Mark 13

AND as he went out of the temple, one of his disciples says unto him, Master, see what manner of stones, and what buildings are here.

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. The perishing nature of the splendid, and gay things of this World, are sitter objects for the meditation of such as are Christs Disciples, then the Splendour and Magnificence of them, especially when they are the priviledges of a sinful People Sin will undermine, and blow up the most Famous structures. It is a good thing for Christians not to set their hearts upon them. See the Notes on Matth. 24.1. v.

And as he sate upon the mount of Olives, over against the temple, Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, asked him privately:

Tell us, When shall these things be, and what shall be the sign when all th e things shall be fulfilled. Matthew puts two things more into the Question, What shall be the sign of thy coming? and of the end of the World? The best of Men have a great curiosity to know futurities, things that shall hereafter come to pass. All the other part of this Chapter is spent by our Saviour in an answer to these three Questions, (according to St. Matthew) or this one Question, according to Mark and Luke. Some have attempted curiously to distinguish, betwixt the signs intended by our Saviour, as relating to each Period. But certainly those Interpreters do judge best, that think our Saviour intended to let them know, That the Destruction of Hierusalem, should be a Type of the Destruction of the World, at the last Day, and that the same things should go before the one, and be Signs of it, that should go before the other. And whoso readeth the History of Iosephus, of what happened before the Destruction of Hierusalem, and after this time, will find that there were few or none of these Signs, that are here mentioned, but came to pass, before the dreadful Destruction of that so Famous Place, yet we must doubtless look for many, if not all the same things to come to pass, before the General Destruction of the World in the last Day.

And Jesus answering them began to say, Take heed, lest any man deceive you.

For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ: and shall deceive many. See the Notes on Matth. 24.4.5. This is the first Sign, fulfilled before the Destruction of Hierusalem in part and which has been fulfilling ever since, and probably before the Day of Judgment, the number of such Impostors will increase.

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.

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. Matthew adds Pestilences. Luke says Pestilences, and fearfull sights, and great Signs from Heaven. See the Notes on Matth. 24.6.7.8. Here are two or three more Signs put together! Wars and rumours of Wars, great commotions in Nations, which tho they may be at other times, yet probably may be more extraordinary before the Day of Judgment. 2. Famines, Pestilences and Earthquakes. 3. Fearful Sights and Apparitions in the Air, and the Heavens. Such there were (as Iosephus tells us) before the Destruction of Ierusalem; and tho these things be seen before the last day, yet it is most probable they will be greater before the day of Judgment, than at any time before; and for fearful sights, and great Signs from Heaven, they ordinarily go before some great Judgment of God upon places, and therefore the observation of them by the Heathen, (as we learn by Livy and others) seems but to be a piece of natural Religion, and Christ giving these things as Signs of the approaching ruine, first of Jerusalem, then of the World, will make thinking Christians behold the with a Relig ous fear, tho not to undertake to expound them particularly or Prophecy upon them. Certainly we ought to look upon them, as prognosticating some great work of God, and usually of Judgment upon Sinners.

But take heed to your selves: 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. This so far as concerneth those to whom Christ spake, can only be a Sign of the Destruction of Ierusalem, but so far as it concerneth others, it is also a Sign of the end of the World. It is the fifth Sign he gives them. The Persecution of the Ministers of Christ and the Saints of God, for the Preaching, and profession of the Gospel. See the Notes on Matth. 24.9.

And the gospel must first be published among all nations. I am prone to think that our Lord gives this not only as a Sign of the Destruction of Ierusalem, but of the end of the World, and the latter principally, for before the Destruction of Ierusalem, (which was in less then forty years after Christs Death) the Gospel was not Preached to a l Nations, otherwise then as All signifies very many. And I do think that all places shall have the Gospel Preached to them, before the Day of Judgment, after another manner then either it was possible, it should be Preached to them within forty years, after the Death of Christ, or then many places have had it Preached amongst them to this Day. For tho the Holy Scriptures, and Ecclesiastical Historians, give us a something large account of the Gospel being Preached in Europe, Asia, and in Africa, yet we have little account from any of them, of its being Preache in America. I am not wholly ignorant of what those writers tell us, of Thomas the Apostle his Preaching to the Indians and of Trumentius and his Colleague, but they are very few Preachers that any stories give an account of, gone to the Indians, whither I believe the Gospel must go before that Christ comes to Judgment.

But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought before hand 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. See the Notes on Matth. 10.19.20. By take no Thought, he means take no anxious thoughts to disquiet your selves.

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.

And ye shall be hated of all men for my names sake: But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. This is but an amplification of the fifth Sign, given us v. 9. viz. a furious Persecution, eminently made good in the Iewish Persecution, before the Destruction of Ierusalem. In the Pagan Persecution, for 300 years after Christ. In the Popish Persecutions at this Day. See the Notes on Matth. 24.10.

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 Judea, flee to the mountains.

And let him that is on the house-top, not go down into the house, neither enter therein, to take any thing out of his house.

And let him that is in the field, not turn back again for to take up his garment.

But wo to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days.

And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter.

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.

And except that the Lord had shortned those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elects sake whom he has chosen, he has shortned the Days. See the Notes on Matth. 24.15.16.17. where we have before opened all these passages. This Sign does manifestly relate to the Destruction of Ierusalem, and can have no relation to the end of the World. In our Notes on Matth. 24. we have showed what is ment by the Abomination of Desolations, and to what place in Daniel it refereth. Luke expoundeth it, Ch. 21.20. when you shall see Ierusalem compassed with Armies, the Roman Armies. Abominable for the Idols that in them were worshipped. The Sign was this, when you shall see the Roman Armies besieging Ierusalem, be assured God will soon deliver it into their hands, what ever vain hopes Men may suggest of their holding out, or driving them away. Let every one of you with all Imaginable expedition shift for your selves. God will surely deliver up the City, when that time comes. And before the taking of the City, he tells them, there shall be such affliction (by reason of their intestine Factions and divisions, as never any People experienced. As to these things. See the Notes on Matth. 24.15.16, &c.

And then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or Lo, he is there: believe him not.

For false Christs, and false prophets shall rise, and shall show signs and wonders, to seduce if it were possible, even the elect.

But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things. See the Notes on Matth. 24.23, 24.25. The History of Iosephus, and those Roman Historians, who did write the History of those times, that went immediately before the Destruction of Ierusalem, and give us account of the taking of that City, are the best commentary on these verses. It has been often said, That the Jews were in expectation of a Messias, and are so still. But by him they understood not a Person, who should be God-man, and save his People from their Sins, and set up a spiritual Kingdom in the World, but a secular Prince, who should come of the house of David, and restore them to their civil Liberties. So that the name of Christ, was a fair name to patronize any Rebellious Faction, where the Leader would arrogate it to himself, (especially if he could pretend to the house of David,) near the Destruction of Ierusalem, several Persons used these arts to draw People after them to defend themselves, and to stand up for their Liberties. Our Saviour having discerned his Disciples tinctured with this common error of the Nation, and knowing what would come to pass, gives his Disciples warning, to avoid these delusions, and not to run after such pretenders, to their Ruin and Destruction.

But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light.

And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken.

And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.

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 usage of these Phrases, of the darkening the Sun, and the Moon, and the falling of the Stars, to signifie the ruin of Nations, and changes wrought in them, as in Isaiah 13.10. as to the Destruction of Babylon, and Ezek. 32.7. to express the change the Providence of God made, by the Destruction of Egypt, as also to signifie the change made in the World, by setting up the Gospel, to which purpose they are used by Ioel ch. 2.31. has given Interpreters a Latitude, to Intrprete these verses, with relation to the Destruction of the Iews, which made a great change, as to the Jewish Church and State. 2. And with reference to the change made by setting up the Gospel Church. But the 26, and 27 verses incline me rather to Interprete them of the end of the World. For tho those other expressions are used to express great Changes and Mutations, yet it is not said of any of them. Then shall they see the Son of Man coming in the Clouds, with great Power, and Glory. And then shall he send his Angels, &c. Which Phrases do so agree with those other Texts, where Christs second coming to Judgment is expressed certainly, that I cannot but think our Saviour speaks here with reference to that. See Matth. 13.41. 1 Cor. 15.52. 1 Thes. 4.16. Rev. 1.7.

Now learn a parable of the fig-tree: When her branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is near.

So ye in like manner, when ye shall see these things come to pass, know that it is nigh, even at the doors.

Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done.

Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away. See the Notes on Matth. 24.42.33.34. where we met with the same things, almost Word for Word. So, as more Words need not be repeated here in the explication of these verses.

But of that day and that hour, knoweth no man, no not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.

Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is. See the Notes on Matth. 24.36.42. Idea latet ultimus Diss ut observentur omnes Dies. God has concealed from us the knowledge of the last Day, that we might watch all our Days. See the Notes on Matthew, in what sense Christ says, he did not know the last Day, and hour. Watching is opposed to Sleeping, there is a natural Sleep, and a spiritual Sleep, of which the Apostle speaks Rom. 13.11. Eph. 5.14. the latter is here principally intended to which the Watching here commanded is opposed, and signifies an industrious diligent care, to keep our selves from Sin upon a prospect of the last Judgment, and the consideration of the incertainty of the particular year, or day when it shall be. Together with such a bodily Watching, as may be subservient unto that end, and fit us for Prayer, but the Watching principally intended, is a striving against Sin, which is the spiritual Sleep, and thus it is expounded by Luke ch. 21.36. compared with v. 34.35.

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.

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.

Lest coming suddenly, he find you sleeping.

And what I say unto you, I say unto all, Watch, In the Greek, those Words, For the Son of Man is, are not, but those, or some such like, are necessarily to be understood, to make up the sense. The Watching here again twice c lled for is the same with that before mentioned. The sense of these verses is the same as before, the incertainty of the time, when Christ cometh to Judgment, should oblige all Men to be diligent and indu rious, to keep themselves from Sinning, that they may be ready at what time so ever he cometh. He mentions only the four parts of the Night, having spoken of Sin, under the notion of Sleeping, and Holiness, under the notion of Watching.