v1As Jesus was leaving the Temple, one of his disciples said, “Look, Teacher! What wonderful stones and buildings!” v2Jesus answered, “You see these great buildings? Not a single stone here will be left in its place; every one of them will be thrown down.”v3Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, across from the Temple, when Peter, James, John, and Andrew came to him in private. v4″Tell us when this will be,” they said, “and tell us what will happen to show that the time has come for all these things to take place.” v5Jesus said to them, “Watch out, and don’t let anyone fool you. v6Many men, claiming to speak for me, will come and say, ‘I am he!’ and they will fool many people. v7And don’t be troubled when you hear the noise of battles close by and news of battles far away. Such things must happen, but they do not mean that the end has come. v8Countries will fight each other; kingdoms will attack one another. There will be earth- quakes everywhere, and there will be famines. These things are like the first pains of childbirth. – Mark 13:1-8*
This is Mark’s “Little Apocalypse,” which contains many characteristics of Christian apocalyptic literature – preoccupation with the end of times, a dark historical perspective, predictions of the persecution of believers, and images of cosmic chaos that will precede Christ’s second coming. Mark uses the apocalyptic material to warn the community of the persecution that will accompany their beliefs. He calls them to fidelity in their distress and assures them of the vindication that will come to them when Christ returns. This chapter of Mark: among the number of passages in the Bible that describe the end of time – full of descriptions of disaster and destruction, of things coming undone. But the time of upheaval/destruction is not only the end but also a beginning. In the final words of this section, Jesus reveals, “This is but the beginning of the birth pains.” (v.😎.
Apocalyptic eschatology is essentially about God working on behalf of humanity, and that is what is introduced in the beginning of this discourse. It leaves God alarmingly free and open to the future. God is not limited by temporal questions, such as the one the disciples ask. The community is supposed to watch, stay fast, and endure.
***
The overarching theme of vigilance and preparedness are emphasized in this passage. Jesus urges his followers to be watchful and ready for his return, as no one knows the exact time when it will occur. This call for readiness is echoed throughout the New Testament, emphasizing the importance of living a life of faithfulness and obedience to God at all times. Mark 13:1-8 delivers a powerful message about the inevitable fulfillment of prophecy, the rise of deception, the signs of the end times, and the call to be alert for the return of Christ. This passage serves as a reminder for believers to stay steadfast in their faith, discern truth from falsehood, and be prepared for the glorious return of the Lord.
***
Being led astray will be a danger, there will be war, earthquakes, famine. And, this will only be the beginning. Jesus warns, “Watch out, and don’t let anyone fool you.”Jesus’ words of warning speak to our present. Here we are, still reeling with the trauma caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, and what he describes in verses 5 to 8 sound like a description of our reality. At the peak of the pandemic people are being led astray from getting the vaccine or other public health practices like wearing masks by conspiracy theories, and frankly, bad theology. Maybe you’ve heard of the argument that wearing a mask is a sin because it covers up the image of God? Or that Jesus’ blood is the only protection needed against the disease? Then there’s the false premise that getting a pre-emptive treatment that protects you from the disease is a sign that you are a slave to fear or worse, little faith. When these sorts of arguments are made and connected to the name of Jesus Christ, they are examples of what Jesus warns about in verse 6.
***
Wars and rumors of wars… There is an ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine; of Israel and Iran with its proxies, the Hamas and Hezbollah. While these may be thousands of miles away from us, we feel their impacts and share the anxieties of war. There is the continuing threat of a nuclearized Iran and North Korea. And China is showing all the indications of possessing the whole West Philippine Sea which of course, will be resisted by the Philippines and its allies. Rumors of war. When Jesus tells us to not be alarmed, is he recognizing that this is “par for the human course” until he comes again? I think so—because war is part of our fallen human nature, it is who we are when we are not wholly won over to Christ and completely transformed by the Holy Spirit to the purposes of the Father. Human greed and lust for power breed conflict among humans.
***
Earthquakes, famine, natural disasters. Recently, in just a matter of one month, we experienced the unparalleled onslaught of six typhoons. Thedevastations caused by these cyclones are taking their toll to the residents of northern Luzon. Some are now having “typhoon fatigue” as some journalists describe the psychological effect to people in the areas battered several times by typhoons. And we are being consistently warned of the impending crises brought on by climate change—not to mention the way that Covid has directly impacted supply chains around the world. In other words, all of the things Jesus says were coming are still coming. His prophecy was immediate as well as overarching because he is speaking about the human and world condition until all things are made right at his Second Coming.
***
As Jesus and his disciples leave the temple in Jerusalem one of the disciple marvels at the grandeur of the temple’s buildings. Jesus responds by foretelling the destruction of the temple.
He tells his disciples that these gorgeous buildings and the social and religious order they represent will, in due course, be reduced to ruin, with not one stone left upon another. What sorrow! But he has already told them of another collapse about to happen closer at hand: his own brutal death and unexpected resurrection, which will bring to birth a new age, a new world, a new life.
Some things are so important to us, whether they’re buildings or traditions, it may seem they will endure forever. Nothing lasts forever except change. The temple was destroyed by the Romans in 70AD: Jesus’ prophecy was fulfilled. Scholars are uncertain about whether Mark’s gospel was written before, during, or after 70AD. Jesus’ words would have taken on even more power if people were hearing them as the temple was falling.
***
Jesus Christ not only predicting that specific downfall – He is also saying more generally that eventually all human structures and systems fall. It wasn’t just the temple that would be destroyed. Whole structure of the Jewish faith at that time would be changed. Everything Jesus had been challenging of the authority and power located in that structure would come apart. We know two groups existed within Judaism before the temple’s destruction: Sadducees & Pharisees. However, only the Pharisees survived the changes that accompanied the destruction of the temple. The Sadducees did not.
***
How do we as Jesus’ disciples, view things like buildings, human structures, human systems, and human traditions? What would we do if they were removed?As I ponder on these questions and give relevant meaning to the eschatological apocalypse in this gospel of Mark, I am reminded with this part of a prayer posted recently by a lady priest in our clergy chat group,
“…Unite the Church in mission and ministry, that we may proclaim Your Gospel boldly and serve our communities with love.Renew our commitment to prayer, worship, and discipleship, that we may grow in holiness and reflect Your glory.Guide us in addressing social justice issues, caring for the vulnerable, and promoting unity among all peoples.May the Holy Spirit inspire and energize us to share Your love and transform our nation.”
This prayer was shared in relation to the sad news of resignation of the Archbishop of Canterbury and the spiritual head of the worldwide Anglican Communion several days ago. Archbishop Justin Welby stepped down after an independent investigation found that he had failed to inform police about serial physical and sexual abuse by a volunteer at Christian summer camps as soon as he became aware of it.
Like many Christian denominations, the Anglicans are split by disagreements over the church’s teachings about homosexuality and the role of women. While churches in England and America have become more welcoming to the LGBT community and moved to ordain women priests and bishops, some more conservative churches in Africa and Asia have resisted those changes. At a 2018 peace conference in Nigeria, Justin Welby took aim at corruption, warning the country’s leaders that when it comes to reconciliation, actions speak louder than words.Six years on, Welby’s inability to live up to that principle by reconciling the Church of England’s past with its present has culminated with his resignation as Archbishop of Canterbury.
***
As church, we yearn for some word from the Lord in a season of institutional instability and social anxiety. We can choose not to fall prey to fear, not to grasp after details unavailable to us. We can decide to stay steady and listen in hope for the song of our future, God’s own anthem meant for all people.Most Christians experience enthusiasm for the gospel at the beginning of their faith journey. Sustaining that excitement, especially as we experience the brokenness of Christ’s church, can be painfully difficult. During those personal and communal crises, we must hold on to the first fruits of our faith – our belief and hope in the promises of Christ and the love to which he continually calls us.
Let us pray.
Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.(Proper 28 Collect, BCP).**
