6, 35, 36; hour 11, 32
1And as He was going out of the temple, one of His disciples said to Him, “Teacher, behold what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!” 2And Jesus said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone shall be left upon another which will not be torn down.”
3And as He was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew were questioning Him privately, 4“Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are going to be fulfilled?” 5And Jesus began to say to them, “See to it that no one misleads you. 6“Many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He!’ and will mislead many. 7“And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be frightened; those things must take place; but that is not yet the end. 8“For nation will arise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will also be famines. These things are merely the beginning of birth pangs. 9“But be on your guard; for they will deliver you to the courts, and you will be flogged in the synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them. 10“And the gospel must first be preached to all the nations. 11“And when they arrest you and deliver you up, do not be anxious beforehand about what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour; for it is not you who speak, but it is the Holy Spirit. 12“And brother will deliver brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and have them put to death. 13“And you will be hated by all on account of My name, but the one who endures to the end, he shall be saved.
14“But when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION standing where it should not be (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 15“And let him who is on the housetop not go down, or enter in, to get anything out of his house; 16and let him who is in the field not turn back to get his cloak. 17“But woe to those who are with child and to those who nurse babes in those days! 18“But pray that it may not happen in the winter.
19“For those days will be a time of tribulation such as has not occurred since the beginning of the creation which God created, until now, and never shall. 20“And unless the Lord had shortened those days, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect whom He chose, He shortened the days. 21“And then if anyone says to you, ‘Behold, here is the Christ’; or, ‘Behold, He is there’; do not believe him; 22for false Christs and false prophets will arise, and will show signs and wonders, in order, if possible, to lead the elect astray. 23“But take heed; behold, I have told you everything in advance.
24“But in those days, after that tribulation, THE SUN WILL BE DARKENED, AND THE MOON WILL NOT GIVE ITS LIGHT, 25AND THE STARS WILL BE FALLING from heaven, and the powers that are in the heavens will be shaken. 26“And then they will see THE SON OF MAN COMING IN CLOUDS with great power and glory. 27“And then He will send forth the angels, and will gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest end of the earth, to the farthest end of heaven.
28“Now learn the parable from the fig tree: when its branch has already become tender, and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. 29“Even so, you too, when you see these things happening, recognize that He is near, right at the door. 30“Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. 31“Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.
32“But of that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. 33“Take heed, keep on the alert; for you do not know when the appointed time is. 34“It is like a man, away on a journey, who upon leaving his house and putting his slaves in charge, assigning to each one his task, also commanded the doorkeeper to stay on the alert. 35“Therefore, be on the alert—for you do not know when the master of the house is coming, whether in the evening, at midnight, at cockcrowing, or in the morning— 36lest he come suddenly and find you asleep. 37“And what I say to you I say to all, ‘Be on the alert!’”