aAs He was coming out of the temple grounds, one of His disciples said to Him, “Teacher, look what 1wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!” Matt 24; Luke 21:5-36The massive size and polished surfaces of the fitted stones that formed the temple structure created a magnificent sight (cf Luke 21:5). The refurbishing of the temple was begun by Herod the Great in 20 B.C. and was completed in A.D. 64 by Herod Agrippa II. The rabbis had a saying: “Whoever has not seen the temple of Herod has never seen a beautiful building” (as quoted from the Talmud). They also said that Herod built it of yellow, white, and perhaps blue marble; and that he intended to cover it with gold, but the rabbis advised him not to because it was beautiful just as it was, looking like the waves of the sea.Mark 13:1-37: <IT>Matt 24; Luke 21:5-36</IT> 2 Jesus replied to him, “You see these great buildings? aNot one stone will be left on another which will not be 1torn down!”In A.D. 70, just six years after the temple complex was completed, it was destroyed by the Roman general Titus and his army, who thoroughly devastated Jerusalem.Luke 19:44
3 As He was sitting on athe Mount of Olives opposite the temple, bPeter and James and John and Andrew asked Him privately,Matt 21:1Matt 17:1 4 “Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign when all these things are about to be fulfilled?” 5 Jesus began to say to them, “Be careful and see to it that no one misleads you. 6 Many will come in My name misusing My name or claiming to be the Messiah, saying, ‘aI am He!’ and will deceive and mislead many.John 8:24 7 When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed ; these things must take place, but the end is not yet. 8 For nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. These things are the beginning of the 1birth pangs the intolerable anguish and suffering.The Jews used this phrase to describe the unprecedented trouble that would occur prior to Messiah’s advent (as recorded in the Talmud).
9 “But be on your guard; they will aturn you over to courts, and you will be beaten bin synagogues, and you will stand as accused before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them.Matt 10:17 10 aThe gospel that is, the good news regarding the way of salvation must first be preached to all the Gentile nations. Col 1:6, 23Matt 24:14 11 aWhen they take you and turn you over to the court, do not worry beforehand about what to say, but say whatever is given to you by God in that hour; for it is not you who speak, but it is the Holy Spirit who will speak through you.Mark 13:11-13: <IT>Matt 10:19-22; Luke 21:12-17</IT> 12 Brother will betray brother to be put to death, and a father will hand over his child; and children will rise up and take a stand against parents and have them put to death. 13 aYou will be hated by everyone because of your association with My name, but the one who patiently perseveres empowered by the Holy Spirit and endures to the end, he will be saved.Matt 10:22; John 15:21
14 “But awhen you see the 1bABOMINATION OF DESOLATION standing in the temple sanctuary where it ought not to be (let the 2reader understand) then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains. Dan 9:27; 11:31; 12:11I.e. the detestable one who desecrates the temple. See note Matt 24:15.I.e. the reader of the book of Daniel (cf Matt 24:15). Jesus is indicating that the final fulfillment of this prophecy is yet to come.Matt 24:15fDan 9:27; 11:31; 12:11 15 aWhoever is on the housetop must not go down to enter the house, or go inside to take anything out of his house;Luke 17:31 16 whoever is in the field must not turn back to get his coat. 17 And woe to those women who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! 18 Pray that it will not occur in winter, 19 for at that time there will be such tribulation as has not occurred, afrom the beginning of the creation which God made, until now—and never will be again.Dan 12:1; Mark 10:6 20 And if the Lord had not shortened the days, no human life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect, whom He chose for Himself, He shortened the days. Dan 12:1 21 Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ !’ or, ‘Look, He is there!’ do not believe it; 22 for false Christs and afalse prophets will arise, and they will provide bsigns and cwonders in order to deceive, if such a thing were possible, even the elect those God has chosen for Himself.Matt 7:15Matt 24:24; John 4:48 23 But be on your guard; I have told you everything in advance.
24 “But in those days, after the suffering and distress of that tribulation, aTHE SUN WILL BE DARKENED, AND THE MOON WILL NOT GIVE ITS LIGHT, Is 13:10Is 13:10; Ezek 32:7; Joel 2:10, 31; 3:15; Rev 6:12 25 aAND THE STARS WILL BE FALLING from the sky, and the powers that are in the heavens will be shaken. Is 34:4Is 34:4; Rev 6:13 26 Then they will see aTHE SON OF MAN bCOMING IN CLOUDS with great power and glory in royal majesty and splendor. Dan 7:13, 14Dan 7:13; Rev 1:7Matt 16:27; Mark 8:38 27 And then He will send out the angels, and awill gather together His elect those He has chosen for Himself from the four winds, bfrom the farthest end of the earth to the farthest end of heaven.Deut 30:4Zech 2:6
28 “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: as soon as its branch becomes tender and it puts out its leaves, you recognize that summer is near. Matt 24:32, 33; Luke 21:29-31 29 Even so, you too, when you see these things happening, know for certain that He is near, right at the door. 30 I assure you and most solemnly say to you, this generation the people living when these signs and events begin will not pass away until all these things take place. 31 Heaven and earth as now known will 1pass away, but My words will not pass away.See Rev 21:1, “…the first heaven and the first earth passed away….” 32 aBut of that exact day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son in His humanity, but the Father alone.Matt 24:36; Acts 1:7
33 “aBe on guard and stay constantly alert [1and pray]; for you do not know when the appointed time will come.One early ms adds “and pray.”Eph 6:18; Col 4:2 34 aIt is like a man away on a journey, who when he left home put his servants in charge, each with his particular task, and also ordered the doorkeeper to be continually alert.Luke 12:36-38 35 Therefore, abe continually on the alert—for you do not know when the master of the house is coming, whether in the evening, or at midnight, or bwhen the rooster crows, or cin the morning—Matt 24:42; Mark 13:37Mark 14:30Matt 14:25; Mark 6:48 36 stay alert, in case he should come suddenly and unexpectedly and find you aasleep and unprepared.Rom 13:11 37 What I say to you I say to everyone, ‘aBe on the alert stay awake and be continually cautious!’”Matt 24:42; Mark 13:35