{"id":24718,"date":"2022-09-24T10:43:23","date_gmt":"2022-09-24T15:43:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/exegetical-and-hermeneutical-commentary-of-mark-1314\/"},"modified":"2022-09-24T10:43:23","modified_gmt":"2022-09-24T15:43:23","slug":"exegetical-and-hermeneutical-commentary-of-mark-1314","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/exegetical-and-hermeneutical-commentary-of-mark-1314\/","title":{"rendered":"Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Mark 13:14"},"content":{"rendered":"

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: <\/i><\/b><\/h3>\n

14 23<\/strong>. Immediate Tokens of the Downfall of Jerusalem<\/p>\n

14<\/strong>. But when ye shall see<\/em> ] Hitherto He had distinctly foretold the destruction of the Holy City, now He gives them tokens which should forewarn them of its approach, and tells them how they may secure their own safety.<\/p>\n

the abomination of desolation<\/em> ] The reference here is to Dan 9:27<\/span>, “and for the overspreading of abominations<\/em> he shall make it desolate<\/em>,” or, as it is rendered in the margin, “and upon the battlements shall be the idols of the desolator<\/em>.” The LXX. render it, “and upon the temple the abomination of desolations;” comp. 1Ma 1:54 ; 2Ma 6:2 . Hengstenberg would translate it, “and over the top of abomination comes the desolation.”<\/p>\n

i. The verb from which the Greek word rendered “abomination” comes means to cause disgust by bad smell or otherwise<\/em>. Hence it is translated by Tertullian “abominamentum.”<\/p>\n

ii. In the Septuagint it is specially applied to ( a<\/em>) idols, and ( b<\/em>) things pertaining to idols. Thus in 1Ki 11:5<\/span> “Milcom” (= Molech) is called “ the abomination<\/em> of the Ammonites,” and in 1Ki 11:7<\/span> “Chemosh” is called “ the abomination<\/em> of Moab.” Again Ahab is said (1Ki 21:26<\/span>) “to have done very abominably<\/em> in following idols,” and Ahaz (2Ki 16:3<\/span>) to have made “his son to pass through the fire according to the abominations<\/em> of the heathen.” Comp. also 2Ki 21:2<\/span>.<\/p>\n

iii. Thus the word passes into the New Testament, where it occurs 6 times. ( a<\/em>) Here; ( b<\/em>) in the parallel, Mat 24:15<\/span>; ( c<\/em>) Luk 16:15<\/span>, “that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination<\/em> in the sight of God;” and ( d<\/em>) Rev 17:4<\/span>, “having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations<\/em>.” Comp. also Rev 17:5<\/span>; Rev 21:27<\/span>.<\/p>\n

iv. The key to the interpretation seems to be supplied by St Luke, who says (Luk 21:20<\/span>), “And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies<\/em>, then know that the desolation<\/em> thereof is nigh,” and thus shews that it is to be explained in some connection with the Roman legions.<\/p>\n

v. Hence ( a<\/em>) Some would understand it to denote the vile abominations practised by the Romans on the place where the Temple stood. ( b<\/em>) Others, the Eagles, the standards of the Roman army, which were held in abomination by the Jews, both on account of the representations of the Emperor which they bore, and because the soldiers were known to offer sacrifice to them. The Roman Eagles, therefore, rising over the site of the Temple, “ where they ought not<\/em>,” and “ compassing<\/em> ” the city (Luk 21:20<\/span>), was the sign that the Holy Place had fallen under the dominion of the idolaters, ( c<\/em>) Others again would refer the words not only to the Roman Eagles, but to the outrages of lust and murder perpetrated by the “Zealots,” which drove every worshipper in horror from the sacred Courts. See Jos. Bell. Jud<\/em>. IV. 3. 7. But even this was in consequence of the compassing of the city by the Imperial Legions.<\/p>\n

let him that readeth<\/em> ] This of course is said parenthetically.<\/p>\n

flee to the mountains<\/em> ] Compare the flight of Lot from the doomed “cities of the plain” to “the mountains, Gen 19:17<\/span>. In accordance with these warnings the Christian Jews fled from Jerusalem to the Peran town of Pella, a distance of about 100 miles. “Somewhere on the slopes of Gilead, near the scene of Jacob’s first view of the land of his descendants, and of the capital of the exiled David, was Pella (identified with Tabathat Fakkil<\/em>), so called by the Macedonian Greeks from the springing fountain, which likened it to the birthplace of their own Alexander. From these heights Abner in his flight from the Philistines, and David in his flight from Absalom, and the Israelites on their way to Babylon, and the Christian Jews of Pella, caught the last glimpse of their familiar mountains.” Stanley’s Sinai and Palestine<\/em>, p. 330.<\/p>\n

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Mar 13:14<\/span><\/p>\n

Let him that readeth understand.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Need of an attentive mind<\/strong><\/p>\n

Let him strive to understand (this means) by reading with utmost attention, diligence, and devotion, weeping as John did, till the sealed book was opened; digging deep in the mine of the Scriptures for the mind of God, and holding it fast when he hath it, lest at any time he should let it slip. Admirable is that, and applicable to this purpose, which Philostratus relates of the precious stone Pantarbe, of so orient, bright, and sweet a colour, that it both dazzles and refreshes the eyes at once, drawing together heaps of other stones by its secret force (though far distant), as hives of bees, etc. But lest so costly a gift should grow cheap, nature has not only hid it in the innermost bowels of the earth, but also has put a faculty into it, of slipping out of the hands of those who hold it, unless they be very careful to prevent it. (John Trapp.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Reading the Scriptures<\/strong><\/p>\n

Motives to the diligent reading of the Scriptures in private.<\/p>\n

1. <\/strong>Consider the excellency of the Scriptures above all other books and writings of men. They are the books of God Himself; the letter of the Creator to the creature.<\/p>\n

2. <\/strong>Consider how much spiritual fruit and profit is to be reaped by the diligent reading of the Scripture: this being an excellent means not only to build us up in the knowledge of those things which concern Gods glory, and our own salvation; but also to confirm and strengthen our faith, and to quicken and stir us up to all conscionable obedience to the will of God, as well in doing, as in suffering what He requires of us.<\/p>\n

3. <\/strong>Consider the examples of such as have been most diligent, and taken great pains in reading the Scriptures. Cromwell could say the New Testament without book. Bishop Ridley learned all St. Pauls Epistles by heart. (George Petter.<\/em>)<\/p>\n

Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Verse 14<\/span>. Let him that readeth understand<\/B><\/I>] What he readeth<\/I>, is added by D, and three of the Itala<\/I>, perhaps needlessly.<\/P><\/p>\n

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

See Poole on “Mat 24:15<\/span>“, and following verses to Mat 24:22<\/span>, where we have before opened all these passages. This sign doth manifestly relate to the destruction of Jerusalem, and can have no relation to the end of the world. In our notes on Mat 24:13-51<\/span>, we have showed what is meant by the abomination of desolation, <\/I>and to what place in Daniel it refers. Luke expounds it, Luk 21:20<\/span>, When ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, <\/I>the Roman armies, abominable for the idols that in them were worshipped. The sign was this, When you shall see the lion, and armies besieging Jerusalem, be assured God will soon deliver it into their hands, whatever vain hopes men may suggest of their holding out or driving them away. Let every one of you with all imaginable expedition shift for yourselves. 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 Mat 24:15-22<\/span>. <\/P> <\/p>\n

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

14. But when ye shall see<\/B>“Jerusalemcompassed by armies”by encamped armies; in other words, whenye shall see it besieged,<\/I> and <\/P>

the abomination ofdesolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it oughtnot<\/B>that is, as explained in Matthew (Mt24:15<\/span>), “standing in the holy place.” <\/P>

(let him that readethunderstand)<\/B>readeth that prophecy. That “the abominationof desolation” here alluded to was intended to point to theRoman ensigns, as the symbols of an idolatrous, and so unclean paganpower, may be gathered by comparing what Luke says in thecorresponding verse (Lu 21:20<\/span>);and commentators are agreed on it. It is worthy of notice, asconfirming this interpretation, that in 1 Maccabees 1:54<\/U>which,though aprocryphal Scripture,<\/I> is authentic history<\/I>theexpression of Daniel (Dan 11:31<\/span>;Dan 12:11<\/span>) is applied to theidolatrous profanation of the Jewish altar by Antiochus Epiphanes. <\/P>

then let them that be inJudea flee to the mountains<\/B>The ecclesiastical historian,EUSEBIUS, early in thefourth century, tells us that the Christians fled to Pella,<\/I> atthe northern extremity of Perea, being “propheticallydirected”perhaps by some prophetic intimation more explicitthan this, which would be their chartand that thus they escapedthe predicted calamities by which the nation was overwhelmed.<\/P><\/p>\n

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible <\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation<\/strong>,…. The Roman army encompassing Jerusalem, which was an abomination to the Jews, and an “impure sign” of their destruction, as the Syriac and Persic versions render it; and a desolating one to their nation, city, and temple:<\/p>\n

spoken of by Daniel the prophet<\/strong>, in Da 9:27<\/span>. This clause is omitted in the Vulgate Latin, and was not found by Beza, in two of his copies, and is thought to be transcribed from Matthew:<\/p>\n

standing where it ought not<\/strong>; round about the city, in the midst of it, and even in the temple: in one of Beza’s exemplars it is added, “in the holy place”, as in Matthew; and so it is read in the Ethiopic version:<\/p>\n

let him that readeth understand<\/strong>; either the passage in Daniel, or the citation of it by the evangelist, when he shall see this come to pass: this seems to be rather the words of the evangelist, than of Christ; since this was not written (and so not to be read), but spoken by Christ; and since his usual phrase was, “he that hath ears, let him hear”: though indeed the same exhortation is in Matthew, and may be understood of Christ, as it may refer to the written prophecy in Daniel, and indeed to the Gospel, which might be read before this event came to pass: [See comments on Mt 24:15]<\/span>.<\/p>\n

Then let them that be in Judea flee to the mountains<\/strong>; they that are in Jerusalem, or in any of the cities and towns of Judea, let them make their escape, as soon as possible, to the mountainous parts of the country; where they may be more safe from, the devastations of the Roman army; [See comments on Mt 24:16]<\/span>.<\/p>\n

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

The Destruction of the Temple Foretold.<\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/I><\/span><\/P> <\/TD> <\/TR>


<\/P>


<\/P> <\/TD> <\/TR> <\/TABLE>

      14 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 Juda flee to the mountains:   15 And let him that is on the housetop not go down into the house, neither enter therein,<\/I> to take any thing out of his house:   16 And let him that is in the field not turn back again for to take up his garment.   17 But woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!   18 And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter.   19 For in<\/I> those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be.   20 And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect’s sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days.   21 And then if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is<\/I> Christ; or, lo, he is<\/I> there; believe him<\/I> not:   22 For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall show signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were<\/I> possible, even the elect.   23 But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things.<\/P>

      The Jews, in rebelling against the Romans, and in persecuting the Christians, were hastening to their own ruin apace, both efficiently and meritoriously, were setting both God and man against them; see 1 Thess. ii. 15<\/span>. Now here we have a prediction of that ruin which came upon them within less than forty years after this: we had it before, Matt. xxiv. 15<\/span>, c. Observe,<\/P>

      I. What is here foretold concerning it.<\/P>

      1. That the Roman armies<\/I> should make a descent upon Judea, and invest Jerusalem, the holy city. These were the abomination<\/I> of desolation,<\/I> which the Jews did abominate,<\/I> and by which they should be made desolate.<\/I> The country of thine enemy is called the land which thou abhorrest,<\/I> Isa. vii. 16<\/I><\/span>. Therefore<\/I> it was an abomination, because it brought with it nothing but desolation. They had rejected Christ as an abomination,<\/I> who would have been their salvation<\/I> and now God brought upon them an abomination that would be their desolation,<\/I> thus spoken of by Daniel the prophet<\/I> (ch.<\/I><\/span> ix. 27<\/span>), as that by which this sacrifice and offering should be made to cease. This army stood where it ought not,<\/I> in and about the holy city,<\/I> which the heathen ought not to have approached, nor would have been suffered to approach, if Jerusalem had not first profaned the crown of their holiness. This the church complains of, Lam. i. 10<\/span>, The heathen entered into her sanctuary, whom thou didst command that they should not enter into the congregation;<\/I> but sin made the breach, at which the glory went out, and the abomination of desolation broke in, and stood where it ought not.<\/I> Now, let him that readeth<\/I> this, understand it,<\/I> and endeavor to take it right. Prophecies should not be too plain, and yet intelligible to those that search them; and they are best understood by comparing them first with one another, and at last with the event.<\/P>

      2. That when the Roman army<\/I> should come into the country, there would be no safety any where but by quitting the country, and that with all possible expedition. It will be in vain to fight,<\/I> the enemies will be too hard for them; in vain to abscond,<\/I> the enemies will find them out; and in vain to capitulate,<\/I> the enemies will give them no quarter; a man cannot have so much as his life given him for a prey, but by fleeing to the mountains<\/I> out of Judea; and let him take the first alarm, and make the best of his way. If he be on the house-top,<\/I> trying from thence to discover the motions of the enemy, and spies them coming, let him not go down, to take any thing out of the house,<\/I> for it will occasion his losing of time, which is more precious than his best goods, and will but encumber him, and embarrass his flight. If he be in the field, and there discover the approach of the enemy, let him get away as he is, and not turn back again, to take up his garment,<\/I> v.<\/span> 16<\/span><\/U><\/I><\/span>. If he can save his life, let him reckon it is a good bargain, though he can save nothing else, and be thankful to God, that, though he is cut short, he is not cut off.<\/P>

      3. That it would go very hard at that time with poor mothers and nurses (v.<\/I><\/span> 17<\/span>); “Woe to them that are with child,<\/I> that dare not go into strange places, that cannot shift for themselves, nor make haste as others can. And woe to them that give suck,<\/I> that know not how either to leave the tender infants behind them, or to carry them along with them.” Such is the vanity of the creature, that the time may often be, when the greatest comforts may prove the greatest burthens. It would likewise be very uncomfortable, if they should be forced to flee in the winter<\/I> (v.<\/I><\/span> 18<\/span>), when the weather<\/I> and ways<\/I> were bad, when the roads would be scarcely passable, especially in the mountains to which they must flee. If there be no remedy but that trouble must come, yet we may desire and pray that, if it be God’s will, the circumstances of it may be so ordered as to be a mitigation of the trouble; and when things are bad, we ought to consider they might have been worse. It is bad to be forced to flee, but it would have been worse if it had been in the winter.<\/I><\/P>

      4. That throughout all the country of the Jews, there should be such destruction and desolation made, as could not be paralleled in any history (v.<\/I><\/span> 19<\/span>); In those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning<\/I> of time; that is, of the creation which God created,<\/I> for time and the creation are of equal date, unto this day, neither shall be<\/I> to the end of time; such a complication of miseries, and of such continuance. The destruction of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans was very terrible, but this exceeded it. It threatened a universal slaughter of all the people of the Jews; so barbarously did they devour one another, and the Romans devour them all, that, if their wars had continued a little longer, no flesh could have been saved,<\/I> not one Jew could have been left alive; but in the midst of wrath God remembered mercy; and, (1.) He shortened the days;<\/I> he let fall his controversy before he had made a full end.<\/I> As a church and nation the ruin was complete, but many particular persons had their lives given them for a prey, by the storm’s subsiding when it did. 2. It was for the elects’ sake<\/I> that those days were shortened; many<\/I> among them fared the better for the sake of the few<\/I> among them that believed in Christ, and were faithful to him. There was a promise, that a remnant<\/I> should be saved (Isa. x. 22<\/span>), and that God would not, for his servants’ sakes, destroy them all<\/I> (Isa. lxvi. 8<\/span>); and these promises must be fulfilled. God’s own elect cry day and night to him,<\/I> and their prayers must be answered, Luke xviii. 7<\/span>.<\/P>

      II. What directions are given to the disciples with reference to it.<\/P>

      1. They must shift for the safety of their lives;<\/I> “When you see the country invaded, and the city invested, flatter not yourselves with thoughts that the enemy will retire, or that you may be able to make your part good with them; but, without further deliberation or delay, let them that are in Judea, flee to the mountains,<\/I> v.<\/span> 14<\/span><\/U><\/I><\/span>. Meddle not with the strife that belongs not to you; let the potsherds strive with the potsherds of the earth,<\/I> but do you go out of the ship when you see it sinking, that you die not the death of the uncircumcised<\/I> in heart.”<\/P>

      2. They must provide for the safety of their souls;<\/I> “Seducers<\/I> will be busy at that time, for they love to fish in troubled waters, and therefore then you must double your guard; then, if any man shall<\/I> say unto you, Lo, here is Christ,<\/I> or, Lo, he is there,<\/I> you know he is in heaven, and will come again at the end of time, to judge the world, and therefore believe them not;<\/I> having received Christ,<\/I> be not drawn into the snares of any antichrist;<\/I> for false Christs,<\/I> and false prophets, shall arise,<\/I>” v.<\/I><\/span> 22<\/span>. When the gospel kingdom was in the setting up, Satan mustered all his force, to oppose it, and made use of all his wiles; and God permitted it, for the trial of sincerity of some, and the discovery of the hypocrisy of others, and the confusion of those who rejected Christ, when he was offered to them. False Christs<\/I> shall rise,<\/I> and false prophets that shall preach them up; or such, as, though they pretend not to be Christs, set up for prophets,<\/I> and undertake to foretel things to come, and they shall show signs<\/I> and lying wonders;<\/I> so early did the mystery of iniquity<\/I> begin to work,<\/I> 2 Thess. ii. 7<\/I><\/span>. They shall seduce, if it were possible, the very elect;<\/I> so plausible shall their pretences be, and so industrious shall they be to impose upon people, that they shall drawn away many that were forward and zealous professors of religion, many that were very likely to have persevered; for nothing will be effectual to secure men but that foundation of God which stands immovably sure, The Lord knoweth them that are his,<\/I> who shall be preserved when the faith of some is overthrown, 2Ti 2:18<\/span>; 2Ti 2:19<\/span>. They shall seduce, if it were possible, the very elect;<\/I> but it is not possible to seduce them; the election shall obtain,<\/I> whoever are blinded,<\/I> Rom. xi. 7<\/I><\/span>. But, in consideration hereof, let the disciples be cautious whom they give credit to (v.<\/I><\/span> 23<\/span>); But take ye heed.<\/I> Christ knew that they were of the elect,<\/I> who could not possibly be seduced,<\/I> and yet he said to them, Take heed.<\/I> An assurance of persevering, and cautions against apostasy, will very well consist with each other. Though Christ said to them, Take heed,<\/I> it doth not therefore follow, that their perseverance was doubtful, for they were kept by the power of God; and though their perseverance was secured, yet it doth not therefore follow, that this caution was needless, because they must be kept in the use of proper means. God will keep them, but they must keep themselves. “I have foretold you all things;<\/I> have foretold you of this danger, that, being fore-warned,<\/I> you may be fore-armed;<\/I> I have foretold all things<\/I> which you needed to have foretold to you, and therefore take heed of hearkening to such as pretend to be prophets, and to foretel more than I have foretold.” The sufficiency of the scripture is good argument against listening to such as pretend to inspiration.<\/P> <\/p>\n

Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Standing where he ought not <\/B> ( <\/SPAN><\/span>). Mt 24:15<\/span> has “standing in the holy place” ( <\/SPAN><\/span>), neuter and agreeing with <\/SPAN><\/span> (abomination), the very phrase applied in 1Macc. 1:54 to the altar to Zeus erected by Antiochus Epiphanes where the altar to Jehovah was. Mark personifies the abomination as personal (masculine), while Lu 21:20<\/span> defines it by reference to the armies (of Rome, as it turned out). So the words of Daniel find a second fulfilment, Rome taking the place of Syria (Swete). See on Mt 24:15<\/span> for this phrase and the parenthesis inserted in the words of Jesus (“Let him that readeth understand”). See also on Mt 24:16-25<\/span> for discussion of details in Mr 13:14-22<\/span>. <\/P> <\/p>\n

Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Abomination. See on Mt 24:15<\/span>.<\/P> <\/p>\n

Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

<\/strong><\/p>\n

THE GREAT TRIBULATION FOR ISRAEL, V. 14-23 (Presaged by the AD 70 Desolation)<\/p>\n

<\/strong><\/p>\n

1) “But when<\/strong> ye shall see,” <\/strong>(hotan de idete) “Then when you recognize,” or observe:<\/p>\n

THE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION<\/strong><\/p>\n

“The former procurators were wont to make their entrance into the city with such ensigns as had not the effigies of Caesar. Pilate was the first who brought these images to Jerusalem, and set them up in the night time; but as soon as the people knew it, they came in multitudes, and interceded with Pilate many days, that he would remove the images. On the sixth day he ordered the soldiers to have their weapons ready, and when the Jews petitioned again, he gave a signal to the soldiers to encompass them around, and threatened immediate death unless they would leave off distracting him. But they threw themselves on the ground and laid their necks bare, offering to die rather than have their laws transgressed; on which Pilate, affected by their firm resolution, commanded the images to be carried back to Caesarea.”<\/p>\n

– Josephus.<\/p>\n

2) “The abomination of desolation,”<\/strong> (to bdelugma tes eremoseos) “The abomination of the desolation,” which refers to bringing of heathen Roman gods into Jerusalem and the holy place where the temple was destroyed, Deu 7:26<\/span>.<\/p>\n

3) “Spoken of by Daniel the prophet,” <\/strong>(This is an interpolation, not in the better manuscripts) and is perhaps misleading, because the “abomination of desolation” specifically described by Daniel refers to the future 70th week, Dan 9:26-27<\/span>; Dan 12:11<\/span>, not to AD 70.<\/p>\n

4) “Standing where it ought not,”<\/strong> (hestekota hopou ou dei) “Stand up where it must not, ought or should not – -in the Holy Place, the Roman army horde descending on Jerusalem and the temple to destroy and desolate them, Mar 13:2<\/span>; Mat 24:2<\/span>; Luk 21:6<\/span>; Luk 21:20-24<\/span>.<\/p>\n

5) “(Let him that readeth understand,)” <\/strong>(ho anaginoskon noeito) “Let the one who reads (this) understand,” be wise, those who read the Old Testament’s testimony of the pending event, of Israel’s dispersion, Deu 28:64-67<\/span>; and eventual restoration, Eze 37:11-12<\/span>; Eze 37:21-22<\/span>; Eze 37:25<\/span>; Eze 37:28<\/span>.<\/p>\n

6) “Then let them that be in Judea,”<\/strong> (tote hoi en te loudaia) “Then those who are in Judea,” as the enemy Roman horde swept down in Jerusalem.<\/p>\n

7) “Flee to the mountains:-<\/strong> (pheugetosan eis ta ore) “Let them flee into the mountains,” for a refuge, or hiding place, to save their lives, from the fury of the Roman army, Luk 21:20-24<\/span>. This event of AD 70 was only a foreshadow of the tribulation the Great era, Dan 9:26-27<\/span>; Dan 11:36<\/span>; 2Th 2:7<\/span>; Rev 7:14<\/span>.<\/p>\n

Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

CRITICAL AND EXEGETICAL NOTES<\/em><\/p>\n

Mar. 13:14<\/span>. The abomination of desolation<\/strong>.Hebraism for the abomination that makes desolate<\/em>. See Dan. 9:27<\/span>; Dan. 11:31<\/span>; Dan. 12:11<\/span>. A comparison of this verse with the parallel passage in Mat. 24:15-16<\/span>, makes it evident that the scene of this was to be the Temple. Once already had it been desecrated (1Ma. 1:54), when Antiochus Epiphanes set up the statue of Jupiter on the altar of burnt sacrifice. But a worse profanation was yet to follow. Josephus (Wars of the Jews<\/em>, IV. vi. 3) mentions an ancient saying current among the Jews, that Jerusalem would be taken, and the Temple be destroyed, when it had been defiled by the hands of Jews themselvesa prophecy that was literally fulfilled when, during the first siege of Jerusalem under Cestius (A. D. 68), the Temple was taken possession of by a band of Zealots, who committed fearful outrages of lust and murder within its sacred precincts. Such, in the opinion of the writer, was the portent to which Christ pointed as the signal to His followers to lose no time in seeking a place of safety beyond Judea. Flee to the mountains<\/strong>.History records that when the time came the Christians fled from Jerusalem and Judea to Pella, identified with the ruins of Fahil, among the hills of Gilead.<\/p>\n

Mar. 13:17<\/span>. Woe to them<\/strong>.Alas! for them<\/em> Cp. Luk. 23:28-29<\/span>; and see Josephus, Wars<\/em>, VI. iii. 4.<\/p>\n

Mar. 13:18<\/span>. In Gods mercy the prayer which the Christians doubtless offered in accordance with this injunction was heard, and the awful calamity of a winter flight averted. The Roman army first encompassed Jerusalem in October, when the weather is still mild; and the final siege took place in April or May.<\/p>\n

Mar. 13:19<\/span>. Josephus unconsciously echoes these words: All calamities, from the beginning of time, seem to me to shrink to nothing in comparison with those of the Jews. He gives an awful description of these calamities in Wars<\/em>, VI. iii. <\/p>\n

3. See also Tacitus, History<\/em>, Mar. 13:13<\/span>; Milman, History of the Jews<\/em>, Mar. 2:16<\/span>; Merivale, History of the Romans<\/em>, 6:59.<\/p>\n

Mar. 13:20<\/span>. The city which had stood the siege of Nebuchadnezzar for sixteen months (2Ki. 25:1-6<\/span>; Jer. 39:1-2<\/span>) was taken by the Romans in less than five. Among the providential circumstances which combined to bring this about may be mentioned<\/p>\n

(1) the order of Claudius forbidding Herod Agrippa from completing the fortifications;
(2) the wars of factions in Jerusalem itself;
(3) the destruction by fire of large stores of provisions;
(4) the Jews abandonment of the towers on the approach of Titus;
(5) the swift and energetic measures of the Roman armies.<\/p>\n

Mar. 13:22<\/span>. False Christs<\/strong>.Not necessarily assuming the name of Christ, but pretending to a fuller revelation than Christs. Theudas; Simon Magus. False prophets<\/strong>.See Josephus, Antiquities<\/em>, XX. viii. 6; Tacitus, History<\/em>, Mar. 13:13<\/span>. Cp. also 2Th. 2:1-10<\/span>. To seduce<\/strong>.With a view to leading astray<\/em>. Whether or not successful in this, Christ leaves an open question for the future to decide.<\/p>\n

Mar. 13:28-29<\/span>. See R. V. rendering.<\/p>\n

Mar. 13:30<\/span>. This generation<\/strong>.Always used by Christ of persons then living on earth (Mat. 11:16<\/span>; Mat. 12:41-42<\/span>; Mat. 12:45<\/span>; Mat. 23:36<\/span>; Mar. 8:12<\/span>; Mar. 8:38<\/span>; Luk. 7:31<\/span>; Luk. 11:30-32<\/span>; Luk. 11:50-51<\/span>; Luk. 17:25<\/span>). Evidently, then, the terminus ad quem<\/em> of all these things is the destruction of Jerusalem.<\/p>\n

Mar. 13:32<\/span>. Neither the Son<\/strong>.He who as Son of God possesses with the Father and the Holy Spirit the Divine attribute of omniscience, condescended as Son of Man to acquire during His earthly life only such instalments of knowledge (Luk. 2:52<\/span>) as were consistent with a creaturely form of existence (Php. 2:6-7<\/span>). The knowledge of the time of the Last Advent being wholly unnecessary to the Church, was not communicated to Him, its Head. The main thing to remember as to this limitation is that it was voluntary<\/em> on our Lords parta Self-emptying<\/em> for the purposes of His Mission to our fallen race.<\/p>\n

MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.<\/em>Mar. 13:14-32<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

(PARALLELS: Mat. 24:15-36<\/span>; Luk. 21:20-33<\/span>.)<\/p>\n

Christs manifestation in glory<\/em>.The manifestations of Christ are not exhausted yet. The Infant, the Child, the Man, the Worker of miracles, the Teacher by parablesHe has been revealed to us as all these; but there is still another revelation of Him to come in the unknown future. He came once to visit us in great humility; He shall come again to judge us in glorious majesty.<\/p>\n

I. There will be a manifestation of Christ in truth and unmistakable reality<\/strong>.Till the moment of His coming it will be possible to deceive. False prophets were the bane of the old dispensation; false Christs are the bane of the new. We scarcely wonder that false Messiahs could command followers at a time like the siege of Jerusalem. It was just the crisis from which they would expect a Messiah to deliver them. But we do<\/em> wonder, and we ought to wonder, that false Christs have arisen since, and that they arise still. That men who do not believe that Christ has come yet should be prepared to accept a self-styled Christ, if only his credentials satisfy them, is at least consistent, if not almost excusable; but for men who believe that Christ has already come, and then discredit His perfect life and Divine teaching by seeking elsewhere for light and guidancefor these we have no excuse, no explanation. Whatever may be said of the results<\/em> of Christian effort in these days, there can be no question as to its tendencies<\/em>. Give it full power and fair play, and it would reform the world. This is as much as to say that, so far forth as Christianity succeeds in exhibiting Christ, so far she is a trusted leader of society. Where she has failed to help the world, she has failed to represent Christ. Our contention is, and must be, this: that Christianity leads to Christ, and Christ to God; that the knowledge of God is the highest of all knowledge; that all which leads away from Him must end in nothingness, and can but be a loss to those who gain it. There is an inherent deceivableness of unrighteousnessan essential capacity for strong delusionas to the highest of all truths which we are led by the Holy Spirit always to expect, and increasingly till the end of time, possibly that the contrast at the end might be the more marked. While they are all at their very busiest, and the very elect themselves almost dizzy with the whirl in the religious air, He will stand before them, true and unmistakable. Every eye shall see Him then; the mists from mens minds and the cobwebs of mens weaving will be swept away, and at that moment they shall know, even as they, are known. I am the Truth will be condemnation enough for millions in that day, if no other sentence were to proceed out of His mouth.<\/p>\n

II. Christ will be manifested in universality<\/strong>.At present it is here and there, as men carry the message. Dark corners have to wait till they can be attended to. Go ye into all the world and preach is the worlds only chance: for how shall they hear without a preacher? Nor is this all. It was not enough to light the lamp of the Tabernacle with heavenly flame; it required daily tending and replenishing with oil. We overcome the darkness of night with artificial light; and we keep up the gospel light in mens hearts by human means. If Christ is our Sun of Righteousness, it is only to be expected that He should seem sometimes to set. The Church is His own devised system for arresting His beams and deriving His rays to ourselves. But the coming of the Son of Man shall be no longer, as it is now, like the coming and the going of the sun in the heavensa sun, too, whose light can be admitted or excluded at will. It shall be rather like the lightning-flash, of which you say, It is lightening in the east, and yet, at the selfsame moment, it is in the west toothe lightning which seems to follow no law, but penetrates everywhereawfully beautiful, irresistibly destructive, fearfully silent, and which has done its work, its irreparable work, before the roar of the thunder is heard. The highest attract it first, and yet it may pass the highest and strike the lowest. All that we can say for certain is, that whatsoever withstands it in its course will utterly be destroyed. Lightning always appals, though it leaves us unscathed. Its downward dart suggests a doomed mark, and its rapid zigzag forbids us to guess its aim; all are in peril where any one may be struck. It may well be that the suspense<\/em> at the coming of the Son of Man will be the first instalment of the torments of the lost.<\/p>\n

III. The awfull majesty in which He will appear<\/strong>.This is set forth in the appalling changes that will come over the material heavens. The sun darkened, so that the moon can no longer shine with his reflected lightan image, surely, of the helplessness of the blinded followers of blind leaders. The stars falling from heaven, as not presuming to govern this<\/em> night of no mere physical darkness, and in a dismay corresponding to the joy with which they sang together when the corner-stone of the earth was laid. The powers of heaven shaking, as in anticipation of their passing away with a great noise. And then the appearance of the sign of the Son of Man. What that sign shall bewhether, as Christian history leads us to suppose, the sign of the Fiery Cross, or whether rather a new sign, corresponding to the new heavens and the new earthwe cannot tell. Christian poetry may weave thoughts into scarcely understood words, so that for a time we think that we picture it; meditation may help us to forget ourselves, till we say, I feel it, but I cannot put it into words; we can approach it in similes and illustrations; but when all is done, we shall but have listened, felt, thought as men<\/em>; and as men we still must confess at last, We cannot bear it now.<\/p>\n

IV. Christ will be manifested then as in search of His own<\/strong>.It were idle to ask, Who would not be of the elect then? It is more to the purpose to inquire, What do men mean by being ashamed of Christ now? It is to shew no faith, no love, no trust; it is to put man before God, to put worldly men before the saints; it is to give the lie to all our religious phrases, and falsify all our Christian hopes; it is to tempt God to take us at our word and say, According to your faith, so be it done unto you.E. T. Marshall<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Mar. 13:32<\/span>. The limitations of our Lords manhood<\/em>.It has generally been considered very difficult to reconcile the passage before us with the doctrine of the Deity of Christ. The common explanation, which refers our Saviours ignorance of the date of the approaching judgment to His human nature only, is indignantly denounced as a miserable subterfuge by those who deny His Divinity. And even some of the ablest among the orthodox have abandoned this interpretation as unsatisfactory, if not evasive. To us, however, it seems perfectly just and Scriptural; while its supposed difficulties admit, we think, of solutions which are not only sound in logic, but are commonly applied in the interpretation of many other passages. We shall endeavour to support this opinion in the following argument.<\/p>\n

I. Jesus Christ, while truly God, was also truly man, and therefore possessed a human soul<\/strong>.Innumerable acts and feelings are attributed to Christ in the Scriptures, which, on the one hand, are incompatible with the nature of God, and, on the other, could not be asserted of any mere physical organisation. He was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. He groaned in spirit and was troubled at the grave of Lazarus. He was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. In all things it behoved Him to be made like unto His brethren. He prayed unto the Father with strong crying and tears, and was heard in that He feared. He increased in wisdom<\/em>, and in favour with God and man.<\/p>\n

II. The union of the Divine and human natures in the person of our Lord did not extinguish or confound the essential attributes of either<\/strong>.We can easily understand that two different natures, distinguished by the most opposite qualities, may yet be so connected as to constitute one person. We experience the truth of this in our own mysterious conformation. But this implies no confusion of their separate peculiarities. Because the body and the soul, in their present inexplicable conjunction, make up the individual man, does it follow that matter thinks, or that mind is extended in three dimensions? And if not, why should we imagine that the finite and the Infinite lost their respective differences and were merged into a common medium in the person of Immanuel, God with us? The widest possible diversity subsists between these two classes of attributes. And if we are justified in pronouncing the properties of the circle and the square to be intrinsically incompatible, we may surely maintain that the union of Deity and manhood in the person of the Lord left the essence of each undestroyed, unabsorbed, entire, and perfect in all its qualities.<\/p>\n

III. Omniscience is one of the incommunicable attributes of God, in which, therefore, the reasonable soul of Christ had no participation<\/strong>.Of God, and of God alone, can it be said that His understanding is infinite. When, therefore, omniscience is ascribed to the Redeemer, it must be understood of His Divine, not of His human nature. We may, indeed, with good reason believe that the rational soul of Christ received successive and great additions of knowledge from its connexion with the Eternal Word; but these, whatever their amount, did not exalt the creature into an equality with God. We have already quoted the scripture which declares that Christ increased in wisdom. Now that which is susceptible of increase is clearly at an infinite distance from infinity. If, then, the knowledge of the man Christ Jesus, however extended, was still the knowledge of a creature, and therefore finite, what inconsistency is there in believing that there were secrets in the counsels of God concealed even from Him?<\/p>\n

IV. Though the union of the Divine and human natures in the Saviour involved no permutation or absorption of their respective peculiarities, it constituted Him one person, of whom, therefore, the attributes of God and man might be predicated indifferently<\/strong>.The inspired writers affirm many things of Christ which are true only of His Divine naturemany which, in strictness of speech, apply only to His humanity. Yet they seldom mark the distinction. They did not think it necessary to say that by Him, in His Divine nature<\/em>, were all things createdby Him and for Him, that is, as He was God<\/em>; and He is before all things, and in Him all things consist, considering Him as Divine<\/em>. They did not say that, as God<\/em>, He is Lord of allthat, as one with the Father<\/em>, He is the First and the Lastthat Thou, Lord, in the beginning, by Thine eternal power and Godhead<\/em>, hast laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the works of Thine hands. Nor did they usually adopt any such guarded phraseology in speaking of Jesus as man. We do not read that, in His human nature<\/em>, He was an hungeredthat, as man,<\/em> being wearied with His journey, He sat thus on the wellthat, as partaker of flesh and blood<\/em>, He was in the hinder part of the ship asleep on a pillowthat, in His character as a creature<\/em>, He increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man. Sometimes, it is true, we meet with qualifying expressions in reference to His humanitysuch as, according to the flesh, the offering of the body of Jesus, etc. But these instances are comparatively few, and easily accounted for by the context; while, in the current phraseology of the Scriptures, both Divine and human attributes are given to Christ without any express limitation of either to the one nature or to the other. Is it any harder to believe that the human soul of Jesus was left in ignorance of future times and seasons, than to believe that it sorrowed, complained, and prayed?<\/p>\n

V. It may be asked, But is not such a method of interpretation somewhat unnatural? Is it not assumed without proof?<\/strong>We think that in answering these questions we can produce a form of expression exactly parallel to that against which the objection is raised, yet employed in general conversation without ever incurring the charge of impropriety or any danger of misconstruction. No one will deny that, in the opinion of an immense majority, the body and the soul of man are two different natures, distinguished by opposite and incompatible qualities. It is equally clear, as we have already observed, that this conjunction involves no loss and no confusion of their characteristic peculiarities. There is a mutual influence of the two natures, we readily admit. The feelings and volitions of the mind act on the nerves of the body; and certain affections of the nerves produce sensations in the mind. But matter is still matter, mind is mind; and this reciprocal activity of both occasions no interchange or assimilation of their several powers. And yet we familiarly employ, with reference to man in general, language which is strictly true only of one part of his nature. We do this continually in common discourse, and in written style, without formally announcing the distinction; and we do it without any risk of misinterpretation. We say of any individual with whom we are acquainted that he is tall or short, light or heavy, brown or fair. Yet we never think of adding a prudent parenthesis to inform the company that we are speaking only of the body of the individual in question. On the other hand, we describe the same individual, it may be, as imaginative, choleric, or timidas fond of reasoning, or deficient in memory, or conscientious even to scrupulosity. Yet we do not deem it necessary to restrict the application of these phrases to the spiritual nature of the man. The two classes of attributes are too distinct to be confounded. And were not the Divine and human natures of our Lord as perfectly distinct in all their powers? Are the qualities of the creature and the perfections of God so much alike as to be distinguished with difficulty, and perpetually liable to be confounded? Assuredly if error of this kind be rendered anywhere impossible, from the nature of the case, it is so in the incarnation of the Mighty God. It has been observed by an eminent writer that the pet texts of a Socinian are quite enough for his confutation with acute thinkers. If Christ had been a mere man, it would have been ridiculous in Him<\/em> to call Himself the Son of Man; but being God and man, it then became, in His own assumption of it, a peculiar and mysterious title. The same remark may be applied, we think, to the passage now under consideration. Let the name of any of the prophets or apostles be substituted for the designation of Christ, and a sentence is produced at which even a Socinian might stagger. But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither Moses<\/em>, but the Father. It matters little what particular name is selected for the experiment. Isaiah, Daniel, Paul, or John, in such a collocation, would be alike incongruous with the whole phraseology and spirit of the Bible. Why, then, would such an announcement have revolted us, while the name of the Son, in this identical connexion, awakens no surprise? Manifestly because the human soul of Christ, from its conjunction with the brightness of the Fathers glory, and the express image of His person, was admitted to a knowledge of the counsel of God which is never ascribed to any other creature; manifestly because in Him dwelt all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. The audacity of those who deny the possibility of such a union has been too often rivalled by the presumption of others who have pretended to explain it. On such a subject our only wisdom is to receive, with the faith of little children, the words which the Holy Ghost teacheth, not adding to them, lest we be reproved.J. M. Mackenzie<\/em>.<\/p>\n

OUTLINES AND COMMENTS ON THE VERSES<\/em><\/p>\n

Mar. 13:14-18<\/span>. A fruitful warning<\/em>.As they were not to linger in the guilty city, so we are to let no earthly interests arrest our flightnot to turn back, but promptly and resolutely to flee unto the everlasting hills. As they should pray that their flight through the mountains should not be in the winter, so should we beware of needing to seek salvation in the winter of the soul, when the storms of passion and appetite are wildest, when evil habits have made the road slippery underfoot, and sophistry and self-will have hidden the gulfs in a treacherous wreath of snow.Dean Chadwick<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Mar. 13:18<\/span>. Winter flight<\/em>.How late is it to begin our flight from the world and sin in the winter of old age and death! In the winter the days are short, the ways bad, the season rainy, the night comes on before we are aware, and we meet with a thousand impediments and hindrances of flight and travelling: these are a lively representation of those hindrances of salvation which men find at the end of their lives. The grace to prevent them by a speedy conversion is obtained only by prayer.P. Quesnel<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Mar. 13:22<\/span>. False Christs<\/em>.There have been many of them. David George, for instance, who ultimately settled at Basle, where he died in 1556. He claimed, according to the account of Dr. Henry More, to be the true Christ, the dear Son of God, born not of the flesh, but of the Spirit. He was to restore the house of Israel, and re-erect the tabernacle of God, not by afflictions and death, as the other Messiah, but by that sweetness, love, and grace that were given him of the Father. He had the power of the remission of sins, and had come to administer the last judgment. He averred that the Holy Scriptures, the sayings and testimonies of the prophets, of Christ, and of His apostles, do all point, if rightly understood, in their true mystery, to the glorious coming of David George, who is greater than the former Christ, as being born of the Spirit, and not of the flesh (Enthusiasmus Triumphatus<\/em>, 34). This David George, says Dr. More, was a man of notable natural parts, of comely person, and a graceful presence. And he had many adherents, who believed in him. In our own day there are personsout of asylumswho put forth corresponding claims. There is lying before the writer a Tract on the Second Advent fulfilled<\/em>, in which it is said that the enrolling of the saints commenced on the anniversary of the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles of the year 1868, that is, on the 9th of October, 1868. The following, it is added, is the declaration to be made and signed: I believe Jesus of Nazareth to be the Messiah at His first coming and the antitypical Paschal Lamb who died for sin in allegory, and I believe John Cochran of Glasgow to be that Messiah at His second coming and the antitypical High Priest who has taken away sin in reality. Of all such persons it has, in consequence of their obscurity, to be said, Lo, here! Lo, there! Believe not, says our Saviour.J. Morison, D.D.<\/em><\/p>\n

False prophets<\/em>.They have been legion in number. Lodowick Muggleton, for instance, who, on the title-page of his True Interpretation of the whole Book of the Revelation of St. John<\/em> (1746), describes himself as one of the two last commissionated witnesses and prophets of the only high, immortal, glorious God, Christ Jesus. Madame Antoinette Bourignon, before him, was a far nobler being, yet she declared to Christian de Cort: I am sent from God to bring light to the world, and to bear witness to the truth. He has sent me to tell that the last times are come; that the world is judged, and the sentence is irrevocable; that the plagues are begun, and will not cease till all evil be rooted out; and that Jesus Christ will come shortly to the earth to finish this, and then He will continue to reign with men of goodwill, who shall enjoy eternal peace. I am sent with a commission to declare all these things to men, to the end that peradventure some of them may be converted and repent, that they may reign with Jesus Christ in His glory.Ibid<\/em>.<\/p>\n

False Christs and false prophets<\/em>.In those days it was an adventurer who traded on the religious enthusiasm of his compatriotsled them out to some desert or to some mountain-side to enjoy for a moment the delirium of an impossible delusion, and then, perhaps, to suffer the punishment of a supposed political offence. In our days it is a sceptical friend, it is an article in a review, it is the general atmosphere of the social circle in which we live. Our faith is undermined by people who talk and write in the very best English, and who have so much about them that is winning and agreeable that we cannot believe what is really going on. Still, after a time, we find that we have less hold on the Unseen than we had, that prayer is more difficult, that conscience is more sluggish, that religious exertion of all kinds is more unwelcome; and this, I say, means that the souls hold of the central realities is, to say the very least, weakened, if that is, indeed, anything like a full and true account of what has taken place. We cannot go on breathing a bad air, and be as we were when we lived high up upon the mountain, unless we take very great precautions. Not to take them under such circumstances as these is to be in the fair way to forfeit perseverance.Canon Liddon<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Mar. 13:25-27<\/span>. The Second Advent<\/em>.The second coming of Christ will be even as the first coming at His incarnationan historical fact taking place on the world in which we live; not anything like a figure of speech, but breaking violently into the uniform and hitherto unbroken continuity of time and nature, and thus freeing the soul and spirit of man from those physical relations on which man is now dependent, and giving the soul fresh opportunities and hopes in a world where all will be glorious. Such will be the second coming of Christthe perfecting of the first. Not partial, however, and gradual as His first coming, when Christ was revealed here to one and there to one; but seen and recognised by all the tribes of the earth. Not gradual, for it has taken long to spread the Church, and the work is very far from being done even now; but sudden and instantaneousrevealed as a flash of lightning. By one act and one appearance will He unite the greatest terror with the greatest glory; He will transform the world and nature and time; He will judge the living and the dead, and carry the children of God to the inheritance of eternal life.Jas. Lonsdale<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Mar. 13:30<\/span>. Two horizons<\/em>.In that landscape of the future, of which our Lord permitted His disciples to catch a glimpse in this great discourse of the last things, there were two horizonsone near at hand, the other afar off. The boundary line of either horizon marked the winding up of an on; each was a great ending; of each it was true that the then existing generation, first in its literal sense, then in its wider sense of race, should not pass away until all had been fulfilled. One event was the end of the Jewish nationality, the other the end of the world. The former was in many respects the type of the latter. The signs, both in the natural and moral world, which preceded and accompanied the overthrow of Jerusalem are measurably the same as those which will characterise the last ages of the world. And hence it is not easy to determine with precision what signs are applicable solely to one event, and what are applicable solely to the other. In true prophetic style they are much intermingled. But we must not forget that they are the words of One whose whole being moved in the sphere of eternity and not of time; that moral warning rather than chronological indication is the real object of prophecy; and that to the voice of prophecy, as to the eye of God, all time is but one eternal present.<\/p>\n

Mar. 13:31<\/span>. The perishable and the imperishable<\/em>.<\/p>\n

I. The things which shall pass away<\/strong>the perishable things, the destructible things, the things which in this visible economy seem never to continue in one stay, and at last shall perish for ever. <\/p>\n

1. Thus see what traces of instability and decay are written on the things men chiefly love and live for. Riches, honours, comforts, friendsyouth, beauty, genius, strengththe prospering enterprise, the unfolding hope, the fellowship of kindred minds, and the hallowed domestic ties,how slight is our hold on the fairest and best of these things!
2. See the same truth inscribed on what we might have thought would have a more enduring life; namely, the triumphs of mans intellectual naturethe inventions of art, the applications of science, the treasures of literature, the profound researches of the learned, and the ingenious discoveries of the wise: all these are found to be of the earth, earthy.
3. Again, how strikingly are we reminded of this law of mutability and decay, as applied to all earthly things, when we contemplate the history of nations.
4. But not to indications, in the history and moral circumstances of mankind only, are we to limit the application of our Lords words. As the foregoing verses shew, the final consummation will be preceded by a mighty disturbance among the elemental powers of nature. Who shall say how soon all visible and material things, consumed and scattered, as it were by the springing of some invisible mine, may be called upon to shed the light of their dissolving glory on the day of Christ, and testify to the imperishableness of His words?<\/p>\n

II. Christs words shall not pass away<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

1. Because they are founded on eternal truth, and on the fixed purposes of the unchangeable Jehovah.
2. Because of the eternal power and Godhead of Him who spake them.
3. Because of their connexion with His own glory as the Divinely constituted Mediator.D. Moore<\/em>.<\/p>\n

The permanence of Christs words<\/em>.<\/p>\n

I. The words which Jesus spake while on earth are permanently associated with our whole life<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

II. All our literature is enriched by these words<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

III. That which is spiritual must always be more permanent than the material<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

IV. Yet the material prepares the way for the spiritual application<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

1. A lesson of warning, since we are in danger of attaching too much importance to the form, and too little to the truth, which the form embodies.
2. A lesson of encouragement; opinions may change and interpretations differ, but the truth remains always the same.F. Wagstaff<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Mar. 13:32<\/span>. Christs voluntary limitation of knowledge<\/em>.What forbids us to believe that His knowledge, like His power, was limited by a lowliness not enforced, but for our sakes chosen; and that as He could have asked for twelve legions of angels, yet chose to be bound and buffeted, so He could have known that day and hour, yet submitted to ignorance, that He might be made like in all points to His brethren? Souls there are for whom this wonderful saying, The Son knoweth not, is even more affecting than the words, The Son of Man hath not where to lay His head.Dean Chadwick<\/em>.<\/p>\n

To me this means that He who was to judge the world, who knew what was in man, and more, who alone knew the Father, was at that time content to have that hour hidden from Himdid not choose to be above the angels in knowing itas He was afterwards content to be forsaken of the Father.Dean Church<\/em>.<\/p>\n

ILLUSTRATIONS TO CHAPTER 13<\/p>\n

Mar. 13:15-16<\/span>. The danger of delay<\/em>.<\/p>\n

1. Opportunity is like a string of stepping-stones across a ford. The traveller, coming up to them, may find the river so swollen with the rains that the stones are all but covered. If he delay, though his home be on the opposite bank, and full in sight, it may be too late to cross, and he may have a journey of several miles to reach his home.
2. Opportunity is like a narrow passage in the Arctic Seas. Sometimes, in these northern regions, ships get enclosed in a narrow space between ice-islands. The floating rocks glide nearer the ship on every side, and the dismayed seamen behold their only chance of escape from the fatal crash lies in a narrow channel, that every moment grows still narrower. How hurriedly they press their vessel through that strip to reach the safety of the open ocean! Even so must we press along the narrow way that leads to eternal life; for who knows how soon that narrow way may be closed against him.<\/p>\n

Mar. 13:18<\/span>. The horrors of a winter flight<\/em>.In the autumn of 1812 Napoleon entered Moscow with 120,000 soldiers, intending to pass the winter there in comfort. On October 13th (three weeks earlier than it had ever been known before) snow began to fall. The proud emperor looked out of his window in dismay, and decided to hasten back at once, and establish his winter quarters in the friendly cities of Poland. It was a march through a dreary and desolate region, of more than a thousand miles; but he put on a bold front, and the troops began to retire in good order. A week later, and the grand army was in full retreat. Bleak, chilly winds howled through the leafless trees; the weary soldiers were blinded by the flakes of snow and sleet; their embittered enemies attacked them in every unguarded point; order and discipline were forgotten; the ranks were broken, and each man struggled on as best he could; the dead and the dying were trodden down; hundreds of horses were slain for food; all ideas of conquest were banished; Napoleon himself left the army to its fate; and each days weary march was marked by heaps of broken waggons, and abandoned cannon, and white hillocks of snow, beneath which the frozen bodies of man and beast were buried. With such a dreadful picture of misery before you, it will be easy to understand the tender compassion which prompted the Saviour to say, Pray ye that your flight be not in the winter. Especially ought we to remember those who are suffering the sad privations of poverty, and be glad to relieve their wants when we are able.<\/p>\n

Mar. 13:22<\/span>. Danger of deception by false Christs<\/em>.In the frescoes of Signorelli we have The Teaching of Antichristno repulsive figure, but a grand personage in flowing robes, and with a noble countenance, which at a distance might easily be taken for the Saviour. To him the crowd are eagerly gathering and listening, and it is only when you draw close that you can discover in his harder and cynical expression, and from the evil spirit whispering in his ear, that it is not Christ.<\/p>\n

Mar. 13:28<\/span>. A sign of summers approach<\/em>.When Dr. Rees preached last in North Wales, a friend said to him, You are whitening fast, Dr. Rees. The old gentleman did not say anything then; but when he got to the pulpit he referred to it, and said, There is a wee white flower that comes up through the earth at this season of the yearsometimes it comes up through the snow and frost; but we are all glad to see the snowdrop, because it proclaims that the winter is over and that the summer is at hand. A friend reminded me last night that I was whitening fast. But heed not that, brother; it is to me a proof that my winter will soon be over, that I shall have done presently with the cold east winds and the frosts of earth, and that my summermy eternal summeris at hand.<\/p>\n

Mar. 13:32<\/span>. Christs second coming<\/em> is to be of awful suddenness, overtaking a careless world with surprise, and not wholly expected even by the faithful watchman. Of such a sudden and awful change perhaps a faint illustration may be found in the catastrophe which took place about a century ago, when in an Alpine valley the whole side of a mountain suddenly fell and overwhelmed the village below, crushing chlets and houses, burying the church, and covering with earth and stones a merry wedding-party that had just entered the doomed valley. To be without warning or preparation is the character of the Second Advent, as compared with the long-planned arrangements and the deep foundations laid for the First Coming.Dr. Hardman<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

11. THE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION 13:14-23 <\/strong><\/p>\n

TEXT 13:14-23<\/strong><\/p>\n

But when ye see the abomination of desolation standing where he ought not (let him that readeth understand), then let them that are in Judea flee unto the mountains: and let him that is on the housetop not go down, nor enter in, to take anything out of his house, and let him that is in the field not return back to take his cloke. But woe unto them that are with child and to them that give suck in those days! And pray ye that it be not in the winter. For those days shall be tribulation, such as there hath not been the like from the beginning of the creation which God created until now, and never shall be. And except the Lord had shortened the days, no flesh would have been saved: but for the elects sake, whom he chose, he shortened the days. And then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is the Christ; or, Lo, there; believe it not: for there shall arise false Christs and false prophets, and shall shew signs and wonders, that they may lead astray, if possible, the elect. But take ye heed; behold, I have told you all things beforehand.<\/p>\n

THOUGHT QUESTIONS 13:14-23<\/strong><\/p>\n

718.<\/p>\n

Read Dan. 9:27<\/span>; Dan. 11:37<\/span>; Daniel 12<\/span>; Daniel 11<\/span> and Mat. 24:15<\/span> for help in the meaning of the strange phrase abomination of desolation. Does this refer to an incident at the destruction of Jerusalem or at the end of the world?<\/p>\n

719.<\/p>\n

Who said let him that readeth understandJesus or Mark?<\/p>\n

720.<\/p>\n

How could we possibly refer the abomination of desolation to the end of the world when those involved are instructed to flee from Judea to the Mountains?<\/p>\n

721.<\/p>\n

Why the urgency as suggested in Mar. 13:15<\/span> through 18.<\/p>\n

722.<\/p>\n

Are we to believe the destruction of Jerusalem was worse than dropping an atomic bomb on a city? Cf. Mar. 13:19<\/span>.<\/p>\n

723.<\/p>\n

Who are the elect of Mar. 13:20<\/span>? (This is perhaps one of the most difficult questions to answerbut attempt onemake it thoughtful. )<\/p>\n

724.<\/p>\n

During what period of time were the false Christs to appear?<\/p>\n

725.<\/p>\n

The words of Jesus seem to have a direct reference to His apostles is this true? Discuss.<\/p>\n

COMMENT<\/strong><\/p>\n

TIMELate Tuesday afternoon, April 4, A.D. 30.
PLACEThe Mount of Olives. After the final departure of Jesus from the temple.<\/p>\n

PARALLEL ACCOUNTSMat. 24:15-28<\/span>; Luk. 21:20-24<\/span>.<\/p>\n

OUTLINE1. What to do when you see the abomination of desolation, Mar. 13:14-18<\/span>. 2<\/span>. The tribulation of those days, Mar. 13:19-20<\/span>. 3<\/span>. A warning against false Christs, Mar. 13:21-23<\/span>.<\/p>\n

ANALYSIS<\/strong><\/p>\n

I.<\/p>\n

WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU SEE THE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION, Mar. 13:14-18<\/span>.<\/p>\n

1.<\/p>\n

Those in Judea are to flee to the mountains.<\/p>\n

2.<\/p>\n

He that is on the housetop should not enter the house for possessions.<\/p>\n

3.<\/p>\n

He that is in the field should not come to the house for his cloak.<\/p>\n

4.<\/p>\n

It will be very difficult for those in pregnancy or with young children.<\/p>\n

5.<\/p>\n

Pray it may not happen in the winter.<\/p>\n

II.<\/p>\n

THE TRIBULATION OF THESE DAYS, Mar. 13:19-20<\/span>.<\/p>\n

1.<\/p>\n

More severe than any before or after.<\/p>\n

2.<\/p>\n

Without the providential help of God the whole Jewish Nation would have been lost.<\/p>\n

3.<\/p>\n

The severity and time of the tribulation was shortened because of the elect.<\/p>\n

III.<\/p>\n

A WARNING AGAINST FALSE CHRISTS, Mar. 13:21-23<\/span>.<\/p>\n

1.<\/p>\n

There shall be many claims to Messiahshipdo not accept them.<\/p>\n

2.<\/p>\n

False Christs and prophets will perform signs and wondersdo not believe them.<\/p>\n

3.<\/p>\n

These prophetic warnings and careful details should forearm you against that day.<\/p>\n

EXPLANATORY NOTES<\/strong><\/p>\n

I.<\/p>\n

WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU SEE THE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION.<\/p>\n

Mar. 13:14<\/span>. But when ye see the abomination of desolation standing where he ought not. In the Authorized Version, after the word desolation, the words spoken of by Daniel the prophet, are introduced, but without sufficient authority. They were probably interpolated from Matthew, where there is abundant authority for them; and thus their omission by Mark does not affect the argument drawn from them in favour of the genuineness of the Book of Daniel, against those, whether in earlier or in later times, who reject this book, or ascribe it to some more recent authorship. The abomination of desolation is a Hebrew idiom, meaning the abomination, that maketh desolate. Luke (Luk. 21:20<\/span>) does not use the expression; it would have sounded strange to his Gentile readers. He says, When ye see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that her desolation is at hand. This reference to the Roman armies by Luke has led some commentators to suppose that the abomination of desolation meant the Roman eagles. But this was a sign from without; whereas the abomination of desolation was a sign from within, connected with the ceasing of the daily sacrifice of the temple. It is alluded to by the Prophet Daniel in three places, namely, Dan. 9:27<\/span>; Dan. 11:31<\/span>; Dan. 12:11<\/span>. We must seek for its explanation in something within the temple, standing in the holy place (Mat. 24:15<\/span>)some profanation of the temple, on account of which Gods judgments would fall on Jerusalem. Now, Daniels prophecy had already received one fulfillment (B.C. 168), when we read (1 Macc. i. 54) that they set up the abomination of desolation upon the altar. This was when Antiochus Ephiphanes set up the statue of Jupiter on the great altar of burnt sacrifice. But that abomination of desolation was the forerunner of another and a worse profanation yet to come, which our Lord, no doubt, had in his mind when he called the attention of his disciples to these predictions by Daniel. There is a remarkable passage in Josephus (Wars of the Jews, iv. 6,) in which he refers to an ancient saying then current, that Jerusalem would be taken, and the temple be destroyed, when it had been defiled by the hands of the Jews themselves. Now, this literally took place. For while the Roman armies were invading Jerusalem, the Jews within the city were in fierce conflict amongst themselves. And it would seem most probable that our Lord had in his mind, in connection with Daniels prophecy, more especially that at Mar. 9:27<\/span>, the eruption of the army of Zealots and Assassins into the temple, filling the holy place with the dead bodies of their own fellow-citizens. The Jews had invited these marauders to defend them against the army of the Romans; and they, by their outrages against God, were the special cause of the desolation of Jerusalem. Thus, while Luke points to the sign from without, namely, the Roman forces surrounding the city, Matthew and Mark refer to the more terrible sign from within, the abomination of desolationthe abomination that would fill up the measure of their iniquities and cause the avenging power of Rome to come down upon them and crush them. It was after these two signsthe sign from within and the sign from withoutthat Jerusalem was laid prostrate. Therefore our Lord proceeds to warn both Jews and Christians alike, that when they saw these signs they should flee unto the mountainsnot to the mountains of Judea, for those were already occupied by the Roman army (Josephus, lib. iii. cap. xii.), but those further off, beyond Judea. We know from Eusebius (iii. 15) that the Christians fled to Pella, on the other side of the Jordan. The Jews, on the other hand, as they saw the Roman army approaching nearer, betook themselves to Jerusalem, as to an asylum, thinking that there they would be under the special protection of Jehovah; but there, alas, they were imprisoned and slain.<\/p>\n

Mar. 13:15<\/span>. Let him that is on the housetop not go down, nor enter in, to take anything Out of his house. The roofs of the houses were flat, with frequently a little dome in the centre. The people lived very much upon them; and the stairs were outside, so that a person wishing to enter the house must first descend by these outer stairs. The words, therefore, mean that he must flee suddenly, if he would save his life, even though he might lose his goods. He must escape, perhaps by crossing over the parapet of his own housetop, and so from housetop to housetop, until he could find a convenient point for flight into the hill country.<\/p>\n

Mar. 13:16<\/span>.And let him that is in the field not return back to take his cloke. This was the outer garment or pallium. They who worked in the field were accustomed to leave their cloak and their tunic at home; so that, half-stripped, they might be more free in labour. Thereafter our Lord warns them that in this impending destruction, so suddenly would it come, they must be ready to fly just as they were. It was the direction given to Lot, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee.<\/p>\n

Mar. 13:17<\/span>. But woe unto them that are with child and to them that give suck in those days! Women in this condition would be specially objects of pity, for they would be more exposed to danger. The words, Woe to them! are an exclamation of pity, as though it was said, Alas! for them. Josephus (vii. 8) mentions that some mothers constrained by hunger during the siege, devoured their own infants!<\/p>\n

Mar. 13:18<\/span>. And pray ye that it be not in the winter. According to the best authorities, your flight is omitted, but the meaning remains very much the same. Matthew (Mat. 24:20<\/span>) adds, neither on a sabbath. But this would be comparatively of little interest to those to whom Mark was writing. Our Lord thus specifies the winter, because at that season, on account of the cold and snow, flight would be attended with special difficulty and hardship, and would be almost impossible for the aged and infirm.<\/p>\n

II.<\/p>\n

THE TRIBULATION OF THOSE DAYS.<\/p>\n

Mar. 13:19<\/span>. For those days shall be tribulation, such as there hath not been the like from the beginning of the creation. These expressions are very remarkable. To begin with, the tribulation would be so unexampled and so severe that the days themselves would be called tribulation. They would be known ever after as the tribulation. There never had been anything like them, and there never would be again. Neither the Deluge, nor the destruction of cities of the plain, nor the drowning of Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea, nor the slaughter of the Canaanites, nor the destruction of Nineveh, or of Babylon, or of other great cities and nations, would be so violent and dreadful as the overthrow of Jerusalem by Titus. All this is confirmed by Josephus, who says, speaking of this overthrow, I do not think that any state ever suffered such things, or any nation within the memory of man. St. Chrysostom assigns the cause of all this to the base and cruel treatment of the Son of God by the Jews. The destruction of their city and their temple, and their continued desolation afterwards, were the lessons by which the Jews were taught that the Christ had indeed come, and that this was the Christ whom they had crucified and slain.<\/p>\n

Mar. 13:20<\/span>. And except the Lord had shortened the days, no flesh would have been saved: but for the elects sake, whom he chose, he shortened the days. St. Matthews record (Mat. 24:22<\/span>) differs from that of St. Mark in the omission of the words the Lord, and the clause whom he chose. If the time of the siege of Jerusalem had lasted much longer, not one of the nation could have survived; all would have perished by war, or famine, or pestilence. The Romans raged against the Jews as an obstinate and rebellious nation, and would have exterminated them. But the Lord shortened the time of this frightful catastrophe, for the elects sake, that is, partly for the sake of the Christians who could not escape from Jerusalem, and partly for that of the Jews, who subdued by this awful visitation, were converted to Christ or would hereafter be converted to him. We learn from hence how great is the love of God towards his elect, and his care for them. For their sakes he spared many Jews. For their sakes he created and preserves the whole world. Yea, for their sakes, Christ the eternal Son was made man, and became obedient unto death. All things are yours, and ye are Christs, and Christ is Gods. It may be added that a number of providential circumstances combined to shorten these days of terror. Titus was himself disposed to clemency, and friendly towards Josephus. Moreover, he was attached to Bernice, a Jewess, the sister of Agrippa. All these and other circumstances conspired in the providence of God to shorten the days.<\/p>\n

III.<\/p>\n

A WARNING AGAINST FALSE CHRISTS.<\/p>\n

Mar. 13:21-22<\/span>. And then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ; or, Lo, there, believe it not; for there shall arise false Christs and false prophets. Josephus mentions one Simon of Gerasa, who, pretending to be a deliverer of the people from the Romans, gathered around him a crowd of followers, and gained admission into Jerusalem, and harassed the Jews. In like manner, Eleazar and John, leaders of the Zealots, gained admission into the holy place, under the pretence of defending the city, but really that they might plunder it. But it seems as though our Lord here looked beyond the siege of Jerusalem to the end of the world; and he warns us that as the time of his second advent approaches, deceivers will arise, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect. The word to seduce is more properly rendered, as in the Revised Version, to lead astray. Every age has produced its crop of such deceivers; and it may be expected that, as the time of the end draws nearer and nearer, their number will increase. Sometimes those idiosyncrases in them which show themselves in lying wonders, are the result of self-delusion; but still oftener they are deliberate attempts made for the purpose of imposing on the unwary. Sometimes they are a combination of both. In the cases to which our Lord refers there is evidently an intention to lead astray, although it may have had its origin in self-deceit. In our day there is a sad tendency to lead men astray with regard to the great fundamental verities of Christianity. And the words of St. Jerome may well be remembered here: If any would persuade you that Christ is to be found in the wilderness of unbelief or sceptical philosophy, or in the secret chambers of heresy, believe them not.<\/p>\n

Mar. 13:23<\/span>. But take ye heed. The ye is here emphatic. The disciples were around him, hanging upon his lips. But his admonition is meant for Christians everywhere, even to the end of the world. (Bickersteth)<\/p>\n

FACT QUESTIONS 13:14-24<\/strong><\/p>\n

852.<\/p>\n

How do some critics use Mark (Mar. 13:14<\/span>) against the early date of the book of Daniel? How answered?<\/p>\n

853.<\/p>\n

How does Luk. 21:20<\/span> help (us Gentiles) in understanding the meaning of the expression abomination of desolation?<\/p>\n

854.<\/p>\n

Why is it wrong to conclude that the abomination was the Roman eagles?<\/p>\n

855.<\/p>\n

Show how Daniels prophecy had already received one fulfillment.<\/p>\n

856.<\/p>\n

How does Josephus help us in our understanding of the abomination of desolation?<\/p>\n

857.<\/p>\n

Why were there so many Jews in Jerusalem when Titus attacked? Why no Christians?<\/p>\n

858.<\/p>\n

If the occupant was not to come down from the housetop where was he to go? How would this help?<\/p>\n

859.<\/p>\n

Why return for the cloke?<\/p>\n

860.<\/p>\n

What words of Josephus help us to appreciate the words of Jesus woe unto them that are with child etc.?<\/p>\n

861.<\/p>\n

Who would be hindered in a winter flight?<\/p>\n

862.<\/p>\n

Mention three or four other violent events which are of less violent a character than the overthrow of Jerusalem.<\/p>\n

863.<\/p>\n

Who confirmed the words of Jesus as in Mar. 13:19<\/span>? Discuss.<\/p>\n

864.<\/p>\n

Who were the elect of Mar. 13:20<\/span>what great lesson is here for our learning?<\/p>\n

865.<\/p>\n

Mention one or two of the providential circumstances combined to shorten the days.<\/p>\n

866.<\/p>\n

Who was Simon of Gerasa?<\/p>\n

867.<\/p>\n

Who were Eleazar and John?<\/p>\n

868.<\/p>\n

Show how pertinent the words of Jerome are for our day.<\/p>\n

869.<\/p>\n

To whom is Mar. 13:23<\/span> directed?<\/p>\n

Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

(14-23) But when ye shall see.<\/strong>See Notes on Mat. 24:15-28<\/span>.<\/p>\n

Standing where it ought not.<\/strong>St. Mark substitutes this for in the holy place of St. Matthew. Of the two, the former seems, in its enigmatic form, more likely to have been the phrase actually used; the latter to have been an explanation. The words spoken of by Daniel the prophet are omitted in many of the best MSS.<\/p>\n

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

“But when you see the Desolating Abomination standing where he ought not.”<\/p>\n

The original Desolating Abomination (Abomination is the Jewish view of idolatry and the phrase in Hebrew can mean ‘the desecration that appals’) was when Antiochus Epiphanes (168 BC) raised an altar to Zeus in the Temple and slew a pig on it deliberately in order to offend the Jews, and thus caused the cessation of true sacrifices (Dan 11:31<\/span>). This was looked on as the sacrilege that it was, and as a ‘Desolating Abomination’, a desolation that appalled. But it became a phrase which could be applied to any such action and was expected to occur again in the then far future (Dan 9:27<\/span>). Thus the Desolating Abomination, the Temple and the cessation of sacrifice were closely connected in Jewish minds (see also Dan 12:11<\/span>), and if you were to say to a Jew of Jesus’ time ‘Desolating Abomination’ he would immediately think of sacrilege, the profaning of the holy city and the Temple and of cessation of sacrifice, with general desolation also included (Dan 9:27<\/span>).<\/p>\n

Furthermore if he thought of it happening at that time he would have thought of Rome. Under its procurators Rome had already made attempts at such sacrilege. Pilate had introduced his troops’ Roman standards into Jerusalem by stealth at night. These were looked on as idolatrous because they often bore a representation of Caesar on them and soldiers offered sacrifices to them. But the sense of horror that this aroused comes out in that a huge crowds of Jews besieged Pilate day and night in his palace at Caesarea demanding their removal, and when he sent his soldiers with bared swords to threaten them they bared their necks and said they would rather die than allow what he had done. The people’s fierce resistance, and their fortitude to the point of offering to lay down their lives in passive resistance, was so great that Pilate at last withdrew. This brings out vividly their sense of the holiness of the whole city, not just of the Temple.<\/p>\n

So the people were constantly on their guard against such attempts by Rome, and viewed them with great horror. Note also that it was not only the Temple’s sanctity that the people sought to preserve, it was also the sanctity of the city they saw as ‘the holy city’ (Neh 11:1<\/span>; Neh 11:18<\/span>; Isa 48:2<\/span>; Isa 52:1<\/span>; Dan 9:24<\/span>). (Later the mad Emperor Caligula would order the erection of his statue in the Temple at Jerusalem, and demand accompanying worship, and this was only forestalled by his death, something Mark’s readers would also have been very much aware of).<\/p>\n

So the ‘Desolating Abomination standing where it ought not’ would indicate the actual preparation for the introduction into the holy city of idolatrous emblems and actions. Luke confirms this quite clearly. Instead of mention of the Desolating Abomination he wrote, ‘When you see Jerusalem compassed with armies then know that her desolation is at hand (Luk 21:20<\/span>)’. This is found in exactly the same place in the discourse (note in both cases the previous and following verses – Mar 13:13<\/span> = Luk 21:17<\/span>; Mar 13:14<\/span> b = Luk 21:21<\/span>). The entry of these troops with their standards and idolatrous worship would be the Desolating Abomination. The holy city would be profaned. And once they approached the holy city they would be standing where they ought not. Furthermore Titus would enter the Holy Place itself, quite probably with his standardbearer who would follow close behind, thus profaning it also. Josephus claims that rather than see the Temple profaned it was the Jews themselves who set fire to it. But that may simply have been propaganda.<\/p>\n

Some commentators are dissatisfied because Jesus did not actually mention the destruction of the Temple at this point. But we know that Jesus constantly said things and left the rest for the mind to think over. Those whose hearts were receptive would understand. The same is the case here. He was never prosaic. He was answering a question about the destruction of the Temple, and about not one stone being left on another, and therefore these words and their consequences would mean exactly that in the minds of those who considered His words. The coming of the Desolating Abomination (with its close connection with destruction of city and sanctuary in Daniel 9<\/span>) and the resulting idea of great tribulation would be seen as including the destruction of the Temple. To have actually said it in so many words would have been to take away the mystery, and have been contrary to His habit of teaching in parables. It might also have opened the words to the charge of being accusatory against Rome, for although they were private words to the four disciples they were words which were intended to be passed on.<\/p>\n

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

‘But when you see the Desolating Abomination standing where he ought not (let him who reads understand), then let those who are in Judaea flee to the mountains, and let him who is on the housetop not go down, or enter in to take anything out of his house, and let him that is in the field not return back to take his cloak.’<\/p>\n

So dreadful would the subsequent events be when the Desolating Abomination was beginning his action against Jerusalem (the ‘he’ refers to their leader) that immediate action would be required. No delay should be considered. If they were on the roof of the house they should immediately take to their heels without even collecting their belongings from inside, speeding down the outside steps, or leaping across the roofs. If they were in the field they should flee as they were, not even going back to collect a cloak. The emphasis was one of extreme and over-exaggerated urgency. The situation was desperate, and was to be escaped from at all costs with no delay.<\/p>\n

In reality the majority of the people did the opposite when the time came and fled into the city, there to endure unbelievable suffering, and finally to brutally perish. But some would no doubt escape, even at the last minute as the Roman standards approached Jerusalem, if they had heard and remembered Jesus’ words, and certainly tradition tells us that many in the Jerusalem church previously fled to Pella.<\/p>\n

‘The Desolating Abomination’. That is, Titus and his Roman armies with their idolatrous standards. They brought sacrilege with them and would commit greater sacrilege on the holy city and Temple, introducing their standards and their gods and desolating the city and the sanctuary and laying them waste. And they above all claimed to represent a god, Roma, to whom they no doubt made their offerings in Jerusalem.<\/p>\n

‘Standing where he ought not.’ The figure is personalised, probably in terms of the leader as so often in Daniel. The place was one where he should not be, for he was not only challenging the Jews, he was treating God with contempt. As the representative of the god emperor he was the ‘anti-God’ who had no right to be standing on the sacred ground around Jerusalem.<\/p>\n

‘Let him who reads understand.’ These may be the words of Jesus referring His listeners to the Book of Daniel so that they may read it and understand what He was saying. Or it may be a comment by Mark conveying the fact that the meaning of the words was disguised but discernible to the spiritual eye. The reader might well have been reading it to a largely illiterate church, and it may be that the idea was that he should be able to explain what it meant.<\/p>\n

‘Then let those who are in Judaea flee to the mountains.’ All in the surrounding area, in Judaea, are advised to flee. The thought may well be that they should do so as soon as the threat became apparent. There was in fact plenty of warning as there was an earlier assault on Jerusalem which failed. And when later Roman reconquest of the land began it began in Galilee. But even at that stage all were aware that Jerusalem would be the main target, and it was in order to defend it with their dying breath that all the bloodiest insurgents of the day finally gathered there.<\/p>\n

‘Flee to the mountains.’ Mountains were always a hiding place in times of trouble. David and his men fled to the mountains away from Saul. Compare also Eze 7:16<\/span>; 1Ma 2:28 . And there were mountains on the far side of Jordan away from the central troublespots. According to Eusebius the Christian church in Jerusalem did in fact flee to Pella in Decapolis, guided by ‘a prophet’ who may well have heeded these words, although that was not in the mountains. It was, however, following the principle behind the words.<\/p>\n

‘The housetop.’ The reference is to the flat roof of the house where a man could find quiet. But suddenly he is roused by the news and must flee immediately and urgently by the outside staircase, or by jumping from roof to roof. The point, however, is to stress urgency, not in order to indicate a particular way of escape.<\/p>\n

‘To take his cloak.’ This is the cloak that he would need to keep him warm at night. But the urgency would be so great that he must not return for it to wherever he had left it.<\/p>\n

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

The Destruction of Jerusalem and the Sacrilege in the Temple (13:14-19).<\/p>\n

<\/strong><\/p>\n

What the following words mean are made clear firstly by reference to what Jesus said at the beginning of the chapter (Mar 13:2<\/span>) with the resulting question (Mar 13:3<\/span>), and secondly by comparison with the book of Daniel. It is from there that the idea of the Desolating Abomination comes in the same passage that speaks of the coming destruction of ‘the city and the sanctuary’ (Mar 9:26<\/span>) (Dan 9:27<\/span> LXX has the same phrase except that ‘desolation’ is in the plural. Compare Dan 11:31<\/span>). And the original ‘Abomination of Desolation’ involved the capture of the city and the desecration of the Temple (Dan 11:31<\/span>).<\/p>\n

Analysis.<\/p>\n

a <\/strong> “But when you see the Desolating Abomination standing where he ought not (let him who reads understand)” (Mar 13:14<\/span> a).<\/p>\n

b <\/strong> “Then let those who are in Judaea flee to the mountains” (Mar 13:14<\/span> b).<\/p>\n

c <\/strong> “And let him who is on the housetop not go down, or enter in to take anything out of his house” (Mar 13:15<\/span>).<\/p>\n

d <\/strong> “And let him who is in the field not return back to take his cloak” (Mar 13:16<\/span>).<\/p>\n

c <\/strong> “But woe to those who are well gone in pregnancy and to those who are breastfeeding in those days” (Mar 13:17<\/span>).<\/p>\n

b <\/strong> “And pray that your flight be not in the winter” (Mar 13:18<\/span>).<\/p>\n

a <\/strong> “For those days will be tribulation such as there has not been the like from the beginning of the creation which God created until now, and never shall be” (Mar 13:19<\/span>).<\/p>\n

Note that in ‘a’ we have the one who is called the Sacrilegious Desolater, and in the parallel the result of his desolating actions as he stands against the God of creation. In ‘b’ those in Judaea are to flee to the mountains, and in the parallel they are to pray that the flight is not in the winter. In ‘c’ men are to flee the roofs of their houses without waiting to collect anything, and in the parallel women involved in child birth and child nurturing are to flee their homes just as they are. Centrally in ‘d’ those working in the fields are not even to bother about their cloaks because of the urgent need to escape.<\/p>\n

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

The visitation upon the Jews:<\/p>\n

v. 14<\/strong>. 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;<\/strong><\/p>\n

v. 15<\/strong>. and let him that is on the housetop not go down into the house, neither enter therein to take anything out of his house;<\/strong><\/p>\n

v. 16<\/strong>. and let him that is in the field not turn back again for to take up his garment.<\/p>\n

<\/strong> The Lord here mentions some of the signs that would presage especially the destruction of the Temple and of the city. It makes little difference, so far as the actual point and object of the admonition is concerned, whether we understand by the abomination of desolation the desecration of the Temple by the Emperor Caligula or the armies of the Romans with their ensigns and idols, as they came marching into the country and approached the city of Jerusalem. At any rate, the presence of the armies in the neighborhood of the city, Luk 21:20<\/span>, should be considered the final period for remaining in Judea. Jesus warningly interpolates the call: Whoever reads it let him understand! It is important that the disciples heed His warning. All those that were still in the country should then flee, without delay, into the mountains. This the small band of Christians remaining in Jerusalem before the destruction did, finding refuge in the mountain town of Pella. If one should receive the news of the invasion and its abomination while on the flat roof of his house, he should take no time to enter into the house again, but should flee down the outside steps leading to the open. One at work in the field should not turn back for his mantle. Every minute’s delay will increase the danger and the nearness of the calamity.<\/p>\n

Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Mar 13:14-23<\/span> . See on Mat 24:15-26<\/span> . Comp. Luk 21:20-24<\/span> , who, however, has freely elements that are peculiar.<\/p>\n

] thoughtful, but more indefinite designation of the sacred temple-area<\/em> than in Matthew, where the more definite expression, as well as the reference by name (not merely suggested by the use of the set expression . . .) to Dan 9:27<\/span> , betrays a later manipulation.<\/p>\n

Mar 13:16<\/span> . ] he who is<\/em> (has gone) into the field<\/em> . See on Mar 2:1<\/span> .<\/p>\n

Mar 13:18<\/span> . Mark has, with a view to his Gentile-Christian readers, passed over the , which was in the collection of Logia, in Mat 24:20<\/span> .<\/p>\n

Mar 13:19<\/span> . ] “Tempori adscribitur res, quae in tempore fit; una et continua erit calamitas,” Wetstein.<\/p>\n

. . .] Comp. Plato, Rep.<\/em> vi. p. 492 E: , , .<\/p>\n

] after . See Fritzsche, ad Marc.<\/em> p. 14; Khner, II. p. 527.<\/p>\n

. ] Comp. Mar 13:20<\/span> : , Herod, iii. 147: , , Philostr. V. Ap.<\/em> iv. 13. 150: . The mode of expression has for its object “gravius eandem notionem bis iterari,” Lobeck, Paralip.<\/em> p. 522. A contrast with the Jewish state as a human (Lange) is fanciful. , that which is created<\/em> , see on Rom 8:19<\/span> .<\/p>\n

.] 1Ti 6:10<\/span> .<\/p>\n

Mar 13:23<\/span> . In Matthew at this point the saying about the lightning and the carcase, which certainly belongs originally to this place, is added (Mar 13:27-28<\/span> ).<\/p>\n

Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

14 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 Judaea flee to the mountains: <\/p>\n<\/p>\n

<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ver. 14. The abomination of desolation<\/strong> ] The Roman forces, therefore most abominable to God and his angels, because they desolated the pleasant land and abolished the true worship of God. See Rev 17:4-5<\/span> .<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Where it ought not<\/strong> ] viz. In respect of the Romans, who did it only out of ambition and covetousness. See Isa 10:7<\/span> . <\/p>\n

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

14. <\/strong> <\/strong> ] See note on Mat 24:15<\/span> . This is a less definite description of the place than we find there. In connexion with the reading in the text, the Oxf. Catena explains . . by .<\/p>\n

Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Mar 13:14-23<\/span> . The Jewish catastrophe<\/em> (Mat 24:15-25<\/span> , Luk 21:20-24<\/span> ).<\/p>\n

Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Mar 13:14<\/span> . . . The horror is the Roman army, and it is a horror because of the desolation it brings. Vide<\/em> on Mt. The reference to Daniel in T.R. is imported from Mt. , the reading in the best texts, masculine, though referring to , because the horror consists of soldiers (Schanz) or their general. ( Cf.<\/em> , 2Th 2:7<\/span> .) , where it ought not, instead of in Mt. a graceful circumlocution betraying the Jewish Christian writing for heathen Christians, abstaining from making claims that might be misunderstood for his native country by calling it the “holy land” (Schanz). . The reference here cannot be to Daniel, which is not mentioned in Mk., but either to the Gospel itself or to a separate document which it embodies a Jewish or Jewish-Christian Apocalypse ( vide<\/em> on Mt.). The words may be taken as a direction to the reader in synagogue or church to explain further the meaning to hearers, it being a matter of vital practical concern. Vide<\/em> Weizscker, Das Apos. Zeit.<\/em> , p. 362.<\/p>\n

Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Mar 13:14-23<\/p>\n

14″But when you see the abomination of desolation standing where it should not be (let the reader understand), then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains. 15the one who is on the housetop must not go down, or go in to get anything out of his house; 16and the one who is in the field must not turn back to get his coat. 17But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! 18But pray that it may not happen in the winter. 19For 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 will. 20Unless 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. 21And then if anyone says to you, ‘Behold, here is the Christ’; or, ‘Behold, He is there’; do not believe him; 22 for false Christs and false prophets will arise, and will show signs and wonders, in order to lead astray, if possible, the elect. 23But take heed; behold, I have told you everything in advance.”<\/p>\n

Mar 13:14<\/p>\n

NASB, NKJV”the abomination of desolation”<\/p>\n

NRSV”the desolating sacrilege”<\/p>\n

TEV”the Awful Horror”<\/p>\n

JB”the disastrous abomination”<\/p>\n

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION <\/p>\n

NASB”‘standing where it should not be'”<\/p>\n

NKJV”‘standing where it ought not'”<\/p>\n

NRSV, NJB”‘set up where it ought not to be'”<\/p>\n

TEV”‘standing in the place where he should not be'”<\/p>\n

The participle standing is perfect active accusative masculine in The Analytical Greek New Testament by Barbara and Timothy Friberg, p. 154 (cf. TEV), but perfect active accusative neuter in The Analytical Lexicon to the Greek New Testament by William D. Mounce, p.219 (cf. NASB, NRSV, NJB). If neuter, then it refers to (1) “the abomination” (bdelugma) or (2) to Titus’ army (strateuma). Mat 24:15 adds “standing in the Holy Place” (i.e., the Holy Place of the temple), which implies the masculine gender and refers to the Roman General. This, too, fits Titus, who set up the Roman standards (which stood for their gods) in the temple in Jerusalem.<\/p>\n

“(let the reader understand)” This means “to think about carefully” or “to consider well” (cf. 2Ti 2:7). This is a comment from the author of the Gospel. It apparently was meant to trigger further discussion (i.e., the Abomination of Desolation from Dan 9:27; Dan 11:31; Dan 12:11) on the subject by the person reading the text aloud to a study group in a worship setting, somewhat like our modern Sunday School classes.<\/p>\n

“‘those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains'” Eusebius, a church historian from the fourth century, records that the Christians fled Jerusalem to Pella, about twenty miles southeast of the Sea of Galilee, just before the Roman siege encircled the city in A.D. 70 (cf. Hist. Eccl. 3:5:2-3).<\/p>\n

Mar 13:15 “‘the one who is on the housetop'” The houses had flat roofs. They were used as the place of social gathering in the hot months. It has been said that one could walk across Jerusalem on the roofs of houses. Apparently some houses were built next to the city’s wall. When the army was seen, immediate flight was necessary.<\/p>\n

Mar 13:16 “‘coat'” This referred to the outer robe, which was also used as sleeping cover. Men working in the field would not have had this with them.<\/p>\n

Mar 13:17 “‘woe'” This term is used in the OT to designate judgment prophecies. It was a way of referring to a funeral dirge or lament. God’s judgment on Jerusalem would affect believers as well as unbelievers (as will the Great Tribulation).<\/p>\n

“‘to those who are pregnant'” This obviously refers to the destruction of Jerusalem only. It would have been difficult for pregnant women to flee rapidly over the wall. This has nothing to do with the Second Coming! These disciples’ questions to Jesus relate to three separate issues: the destruction of Jerusalem, His Second Coming, and the end of the age. The problem is that these questions were dealt with at the same time. There is no easy verse division by topic.<\/p>\n

Mar 13:18 “‘in winter'” Rapid travel would have also been difficult in winter for pregnant women and little ones.<\/p>\n

Mar 13:19 This can be viewed as (1) the severity of the end-time persecution of believers and God’s judgment on unbelievers or (2) an Oriental hyperbole. It is hard to know whether references are literal or figurative (compare Joe 2:28-32 and Peter’s use of it in Acts 2, where it is not taken literally). The NT is an eastern book. They were much more accustomed to exaggerations and figures of speech than we are as modern westerners. It is never a question of taking the revelation seriously. It is a hermeneutical question of the intent of the original inspired author. To take the NT literally every time and in every place is not biblical conservatism, but improper interpretation.<\/p>\n

This verse might be an allusion to Dan 12:1, but with an added phrase. The elect are those whose names are in the book of life (i.e., believing Jews, the true remnant, and believing Gentiles, the mystery of God hidden, but now revealed, cf. Eph 2:11 to Eph 3:13)!<\/p>\n

“since the beginning of the creation” See Special Topic at Mar 10:6.<\/p>\n

Mar 13:20 The interpretive question is to which of the three events (i.e., (1) destruction of Jerusalem; (2) the Coming of Christ; or (3) the end of the age) does this refer? These three events are discussed in overlapping ways. There is no clear and precise verse division. It seems to me this refers to the Second Coming and the end of the age and not the destruction of Jerusalem, because the Christians fled the city before its destruction.<\/p>\n

“‘Unless'” This is a rare second class conditional sentence called “contrary to fact.” It states an incorrect premise which makes the conclusion incorrect. Literally this would imply “If the Lord had not shortened the days (which He did) no one would be saved (but they were).”<\/p>\n

“‘the Lord'” This must refer to YHWH, not Jesus. YHWH is the One who elects\/chooses (cf. Eph 1:4).<\/p>\n

“‘been saved'” This is the use of the term in its OT sense of physical deliverance (cf. Jas 5:15), not spiritual salvation.<\/p>\n

“‘but for the sake of the elect, whom He chose'” See Special Topic below.<\/p>\n

SPECIAL TOPIC: Election\/Predestination and the Need for a Theological Balance <\/p>\n

“‘He shortened the days'” This phrase implies that the unchangeable God (cf. Psa 102:26-27; Mal 3:6) can alter His plans! His character and redemptive purposes never change, but the prayers of His people do affect Him and often alter His plans. This is mystery! But it is the essence of intercessory prayer.<\/p>\n

SPECIAL TOPIC: INTERCESSORY PRAYER <\/p>\n

SPECIAL TOPIC: FORTY-TWO MONTHS <\/p>\n

Mar 13:21 “‘if'” This is a third class conditional sentence, which means potential action.<\/p>\n

“‘do not believe Him'” This is a Present active imperative with the negative particle, which usually means stop an act in process, but in this context it could not have this normal implication.<\/p>\n

Christians need to be as wise as serpents and as gentle as doves (cf. Mat 10:16). Naive Christians, gullible Christians, baby Christians are all too common. We must test the spirits (cf. 1Jn 4:1) to see if they are truly God’s spokespersons. It is so sad to me when I hear of believers flocking to trees, screen doors, or special holy sites to see Jesus. This context is very clear! When He comes all will see Him and know Him (cf. Mat 24:27).<\/p>\n

The immediate context of Mar 13:14-23 refers to those escaping from Jerusalem, not to be deterred by someone claiming Christ had appeared in the city, in this place, or that.<\/p>\n

Mar 13:22 “‘will show signs and wonders'” These false christs will perform miracles. Be careful of always identifying the miraculous with God (cf. Exo 7:11-12; Exo 7:22; Deu 13:1 ff; Mat 24:24; 2Th 2:9-12; Rev 13:13-14). False believers can do miracles (cf. Mat 7:21-23).<\/p>\n

“‘if possible'” It seems to me that the contingency of Mar 13:22 may be contextually related to the contingency of Mar 13:20 (i.e., a second class conditional) because the elect (cf. Mar 13:20; Mar 13:22) cannot be led astray!<\/p>\n

Mar 13:23 This was one of Jesus’ ways (which reflect YHWH’s predictions in the OT) of proving to His followers His control of history and redemption by foretelling upcoming events. YHWH and His Christ control time and history! Even hard times are part of His overarching redemptive plan.<\/p>\n

Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

see. Greek. eidon. App-133., as in Mar 13:29; not the same word as in verses: Mar 13:1, Mar 13:2, Mar 13:26. <\/p>\n

the abomination of desolation. See Mat 24:22. Quoted from Dan 9:27; Compare Mar 12:11; and App-89, App-90, App-91. Spoken of by Daniel the prophet. Om. by [L] TTr, A WH R, but not the Syriac. <\/p>\n

by. Greek. hupo App-104. <\/p>\n

let him, &c. Hebrew idiom (later usage) = let him who reads and comments on these words in the assembly, &c, Compare 1Ti 4:13. <\/p>\n

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

14. ] See note on Mat 24:15. This is a less definite description of the place than we find there. In connexion with the reading in the text, the Oxf. Catena explains . . by .<\/p>\n

Fuente: The Greek Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Mar 13:14. , where it ought not) Language adapted to His hearers modes of thought. The Jews mode of thinking was, that it ought not. And indeed it ought not, in so much as the place was the holy place; so, speaking things which they ought not, 1Ti 5:13. Comp. also Jer 49:12. [It was from that place that the Romans invaded the city.-V. g.]<\/p>\n

Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Mar 13:14-20<\/p>\n

4. THE LAST SIGN, AND THE TIME FOR FLIGHT<\/p>\n

Mar 13:14-20<\/p>\n

(Mat 24:15-22; Luk 21:20-24)<\/p>\n

14 But when ye see the abomination of desolation–Luke (Luk 21:20) explains this by adding, “When ye see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that her desolation is at hand.” The armies must have been the Roman armies which finally besieged and destroyed Jerusalem. Doubtless they are called “the abomination of desolation” because, being heathen armies, they were an abomination to the Jews, and because they brought desolation on the country. Matthew (Mat 24:15) says: “When therefore ye see the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet.” This destruction was a matter of Old Testament prophecy.<\/p>\n

standing where he ought not–Matthew (Mat 24:15) says: “In the holy place.” Jerusalem is “the holy place.” ‘The devil taketh him into the holy city.” (Mat 4:5.) All Jerusalem was esteemed holy. It means when you see the Roman armies standing in “the holy city,” or encamped around it, or the Roman ensigns or standards in the temple, you may know that the desolation is at hand.<\/p>\n

(let him that readeth understand),–Evidently meaning the reading of the prophecy of Daniel for the New Testament was not then written. (Dan 9:27.)<\/p>\n

then let them that are in Judaea flee unto the mountains:– [This was spoken of all disciples or Christians. When the armies closed in around the city, then those in Judea should flee to the mountains–the mountains of Judea, which the invading armies did not occupy, and in whose caves and recesses they could escape. Jerusalem is said to have been partially surrounded in 66, but was closely invested by Vespasian in 68. Those who were in the city departed out of it, escaped from it; and those being in the surrounding countries, who frequently came to Jerusalem to the feasts, were warned to stay away. When the destruction came, those within the city would perish with it; so the warning to escape out of it, and to keep out.] In times of imminent peril and danger, it is not only lawful, but our duty, to seek our own preservation by all good and honest means;and if God opens a door of escape, we ought to make our escape;otherwise we do not trust God.<\/p>\n

15 and let him that is on the housetop not go down, nor enter in, to take anything out of his house:–In that country the roofs of houses were flat, and often used for sleeping. The meaning is the Christian, who is on the housetop when the calamity came, should flee without taking time to go down into the house and gather up clothing for the flight.<\/p>\n

16 and let him that is in the field not return back to take his cloak.–His outer garment which men usually laid aside when working.<\/p>\n

17 But woe unto them that are with child and to them that give suck in those days!–An exclamation of pity, with reference to women thus burdened. Their sufferings would be greatly increased, and their flight far more difficult. [They were not in a condition to flee to avoid the vengeance. This does not indicate such would be destroyed. But they were in a pitiable condition, since they could not flee from the impending wrath. The wrath hanging over the people was terrible, and the distress was great.]<\/p>\n

18 And pray ye that it be not in the winter.–Because the streams were then impassable torrents from the heavy rains and the weather cold and wet, hard on homeless people. To be driven then from home, and forced to make an abode in caverns, would be a double calamity. He taught them to depend upon and trust in God by teaching them to pray God would be with them. The destruction was coming. It could not be prevented. Yet it was proper and right to pray for a mitigation of the circumstances that it might be as mild as possible,<\/p>\n

19 For those days shall be tribulation, such as there hath not been the like from the beginning of the creation which God created until now, and never shall be.–The word “tribulation” means calamity, or suffering. The calamity would be far greater than any preceding, or that would ever follow it. It would be the greatest in the history of the entire world.<\/p>\n

20 And except the Lord had shortened the days,–Had God not shortened the siege.<\/p>\n

no flesh would have been saved;–All the Jewish nation would have been destroyed, hut for the shortening of the siege.<\/p>\n

but for the elect’s sake, whom he chose,–His disciples–the church. (1Pe 1:1-2; Rom 1:7; Eph 1:4; 1Th 1:4.) he shortened the days.–God shortened the siege. It is related by Josephus that Titus at first resolved to reduce the city by famine. He therefore built a wall around it, to keep any provisions from being carried in, and any of the people from going out. The Jews, however, drew up their army near the walls, engaged in battle, and the Romans pursued them, provoked by their attempts, and broke into the city. The affairs of Rome also at that time demanded the presence of Titus there; and contrary to his original intention, he pressed the siege, and took the city by storm, thus shortening the time that would have been occupied in reducing it by famine. This was for the benefit of the “elect.” So the designs of wicked men, intended by them for the destruction of the temple of God, are intended by God for the good of his chosen people.<\/p>\n

Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Watch! <\/p>\n

Mar 13:14-37<\/p>\n

The fall of Jerusalem, Mar 13:14-23. This abomination had been predicted by Daniel, Dan 9:27, Josephus says that the Romans brought their standards into the Temple, and offered sacrifices to them, and proclaimed Titus emperor. Probably there is to be a yet further fulfillment of these significant words. Houses in the East are, for the most part, provided with staircases outside the wall, so that the occupants, seeing the approach of danger, could flee without going through their homes, Mar 13:15. The ungodly owe more than they realize to the elect who dwell among them, Mar 13:20. Let us not be deceived by the appearance of false doctrines or teachers; there are also false Christs, Mar 13:22.<\/p>\n

The second advent, Mar 13:24-27. These signs may refer to the disorganization of political rule, or to literal convulsions of the elements. The ministry of angels was very real to Jesus, and their function in the future ages is clearly defined. As Enoch was translated before the deluge, so will the saints be gathered before the final sorrows, 1Th 4:14-17. It would seem as if Christs coming is to bring summer to our world. This generation may refer to the fact that the Jewish people would remain as a distinct people. Our Lord had so emptied Himself, that in His human nature He knew not the hour, and was content to know only as the Father told Him. He has now resumed the glory of the knowledge which He had before all worlds. Have we each one found our work? Let us watch!<\/p>\n

Fuente: F.B. Meyer’s Through the Bible Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

WILL SAINTS BE KEPT FROM THE COMING HOUR OF TEMPTATION?<\/p>\n

Let us compare the testimony given in Matthew’s gospel with the records of both Mark and Luke.<\/p>\n

In Mar 13:14-27 we have a passage almost parallel to the one in Matthew, a careful reading of which only confirms what we have already seen, namely, that the great tribulation is still in the future, and that it ends with the Son of man coming in the clouds with power and great glory.<\/p>\n

In Luke 21 it is evident that considerable time must elapse between the overthrow of Jerusalem under Titus and this coming of the Son of man, Jerusalem’s destruction is predicted in verses 20-24:<\/p>\n

And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. Then let them which are in Judea flee to the mountains: and let them which are in the midst of it depart out: and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto. For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people. And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.<\/p>\n

Notice particularly that following the downfall of the holy city and the desolation of Palestine, Jerusalem’s treading down or subjection to the nations is to last until the times of the gentiles is fulfilled. This expression, “the times of the Gentiles,” is not used anywhere else in scripture, though a similar term is found in Eze 30:3: “For the day is near, even the day of the Lord is near, a cloudy day: it shall be the time of the heathen.” The heathen are the gentiles. Ezekiel is referring there to the triumph of Nebuchadnezzar over Israel and the powers to which they turn for help. Egypt and Ethiopia.<\/p>\n

The times of the gentiles began with Nebuchadnezzar. They go on until the return of the Son of man. Who will come as the Stone that smites the feet of the image of gentile supremacy, breaking it to pieces and scattering the dust to the four winds of the earth, then becoming a great mountain and filling the whole world. The actual circumstances immediately preceding this coming are given in Luk 21:25-27:<\/p>\n

And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars: and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring: Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.<\/p>\n

The signs referred to here are the supernatural events that we have already seen will take place during the great tribulation, while the conditions set forth in verse 26 show us the effects of these things in the hearts of humankind. This period of tribulation culminates in the shaking of the powers of heaven. Then the Son of man will be seen descending in a cloud to take His kingdom and reign in righteousness.<\/p>\n

A careful consideration of many scriptures, particularly in the Old Testament prophets, would how us that when the Lord thus returns, He will smite apostate Israel and the rebellious gentile world with judgement. They will be destroyed at His presence. On the other hand, a remnant of Israel will not only be spared from judgement, but will welcome Him as their long-looked-for King and Messiah. A great multitude of gentiles will be saved from the wrath that will fall on the worshippers of the beast and will form the nucleus of our Lord’s kingdom on this earth for a thousand years. This is the predicted program for the coming of the Son of man.<\/p>\n

The term “the coming of the Son of man” never refers to that particular aspect of the second advent for which the church is taught to look. When our Lord addressed Israel when He was on this earth He used this expression over and over again. In John 14 our Lord announced an aspect of His return that is NOT depicted in the synoptics. He spoke of coming to receive His own to be with Himself. This is the first clear word we have in the New Testament regarding what is commonly called the rapture. This particular aspect is always distinguished from the coming of the Son of man.<\/p>\n

With the above facts in mind, let us now turn to Rev 3:10-11. Writing to the angel of the church in Philadelphia, our Lord said:<\/p>\n

“Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I will also keep thee from the hour of temptation<\/p>\n

[of trial], which shall come upon all the world [habitable earth], to try them that dwell upon the earth. Behold, I come quickly:hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.”<\/p>\n

These letters to the seven churches set forth “the things which are,” that is, the conditions prevailing in the professing church of God on earth throughout the present dispensation. Until our Lord returns, churches will be found in the moral and spiritual condition of those depicted here. These seven letters set forth the characteristic features of seven distinct periods of church history from apostolic days until the end of her testimony in this scene. The warnings and exhortations and promises in these seven letters are for all the church of God throughout the dispensation. Addressing those who are shown to be genuine, who have kept Christ’s word and not denied His name, which is the least that could be said of any true believer; we have this definite promise that such will be kept from the coming hour of trial, which is to fall on the entire habitable earth. The term “habitable earth” is a translation of the Greek word oikoumene, which was used in apostolic days to distinguish that part of the world which was in subjection to the Roman empire and which is the proper sphere of prophecy, from all the rest of the world whose inhabitants were called barbarians. It is on this Roman earth that the vials of divine wrath will be poured out in all their intensity in the days of the great tribulation. Those who will be particularly exposed to these judgements are distinguished as “dwellers on the earth.” This expression is used again and again in Revelation. A careful consideration of every passage in which it is found will make it plain that it refers not simply to people who live on this globe, but to those who have despised the heavenly calling and whose hopes and affections are all centered on this earth. In other words, they are the same as those spoken of in Philippians 3, who have spurned the heavenly calling and who “mind earthly things.”<\/p>\n

This promise expressly declares that real believers of this dispensation, that is, the true church, will be kept from this coming hour of trial. They have not been kept from the frequent trials and tribulations to which Christians throughout the past centuries have been exposed, but they will be kept from this particular hour.<\/p>\n

It is evident that the Spirit of God in so speaking was using a term which Christians generally were expected to understand. If any ask, “What is the hour of temptation or trial, coming on the entire earth, from which we shall be kept?” the hour of temptation is that hour of trial so frequently spoken of elsewhere in scripture. We have seen something of what the Old Testament and also the four gospels have to say concerning it. Let us consider references to the hour of temptation in the epistles.<\/p>\n

First Thessalonians is the earliest of Paul’s letters that the Spirit of God preserved for the edification of the church. In this letter the second coming of Christ was presented as the imminent hope of the saints. No one can read the latter part of chapter 4 thoughtfully without seeing that the Spirit of God intended the church to live in the daily expectation of our Lord’s return. No one can possibly live in the daily expectation of the coming of the Son of man as set forth in the synoptic gospels unless he knows that he is in the very closing days of the great tribulation. Consequently, the hope of the Lord’s return set forth in Thessalonians must of necessity be a different thing to the expectation of His coming to set up His kingdom, and careful consideration of the passage referred to only serves to make this clearer. It is the Lord’s coming for His saints whereas the other is His coming with them.<\/p>\n

In chapter 1 in this epistle, Paul spoke of the conversion of the Thessalonians, and the testimony they were giving to the world outside, and he said:<\/p>\n

“For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; And to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come”. (1:9-10).<\/p>\n

The last clause, it is generally conceded, does not exactly represent what the apostle wrote.<\/p>\n

The Revised Standard Version translates it, “Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.”<\/p>\n

J.N. Darby rendered it, “Jesus, our Deliverer from the coming wrath,”<\/p>\n

Dr. Young was very explicit: he translated it, “Jesus who is rescuing us from the anger that is coming.”<\/p>\n

The point is that it is not simply that we are looking for our Lord as the One Who has delivered us from eternal wrath, but we look for him as the one who is coming to snatch us away from the wrath that is soon to all on earth. This agrees with the promise in Rev 3:10. And it is in this way that the church will be kept from that hour of trial. Before the judgements fall the Lord Jesus will descend from heaven with a shout, the dead in Christ will be raised, and the living saints changed, and we shall be snatched away, caught up to be with Him before the indignation is poured out on this guilty scene.<\/p>\n

Turn now to 2 Thessalonians 2. As we read it carefully, let us bear in mind what has already been before us. In order to see the viewpoint both of the apostle himself and of those to whom he was writing at that particular time, it will be well to consider certain facts that may be clearly deduced from a careful study of the entire letter. It is evident that the coming of the Lord had a large place in the hearts and minds of these particular saints. Some among them had become unbalanced on the subject, and were teaching that they were already entering into the time of great tribulation. They believed that the day of the Lord was practically upon them. They were endeavoring to substantiate this teaching by the use of a forged letter purporting to come from the apostle Paul, and the advocates of this system declared that the Spirit had revealed these things to them. Therefore the saints were becoming unsettled, losing the blessedness of the hope of the Lord’s return for His own.They feared they were already entering the great tribulation, and that the next event would be the coming of the Son of man.<\/p>\n

Notice carefully verses 1 and 2:<\/p>\n

“Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto Him. That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.”<\/p>\n

The Revised Standard Version reads, “To the effect that the day of the Lord is just at hand.” The best manuscript authority authenticates this. The day of Christ is not the same thing as the day of the Lord. The day of Christ refers to the time when believers will stand in their glorified bodies at Christ’s judgement seat. But the day of the Lord is the time when His judgements will be poured out on the earth, and He will descend and take the kingdom. The apostle reminded these believers of what he had already written in his previous epistle. They were not to look for the day of the Lord but for the return of our Saviour to deliver them from the coming wrath. So he pleaded with them in view of these facts, that “by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and by our gathering together unto Him,” we are not to be troubled or distressed, no matter what assertions others might make in regard to the day of trouble being already on us. The coming of the Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together unto Him must take place before that time of distress can begin. This is exactly what we insist on today, we who do not believe that the church will go through the great tribulation. Our daily expectation is the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together unto Him. This must precede the judgements. The day of the Lord cannot begin until after it takes place.<\/p>\n

Suppose that a great city is in rebellion against its rightful sovereign, but there are in that city certain loyalists who who grieve over the defection of the rest, and are faithful to their king. Word comes that the offended monarch and his great army are on the way to the city to subdue or destroy it. Naturally the loyal citizens are anxious and troubled. They do not want to be exposed to the fire of the royal army and they manage to get word out to the king declaring their loyalty and asking his consideration. Word comes back that his standard will be planted on a certain mountain outside the city before the bombardment begins. When that standard is seen on the mountain, all the loyalists are instructed to leave the city under protection of the king, who will make special arrangements to guard them from destruction,. Soon the van of the army appears. More and more troops arrive and surround the doomed city. Great guns are being placed at advantageous points on the outlying hills and all preparations for the shelling of the city are being made. Rumours of all sorts are being circulated. The bombing is to begin tonight, or tomorrow, or the next day. The loyalists are becoming nervous and anxious, but in some way a message reaches them. “I beseech you my the coming of the king, the lifting up of the standard on the mountain, and your gathering together unto him, be not troubled because of what you see in the way of preparation.” The messenger assures them that not one shell will fall on the city until they are safely gathered unto him outside the wall. And so their hearts are quieted.<\/p>\n

One day the standard is uplifted. A regiment of cavalry comes careering over the plain, and at the same moment the loyalists, acting by preconcerted arrangement, leave the city and are immediately protected by the royal horsemen. Soon they gather about the king, prostrating themselves at his feet and attesting their faithfulness. Then the attack on the city begins.<\/p>\n

Like all human illustrations, I realize this one does not fully picture the conditions that are to prevail at the Lord’s return, but it may at least help to make clear what the apostle means in these opening verses, and it will prepare us to understand what follows: “Let no man deceive you by any means for that day shall not come except there come a falling away [the apostasy] first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition.” The “day” is the day of trial and distress that we have been occupied with, but it will not come until the apostasy is fully manifest. There cannot be complete apostasy so long as the church of God is in this world. No matter how much there may be in the way of unfaithfulness to Christ and His truth, our Lord has declared, “Upon this rock will I build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” As long as the church is in the word, it is being led in His triumph. There may be individual apostates, but there cannot be complete apostasy.<\/p>\n

But when the church has been caught up to be with Christ, then the apostasy in all its fullness will arrive. Out of that condition of things the son of perdition will arise, “who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped: so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.” This is the sinister character whose awful features are dimly seen in both Testaments as one of the dominant actors in the last days. While not for one moment condoning the abomination of the papacy, it is not logically possible to link this personage with that system as a whole, nor with any individual pope of the past or present. The popes at their worst have all professed to act as vicars of Christ. They have not exalted themselves above all that is called God or that is worshipped. But the man of sin will be an absolutely self-deified atheist. He will recognize no God but himself. His rise to power is evidently linked with the abomination of desolation standing in the holy place, spoken of by Daniel and referred to by our Lord as the true starting point of the great tribulation.<\/p>\n

In 2Th 2:6-10 we are told of one who hinders this full manifestation of evil until the set time appointed of God.<\/p>\n

And now ye know what withholdeth [hinders] that he might be revealed in His [own] time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only He who now letteth [hinders] will let [hinder] until He be taken out of the way. And then shall that “Wicked” [one] be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of His mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of His coming. Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders. And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.<\/p>\n

There has been a great deal of controversy about this passage. Some claim that the hinderer is Satan who has his place in the heavens until after the rapture of the church, and then he shall be taken out of the way. Others insist that this hinderer is orderly government, and as long as orderly government prevails these things cannot take place. Some of the early fathers thought the hinderer was the Roman Empire, and that Paul dared not put on paper just what was in his mind lest he expose Christians to the charge of plotting the downfall of the existing private information which he had given to the Thessalonians when he was with them that had to do with this subject. But let us remember that this letter, like every other epistle in the New Testament, was written not for the local believers only to whom it was addressed but for all Christians during the entire dispensation. Therefore verse 6 is addressed to believers everywhere, who ought to be capable of understanding it, if they are at all familiar with their Bibles. “Ye know what withholdeth that he [that is, the man of sin] might be revealed in his [own] time.” Every Christian should be able to answer as he reads these words of scripture, “Yes I do know who it is that hindereth the full manifestation of iniquity. There is only one answer possible and that is, of course, The Holy Spirit.”<\/p>\n

What Christian is there who would think of any other hindering power in such a connection? In both Testaments this is the very province and work of the Spirit of God. He causeth the wrath of man to praise him and the remainder of wrath he doth restrain (Psa 76:10). “When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him “(Isa 59:19). He is working in the church at the present time, convicting the world of sin, righteousness, and judgement. Moreover, His presence in the church continues as long as that church is here, for our Lord promises, “When He is come He shall abide with you forever.” How then will he ever be taken out of the war? This will only occur by the fulfillment of 1 Thessalonians 4, with the return of the Lord and our being caught up to meet him in the air. This is the tremendous event that will clear the way for that time of trouble from which the church of God is to be kept.<\/p>\n

There is one other passage that deals with the rapture. 1Co 15:50-58 says:<\/p>\n

Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Behold I shew you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump; for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality,then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave,where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.<\/p>\n

There are two aspects of the coming kingdom: heavenly and earthly. Both together are called the kingdom of heaven. The saints of this and past ages will not live here on the earth during the kingdom age,but their home city will be the New Jerusalem above. This is called the Kingdom of the Father. “Then shall the righteous shine forth.” declared our Lord, “in the kingdom of your Father.” The earthly saints will live here in this world in natural bodies. This is spoken of as the kingdom of the Son of man. The apostle was referring to the heavenly kingdom when He said, “Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God: neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.” All who have part in the heavenly side of the kingdom will have glorified bodies in that day. The manner in which this will be brought about is given us in the verses that follow. “We shall not all sleep [that is, we shall not all die], but we shall be changed [or transformed].” This will take place in one moment in the briefest possible period of time at the last trump. The sound of that trumpet will end the present dispensation, and the dead will be raised incorruptible and the living changed. This is in exact accord with what we have already seen in 1 Thessalonians 4.<\/p>\n

Some have endeavored to link the last trump of verse 52 with the seventh trumpet of the book of Revelation. But it should be remembered that the book of Revelation was not in existence when the apostle wrote his letters, nor did it come into existence until many years afterward. Therefore, he could not possibly have referred to anything in that book. Furthermore, it is perfectly clear that this last trump is the same as the trump of God in 1 Thessalonians 4, which is altogether different from the trumpet of an angel. The term seems to be a military one, and refers to a signal used in the Roman army to set the legions in motion. At the first trump tents were struck, at the second trump they fell into line, at the last trump they marched away. We are waiting for the last trump when we will not march nor fly, but will be caught up to be with the Lord in the air, and so we shall be kept from the hour of temptation which is coming on all the earth.<\/p>\n

Fuente: Commentaries on the New Testament and Prophets<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

CHAPTER 59<\/p>\n

The Abomination of Desolation<\/p>\n

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 Judaea flee to the mountains: And let him that is on the housetop 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 woe 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 shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elects sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days. And then if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Christ; or, lo, he is there; believe him not: For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect. But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things. <\/p>\n

(Mar 13:14-23)<\/p>\n

In this paragraph our Lord Jesus both warns us of a time of great spiritual darkness, deception and trouble, which must come upon the earth, and assures us of the infallible security of Gods elect in the midst of it. As we look at these verses of Holy Scripture, may God the Holy Spirit inscribe upon our hearts the things here taught. Let me direct your attention to three things revealed in our text.<\/p>\n

A Time of Great Deception<\/p>\n

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 Judaea flee to the mountains (Mar 13:14).<\/p>\n

In this thirteenth chapter of Mark the Lord Jesus warns us over and over again of a time of terrible spiritual darkness, delusion, deception and danger that must sweep across the earth before he comes again. Without question, the warnings given in Mar 13:14-18 had a specific reference to the judgment of God which fell upon Jerusalem in 70 AD.<\/p>\n

When the armies of Rome destroyed Jerusalem, when God sent Titus into that once holy city, which had become an abominable house of devils, when swines blood was offered up in the most holy place, when the temple was leveled, when the scepter of civil government departed from Judah, Gods judgment upon the nation was manifest and obvious to everyone except the nation of Israel. The Jews were scattered to the four corners of the earth.<\/p>\n

However, our Lord specifically directs our attention to Daniels prophecy (Dan 9:20-27). In that prophecy, though Daniel speaks of the abomination of desolation, he was also assured by Gabriel, thou art greatly beloved. Daniel had been praying for God to show mercy and exercise forgiveness. He had been praying that the Lord God would in wrath remember mercy toward his holy city and his chosen people.<\/p>\n

In Mar 13:24-27 Daniel is given a vision, by which he was assured of both Gods justice and his mercy. In strict justice the Lord God declared that he would destroy the physical nation of Israel and the physical city of Jerusalem. At the same time, he assured his prophet that he would accomplish the everlasting salvation of his elect, his people, his holy city, his royal priesthood. <\/p>\n

And whiles I was speaking, and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the LORD my God for the holy mountain of my God; Yea, whiles I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation. And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding. At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to shew thee; for thou art greatly beloved: therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision. Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate. (Dan 9:20-27)<\/p>\n

I will leave it to others to debate and argue about the 70 weeks and the time span they cover. I am not very interested in that. But I am interested in the things here promised. In these verses we are given a clear, prophetic declaration of two things: redemption and wrath, deliverance and damnation, mercy and justice. Daniels prophecy is a profound declaration of Christs great work of redemption, by which he satisfied the justice of God and put away the sins of his people. In fact, there are eight things promised here. All of them depended upon and have been effectually accomplished by the sin-atoning death and glorious exaltation of our Lord Jesus Christ.<\/p>\n

1.In Mar 13:26 we are told that the Lord Jesus Christ, the Messiah, must be cut off, slaughtered, not for himself, but for his people. And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.<\/p>\n

2.In Mar 13:27 we are told that after he was cut off out of the land of the living, our Lord Jesus Christ would confirm the everlasting covenant of grace to many. And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.<\/p>\n

Our blessed Savior confirmed the covenant with his blood (Heb 13:20). When he did, when he died as our Substitute, our dear Redeemer caused the sacrifices and oblations of the Old Covenant to cease forever (Heb 10:1-22). Though this was done in the most public, conspicuous manner when the Romans destroyed Jerusalem and the temple, pouring swines blood upon the altar, the oblations ceased when Christ died!<\/p>\n

Our Lord Jesus confirmed the covenant at the appointed time one week. At the specific time God ordained from eternity, in due time, when the fulness of time was come, Christ the Messiah confirmed the covenant with many. He confirmed the covenant with his blood. If you will read Mar 13:24 again, you will see some of the things confirmed to us, confirmed to Gods elect by the blood of the everlasting covenant.<\/p>\n

Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.<\/p>\n

3.The Lord Jesus Christ, by his obedience unto death as our covenant Surety and sin-atoning Substitute, finished the transgression of his people. Transgression is the breach of the law. The Son of God erased our breaches of Gods holy law.<\/p>\n

4.He made an end of sins, all the sins of his people. When he was made sin for us, he put away our sins by the sacrifice of himself.<\/p>\n

5.Our all-glorious Christ made reconciliation for iniquity. Iniquity speaks of failure, inequity, missing the mark. Everything we messed up, Christ fixed!<\/p>\n

6.Thus, by his obedience unto death, the God-man brought in everlasting righteousness for all the Father gave him to save before the world began.<\/p>\n

7.Thus, he sealed the vision of the Old Testament prophets (Heb 1:1-3). He completely fulfilled the vision of Old Testament prophecy.<\/p>\n

8.Having finished everything he came here to do, our great Redeemer has been anointed as the King of kings and Lord of lords with the oil of gladness. He is the Most Holy!<\/p>\n

These are the blessed things spoken of by Daniel; but our Lord directs our attention also to Daniels prophecy of wrath and judgment. Look at Daniel nine (Mar 13:26-27) again, and you will see that Daniel spoke by divine inspiration about Gods wrath and judgment upon those who refuse to bow to and trust his Son.<\/p>\n

We will not read the verses again; but the overspreading of abominations, by which the Lord God made Jerusalem and all Israel spiritually desolate, by which he destroyed the city, the sanctuary and the nation in the flood of his wrath, was not accidental, but precisely what God had purposed. Daniel was specifically told that these desolations are determined.<\/p>\n

Horrible as that act of divine judgment was, it was nothing compared to the abomination of desolation which the Lord God has sent upon this reprobate age in which we live. The things which happened in Jerusalem 2000 years ago only foreshadowed the judgment of God which has fallen upon this generation. Read the first chapter of Romans, and you will discover that ours is not a generation ripe for the judgment of God. This is a generation under the judgment of God. I can think of no age, no generation, no circumstance under which the warning of verse seventeen is more appropriate than it is in this day of apostate, freewill, works religion. But woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!<\/p>\n

Just as the Jews fled for fear of their lives from Titus and the Roman armies who engulfed Jerusalem, you and I will be wise to flee the abominations of Arminian, freewill, works religion, lest we be forever damned with Babylon (Rev 18:4; 2Co 6:14-18). Let nothing, neither house, nor property, nor clothes, not even family, hold you in Babylon. <\/p>\n

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 Judaea flee to the mountains: And let him that is on the housetop 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 woe 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. (Mar 13:14-19).<\/p>\n

The danger, the trouble, the affliction spoken of here is far more serious than physical persecution. This peril is a peril of soul. It is altogether spiritual!<\/p>\n

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 shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elects sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days. And then if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Christ; or, lo, he is there; believe him not: For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect. But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things. (Mar 13:19-23)<\/p>\n

And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. (2Th 2:8-12)<\/p>\n

False prophets abound everywhere. False prophets are those preachers, teachers and religious leaders who point sinners to a false Christ, a false Savior (A Redeemer who did not redeem! A Savior who cannot save! A King who cannot rule! A Priest who cannot prevail!). They seduce unsuspecting multitudes by satanic power with signs and wonders, imitating and pretending to be the apostles of Christ.<\/p>\n

I have deliberately spent the bulk of my time on the first point of my message, because it certainly leads us to and more or less takes in the last two things I want you to see. The second point of my message is<\/p>\n

A Matter of Great Responsibility<\/p>\n

Our Masters command is, Flee to the mountains! It is our responsibility to use the means and the good sense God gave us both to provide for and protect our physical well-being and our spiritual well-being. If you care for your soul and the souls of your family and those under your influence, you will diligently use the means God has given you for your souls eternal welfare.<\/p>\n

Those who profess to believe God, while they idly sit still and do nothing show more contempt for God than conviction from him. Their faith is fanaticism. Their profession is pretense. They may bluster; but they do not believe! Their loud sounds are just lip service. Because he believed God, when Hezekiah said, The Lord is with us to fight our battles, he also built up the walls of the city and made swords and shields (2Ch 32:5). Paul had a word directly from heaven assuring him that no man on board his ship would perish. Yet, he knew they would perish if they did not through over all their cargo and stay on the ship (Act 27:31).<\/p>\n

If you want Gods salvation, put yourself under the sound of the gospel. Addict yourself to the Word of God. Use Gods appointed means of grace! If you want your family saved, get them under the sound of the gospel. Addict yourself and your family to the worship of God. Use Gods appointed means of grace! <\/p>\n

A Reason for Great Praise.<\/p>\n

Here is the reason given by our Lord himself for great praise and thanksgiving to God Election! And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elects sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days (Mar 13:20). For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall show signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect (Mar 13:22). Let every saved sinner give thanks to God for his free, sovereign, eternal, electing love.<\/p>\n

There is a people in this world called the elect who must and shall be saved. Everything God does in this world he does for the elects sake. Every sinner who trusts the Lord Jesus Christ is numbered among the elect. Gods elect shall not be deceived by the false prophets and false Christs of the world. And it is only because of Gods election that we are not deceived by the abomination of desolation called freewill, works religion. Thank God for electing love, mercy and grace!<\/p>\n

We are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. (2Th 2:13-14)<\/p>\n

Fuente: Discovering Christ In Selected Books of the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

when ye See “Beast.” Dan 7:8; Rev 19:20 <\/p>\n

then let Cf. Luk 21:20-24. which is a prophecy fulfilled in the destruction of Jerusalem, A.D. 70, when the Christians escaped, and which foreshadowed the more terrible day here described. See “Great Tribulation.”; Psa 2:5; Rev 7:14. (See Scofield “Psa 2:5”) See Scofield “Rev 7:14”. <\/p>\n

Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

the abomination: Dan 8:13, Dan 9:27, Dan 12:11, Mat 24:15-28, Luk 21:20-22 <\/p>\n

where: Lam 1:10, Eze 44:9 <\/p>\n

let him: Mat 13:51, Act 8:30, Act 8:31, 1Co 14:7, 1Co 14:8, 1Co 14:20, Rev 1:3, Rev 13:18 <\/p>\n

then: Luk 21:21-24 <\/p>\n

Reciprocal: Exo 9:20 – General 1Sa 20:38 – General Pro 11:9 – through Jer 35:11 – Come Jer 44:29 – a sign Dan 1:6 – Daniel Dan 8:15 – sought Dan 9:25 – and understand Dan 11:31 – the abomination Zec 14:2 – the city Mal 4:6 – lest Mat 23:38 – General Mar 12:10 – have Mar 14:52 – General Luk 8:18 – heed Luk 17:31 – he which Luk 19:43 – the days Luk 21:7 – what<\/p>\n

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

4<\/p>\n

Abomination of desolation means the Roman army that was a heathen group. Standing where it ought not refers to the territory of Jerusalem which was considered as holy ground. Flee to the mountains. (See Mat 24:16.)<\/p>\n

Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

WE are taught in these verses the lawfulness of using means to provide for our own personal safety. The language of our Lord Jesus Christ on the subject is clear and unmistakable: “Let them that be in Juda flee to the mountains-let him that is on the housetop not go down into the house-let him that is in the field not turn back again-pray ye that your flight be not in the winter.” Not a word is said to make us suppose that flight from danger, in certain circumstances, is unworthy of a Christian. As to the time prophesied of in the passage before us, men may differ widely. But as to the lawfulness of taking measures to avoid peril, the teaching of the passage is plain.<\/p>\n

The lesson is one of wide application, and of much usefulness. A Christian is not to neglect the use of means, because he is a Christian, in the things of this life, any more than in the things of the life to come. A believer is not to suppose that God will take care of him, and provide for his wants, if he does not make use of means and the common sense which God has given him, as well as other people. Beyond doubt he may expect the special help of his Father in heaven, in every time of need. But he must expect it in the diligent use of lawful means. To profess to trust God, while we idly sit still and do nothing, is nothing better than enthusiasm and fanaticism, and brings religion into contempt.<\/p>\n

The word of God contains several instructive examples on this subject, to which we shall do well to take heed. The conduct of Jacob, when he went to meet his brother Esau, is a striking case in point. He first prays a most touching prayer, and then sends his brother a carefully arranged present. (Gen 32:9-20.) The conduct of Hezekiah, when Sennacherib came against Jerusalem, is another case. “With us,” he tells the people, “is the LORD our God, to fight our battles.” And yet, at the same time, he built up the walls of the city, and made darts and shields. (2Ch 32:5.) The conduct of Paul is another case. Frequently we read of his fleeing from one place to another, to preserve life. Once we see him let down from the walls of Damascus by a basket. Once we hear him telling the soldiers on board the Alexandrian corn ship, “Except the shipmen abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved.” (Act 27:31.) We know the great apostle’s faith and confidence. We know his courage and reliance on his Master. And yet we see that even he never despised the use of means. Let us not be ashamed to do likewise.<\/p>\n

One thing only let us bear in mind. Let us not rest upon means while we use them. Let us look far beyond them to the blessing of God. It is a great sin to be like Asa, and seek not to the LORD but to the physicians. (2Ch 16:12.) To use all means diligently, and then leave the whole event in the hand of God, is the mark at which a true believer ought to aim.<\/p>\n

We are taught, for another thing, in these verses, the great privileges of God’s elect. Twice in the passage our Lord uses a remarkable expression about them. He says of the great tribulation, “Except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved; but for the elect’s sake, whom He hath chosen, He hath shortened the days.” He says again of the false Christs and false prophets, that they “shall show signs and wonders, to deceive, if it were possible, the elect.”<\/p>\n

It is plain from this, and other passages in the Bible, that God has an elect people in the world. They are those, according to the seventeenth article of our church, whom “He has constantly decreed by His counsel, secret to us, to deliver from curse and damnation; those whom He hath chosen in Christ out of mankind, and decreed to bring by Christ to everlasting salvation, as vessels made to honor.” To them, and them only, belong the great privileges of justification, sanctification, and final glory. They, and they only, are “called by the Spirit in due season.” They, and they only, “obey the calling. They are made sons of God by adoption. They are made like the image of God’s only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ. They walk religiously in good works, and at length, by God’s mercy, attain to everlasting felicity.” To them belong the precious promises of the Gospel. They are the bride, the Lamb’s wife. They are the Holy Catholic Church, which is Christ’s body. They are those whom God especially cares for in the world. Kings, princes, noblemen, rich men, are all nothing in God’s eyes, compared to His elect. These things are plainly revealed in Scripture. The pride of man may not like them. But they cannot be gainsaid.<\/p>\n

The subject of election is, no doubt, deep and mysterious. Unquestionably it has been often sadly perverted and abused. But the misuse of truths must not prevent us from using them. Rightly used, and fenced with proper cautions, election is a doctrine “full of sweet, pleasant, and unspeakable comfort.” Before we leave the subject, let us see what these cautions are.<\/p>\n

For one thing, we must never forget that God’s election does not destroy man’s responsibility and accountableness for his own soul. The same Bible which speaks of election, always addresses men as free agents, and calls on them to repent, to believe, to seek, to pray, to strive, to labor. “In our doings,” most wisely says the seventeenth article, “that will of God is to be followed, which we have expressly declared unto us in the word of God.”<\/p>\n

For another thing, let us never forget that the great thing we have to do, is to repent and believe the Gospel. We have no right to take any comfort from God’s election, unless we can show plain evidence of repentance and faith. We are not to stand still, troubling ourselves with anxious speculations whether we are elect or not, when God commands us plainly to repent and believe. (Act 17:30. 1Jn 3:23.) Let us cease to do evil. Let us learn to do well. Let us break off from sin. Let us lay hold on Christ. Let us draw near to God in prayer. So doing, we shall soon know and feel whether we are God’s elect. To use the words of an old divine, we must begin at the grammar school of repentance and faith before we go to the university of election. It was when Paul remembered the faith, and hope, and love of the Thessalonians, that he said, “I know your election of God.” (1Th 1:4.) [Footnote: The meaning of the “abomination of desolation,” in this passage, has always perplexed the commentator. The most common view undoubtedly is, that it signifies the Roman armies, who executed God’s judgment on the Jewish nation.<\/p>\n

It may be questioned whether this interpretation completely fulfils the prophecy. I venture, though with much diffidence, to suggest that a more complete and literal accomplishment yet remains to come. The remarkable words of Paul to the Thesaalonians, appear to me scarcely to have received yet a complete fulfilment: “He, as God, sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.” (2Th 2:4.) I own that it seems to me by no means improbable that a personal anti-christ, yet to be revealed at Jerusalem, may prove the final accomplishment of these words. I desire to avoid dogmatism on the subject. I only suggest it as a possible and probable thing.]<\/p>\n

Fuente: Ryle’s Expository Thoughts on the Gospels<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Mar 13:14-20. See on Mat 24:15-22. Here, as there, the prominent reference is to the destruction of Jerusalem, answering the question of the disciples more directly than what precedes. Spoken of by Daniel the prophet, is to be omitted; probably inserted from Matthew.<\/p>\n

Where it ought not (Mar 13:14) is less definite than in the holy place (Matthew). Your flight (Mar 13:18) was probably inserted to conform with Matthew.<\/p>\n

The like (Mar 13:19). Peculiar to Mark, who gives a peculiarly solemn form of this prediction, in accordance with his style.<\/p>\n

Whom he chose (Mar 13:20).<\/p>\n

Did he shorten the days. In this vivid way, the choice of believers, and the shortening of the days are spoken of as past, both being parts of Gods purpose, which will be fulfilled.<\/p>\n

Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

The sense is, “When ye shall se the Roman army, which is an abomination unto you, and an occasion of great desolation wherever it goes: when you shall see that abominable desolating army, begirting the city of Jerusalem, in order to her ruin and being laid waste, then call to mind the prophecy of Daniel, which primarily respected Antiochus, but secondarily Titus the Roman emperor, and shall now be fully completed; for the siege shall not be raised till both city and temple be razed to the ground.” <\/p>\n

From whence learn, 1. That God has instruments ready at his call to lay waste the strongest cities, and to ruin the most flourishing kingdoms, which do reject his Son, and refuse the tenders of his grace.<\/p>\n

2. That God can, and sometimes doth, make use of those very persons whom sinners most abhor, to be the instruments of their punishment, and the occasions of their destruction. The Roman army, which was an abomination to the Jews, did God destroy them by.<\/p>\n

Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Mar 13:14-20. When ye shall see the abomination, &c. Our Lord, having foretold both the more remote and more immediate signs of the end of the Jewish economy, proceeds to describe the siege and destruction of Jerusalem. The abomination which caused the desolation, whereof Daniel prophesied, (Dan 9:27,) signifies the Roman armies, with their standards, whereon the images of their idols were painted; which armies were an abomination to the Jews, on account of their idolatry, and caused desolation wherever they came. Standing where it ought not That is, in the territory of Jerusalem, generally termed holy ground. Let him that readeth understand Let him who readeth Daniels prophecy (for these seem to be the words of our Lord, and not of the evangelist) understand, that the end of the city and sanctuary, with the ceasing of the sacrifice and oblation there predicted, is come. Then let them, that be in Judea flee to the mountains By Judea, here, we are to understand all the southern parts of Palestine, both the plain and the hill-countries, which, at this time, went by the name of Judea. By the mountains, we are to understand the countries on the east side of Jordan, especially those which, in the time of the war, were under the government of the younger Agrippa, to whom Claudius gave Batanea and Trachonitis, the tetrarchy of Philip, and Abilene, the tetrarchy of Lysanias. All these countries remaining in their obedience to the Romans, the people who fled into them were safe. Besides, being mountainous countries, they seem to have been the very place of refuge pointed out to the Christians of those times by their Master. But see this whole paragraph explained at large in the notes on Mat 24:15-22. Except the Lord had shortened those days The destruction of the nation shall go on so fast in those days of vengeance, that, unless God had made them fewer in number than the sins of the nation deserved, not one Jew should remain alive. The truth is, so fierce and so obstinate were the quarrels which, during the siege, raged among the Jews, both within the walls of Jerusalem and abroad in the country, that the whole land became a scene of desolation and bloodshed; and had the siege continued much longer, the whole nation had been destroyed, according to what our Lord here declares. But for the elects sake, whom he hath chosen That is, hath taken out of, or separated from, the world, through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth; he hath shortened the days The elect, here, are such of the Jews as were already converted, or should be converted, to the faith of Christ; and particularly the Jews that should be brought in with the fulness of the Gentiles, as the apostle speaks. The elect are those Gentiles also who should be convinced and converted, as by all the other proofs of Christianity, so more especially by the argument arising from the preservation of the Jews. The meaning, therefore, is, that for the sake of those who should be converted to Christianity, and made true disciples of Christ in that and after ages, God had determined that the days of vengeance should be fewer in number than the iniquity of the nation deserved.<\/p>\n

Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Verse 14 <\/p>\n

Abomination of desolation. This is a Hebrew mode of expression, equivalent to terrible desolator or destroyer,–referring to the Roman army standing about Jerusalem. The prophet Daniel makes three allusions to the presence of this destroyer at the holy city. (Daniel 9:27,11:31,12:11.)<\/p>\n

Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

THE GREAT ABOMINATION:<\/p>\n

14 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 Judaea flee to the mountains: 15 And let him that is on the housetop not go down into the house, neither enter therein, to take any thing out of his house: 16 And let him that is in the field not turn back again for to take up his garment. 17 But woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! 18 And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter. <\/p>\n

Again, we have a text that had a partial fulfillment under Antiochus Epiphanes (Antiochus IV) in 70 A.D. when he sacrificed in the temple which he had re-dedicated to Zeus. It also looks forward yet to the time when the Antichrist will do similar in the rebuilt temple. The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia has a section on this time in Jewish life.<\/p>\n

“Under these conditions it is not surprising that Antiochus should have had both the inclination and the courage to undertake the total eradication of the Jewish religion and the establishment of Greek polytheism in its stead. The observance of all Jewish laws, especially those relating to the Sabbath and to circumcision, were forbidden under pain of death. The Jewish cult was set aside and in all cities of Judea, sacrifices must be brought to the pagan deities. Representatives of the crown everywhere enforced the edict. Once a month a search was instituted, and whoever had secreted a copy of the Law or had observed the rite of circumcision was condemned to death. In Jerusalem on the 15th of Chislev of the year 145 aet Sel, i.e. in December 168 bc, a pagan altar was built on the Great Altar of Burnt Sacrifices, and on the 25th of Chislev, sacrifice was brought on this altar for the first time (1Ma 1:54; 1Ma 1:59). This evidently was the “abomination of desolation.” The sacrifice, according to 2 Macc was brought to the Olympian Zeus, to whom the temple of Jerusalem had been dedicated. At the feast of Dionysus, the Jews were obliged to march in the Bacchanalian procession, crowned with laurel leaves. Christ applies the phrase to what was to take place at the advance of the Romans against Jerusalem. They who would behold the “abomination of desolation” standing in the holy place, He bids flee to the mountains, which probably refers to the advance of the Roman army into the city and temple, carrying standards which bore images of the Roman gods and were the objects of pagan worship.”<\/p>\n

This was a day in which the Jewish nation had turned its back on their Messiah and had plotted for His death. It was a day when the nation turned their back on the God that had called them out from amongst the world from a position within the world. While the passage is still speaking of the Jews this well fits the church today as well. We use the Lord’s name in all we do but we have cheapened that name by using it to justify our worldly activities and our worldly lifestyle. Today we as a nation elected a man that approves of killing babies, a man who lies at the drop of a hat, and a man who would foist upon us the curse of socialism. This man rejects half of his heritage and clings to the other half as if it were his whole for political advantage. This man argued that a child aborted that lives is an inconvenience to the doctor. His argument was that for the doctor to be sure the child was dead was an inconvenience.” Small wonder since the child was only an inconvenience to the mother.<\/p>\n

America has in practice done what the Jews had done, we as believers have accepted the world standard as our own. You cannot tell Christian music from the world’s, you cannot tell Christian literature from the world’s, you cannot tell much of anything of the church from the world except the title “church” as the Jews accepted the title of “Jew.”<\/p>\n

Yes, there are vestiges of true Christianity as there were vestiges of Judaism in the Lord’s time but the whole brought judgment upon Israel, and I fear the Church has assisted in calling judgment upon America.<\/p>\n

Fuente: Mr. D’s Notes on Selected New Testament Books by Stanley Derickson<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

13:14 But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, {e} standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains:<\/p>\n

(e) When the heathen and profane people shall not only enter into the temple, and defile both it and the city, but also completely destroy it.<\/p>\n

Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

4. The coming crisis 13:14-23 (cf. Matthew 24:14-28)<\/span><\/p>\n

Having clarified what the sign of the coming destruction would not be, Jesus now explained what it would be. Matthew and Mark both described the destruction preceding Jesus’ second coming. Luke recorded Jesus’ teaching about the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 (Luk 21:20-24).<\/p>\n

Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

"But" identifies the contrast between the false and true signs. The true sign was the appearance of the abomination of desolation (cf. Dan 9:27; Dan 11:31; Dan 12:11; Mat 24:15).<\/p>\n

The abomination of desolation is something abominable associated with idolatry that would defile the temple resulting in its desertion by the godly. [Note: Cf. C. E. B. Cranfield, "St. Mark 13," Scottish Journal of Theology 6 (July 1953):298-99.] <\/span> The ultimate abomination would be the Antichrist, the abomination in view primarily in Matthew and Mark’s accounts. The immediate abomination would be the polluting of the temple preceding its destruction in A.D. 70. A former abomination was the Syrian Antiochus Epiphanes who erected a pagan altar over the brazen altar and sacrificed a pig on it to Zeus in 167 B.C. (1Ma 1:41-64; 1Ma 6:7). [Note: Cf. Josephus, Antiquities of . . ., 12:5:4.] <\/span><\/p>\n

The abomination would be standing where it did not belong. Mark described Jesus saying that the abomination (Gr. bdelygma<\/span>, a neuter noun) would stand (estekota<\/span>, a masculine participle) as a person who set himself up as God in the temple. The fact that Jesus used a masculine participle to modify a neuter noun suggests that the abomination is a man.<\/p>\n

Mark avoided referring specifically to the temple sanctuary, though Matthew did refer to it (Mat 24:15). Perhaps Mark did this to avoid planting the idea of polluting the temple in any Roman reader’s mind. His parenthetic instruction to the reader would have encouraged Roman Christians to seek the identity of the place in Daniel’s prophecy (Dan 9:25-27).<\/p>\n

When the Zealots occupied the temple in A.D. 67-68 and installed a usurper, Phanni, as high priest, Jewish Christians fled from Jerusalem to Pella, a transjordanian mountain town. [Note: Idem, The Wars . . ., 4:3:7-10; 4:6:3; Eusebius, 3:5:3.] <\/span> This flight prefigured the one that will take place in the future (i.e., the Tribulation).<\/p>\n

Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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: 14 23. Immediate Tokens of the Downfall of Jerusalem 14. But when ye shall see ] Hitherto He had … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Mark 13:14”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-24718","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-commentary"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24718","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24718"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24718\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24718"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24718"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24718"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}