Mark 11
Summary for Mark 11:1-25: 11:1–13:37 a This section centers on Jesus’ relationship to the Jerusalem Temple. Mark’s geographical arrangement places in 11:1–16:8 b all his accounts of Jesus’ teachings and events associated with Jerusalem.• The section concludes (13:1-37 c) with Jesus’ second extended teaching discourse (see 4:1-34 d), now focusing on the destruction of the Temple and the coming of the Son of Man. It is the climax for numerous statements within 11:1–13:37 e concerning the divine judgment about to fall on Jerusalem and the Temple (see especially 11:12-25 f and 12:1-12 g). 11:1 h Jerusalem was Jesus’ goal. During the week before his crucifixion, Jesus apparently stayed in Bethany with his disciples (11:11-12 i; 14:3-9 j).
• The Mount of Olives is frequently associated with the site of the final judgment (Zech 14:4 k) and the place where the Messiah will manifest himself (Ezek 11:23 l; 43:1-5 m; see also Josephus, Antiquities 20.8.6).
• As he did at other times, Jesus sent two of them (see Mark 6:7 n).
Summary for Mark 11:2-3: 11:2-3 o There have already been numerous examples of Jesus’ supernatural knowledge (2:8 p; 3:5 q; 5:30 r, 32 s; 8:17 t, 31 u), but the people’s acceptance of the reply that the Lord needs it (11:3 v, 6 w) suggests that Jesus had prearranged it (cp. 14:13-16 x). Jesus had intentionally planned to enter Jerusalem in fulfillment of Zech 9:9 y.
11:3 z The Lord needs it and will return it soon: Mark’s readers have already seen the word Lord used to refer to Jesus (1:3 aa; 2:28 ab; 5:19 ac; see also 12:36-37 ad; 13:35 ae), so they would understand it as referring to the Lord Jesus Christ, who needed the colt (see also Rom 10:9 af; Phil 2:11 ag).
Summary for Mark 11:4-6: 11:4-6 ah The disciples carried out Jesus’ instructions and found things as he had said.
Summary for Mark 11:7-8: 11:7-8 ai the colt ... he sat on it: Cp. Zech 9:9 aj; some of the people undoubtedly understood that they were witnessing the arrival of the Messiah.
• The disciples made a seat for Jesus with their outer garments and others spread garments and branches from nearby trees into an honorary pathway for Jesus to ride upon to Jerusalem (see 1 Kgs 1:38-48 ak; 2 Kgs 9:13 al).
Summary for Mark 11:9-10: 11:9-10 am Praise God! (Greek Hosanna): By the first century AD, Hosanna was no longer used literally as a cry for rescue from enemies but had become an idiomatic expression of joy and jubilation (cp. “Praise the Lord!” as used today). For the people, it was the exuberant welcome (Luke 19:38-40 an) of a famous pilgrim, the prophet from Galilee (Matt 21:11 ao). The miracle of raising Lazarus from the dead might have contributed to the excitement of the day (John 12:9-11 ap), but even the disciples did not truly understand this event until later (John 12:16 aq). For Jesus, though, it was a fulfillment of prophecy. Jesus prepared for the occasion carefully and offered himself to the people of Israel as God’s Anointed, the Messiah.
11:11 ar The account ends surprisingly: The exuberant crowd disappears and Jesus’ actual entrance into the Temple is anticlimactic in comparison to his approach. Apparently, in the minds of the people, nothing important had taken place. Jesus’ looking around prepares the reader for God’s judgment on the Temple (11:15-17 as).
Summary for Mark 11:12-25: 11:12-25 at In the synoptic Gospels, Jesus’ messianic entry into Jerusalem is intimately associated with the cleansing of the Temple (see 11:15-17 au; cp. Matt 21:1-17 av; Luke 19:28-48 aw). In John, however, the account of the cleansing is recorded early in Jesus’ ministry (John 2:13-22 ax). It is uncertain whether there were two separate cleansings of the Temple (an early event recorded in John and this later event recorded in Matthew, Mark, and Luke) or just one cleansing recorded at different places by John and the synoptic writers.
• In Mark’s account, the cursing of the fig tree (Mark 11:12-14 ay, 20-25 az) forms an inclusio (bookends) around the cleansing of the Temple (11:15-19 ba). Mark thus indicates that Jesus’ cleansing of the Temple should be interpreted in light of his cursing of the fig tree—as an act of judgment rather than reformation.
Summary for Mark 11:13-14: 11:13-14 bb it was too early in the season for fruit: Jesus did not curse the fig tree merely because it lacked fruit. Rather, he was performing a prophetic sign act like those of earlier prophets (Isa 20 bc; Jer 13:1-11 bd; 19:1-13 be; Ezek 4 bf). Just as Jesus judged the fruitless fig tree, so too he judged the Temple and the worship of Israel, in which he found no fruit. This judgment was fulfilled in AD 70 with the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple by the Romans.
Summary for Mark 11:15-19: 11:15-19 bg The largest part of the Temple in Jerusalem was the Court of the Gentiles, surrounded by covered porticoes. It was here that this selling probably took place.
Summary for Mark 11:15-16: 11:15-16 bh When they arrived back: Upon entering the Temple, Jesus was intensely disturbed by the buying and selling of sacrificial animals and by the exchange of money. It was supervised by priests, who alone could certify that a potential sacrificial offering was acceptable. The practice of selling sacrificial animals was meant to ensure that only blemish-free animals were used in the service of the Temple. It was facilitated by setting up exchange tables in areas around Jerusalem, but exchange tables were set up within the Temple itself on the fifteenth of Adar, the month before Passover. Usually the exchange rate involved a 4- to 8-percent commission. Because of the large number of half-shekels (see Exod 30:11-16 bi) and sacrifices involved, the money exchange and the sale of sacrificial animals was quite profitable. Jewish literature of the time was intensely critical of the priests for accumulating great wealth by robbing the poor. Jesus was not opposed to the Temple nor attacking the sacrificial system (Mark 1:44 bj; Matt 5:17-19 bk, 23 bl; 17:24-27 bm; Luke 17:14 bn; Acts 6:7 bo; 21:20-26 bp), but he viewed this profiteering as theft and as desecrating the holy place.
• Jesus’ actions probably did not affect as large a number of people as is sometimes envisioned. These actions took place in one part of the large Court of the Gentiles and would not have been observed by most people in other parts of the Temple. The lack of interference by the Roman authorities suggests that they did not observe the event or did not regard it as a riot or as insurrection. Furthermore, at Jesus’ trial, this action is never mentioned. It was not a massive attempt to stop all such activity, but a symbolic act foretelling the judgment soon to befall the Temple and the city.
11:16 bq from using the Temple as a marketplace: Or from carrying merchandise through the Temple. The Temple was also defiled by its use as a shortcut for carrying things from one part of the city to another. Other rabbis also forbade this practice (see Mishnah Berakhot 9.5; see Josephus, Against Apion 2.8).
11:17 br Jesus quoted Isa 56:7 bs and Jer 7:11 bt in defense of his action. The first quotation emphasizes the importance of the Temple for Gentiles. God’s house was intended by its very architecture (i.e., the Court of the Gentiles) to assist Gentiles in becoming children of Abraham. Jesus’ act of judgment fell upon the leaders of Israel for hindering the Gentiles’ access to the Temple. They were desecrating the Temple by taking part of the Temple specifically designated as a house of prayer for all nations and turning it into a den of thieves through the profiteering taking place.
11:18 bu The leading priests and teachers of religious law plotted to kill Jesus because they feared him. His great influence among the people, the amazement created by his actions, and the influence of his teaching threatened their position (see 3:6 bv; 12:12 bw; 14:1-2 bx, 10-11 by). Their response shows that reform was not enough: God’s judgment was necessary.
11:19 bz Jesus and the disciples left: They presumably returned to Bethany (11:11 ca; 14:3 cb).
Summary for Mark 11:20-21: 11:20-21 cc Jesus’ miraculous power to judge the fig tree testified to his authority to bring about the judgment of Jerusalem that he had foretold. If Mark’s original audience was hearing his Gospel read to them in the late AD 60s, they knew that Roman legions were already enacting this prophetic judgment against Jerusalem.
Summary for Mark 11:22-23: 11:22-23 cd The importance of Jesus’ words is emphasized by his emphatic I tell you the truth.
• This mountain probably indicates the Temple Mount, not the Mount of Olives. The judgment of the Temple is the focus of 11:12-25 ce; it will be referred to again in 12:9 cf and at great length in 13:1-37 cg. Jesus’ reference to destroying the Temple would later be raised at his trial (14:58 ch) and crucifixion (15:29 ci).
Summary for Mark 11:24-25: 11:24-25 cj Two additional sayings on prayer are tied to 11:23 ck by the word believe. In the first (11:24 cl), we are told that we will receive what we ask for (see Matt 7:7 cm) if we pray with the faith described in Mark 11:23 cn.
• Forgiveness is the second condition for answered prayer. Only when we forgive others can our most important prayer, that God forgive us, be answered (Matt 5:23-24 co; 6:12 cp, 14-15 cq; Luke 6:37 cr; 11:4 cs; cp. Luke 7:41-43 ct, 47 cu; Eph 4:32 cv; Col 3:13 cw).
Summary for Mark 11:27-33: 11:27-33 cx Following the cleansing of the Temple (11:15-17 cy; Matt 21:12-22 cz; Luke 19:45-46 da), Jesus’ opponents question his authority to do so (see also Matt 21:23-27 db; Luke 20:1-8 dc; cp. John 2:18-22 dd). 11:27 de Upon returning again to Jerusalem (see 11:1 df, 11 dg, 15 dh), Jesus and the disciples entered the Temple. The frequent repetition of Jerusalem reminds readers of what would soon take place there (10:32-34 di; see 8:31 dj; 9:31 dk; 14:1–16:8 dl).
• In the Temple, Jesus encountered the leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the elders. These three groups made up the seventy-one–member high council (the ruling body of the nation). From earlier encounters with them (8:31 dm; see also 14:43 dn, 53 do; 15:1 dp), we expect them to oppose Jesus.
11:28 dq Jesus’ authority includes his divine authority to cast out demons (1:22 dr, 27 ds; 5:1-13 dt), heal (1:29–2:12 du; 5:21-43 dv), forgive sins (2:10 dw), and now cleanse the Temple. Jesus’ authority clearly was from God, but the religious leaders were unwilling to accept it.
Summary for Mark 11:29-30: 11:29-30 dx Jesus often replied to his opponents with counter-questions (e.g., 2:8-9 dy, 19 dz, 25-26 ea; 3:4 eb, 23 ec; 10:3 ed, 38 ee; see also 12:16 ef), which is an effective way both to teach and to refute.
Summary for Mark 11:31-32: 11:31-32 eg Jesus clearly placed his opponents in a bind, for either a “yes” or a “no” would damage their reputation and authority in the eyes of the people. Denying John’s prophetic authority would probably anger the people. Affirming it would mean that they should have accepted what John said, including what he said about Jesus. This answer would also answer their own question (11:28 eh).
11:33 ei In answering, “We don’t know,” the religious leaders of the nation admitted that they could not answer a simple question that the people had no difficulty in answering: John was sent from God. They thus forfeited the religious leadership of the nation on this question. Their hardness of heart (3:5 ej; 7:6 ek), their unwillingness to see (4:12 el), and their deliberate refusal to accept the truth made further discussion fruitless. Their blindness and hostility toward God’s servants John the Baptist and Jesus, their desecration of the Temple, and their plot to kill Jesus all revealed why God’s judgment would come within that very generation (13:30 em).
Mark 12
Summary for Mark 12:1-12: 12:1-12 en The events of 11:27–12:44 eo all take place in the Temple (see 11:27 ep; 13:1 eq). This story (literally parable) is intimately tied to the previous question about Jesus’ authority (11:27-33 er) by the introductory words, Then Jesus began teaching them. This parable is an extended reply by Jesus to the religious leaders.• Jesus intended his audience to interpret this parable in light of Isa 5:1-7 es, a similar story of someone planting a vineyard, building a lookout tower, putting a fence around the vineyard, and digging a pit for a wine vat. A similar question is asked: What do you suppose the owner of the vineyard will do? (Mark 12:9 et; cp. Isa 5:4 eu). Isaiah specifically identifies the vineyard as the people of Israel (Isa 5:7 ev); Jesus’ hearers and Mark’s readers would similarly have understood the present story as an allegory about the Israelites. Other details in the story are also clearly meant to be interpreted allegorically: The tenants represent the leaders of Israel; the owner represents God; the servants represent the Old Testament prophets; the beloved son represents Jesus, the Son of God; the murder of the son represents Jesus’ crucifixion; and the giving of the vineyard to others represents the judgment coming upon Israel (Mark 11:15-17 ew; 13:1-37 ex). The interpretation would have been more clear to Mark’s readers than to Jesus’ original audience, but the religious leaders who were Jesus’ contemporaries understood it clearly enough that they sought to kill him (12:12 ey). 12:1 ez The antecedent to them is the religious leaders of 11:27 fa (also in 12:12 fb).
• The beginning description of the story comes from Isa 5:1-7 fc. Jesus’ audience knew the book of Isaiah well and would have immediately recalled this allegory of the vineyard.
Summary for Mark 12:2-5: 12:2-5 fd The time of the grape harvest probably refers to the time, some four years after planting, when a new vineyard would produce its first harvest. The owner’s share of the crop would have been a quantity of grapes or wine, given in payment for the lease of the vineyard.
• In the Old Testament, prophets are often referred to as servants (Jer 7:25-26 fe; Amos 3:7 ff; Zech 1:6 fg); they were repeatedly mistreated and killed by Israelite leaders (1 Kgs 18:13 fh; 19:10 fi, 14 fj; 2 Chr 24:20-27 fk; 36:15-16 fl; Jer 26:20-23 fm; Neh 9:26 fn; see Matt 23:34 fo, 37 fp; 1 Thes 2:15 fq).
12:6 fr Mark’s early readers would have immediately associated his son whom he loved dearly with Jesus (cp. 1:11 fs; 9:7 ft; see also 1:1 fu; 3:11 fv; 5:7 fw).
12:7 fx The reasoning of the tenants is unclear to us, although it was apparently clear to the original hearers, requiring no further explanation (cp. Matt 21:38 fy; Luke 20:14 fz). Perhaps with the son’s coming, they assumed that the father had died and that the murder of the son would leave the vineyard without a living claimant. Then ownership would fall to those who had been working the vineyard for years.
12:8 ga threw his body out of the vineyard: The tenants’ disgraceful treatment of the son is heightened by their not even burying his body. Cp. Heb 13:12-13 gb.
12:9 gc The parable concludes with two rhetorical questions (cp. 3:23 gd, 33 ge; 4:13 gf; 7:18 gg; 8:12 gh). The first corresponds to what the “Lord of Heaven’s Armies” says in the parable of the vineyard (Isa 5:5-7 gi). Although some interpret Jesus’ answer as meaning that God would replace the evil Jewish leaders (Mark 11:27 gj; 12:12 gk) with more faithful ones, Mark’s readers likely would have understood the others to whom the vineyard would be given as the Gentile church (cp. Matt 21:43 gl; Rom 9:25-33 gm; 11:13-24 gn). Thus, Jesus’ parable connects with the coming destruction of Jerusalem (Mark 11:15-19 go; 13:1-37 gp; 14:58 gq; 15:29 gr).
Summary for Mark 12:10-11: 12:10-11 gs In his second rhetorical question, Jesus used a quotation from Ps 118:22-23 gt. The rejected stone (the Son) had become the cornerstone of God’s Kingdom (cp. Acts 4:11 gu; 1 Pet 2:4 gv, 6-7 gw). The phrase is traditionally understood as the buried cornerstone that is part of the foundation, but it could be the capstone at the top of a building that marks its completion. Whichever stone is meant, it was the most important one. Despite the evil intention of the builders—the religious leaders—all they did was in accordance with God’s will (Acts 4:28 gx), which was wonderful to see. Those who put Jesus to death were God’s instruments in his plan for the Son of Man to give his life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45 gy).
12:12 gz The religious leaders: For the second time, the presence of the crowd thwarted their evil intentions (see 11:31-32 ha; 14:1-2 hb).
Summary for Mark 12:13-17: 12:13-17 hc Having failed in questioning Jesus’ authority, Jesus’ enemies tried to alienate his audience. Readers are aware from the beginning that the flattery of the Pharisees and supporters of Herod (see 3:6 hd) was insincere; they wanted only to trap Jesus into saying something for which he could be arrested. The question is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not? had been carefully thought out by Jesus’ opponents. It presented Jesus with a dilemma. To say yes would alienate the people, for they despised the Romans and hated paying them taxes. To say no would make him a revolutionary and force an immediate confrontation with the Roman authorities, resulting in his arrest.
12:14 he taxes: The Greek word refers to a poll tax or head tax; cp. Luke 2:1-2 hf; Acts 5:37 hg.
12:15 hh Jesus’ surprising reply revealed his wisdom.
• a Roman coin: Apparently the poll tax had to be paid in Roman coinage.
12:16 hi The picture and title on the coin was almost certainly that of Tiberius Caesar, who reigned from AD 14–37. The inscription read “Tiberius Caesar Augustus, Son of [the] Divine Augustus” on one side and “High Priest” on the other.
12:17 hj give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar: Jesus’ words cannot be taken as those of an anti-Roman zealot opposing Jewish taxation by Caesar. Jesus clearly indicates elsewhere that he was opposed to the zealot cause (see Matt 5:9 hk, 39 hl, 41 hm; 26:52 hn). However, Jesus’ statement cannot be understood as pro-Roman, either, because service to God is fundamental, and God is ultimately over Caesar. Like the evil farmers in the previous parable, the religious leaders had not given God what belonged to him.
Summary for Mark 12:18-27: 12:18-27 ho This is the third controversy story of the series begun in 11:27 hp. As in most New Testament references to the Sadducees, the setting is the Temple (Matt 22:23-33 hq // Luke 20:27-40 hr; Acts 4:1-3 hs; 5:12 ht, 17 hu; 22:30–23:10 hv; the exceptions are Matt 3:7 hw; 16:1-12 hx).
• The Sadducees’ question (Mark 12:19-23 hy) was carefully crafted and based on a commandment of Moses (Deut 25:5-6 hz; see Gen 38:6-11 ia; Ruth 4:1-22 ib). Since all seven men could not have the woman as wife in the resurrection, and since none of them had a special claim, the Sadducees thought that they had proven the absurdity of the doctrine of the resurrection and refuted the Pharisees and Jesus (cp. Matt 12:41-42 ic; Luke 16:19-31 id; see also Mark 8:31 ie; 9:31 if; 10:34 ig). 12:18 ih This is the only place in Mark where the Sadducees are mentioned by name, although they are included in references to the leading priests (see 8:31 ii; 10:33 ij; 11:18 ik, 27 il). Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection from the dead (see Acts 4:1-2 im; 23:8 in).
12:19 io The Sadducees based their views only on the books of Moses.
• Like the Pharisees (12:14 ip), they addressed Jesus as Teacher. The Sadducees were fond of debating with religious teachers (see Josephus, Antiquities 18.1.4).
Summary for Mark 12:24-27: 12:24-27 iq Jesus’ response had two elements. First, he rebuked the Sadducees’ ignorance of the Scriptures (i.e., the Old Testament), where the resurrection of the dead is referred to most clearly in the Prophets (Isa 26:19 ir; Ezek 37:1-14 is) and the Writings (Job 19:26 it; Pss 16:9-11 iu; 49:15 iv; 73:23-26 iw; Dan 12:2 ix). However, the Sadducees accepted only the Torah (Genesis—Deuteronomy), so Jesus answered them from the Torah. The reference to God as the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob (see Exod 3:6 iy, 15-16 iz) showed that God’s covenant with the patriarchs could not be broken by death. They were still alive (Matt 8:11-12 ja; 13:17 jb; Luke 16:19-31 jc; John 8:56 jd), for God is the God of the living, not the dead. God’s covenant relationship with his people extends beyond their physical death, which means that the afterlife must be a reality.
• Second, Jesus challenged the Sadducees’ ignorance of God’s power. They thought that life in the resurrection would have to be an extension of mortal life. Instead, it is life raised to an entirely new level. In this new existence, there is no need for sexual reproduction because there is no more death. The intimacy of marriage is superseded by fellowship with a multitude of fellow believers and with God (Mark 10:29-30 je; Matt 19:28-29 jf; Luke 18:29-30 jg; Rev 21:1-4 jh). It is in this respect that resurrected believers will be like the angels in heaven.
• Jesus’ argument demonstrates his wisdom before his opponents and affirms the hope of the resurrection for his followers. Jesus is “the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25 ji); he has conquered death and assured those who believe in him that they will “not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16 jj).
Summary for Mark 12:28-34: 12:28-34 jk After the three hostile challenges of 11:27–12:27 jl, the reader might expect the next question to Jesus to be hostile (see 11:28 jm; 12:13 jn, 15 jo, 19-23 jp), but this was not a hostile counter. Earlier references in Mark to the teachers of religious law have portrayed them as antagonistic (2:6-7 jq, 16 jr; 3:22 js; 7:1 jt, 5 ju; 8:31 jv; 9:14 jw; 10:33 jx; 11:18 jy, 27 jz), and Jesus will warn the crowds against their hypocrisy (12:38-40 ka), but this teacher was positively inclined toward Jesus (12:28 kb, 32 kc) and praised him (12:32-33 kd). Jesus described the man’s answer to his question as having understanding, and Jesus said that the man was not far from the Kingdom of God (12:34 ke). 12:28 kf Of all the commandments: The Torah (Genesis—Deuteronomy) contains 613 separate commandments, and Jewish teachers frequently debated about which were more important than others. No command was considered unimportant, but some were recognized as more fundamental than others (see Matt 22:40 kg). Rabbi Hillel’s answer to this question was, “What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbor” (Babylonian Shabbat 31a; see also Tobit 4:15). Other suggestions included Prov 3:6 kh; Isa 33:15-16 ki; 56:1 kj; Amos 5:4 kk; Mic 6:8 kl; and Hab 2:4 km.
Summary for Mark 12:29-31: 12:29-31 kn Jesus’ reply combined two widely separated commands from the Torah.
• The first, Deut 6:4-5 ko, was probably the best known passage in the Old Testament, for it was repeated twice daily by observant Jews. It is called the Shema because it begins with the word Listen (Hebrew shema‘). The first command corresponds to the first part of the Ten Commandments (Exod 20:2-11 kp), which deals with a person’s relationship to God.
• The oneness of God is foundational to Jewish and Christian monotheism and is the basis for the command to love God with all one’s heart (thinking and affection), soul (desire and feeling), mind (understanding), and strength (energy and power).
• The second command is from Lev 19:18 kq. It corresponds to the second part of the Ten Commandments (Exod 20:12-17 kr), which concerns a person’s relationship with other people. The second command is based on the natural inclination of people to look after themselves. Its importance to the early church can be seen in its frequent repetition (Matt 5:43-44 ks; 19:19 kt; 25:31-46 ku; Rom 13:8-10 kv; Gal 5:14 kw; Jas 2:8 kx; Didache 1.2; 2.7). The two commands are not independent, but are intimately associated as one commandment. Their integration precludes religious mysticism that addresses only a person’s relationship with God or humanism that addresses only human relationships.
Summary for Mark 12:32-33: 12:32-33 ky The scribe’s affirmation adds emphasis to the importance of these two commands for authentic devotion.
12:34 kz The account ends with Jesus’ commending the teacher of religious law for recognizing that this twofold command was more important than burnt offerings and sacrifices (see Hos 6:6 la). We are left uncertain as to the fate of this man. He was not far from the Kingdom of God, but did he enter it? Mark might have intentionally left this question unanswered so that each reader would wrestle with the question, Have I entered the Kingdom of God?
Summary for Mark 12:35-37: 12:35-37 lb After having answered various questions, mostly from opponents, Jesus now asked a question (see 8:27 lc; Matt 17:25 ld; 21:31 le; Luke 10:36 lf). The Messiah was considered the son of David because of such passages as Isa 9:2-7 lg; 11:1-5 lh; Jer 23:5-6 li; 33:15-16 lj; Ezek 34:23-24 lk; 37:24-28 ll. With his question, Jesus did not deny that the Messiah was a descendant of David (Mark 10:47-48 lm; 11:10 ln; see Rom 1:3-4 lo), but he demonstrated that this description, while correct, is inadequate. The Messiah is far more!
12:36-37 lp Psalm 110:1 lq is the Old Testament verse most quoted in the New Testament. Since David authored the psalm, the statement “The Lord [God] said to my [David’s] Lord [the Messiah]” indicates that the Messiah is David’s Lord. Thus, the Messiah could not simply be David’s son. He is the Son of God who sits at God’s right hand (Mark 14:62 lr) and will come to judge the world (8:38 ls; 13:24-27 lt, 32-37 lu).
Summary for Mark 12:38-39: 12:38-39 lv teachers of religious law: See 1:22 lw. The warning here is similar to the one against the Pharisees and Herod in 8:15 lx. The scribes broke the two greatest commands (12:30-31 ly). They broke the first command by failing to love God and failing to reserve for him alone the reverence and adoration they sought for themselves.
• Flowing robes were probably the garments worn by religious men; respectful greetings perhaps meant being called “Rabbi” (see Matt 23:7 lz). The seats of honor were in the front of the synagogue facing the congregation.
12:40 ma The teachers of religious law broke the second command by failing to love their neighbors, as was seen in their cheating widows of their property. They clearly were cheating the most vulnerable and needy people despite God’s concern for widows (Deut 14:29 mb; Pss 68:5 mc; 146:9 md; Isa 1:17 me; Jer 7:6 mf; 49:11 mg) and his condemnation of those who mistreat them (Isa 1:23 mh; Ezek 22:7 mi; Zech 7:10 mj; Mal 3:5 mk). The scribes wore a hypocritical cloak of false piety (see Matt 6:5-6 ml; Luke 18:11-12 mm).
• they will be more severely punished: In the final judgment (Mark 9:42-48 mn; see Luke 14:11 mo).
Summary for Mark 12:41-44: 12:41-44 mp This account of a poor widow highlights the contrast between the falsely pious religious leaders (12:38-40 mq) and those who truly love God. The emphasis of the passage falls on Jesus’ pronouncement, I tell you the truth, in which the widow is described as having given more than the rich.
Summary for Mark 12:41-42: 12:41-42 mr The word translated collection box can refer to a building within the Temple compound in which Temple money was stored, but here it refers to one of thirteen money chests into which gifts were placed. As Jesus watched, many rich people put in large sums. Then he noticed a poor widow put in two small coins. (The use of the Roman term quadrans supports the view that Mark wrote his Gospel for the church in Rome; see Mark Book Introduction, “Audience.”) These two coins were worth one sixty-fourth of a denarius, a normal day’s pay (Matt 20:1-2 ms).
Summary for Mark 12:43-44: 12:43-44 mt Jesus called his disciples to hear his teaching (see 3:23 mu; 6:7 mv; 8:1 mw; 10:42 mx; see also 7:14 my; 8:34 mz). Jesus’ pronouncement in 12:43 na revealed a radical difference between his thinking and that of the world. No one would have named a building after the widow for her gift of two small coins, but Jesus and his Father look at a person’s heart (1 Sam 16:7 nb). The widow was doing exactly what Jesus told the rich young ruler to do (Mark 10:21 nc) and what he taught his disciples (1:18 nd, 20 ne; 8:34-37 nf; 10:28-29 ng). Like the woman of 14:3-9 nh, the poor widow loved God with all her heart, soul, mind, and strength (12:30 ni).
Mark 13
Summary for Mark 13:1-37: 13:1-37 nj This passage brings to a conclusion the section begun at 11:1 nk. Israel’s failure to produce fruit (11:12-26 nl; 12:38-40 nm) and its leaders’ hostility toward God’s anointed, the Messiah (11:1-11 nn, 27-33 no; 12:13-17 np, 18-27 nq), would result in judgment and the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple. 13:1 nr Leaving the Temple, Jesus was heading to the Mount of Olives (13:3 ns).• look at these magnificent buildings! The sight of the Temple would have been awe-inspiring. It was the largest temple complex in the world, with immense stones. One stone that has been uncovered in the western wall is estimated to weigh 600 tons. With its white stones, gold trim, and the gold-covered roof, the Temple complex looked like a snow-covered mountain; in the sun it was a blinding sight (Josephus, War 5.5.6). The Talmud says that “He who has not seen the temple in its full construction has never seen a glorious building in his life” (Babylonian Sukkah 51b).
13:2 nt Jesus’ reply to the disciples was shocking. This glorious and massive Temple complex, a symbol of strength and permanence and God’s favor for the Jews, would be totally, irrevocably destroyed.
• Not one stone will be left on top of another! Jesus’ prediction emphasized the total devastation that would result from the Roman army’s systematic attack on the entire Temple complex (Josephus, Antiquities 6.9.1; 7.1.1.). To say that Jesus’ prediction was not fulfilled because some of the foundation stones still stand is to misunderstand the language of prophecy. One does not expect a prophet to say that 97.9% of these stones will be removed! Anyone in the first century who visited Jerusalem after AD 70 would have acknowledged that Jesus’ prediction had been fulfilled.
Summary for Mark 13:3-4: 13:3-4 nu Andrew appeared here with the trio, Peter, James, and John (5:37 nv; 9:2 nw; 14:33 nx), completing the two sets of brothers (1:16-20 ny; 3:16-18 nz).
• Jesus’ prediction elicited two questions from the disciples. Although some scholars argue that the second question goes beyond the first in looking to the coming of the Son of Man at the end of the age, it is best to interpret these two questions as focusing on the time and the sign associated with the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple (cp. 13:29-30 oa; Luke 21:7 ob). These questions follow naturally from Jesus’ prediction in Mark 13:2 oc. The desire to know the sign reflected the disciples’ desire to be forewarned and prepared for all ... these things.
Summary for Mark 13:5-23: 13:5-23 od This section is often divided into two parts, 13:5-13 oe and 13:14-23 of. The first part is often interpreted as describing the destruction of Jerusalem, which occurred in AD 70, while the second part is taken to describe the coming of the Son of Man in the future. It is best, however, to interpret all of 13:5-23 og as describing events surrounding the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 because: (1) 13:5-23 oh is Jesus’ answer to the two questions (13:4 oi) that deal with the destruction of Jerusalem (13:2 oj); (2) The commands to flee Judea (13:14-16 ok), the woe announced upon pregnant and nursing women (13:17 ol), and the prayer that it not take place in winter (13:18 om) make sense if they refer to the events of AD 70 but not if they refer to the future return of Christ; (3) Three warnings in this passage (13:5 on, 9 oo, 23 op) tie this passage together and indicate that 13:5-23 oq should be understood as a unit.
• The subdivisions of this section are arranged as a chiasm (X-pattern): A: Deceivers claim to be the Messiah (13:5-6 or). B: There are reports of fighting and natural disasters (13:7-8 os). C: There is persecution of believers (13:9-13 ot). B': The fighting in Judea and resulting tribulation begin (13:14-20 ou). A': Deceivers claim to be the Messiah (13:21-23 ov).
Summary for Mark 13:5-6: 13:5-6 ow Jesus warned his followers not to be misled by the many false messiahs who would come claiming, ‘I am the Messiah’ and would deceive many into following them. These false claimants would profess to be the long-awaited Jewish Messiah (not Jesus per se) or to speak on the Messiah’s behalf. Such claimants included Theudas the Galilean (Acts 5:36 ox), Simon the son of Gioras, and John of Gischala, who deceived many in the AD 60s.
13:7 oy The Greek word translated must is also used in 8:31 oz. In both instances, God’s sovereignty over events is emphasized.
• but the end won’t follow immediately: These things would occur, and just as birth pains are followed by childbirth, God’s judgment on Jerusalem would follow. However, these events did not indicate that it was going to happen right away.
13:9 pa The second watch out! warns of persecution that was to come upon Christians (see 6:11 pb; 8:34-38 pc; 10:30 pd; see 4:17 pe). Jewish Christians would be brought before local councils of Jewish leaders, who had authority over Jewish communities. We read of such a council in Matt 10:17 pf and probably in Matt 5:22 pg (see also Acts 4:1-22 ph).
• beaten in the synagogues: Paul’s beatings in 2 Cor 11:24-25 pi were probably inflicted in the local synagogue.
• The followers of Jesus would also be susceptible to trial before governors and kings (see Acts 23:24 pj; 24:10-27 pk; 25:1–26:32 pl). Such trials were due to their being followers of Jesus (Mark 13:9 pm, 13 pn), not on account of real wrongdoing (see 1 Pet 4:14-16 po).
13:10 pp Such trials (13:9 pq, 11 pr) would be a means through which the Good News would be preached to all nations. This would all take place first—i.e., before the destruction of Jerusalem. For Paul’s understanding of how the Good News had already been preached to every nation in his day, see Rom 16:26 ps; Col 1:6 pt, 23 pu (see also Rom 1:5 pv, 8 pw; 10:18 px; 15:19 py, 23 pz).
13:11 qa A word of encouragement follows the warning of 13:9 qb. Jesus’ followers need not fear what they should say in these circumstances. The early followers of Jesus were generally uneducated and without political influence (see Acts 4:10-17 qc; 1 Cor 1:26 qd), so this assurance would have comforted them. Believers are not prohibited from thinking about what they will say, but they need not worry about it.
Summary for Mark 13:12-13: 13:12-13 qe There would be no single group, not even their own families, to whom persecuted Christians could automatically flee or turn for help (see Matt 10:35-36 qf; Luke 12:53 qg). They would be universally hated because of their allegiance to Jesus (because you are my followers). Those who remain faithful to death (to the end) will be saved from eternal punishment (see also Mark 8:35 qh; Rev 2:7 qi, 10 qj, 17 qk, 26-28 ql; 3:5 qm, 12 qn, 21 qo).
Summary for Mark 13:14-20: 13:14-20 qp Jesus now gave the sign requested in 13:4 qq and instructed his followers how to respond when they saw it. In 13:5-13 qr, they were told not to be alarmed. Here they are told that those in Judea must flee to the hills. 13:14 qs The day is coming when you will see the sacrilegious object that causes desecration: Mark did not explain what this object would be, but Jewish readers in the first century were familiar with the term. The prophet Daniel had foretold that such an object would stand in the Temple in Jerusalem (Dan 9:27 qt; 11:31 qu), and many Jews understood the events in Jerusalem in 167–164 BC, during the time of Antiochus IV Epiphanes, to be a fulfillment of that prophecy. (The deuterocanonical book of 1 Maccabees, written about 100 BC, narrates Antiochus’s reign and describes how Antiochus and his followers erected a “sacrilegious object causing desecration on top of the altar for burnt offerings,” 1 Maccabees 1:54, 59).
• standing where he should not be: In light of the historical background and the reference to Jerusalem (Mark 13:2 qv, 4 qw) and Judea (13:14 qx), this clause clearly refers to something inappropriate happening in the Temple in Jerusalem.
• (Reader, pay attention!): Mark alerted his original readers to pay attention to his description of this sign, which indicates that the expression required careful thought and discernment. Mark’s readers were to look for a sign that was similar to what had happened in the time of Antiochus Epiphanes.
• Although the phrase sacrilegious object that causes desecration is grammatically neuter, the word standing is grammatically masculine, so it refers to a person and not a thing. Suggestions as to who it might have been include: (1) the emperor Caligula, who in AD 39–40 attempted to erect a statue of himself in the Temple (Josephus, Antiquities 12.8.2-3); (2) Pontius Pilate (AD 26–36), who attempted to have the Roman soldiers march into Judea displaying their standards, which were considered idolatrous by Jews (Josephus, War 2.9.2-3); (3) the Zealots in AD 69–70, when they committed atrocities in the Temple, appointed an unqualified person as the high priest of the nation, and “came into the sanctuary with polluted feet” (Josephus, War 4.3.4-8); (4) the Roman general Titus, who after conquering Jerusalem in AD 70 forced entry into the Temple as well (Josephus, War 6.4.7); (5) Titus’s soldiers, who set up their standards in the Temple, sacrificed to them, and proclaimed Titus as emperor (Josephus, War 6.6.1); (6) the destruction of the Temple itself in AD 70; or (7) a future event involving the coming of the antichrist (see 2 Thes 2:3-4 qy). The context and source of the expression eliminate several of these theories. In Daniel and 1 Maccabees, the expression involves the Temple, its altar, and its sacrificial rituals. In Mark 13:14-20 qz, it is a sign for people to flee Judea, and what it refers to must occur while there is still time to flee (i.e., before the Roman army had occupied Judea and besieged Jerusalem). Explanations 1 and 2 are too early to serve as a recognizable sign to flee Judea, they didn’t actually defile the Temple, and the Christians did not flee Jerusalem. Explanations 4–6 ra occurred too late, for there would have been no opportunity to flee after Titus entered Jerusalem. Explanation 7 does not refer to the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70, which is the subject of 13:14-20 rb, and the coming of the antichrist would not be limited to Judea. Explanation 3, however, fits well: It occurred in AD 69–70, shortly before Titus besieged Jerusalem, which would have given Christians a brief opportunity to leave Jerusalem before it was besieged; and it involved actions that defiled the holy place in the Temple. This interpretation also helps to distinguish the sign of the coming disaster (the sacrilegious person) from the disaster itself (the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple).
• Then: At the appearance of the sacrilege, those in Judea were to flee to the hills. The early church historian Eusebius tells of a prophetic oracle given to the Jerusalem church that caused them to flee the city before its destruction (Eusebius, Church History 3.5.3).
Summary for Mark 13:15-16: 13:15-16 rc A person relaxing on the roof of their Judean home should not even pack after seeing this sign, but come down and flee. Likewise, a person out in the field should not return home to retrieve his coat. Believers were to flee from the approaching Roman army as soon as they saw the sign of 13:14 rd. The Roman army did not practice a swift “blitzkrieg” kind of warfare. Their movement tended to be cautious, methodical, and relentless. But Jesus warned against playing a waiting game to see how things would develop.
13:17 re The intensity of the coming disaster is illustrated by the suffering of the most vulnerable. In that day, the joy of motherhood (see Luke 1:25 rf, 57-59 rg) would be accompanied by terrible trouble.
13:18 rh In winter, the wadis (canyon-like riverbeds) are flooded, travel is more difficult, and survival is harder.
13:19 ri greater anguish in those days than at any time since God created the world: Such hyperbole is common in Semitic expression; it heightens the terror of that horrible time and should not be taken as an exact statistical analysis of how this suffering ranks alongside other disasters.
• And it will never be so great again: The events of 13:14-23 rj would not bring history to an end; history would continue after the destruction of the Temple in AD 70.
13:20 rk God’s shortening of his timetable for the days of calamity is referred to frequently in intertestamental Jewish literature (e.g., 2 Esdras 2:13; 2 Baruch 20:1). This statement emphasizes the horrors of this tribulation experienced by God’s people, but also God’s mercy in shortening this time.
• not a single person will survive: The whole population of Judea might have been destroyed if the days of anguish had been longer.
• chosen ones (literally elect): Followers of Jesus.
Summary for Mark 13:21-23: 13:21-23 rl The larger section (13:5-23 rm) concludes with another warning about messianic pretenders. Here the pretenders are associated with the events of AD 70, whereas in 13:5-6 rn they were associated with the normal course of events. Along with false messiahs, prophets would appear and perform miraculous signs and wonders (13:22 ro), hoping to deceive not only the Jews of Judea and Jerusalem but even the Christians (God’s chosen ones). Jesus warned his followers not to believe such reports. When the Messiah comes from heaven (13:26 rp), everyone will see and know it (see Rev 1:7 rq).
• Watch out! This warning unifies the section (Mark 13:5-23 rr) and brings it to a close. Jesus’ teaching in this section was to warn his followers in Judea and Jerusalem not to be misled by false messianic hopes and claims. Many Jews succumbed to such claims in the late AD 60s, and Josephus (Antiquities 17.10.8) describes the great harm done by these pretenders, who encouraged the Jewish people to resist the Romans. Nothing should distract Christians from fleeing Judea and Jerusalem when they see the sacrilegious object that causes desecration taking place.
• For Mark’s readers in Rome, Jesus’ message had a different application. Mark wanted his readers to watch out for those who promised timetables for prophecy to be fulfilled. They could not know the time (13:32 rs), and a frenzy about the second coming of Christ was forbidden, but they were to be alert (13:33-37 rt) and prepare themselves for persecution (13:9-13 ru; see 8:34-38 rv) according to Jesus’ words of encouragement (13:11 rw, 13 rx).
Summary for Mark 13:24-27: 13:24-27 ry At that time, after the anguish of those days: Many scholars argue that the cosmic signs of 13:24-25 rz, the coming of the Son of Man in 13:26 sa, and the gathering of the chosen ones from throughout the world in 13:27 sb are metaphorical ways of referring to the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 and to the vindication of the Son of Man by that event. The traditional interpretation, though, is that, whereas the former material refers to the destruction of Jerusalem, this passage refers to the coming of the Son of Man (the parousia) that will occur at the end of history. This interpretation fits better for several reasons: (1) After the anguish of those days means after the destruction of Jerusalem, not during it, and at that time (literally in those days) could occur at any time after the events of 13:5-23 sc; (2) several words used in 13:26 sd are used elsewhere to describe the coming of the Son of Man: glory (8:38 se), power and clouds (14:62 sf); and (3) in light of the early church’s longing and praying for the return of the Lord Jesus (1 Cor 16:22 sg; Rev 22:20 sh), Mark’s readers would have interpreted Mark 13:26 si as the second coming of Jesus, which will bring history as we know it to a close. The prophets, Jesus, and the Gospel writers described this event as though seen through a telescope, and the distance between events is unclear; no one knows the time for this event except God himself (13:32 sj). The events of 13:5-23 sk and 13:24-27 sl are part of the same great, divine act that includes the coming of the Son of Man, his ministry, death, and resurrection, the judgment of Jerusalem in AD 70, and the Son of Man’s final coming in glory.
Summary for Mark 13:24-25: 13:24b-25 sm Some of the language used in the New Testament to describe Jesus’ second coming, such as the “trumpet call of God” (1 Thes 4:16 sn), appears to be metaphorical, and in the Old Testament, cosmic language is frequently used to describe historical events metaphorically (see Isa 11:1-9 so; 13:9-11 sp; Jer 4:23-28 sq; Ezek 32:1-16 sr). So it is possible that this imagery could refer to a past event, such as the destruction of Jerusalem, if that is the meaning of Mark 13:24-27 ss. However, the New Testament writers clearly understood the coming of the Son of Man to be the visible and personal return of Jesus in the future (see Acts 1:9-11 st).
13:27 su The Son of Man, at his coming, will gather his chosen people—those who believe in him and follow him—from all over the world (see Zech 2:6 sv) and from the farthest ends of the earth and heaven (see Deut 13:7 sw; 30:4 sx; Isa 42:10 sy; 62:11 sz). This hope is expressed frequently in the Old Testament (e.g., Ps 107:2-3 ta; Isa 11:11-16 tb; 27:12-13 tc; 43:5-13 td; 49:12 te; 60:1-9 tf; Jer 31:10 tg). For Mark’s readers, this passage would have provided encouragement to endure and remain faithful despite the persecutions foretold in Mark 13:9-13 th. The Son of Man’s coming will also bring judgment on the unrighteous (8:38 ti; 13:32-37 tj; Matt 13:41-43 tk; 24:36-51 tl; 25:1-12 tm, 31-46 tn).
Summary for Mark 13:28-31: 13:28-31 to This passage contains the lesson (literally parable) of the fig tree (13:28-30 tp) and two sayings (13:30-31 tq). It is closely tied to 13:4-23 tr by the words all these things (13:4 ts) and the expression when you see (13:29 tt; cp. 13:14 tu).
13:29 tv his return (literally he/it is near): The Greek has no explicit subject, so the choice between “he is near” or “it is near” depends on whether 13:29-30 tw refers to 13:4-23 tx or to 13:24-27 ty. The NLT text understands it as referring to the return of the Son of Man. Because words in 13:4 tz are echoed in 13:29 ua and 30 ub (see study note on 13:28-31), others interpret it as referring to the destruction of Jerusalem. Just as the sprouting of the fig tree is a herald of summer, the desolating sacrilege (13:14 uc) would be a harbinger of Jerusalem’s destruction.
13:30 ud This generation was to witness the fulfillment of these events. That generation did witness the destruction of Jerusalem. Those, however, who hold that all these things refers to the coming of the Son of Man have to interpret this generation as meaning something other than “people alive at this time.” It could refer to the continued existence of the Jewish people, the whole human race, the Christian community, or the last generation of the end time.
13:31 ue Jesus personally guaranteed what he had said. My words include specifically what Jesus said in the whole discourse of Mark 13:1-37 uf. Mark’s readers would have understood this as guaranteeing the truth of all Jesus’ teachings known to them (Luke 1:2 ug). Like the Old Testament Scriptures (see Isa 40:8 uh), Jesus’ words are eternal. His teachings are more abiding than the fundamental elements of creation. The basic elements of creation will pass away (see also Ps 102:25-26 ui; Isa 40:6-8 uj; 51:6 uk; Matt 5:18 ul; Luke 16:17 um; 2 Pet 3:7 un, 10 uo; Rev 20:11 up), but Jesus’ words will never disappear.
Summary for Mark 13:32-37: 13:32-37 uq Just as 13:28-31 ur seems to pick up the theme of 13:5-23 us in speaking of the destruction of Jerusalem, 13:32-37 ut apparently picks up the theme of 13:24-27 uu and speaks of the coming of the Son of Man. An introductory warning against speculations concerning the end time (13:32 uv) is followed by a warning to be on guard because one cannot know the time of the end (13:33 uw). A story illustrates the need to be ready for the Lord’s return (13:34 ux), and its application repeats the need to watch lest they be found unprepared (13:35-36 uy); the concluding warning is also for watchfulness (13:37 uz). 13:32 va The statement no one knows the day or hour (cp. Acts 1:7 vb) introduces the warning to be watchful (Mark 13:33-37 vc) and discourages speculation.
• Jesus refers to himself as the Son, higher than the angels in an ascending hierarchy that begins with no one and ends with only the Father. The authenticity of this saying is assured by the limitation it places on the Son’s knowledge, something the early church would not likely have imagined—in the apocryphal gospels (about AD 150–300), the tendency is to exalt and magnify Jesus’ divine attributes (e.g., see the Infancy Gospel of Thomas). In the miracle of the incarnation, Jesus experienced limitation (Mark 10:40 vd; 13:32 ve). If the Son himself did not know the day or hour, Christians should refrain from seeking such knowledge for themselves.
Summary for Mark 13:33-37: 13:33-37 vf These verses contain several variations of the same basic warning: Be on guard! Stay alert! and watch. The repetition emphasizes the need to be vigilant.
Summary for Mark 13:34-35: 13:34-35 vg The point of the story is not that the return of the Lord is uncertain or unexpected (see Matt 24:45-51 vh; 25:1-30 vi; Luke 12:36-38 vj; 19:12-27 vk), but that there will be no sign or warning of his coming. The parable is allegorical in at least two respects, with the master (Greek kurios) understood as the Lord [kurios] Jesus Christ and the slaves or household servants as the Christian community. But to allegorize the gatekeeper as the apostles or Peter was a post–New Testament development.
• in the evening, at midnight, before dawn (literally the cock’s crowing), or at daybreak: The four periods of the night correspond to the Roman division of the night into four watches of three hours each and simply mean that the master can return at any time during the night.
13:37 vl The passage, originally addressed to the disciples (you, see also 13:5 vm), is also directed to all readers of Mark’s Gospel (everyone).
• Watch for him! Although 13:32-37 vn warns about being ready, the early church experienced this vigilance as a joyous anticipation of “that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed” (Titus 2:13 vo). Even Greek Christians in the first century repeated the Aramaic prayer, Marana tha (“Come, Lord,” see 1 Cor 16:22 vp; Rev 22:20 vq) and today, we still “eagerly look forward to his appearing” (2 Tim 4:8 vr).
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