Exploring the Meaning of Mark 13

Chapter Thirteen

The End of the Age

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1. And as He went out from the temple, one of His disciples says to Him, “Teacher, see what manner of stones and what manner of buildings [are here]!”

2. And Jesus answering said to him, “Seest thou these great buildings? There shall not be left a stone on a stone, which shall not be undone.”

3. And as He sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked Him by themselves,

4. “Tell us, when shall these things be? And what [shall be] the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled?”

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A magnificent makeover

The next episode begins with the words, “As Jesus went out of the temple” (Mark 13:1). At first glance, these words do not tell us a great deal about our spiritual lives. They simply describe an historical event: Jesus left the temple. But when we consider that the “temple” represents the human mind, the picture of Jesus leaving the temple, represents the way Jesus seems to “go out of the temple” whenever there is no place for Him in our lives.

The more we understand about the historical origins of the temple in Jerusalem, the more we can understand the significance of the opening words of this chapter, “Jesus went out of the temple.” Therefore, we will begin this episode with a brief history of the temple in Jerusalem, beginning with the event that took place on Mt. Sinai around 1300 BC. This, of course, was the miraculous giving of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 19:18), which were “written with the finger of God” (Exodus 31:18).

After God gave the Ten Commandments to the children of Israel, He also gave specific instructions for where these sacred laws could be safely kept. They were to be placed in a tabernacle which contained an outer court for washings and sacrifices, and an inner sanctuary divided into two areas. The first area was called the “Holy Place.” It contained a table of shewbread, a seven-branched candelabra, and an altar of incense. Behind the Holy Place was the “Holy of Holies,” the most sacred part of the tabernacle. The only object in this room was a gilded container called “the ark of the Covenant.” And into the ark they placed the holiest aspect of their faith — the Ten Commandments. ¹

For over four hundred years, the tabernacle was the center of Israelitish worship until it was replaced by a temple built by King Solomon in 959 BC. Solomon’s temple, then, became the new center of worship for the nation of Israel until it was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BC. Forty-eight years later, Cyrus the Great, the king of Persia, conquered Babylon, freed the Jewish prisoners, and decreed that a second temple should be constructed. This second temple took twenty-one years to build and was completed around 515 BC. Once again, the temple became the proud center of Israelitish worship.

When Herod the Great came into power, shortly before Jesus’ birth, he lavished great resources on the renovation and expansion of the temple, turning it into a structure of remarkable beauty. Archeological digs have revealed that the flooring of the temple was decorated with beautiful stones arranged in intricate patterns, the pinnacle of the temple was equivalent to a modern skyscraper rising to over forty floors, and some of the stones used for the foundation of the temple weighed over eighty tons. While there are many theories that attempt to explain why Herod, a vicious and murderous tyrant, would endeavor to give the temple such a magnificent makeover, the fact remains that the temple in Jerusalem during the time of Jesus was an architectural triumph, and considered to be one of the wonders of the world.

With this background in mind, it is not difficult to understand why the disciples spoke so enthusiastically about the magnificence of the temple. “Look, Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “Look at what manner of stones and buildings are here!” (Mark 13:1). It’s as if they were saying to Jesus, “Just look at these magnificent buildings and the gigantic stones that were used to build them. This temple is truly wonderful!”

There shall not be stone left upon stone

Jesus, however, is not impressed. For Him, what happens inside a building is far more important than what one sees on the outside of a building. Therefore, He says, ““Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone shall be left upon another, that shall not be thrown down” (Mark 13:2).

Jesus knows that the temple practices have been opposed to God in every way. Therefore, we read that “Jesus sat upon the Mount of Olives, opposite the temple, with Peter, James, John, and Andrew (Mark 13:3). The disciples want to know more. “Tell us,” they say. “When will these things be? And what will be the sign that all these things will be fulfilled?” (Mark 13:4). The disciples, who only understand Jesus literally, want to know when the physical temple will be destroyed.

Historically speaking, the temple would indeed be destroyed in 70 AD by the Roman army, never to be rebuilt again. But Jesus was not only speaking about the future. He was speaking about a religious establishment that was built upon vaunting pride instead of simple humility, a craving for worldly wealth instead of the riches of heaven, and falsity instead of truth. These falsities, represented by “stones” that would be thrown down, would be exposed and the religious establishment based on these false principles would come crashing down. Jesus had already predicted the end of the current religious establishment when He cursed the fig tree for not bearing fruit. That way of life had found its center in the temple, a magnificent structure to be sure, but without room for Jesus. As Jesus had already suggested in the previous chapter, He was “the stone that the builders rejected.”

As any builder will admit, the most important moment in the construction of a building is the setting of the cornerstone. The cornerstone will then determine the orientation of the entire building and the placement of every other stone. Similarly, in the building of our spiritual understanding, the cornerstone — the first stone to be placed — is the recognition of Jesus’ divinity. Once that is established in our minds, all subsequent truths can be arranged in their appropriate order and sequence. But without that foundational stone in place, every other principle, no matter how beautiful, will not be able to stand. ²

Another way to look at this is to say that a temple without Jesus in it, is like a human mind without the presence of God. Such a mind may fancy itself to be great, but it is the kind of greatness which precedes a fall. In spiritual reality it is empty and slated for demolition. For this reason, Jesus says, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone shall be left upon another, that shall not be thrown down” (Mark 13:2).

The Pains of New Birth

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5. And Jesus answering them, began to say, “Look, lest anyone deceive you;

6. For many shall come in My name, saying, I am. And they shall deceive many.

7. And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, be ye not alarmed; for it must be; but the end [is] not yet.

8. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there shall be earthquakes in [various] places, and there shall be famines and disturbances; these [are] the beginnings of griefs.

9. But look [out] for yourselves; for they shall deliver you up to councils and to synagogues; you shall be beaten, and shall be brought before governors and kings for My sake, for a testimony against them.

10. And the gospel must first be preached among all nations.

11. But when they shall lead you, and deliver [you] up, be not anxious beforehand what you shall speak, neither do ye premeditate; but whatever shall be given you in that same hour, that speak ye; for it is not you that speak, but the Holy Spirit.

12. And a brother shall deliver up a brother to death, and a father a child; and children shall rise up against parents, and shall put them to death.

13. And you shall be hated by all on account of My name; but he that shall endure to the end, this one shall be saved.

14. And when you shall see the abomination of the desolation declared by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, let him that reads consider; then let those that are in Judea flee into the mountains,

15. And let him that is on the housetop not step down into the house, neither enter to take up anything out of his house,

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

17. But woe to those that have in the womb, and to those that nurse, in those days!

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

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In the previous episode, the disciples asked Jesus, “When will these things be? And what will be the sign that all these things will be fulfilled?” Throughout this chapter, Jesus will give precise details about the time when the temple will be destroyed. While these details seem to refer to the physical temple in Jerusalem, on a more interior level Jesus is speaking about the temple of the human mind — the place in us that is designed to receive what flows in from God. The disciples, however, who are thinking in terms of time and space, are looking for outward signs. Everything that Jesus tells them about the destruction of the physical temple in Jerusalem corresponds to the destruction and rebuilding of their inner temple, their world of thoughts and feelings. This is our true temple. It can be either a house of God, receiving what flows in from heaven, or a den of thieves, receiving what flows in from hell. The choice about how we use this “temple” is always ours. ³

Throughout this chapter, Jesus will use the language of the natural world to describe the internal changes that will take place as our old way of understanding is removed (the “old temple”) and a new understanding (a “new temple”) is established within us. Just as John the Baptist said in the opening words of this gospel, “prepare the way of the Lord” (Mark 1:3), the first step in spiritual growth is to prepare our inner world for the reception of the Lord. This means that we must acknowledge and turn away from anything that is corrupt in us before anything new can be built up. Whether it is first removing weeds from a garden before planting new seed, removing rust from metal before recoating the surface, or tearing down the “old temple” in us before the “new temple” can be built, the lesson is always the same: we need to prepare the way of the Lord. We need to remove evil and falsity before the Lord can implant goodness and truth.

Jesus begins this important lesson by telling His disciples to beware of being led astray. “Watch out,” He says. “Let no one deceive you. For many will come in My name, saying ‘I am He,’ and will deceive many” (Mark 13:5-6). Literally, this could refer to anyone who comes along with false teachings about what it takes to lead a spiritual life. While this is an important precaution, we should also be aware of the “inner deceivers,” the false messages that enter our mind to lead us astray. These are the evil spirits who fill us with their hellish loves and selfish desires. They do this so skillfully and deceitfully that we believe that the thoughts and feelings they insinuate are the very truth. This is what Jesus means when He says, “For many will come in My name, saying ‘I am He,’ and will deceive many” ⁴

Whenever this happens, a spiritual war begins. On one side are the hellish spirits who are out to destroy us, body and soul. On the other side is the Lord and His angels whose only goal is to fill us with the goodness and truth that will sustain us in spiritual combat. All of this is contained in the words that follow Jesus’ warning about the spirits who strive to deceive us. “And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars,” says Jesus, “do not be alarmed, for it must be so” (Mark 13:7). Jesus is telling His disciples that this kind of internal conflict cannot be avoided. It must be so. But they need not worry because, “The end is not yet.”

These spiritual combats can be severe. In fact, they can be compared to world wars. As Jesus puts it, “Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.” Moreover, “there will be earthquakes in various places along with famines and disturbances” and this will only be “the beginning of suffering” (Mark 13:8). Jesus is saying that when our old understanding is shaken there will be “earthquakes.” At these times, when we hunger for truth, there will be “famines.” All of these disturbances will be the “beginning of suffering.”

Interestingly, the Greek word which is translated as “suffering” or “sorrow” is ὠδίνων (ōdinōn) which also refers to the severe pains that accompany labor and delivery. Therefore, these disturbances which are “the beginning of suffering” can also be translated as “the pains of birth.” This is a key idea as we continue to unfold the inner meaning of Jesus’ “end times” prophecies. It is the end of the way we used to think about the world, ourselves, and God; it is a necessary end that must take place before a new way of seeing things can arise within us. In sacred scripture, this arising of a new understanding is compared to the birth process, which is always miraculous, but often can be painful. This pain comes about when a new understanding of truth conflicts with selfish habits and addictive patterns. When this happens, “all hell breaks loose.” ⁵

It is not easy to give up old habits, especially when they have been a source of pleasure. This is where the struggle begins. As we learn new truth and strive to put it into our lives, we can be sure that the hells, who have enjoyed dominating us for so long, will strenuously resist. “They shall deliver you up to councils,” says Jesus, “and to synagogues, and you will be beaten. And you will be brought before rulers and kings for My sake, as a testimony against them” (Mark 13:9). These “rulers” and “kings” are the lower desires that rule over us and make us do their bidding. These lower desires keep us focused on obtaining the things of the world rather than the things of heaven. While these worldly desires are sometimes described as obsessions, addictions, and destructive habits that cannot be shaken, in the language of sacred scripture they are called “rulers and kings.” ⁶

These old thought patterns and destructive habits die hard. Anyone who has struggled to overcome an ingrained habit knows how difficult it is to give it up. It is the same for a persistent way of thinking about oneself, or a deep-seated belief about God. The struggle to change one’s thinking, and then one’s behavior, does not happen overnight. Becoming a new person is a challenge that will be met with inner resistance. As Jesus puts it, “They shall deliver you up to councils, and to synagogues, and you shall be beaten.” Jesus is not only prophesying about what will happen to Him in just a few days; He is also telling each of us what can happen within us at every moment as we strive to resist inner bullies and live according to His teachings.

All of this is part of a divinely ordained process. If we are to enter a new birth into spiritual life, we must do our part. Every time a thought arises that conflicts with the truth that Jesus teaches, we must refute it with the teachings of the gospel. Every time a feeling arises that conflicts with the love that Jesus calls us to show to others, we must counter it with the Good news. As Jesus puts it, using the language of sacred scripture, “The gospel must first be preached to all nations” (Mark 13:10). These “nations” signify receptive states within ourselves and within others. The message of the gospel, then, must first be taken to heart — learned and lived. Only then can it be taken to others. ⁷

Here lies an important secret of spiritual growth. Contrary to what is often taught, the “good news” is not about instant salvation through faith in Jesus. Rather, it’s about the process of salvation through the faith that Jesus teaches and the power He gives us to live according to those teachings. Although we might wish that things could be easier, the only way that we can strengthen our faith is through having it challenged. Every time a doubt arises in our minds, or a selfish desire arises in our hearts, we are to summon up the truths we know and ask God to give us the power to live according to them. In this way, like a weightlifter in God’s gym, we strengthen our resolve to become the person God intends us to be. Regardless of our physical attributes, this is how we develop spiritual muscle. ⁸

The work of the Holy Spirit

As Jesus continues to discuss the signs that will precede the destruction of the temple, He gives specific instructions about what to say when our new beliefs are challenged. “When they deliver you up,” He says, “Do not be anxious ahead of time or premeditate what you will say. But whatever is given you in that hour, speak that, because it will not be you who is speaking, but the Holy Spirit” (Mark 13:11).

Jesus is here teaching that God will work with us and through us to the extent that we remain grounded in His teachings. In difficult situations, where hard choices must be made, we can be sure that the Lord will lead us and guide us through the truths that we have loved and stored up in our minds for use. We never know exactly which truth will be applicable to any given situation. But as long as we allow ourselves to be guided by the Lord’s love, He will bring to our remembrance the truth that is necessary for dealing with any situation that confronts us. This is because the love of God is attached to the truth of His Word. Out of His great love, the Lord will select from our memory the specific truth that will bring the greatest light to the current circumstance. ⁹

This process can be compared to what happens when we eat nutritious food. Everyone is free to eat any kind of food — whether healthy or unhealthy, nutritious or contaminated. After that, the body takes over, selecting from whatever it has been given that which is most beneficial for the nourishment of the body. Similarly, out of the many truths we have taken into our mind, the Lord selects the specific truth that we need to access in any given moment. Like the process of eating and digestion, our job is to take in those foods that will lead to the overall health of our body. The rest — digestion, circulation, and elimination — is done in secret by the Lord. It must be this way, otherwise we would interfere with the wondrous processes that go on, steadily and secretly, within the human anatomy. ¹⁰

Therefore, when Jesus tells His disciples, “It is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit,” He is reassuring them that they do not have to worry about what they will say. The Lord Himself will bring to their remembrance the precise truth that applies to the current circumstance. Like the heart that beats without our aid and the lungs that breathe without our assistance, the Holy Spirit will take care of this process, bringing a truth to remembrance at the very moment it is needed. All we have to do is make sure that we have furnished our minds with truth from the Word of God. We can then rely on the Holy Spirit — the direct influence of God in our lives — to do the rest. ¹¹

The tribulation continues

The reassurance that they can always rely on the Holy Spirit must have been comforting for the disciples. Less comforting, however, were the words that followed. “Brother shall deliver up brother to death, and a father a child, and children shall rise up against parents, and shall put them to death. And you shall be hated by all on account of My name” (Mark 13:12).

These images certainly seem to indicate the collapse of civilization, including the complete destruction of the family. It’s one thing for “nations to rise up against nations,” but it’s far worse when brothers rise up against brothers, fathers rise up against children, and children rise up against parents even to the point of putting one another to death.

Jesus is using graphic natural images to describe powerful spiritual events. The fierce spiritual combats that we face will involve former beliefs against the new truths we are beginning to embrace (“brother against brother”), inherited evils against the new loves that are being born in us (“fathers against children”), and a desire to “put to death” all that is good and true (“fathers and mothers”). Whenever the Word speaks about the horrors of fratricide, filicide, or patricide, it is always about the destruction of some aspect of faith or the annihilation of some aspect of charity. On one level, Jesus is talking about the way the religious leaders destroyed faith and charity. This would certainly be a sign that the Lord would remove their power and set up a new religion in place of the old one. But at a more interior level, these images are about each of us as we enter into combat with those evils that want to destroy our faith and extinguish every spark of charity in us. ¹²

Images of flight

At such times, our only hope is to fight “in the name of the Lord,” using the truths that we know to wage the combat, while relying on the Lord to give us the victory. In the beginning of our regeneration this is not an easy battle because the hells will not surrender without a fight. It’s a battle of truth against falsity, and good against evil, waged in the recesses of the human mind. When regarded by falsity and evil, truth and goodness are despised and hated. Therefore, Jesus warns His disciples in advance, “You will be hated by all on account of My name.” At the same time, however, Jesus assures them of the victory: “But he who endures to the end shall be saved” (Mark 12:13).

No matter how severe the combat, victory is assured for all who call upon the name of the Lord. It is important to know, however, that calling upon the Lord’s name is not merely the vocalizing of a sound. It is calling upon the name of the Lord as it is manifested in the qualities of faith and love that Jesus embodies, a faith that is unflinching in the midst of danger, a love that does not waver no matter how severe the trial. To the extent that we love these qualities, we not only invite the presence of God, but we welcome Him into our heart. This is what it means to call upon “the name” of the Lord even in the midst of tribulation. ¹³

It is interesting to note that Jesus continues to balance great tribulations with great assurances. Previously, He had comforted His disciples with the promise that the Holy Spirit would give them what to say, even when delivered up to councils and brought before rulers and kings. Now He assures them again, promising that “those who endure to the end will be saved.” For many people at that time, a sure indication of the end would be “the abomination of desolation” declared by Daniel the prophet” (Mark 13:14; see Daniel 11:31). While scholars have different opinions about what this abomination specifically entails, most agree that it has something to do with the abolition of the twice daily offering of a lamb in the temple, replacing these offerings with some form of pagan worship. Some scholars have suggested that a statue of Zeus was set up and pigs were slaughtered at the altar, but this is not certain. ¹⁴

What is certain, however, is that an abomination is any sinful act that is considered truly horrible — so horrible, in fact, that it drives away all goodness and truth. When this happens, everything is empty and desolate. Consequently, an “abomination of desolation” is a horrible transgression that drives faith and charity out of a person’s life, leaving the person devoid of goodness and truth. Just as goodness and evil cannot dwell together, neither can truth and falsity. Because these opposites cannot co-exist, they either repel each other, banish each other, or flee from each other. ¹⁵

Sadly, whenever goodness and faith are driven out, abominable things rush in. Wherever the absence of love leaves a desolate place, hatred rushes in, with cruelty as its accomplice. Wherever the absence of truth leaves a desolate place, lying rushes in, with deceit as its accomplice. Whenever we sense that these things might be arising in our own lives, it is time to flee. Therefore, Jesus says to His disciples, “When you see the abomination of desolation … flee to the mountains” (Mark 12:14). ¹⁶

The imagery of flight continues in the next set of images. “Let him who is on the housetop not go down into the house…. Let him who is in the field not go back to take his garment” (Mark 12:15-16). Whether we are fleeing to the mountains, which represents the highest state of love, or fleeing to the housetop, which represents a higher state of the understanding, or fleeing into the field, we refuse to return to those lower states of mind represented by any attempt to return to “the house.” Running away, fleeing, and escaping are especially associated with the early stages of spiritual development. Eventually, as a person develops spiritually, hellish influences will not be as a great a threat. Instead, those same hellish influences that an individual once had to run away from, will now be the ones who flee for their lives. Unable to tolerate the brilliant light of truth or withstand the burning heat of love, those same hells that had previously dominated our lives will be fleeing from our presence. At first, we flee from evil; eventually, evil flees from us. ¹⁷

As Jesus continues to describe the flight from evil and falsity, He says, “Woe to them who are pregnant and to those who are nursing infants in those days. Pray that your flight be not in winter” (Mark 13:17-18). In those days, travel would have been much more difficult, especially for a pregnant or nursing woman, during the cold days of winter. But these words contain a spiritual message as well. When we are in the coldness of a “winter state,” there is light without heat, truth without good. Like the hard ground of winter, there is resistance to receiving the goodness and innocence that flows in from the Lord. In winter states, because we are lacking innocence and love, we cannot make much progress in our spiritual development. Moreover, the innocence that gave birth to new beliefs and loves is in danger of perishing from the cold. Therefore, Jesus asks us to pray that our flight away from unregenerate states “be not in winter.” ¹⁸

The Coming of the Son of Man

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19. “For those days shall be an affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created until now, neither shall be.

20. And except the Lord had shortened the days, all flesh whatever would not have been saved; but for the sake of the chosen, whom He has chosen, He has shortened the days.

21. And then if anyone shall say to you, ‘Behold, here [is] Christ!’ or, ‘Behold, there!’ believe not;

22. For false christs and false prophets shall arise, and shall show signs and miracles, to seduce, if possible, even the chosen.

23. And look; behold, I have foretold you all things.

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

25. And the stars of heaven shall be falling, and the powers that [are] in the heavens shall be shaken.

26. And then shall they see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with much power and glory.

27. And then He shall send His angels, and shall gather together His chosen from the four winds, from the end of the earth up to the end of heaven.”

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Jesus continues to use strong language to describe the inner combats that we must face as our old ways of thinking and behaving begin to crumble and a new way of living begins to arise. As Jesus puts it, “In those days there will be tribulation such as there has not been since the beginning of creation” (Mark 13:19). As always, the warnings are accompanied with messages of comfort. These struggles will be severe, but they will not be endless. As Jesus puts it, “If the Lord had not shortened those days, no flesh could be saved. But, for the elect, whom He has chosen, He has shortened those days” (Mark 13:20). ¹⁹

This “shortening of days” refers to the duration of intensity and amount of time we will spend in temptation combats. The sooner we come to realize that the Lord not only gives us the truth we need for combat but also provides the power that sustains us through the battle, the sooner the trials will be over. Victory will be swift. Or, as it is stated in the language of sacred scripture, “those days will be shortened.”

Our comfort and our guide throughout the days of spiritual growth is the Word of God, rightly understood. It is a time to stay close to the Word, reading with understanding, refusing to be led astray by false messages that strive to pervert and twist the truths that God gives. These false messages that arise to lead us astray are described as “false christs and false prophets.” We must not believe them, even if they show signs and miracles. “Behold,” says Jesus, “believe them not” (Mark 13:21).

Meanwhile, “the sun shall be darkened, the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven” (Mark 13:24-25). The total darkness that Jesus describes is a spiritual darkness — a time of no love (the sun darkened), no truth (no light from the moon), and no understanding (the stars that fall). Rather than being an “end of the world” scenario, it is a description of an utterly desolate human spirit. On one level, Jesus is describing the desolation that had arisen in a hypocritical, self-serving religious establishment that had reached its end. More interiorly, however, this kind of total darkness refers to the human condition when we find ourselves in states of depression, lacking the sunshine of love, the moonlight of truth, and the inspiration of the stars. If we had ever believed in God, if we had ever hoped in His Word, those beliefs and hopes are deeply shaken. As it is written, “the powers that are in the heavens shall be shaken” (Mark 13:25).

The great rescue

One of the most popular themes in any story is the one that describes good people surrounded by a fierce enemy. Whether it is a novel, movie, or play, there is something in the human spirit that wants to see some form of deliverance; there is something in us that desires to see goodness coming to the rescue.

It is no different in the Word of God, especially as we read about the terrible darkness that threatens to engulf the human race. Just when it appears that things could not get any worse, as the stars fall from heaven and the powers of the heavens are shaken, hope arises. As it is written,

“Then shall they see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory” (Mark 13:26). It is rescue imagery on a cosmic scale. The Son of man has come.

Looking back at the series of images that have led up to the coming of the Son of Man, we can see how this same story takes place in our own life. There are times when unwelcome circumstances shake us to the core like a violent earthquake, times of spiritual famine when we hunger for a solution to some difficult situation, times when our desire to follow the Lord is hated, threatened, and beaten by our lower nature (delivered up to councils), and times when our old habits (fathers) seem to be destroying our new resolutions (children). These are dangerous times — times when the new birth in us is threatened; these are wintry times when cold states threaten to overwhelm us and prevent the birth of new life in us.

Whenever we sense that this is happening, we can know that the Son of Man — the divine truth that Jesus offers — is coming “in the clouds” to rescue us from those dangerous states of mind. The “clouds” through which the Son of Man comes to rescue us are the literal truths of the Word spiritually understood. Just as clouds protect us from the brilliant light and blazing heat of the sun, the literal truths of the Word provide a protective barrier between the reader and the dazzling truths that are contained within the letter of the Word. The time comes, however, when those interior truths must be revealed. The Son of Man must come. And He does so, especially when there is a need for the powerful light of greater truth to lead us out of the darkness. As it is written, the Son of Man will come to us in the clouds, “with great power and glory.” ²⁰

To the extent that this happens within us, there will be a wondrous gathering together of all the good affections and noble thoughts the Lord has implanted within us. Every lovely thing we have known and experienced from every part of our lives will be brought together and organized in our minds. This is meant by the words, “And then He will send His angels, and gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest part of earth to the farthest part of heaven” (Mark 13:27).

In the context of the Gospel According to Mark, this refers to the proclamation of the good news which, like the clear tones of a trumpet, should be spread far and wide — throughout the heaven of our inner world, and to all who yearn to be rescued from whatever stands in the way of beginning a new life. ²¹

The Parable of the Fig Tree

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28. And learn the parable from the fig tree: When its branch is already become tender, and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near.

29. So you also, when you shall see these things come to pass, know ye that it is near, [even] at [the] doors.

30. Amen I say to you that this generation shall not pass away until all these things be done.

31. The heaven and the earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away.

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Figs are good. They are sweet, nutritious, and filled with many seeds for the production of more trees, more figs, and more goodness. The whole purpose of the fig tree is to produce figs so that people will be fed and nourished. In the previous chapter we read about a fig tree that was full of leaves but had no figs because “it was not the season for figs” (Mark 11:12). In His omniscience, Jesus knew that the religious establishment of His time was so corrupt it would never produce anything good. It was a fruit tree with no fruit, a group of religious leaders who taught moral law but lived contrary to it. To represent this reality, Jesus cursed the fig tree, saying “Let no one eat fruit of you ever again.” And the fig tree withered away.

In that story, Jesus created a dramatic image of the end of a religious institution that was useless and unproductive. Instead of leading people into an understanding of God’s goodness, it taught people to fear Him. Instead of teaching people about God’s abundant mercy, it taught them to avoid His punishments. Instead of helping people to discover the immediate presence of a loving God in their lives, it commanded meaningless rituals and empty traditions to appease God’s supposed burning wrath. Instead of diminishing the sorrows of the people, and increasing their joys, they imposed heavy burdens. This was the “fig tree” without figs. Because it was a religious dispensation that held no promise of ever producing anything good, it had to be removed. A new religion had to take its place. ²²

The birth of that new religion is now prophesied in the next episode: “Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender, and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see these things happening, know that it is near, at the very doors” (Mark 13:28, 29). Notice the word “tender” here. This would be a hallmark of the new religious era that was about to come into fruition. Adherents would be tender and kind-hearted.

The transition from the old religion taught by religious leaders to the new religion taught by Jesus also describes the transition that was about to take place in human hearts. This symbolizes the end of the “old religion” that was in us and the new religion that was about to begin.

It is interesting, however, that all of this will take place in the midst of earthquakes, famines and “the abomination of desolation.” In the midst of all of this, something new is about to be born, something that will be tender and sweet — like a fig. In spiritual terms, this is an image of our new birth, and the miracle is that it happens in the midst of our greatest difficulties. Lost in the darkness of ignorance, overwhelmed by feelings of coldness towards those we once loved, feeling as though we are in the midst of a dark, cold winter state, when the sun no longer shines and the moon does not give its light, we can know that summer is near, “at the very doors” (Mark 13:29).

This is a wonderful promise that in the midst of the greatest tribulation, the Son of Man is coming to the rescue with divine truth. In the parable of the fig tree, which immediately follows, we learn that the Son of Man will not only rescue us from darkness, but lead the way to a new way of life. In place of the old bitterness, we shall be sweet; in place of the old hard-heartedness, we shall be tender. And in place of the tree that only bore leaves, with no promise of ever bearing fruit, we shall be productive and fruitful, like a fig tree in summer.

All this will come to pass through living according to the truths that come to us through the Son of Man. No matter what happens to us; no matter what storms we pass through, we must remain faithful to the words that the Son of Man teaches. As Jesus puts it, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away” (Mark 13:31). Through faithfully living according to the Word, we will gradually enter a new dimension of life; our old habits and attitudes will wither away and die. It will be, scripturally speaking, “the end of an age.”

If we remain faithful to the “words that will not pass away,” the temple of our old understanding will surely come down. Not a stone will remain upon a stone. That “age” in us will come to an end. Meanwhile, a new temple will be built in us. A new age will commence, stone by stone and truth by truth, beginning with the cornerstone that will not be rejected.

Watch and Pray

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32. But concerning that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels who [are] in heaven, nor the Son, except the Father.

33. Look ye, be sleepless and pray; for you know not when the time is.

34. [It is] as a man taking a far journey, leaving his house, and giving authority to his servants, and to everyone his work; and he commanded the doorkeeper to watch.

35. Watch ye therefore, for you know not when the Lord of the house comes, at evening, or at midnight, or at the cock-crowing, or in the morning;

36. Lest coming suddenly He find you sleeping.

37. But what I say to you, I say to all: Watch.”

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Being a spiritual doorkeeper

This chapter began with a question that the disciples asked Jesus when He predicted the destruction of the temple. “When will this happen?” they asked, “And what will be the sign when these things are fulfilled.” Although Jesus told them many things about what would happen, He did not specify a specific time. As He concludes this chapter, He returns to their question about when it would happen. “But the day and hour no one knows” He says (Mark 13:32). Therefore, Jesus urges His disciples to “watch and pray, for no one knows when the time will come” (Mark 13:33).

The disciples are still thinking about the physical destruction of the temple in Jerusalem. Jesus, however, is using this as a natural example of a spiritual reality. None of us can know the exact timing of our spiritual development. We cannot know just when our old view of the world will begin to be dismantled, or when a new view will begin to arise. No one knows the day or the hour. Instead, Jesus answers this question, as he often does, in the form of a parable.

The parable begins with the story of a man who is about to go on a far journey. Before leaving his house, he puts his servants in charge, giving each a specific responsibility. “Watch,” the man says to the doorkeeper, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming — in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning — lest coming suddenly, he find you sleeping. And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!” (Mark 13:33-37).

Jesus frequently compares the “far journey” of landowners, vineyard owners, and householders to the appearance that the Lord is far from our lives. This is because there is a very strong appearance that the Lord sometimes seems to be very far away. It is like the sun which is fully present at midday but seems to be “far away” at night. Where does it go? The answer is, “The sun doesn’t go anywhere. But the earth is constantly turning. When the part of the earth where we live is turning towards the sun, we call it “morning”; and when the part of the earth where we live is turning away from the sun, we call it “evening.” The sun doesn’t move or change. It is constant. But the earth rotates on its axis and revolves around the sun, bringing us the times of the day and the seasons of the year.

Similarly, God’s essence does not move or change. Like the heat and light of the sun, God’s love and wisdom are constantly radiating throughout the universe, offering heavenly life to all. Whenever we “turn towards” God, choosing to receive those rays of love and wisdom, it is, spiritually speaking, “morning” and “day” for us. These are the times when we feel that God is “close” to us. At other times, however, when we “turn away from God, choosing to reject what flows in from Him, it is “evening” and “night” in our lives. These “evening states” and “night states” are the times when it feels as though God is absent, distant, or, as it is expressed in sacred scripture, “taking a far journey.” ²³

In this parable, then, the picture of “a man taking a far journey” is an image of the Lord seeming far away from us. Just before leaving, however, he “gives authority to his servants, and to each his work” (Mark 13:34). These “servants” to whom the man gives authority correspond to the various truths that come to us through the Word; each one is stamped with the Lord’s authority and serves a vital role in our regenerative process. This is the inner meaning of the words, “he gave to each his work.” ²⁴

Of special importance is the service performed by the “doorkeeper.” Just as a loyal doorkeeper must know when to open the door and when to keep it closed, we must be spiritual doorkeepers who close the door when thoughts and feelings are flowing in from hell, and open the door when thoughts and feelings are flowing in from heaven. As the man in the parable says to his servants, “Watch and pray” (Mark 13:33). This is vital advice. We are not only to watch — to be vigilant about what enters our mind — but we are also to pray. This means that we can neither close the door to hell, nor open the door to heaven without calling upon the Lord for the power to do so. And we do this through the prayer.

The Last Judgment

Traditionally, this parable has been read as a warning to always be on guard because the Lord Himself might show up unexpectedly and catch us asleep on the job. The idea that the Lord might return at any time comes from a literal interpretation of the words, “You don’t know when the lord of the house will come, at evening, or at midnight, or when the cock crows, or in the morning” (Mark 13:35).

This sudden coming of the Lord, is often pictured as an earth-shaking event, a time of violent upheaval in which the Lord will return to earth, suddenly and unexpectedly, to cast the evil into hell and bring the good into heaven. This “Last Judgment” or “Judgment Day” is said to take place at the time of Christ’s return. Like the man in the parable who departed to a far country, but will return at an unexpected time, it is believed that the Lord is coming back. And when He returns, there will be a terrible judgment. As it is written in the Hebrew scriptures,

“Thus says the Lord … I will execute great vengeance on them with wrathful rebukes. Then they will know that I am the Lord, when I lay my vengeance upon them” (Ezekiel 25:17).

This idea, that God would be coming to earth to execute a fierce judgment, was well known in those days. When Jesus spoke about the “Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven,” this was not seen as God coming to earth on a rescue mission. On the contrary, it was seen as God coming to earth to punish sinners and destroy the earth. As it is written in the Hebrew scriptures, “See, “Behold the day of Jehovah is coming, a cruel day glowing with wrath and fierce anger. He is coming to bring desolation to the land and to destroy sinners from the earth” (Isaiah 13:9). All of this would be preceded by great darkness. As it is written, “The great day of Jehovah is near — near and coming quickly … a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of destruction and desolation, a day of darkness and thick darkness, a day of clouds and dense darkness…. Neither shall their silver nor their gold be able to rescue them in the day of Jehovah’s wrath, but all the land shall be devoured in the fire of His zeal” (Zephaniah 1:14-18). ²⁵

All of this has its root in the mistaken idea that a distant God of wrath is coming back from a “far journey” to destroy sinners — and we are all sinners. The truth is, however, that God never leaves us, never abandons us, and never goes “on a far journey.” Because He is pure love, His greatest desire is to save us, not to condemn us, to rescue us, not to punish us, to bring us to heaven, not condemn us to hell. Therefore, He is constantly and unceasingly present, offering the warmth of His love and the light of His wisdom. Although it may seem that at times God is absent or, as it is stated in sacred scripture, away “on a far journey,” it is not so. He is always “at the door,” so to speak, waiting for us to open. ²⁶

Therefore, the idea that God “goes away” and then “returns” to make a furious judgment is not in accord with spiritual reality. In fact, in order to properly understand Jesus’ parable about the householder’s return, the whole idea of God as a “judge” needs to be re-seen. God judges no one. Each of us, however, makes a judgment every time we choose to receive God’s truth and live by it, or reject it, choosing instead to life for ourselves alone.

This is the most general way that judgment takes place, but it also takes place from moment to moment, in a myriad of minor judgments that we make every day. Whether it’s a car we buy, a home we purchase, a vocation we chose, a partner we live with, or even a thought that we choose to express or not express, in every case we make a “judgment.” The important part of each judgment is not the choice that we make, but the motivation behind the choice. Was it a choice made from selfishness, in which our own welfare was the exclusive factor? Or was it a choice that took into consideration not only our own welfare but also the welfare of others? This is how we exercise “judgment” every day, and even every moment, right up until the day we take our last breath.

When our life in this world is complete, God will not be pronouncing a “final judgment,” admitting some to heaven and casting others into hell. Rather, we will have already made that decision, through all the judgments we have made while we lived in the world. This means that we will freely go to that place — heaven or hell — that corresponds to the life we have loved. If we have loved to live in ways that consider the welfare of others, and not just ourselves, heaven awaits us. Similarly, if we have loved to live for our self alone, disregarding the needs of others, hell awaits us. Either way, it is our self-chosen destination, not a divine punishment for misbehavior. Whatever “rules us” — selfish desires or God’s love — determines our place in the next world. All judgment, therefore, is left to us, not God. ²⁷

With these teachings in mind, we can return to the Hebrew scriptures, this time searching out those teachings that point to the Lord’s coming into our lives as a God of love, not a God of wrath, a God of salvation, not of condemnation. This is the nature of the God that Jesus was referring to when He spoke about the Son of Man coming to us at a time when we feel spiritually devastated. This time of deep darkness is described in the language of sacred scripture as “the sun shall be darkened” (we do not feel the Lord’s love); “the moon shall not give her light” (we lose faith); and “the stars of heaven shall fall” (we have no truth to guide us). It is precisely at this time, that the Lord comes to rescue us from this state of spiritual darkness and desolation. As Jesus puts it, “Then shall they see the Son of Man, coming in the clouds with great power and glory.” ²⁸

These words, when rightly understood, inspire the hope of salvation, not the fear of punishment. In referring to “the Son of Man who comes in the clouds with great power and glory,” Jesus calls to mind the wonderful promises made in the Hebrew scriptures about the Lord’s coming into our lives. For example, “Arise, shine, for your light has come. And the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. Behold! Darkness covers the earth, and deep darkness covers the people, but the light of the Lord shall shine upon you” (Isaiah 60:1-2). Also, “Let the God of my salvation be exalted … who subdues the people under me and redeems me from my enemies” (Psalms 18:46-48). And perhaps, most powerfully, “I will rescue you in that day, declares the Lord. “I will surely rescue you … because you have put your trust in Me” (Jeremiah 39:18). ²⁹

The purpose of the Lord’s coming

These positive scriptures help us to understand the reason for the Lord’s coming into our lives. As we have seen, it is only an appearance that the Lord comes and goes, just as it is an appearance that the Lord judges us. In spiritual reality, the Lord is with us always, never judging, but rather leading us into all the goodness and truth we are willing to receive. ³⁰

Even so, this parable has often been interpreted to mean that the Lord is coming back into the world to cast sinners into hell. People are therefore warned to always be ready, whether it is evening, midnight, pre-dawn, or daybreak, because the Lord might suddenly appear at any moment on that dark and dreadful “day of judgment.”

There is, however, a more interior way of understanding these time periods. According to the Roman military schedule for night-time guard duty, the first watch was from six p.m. to nine p.m. The second watch was from nine p.m. to midnight. The third watch was from midnight to three a.m., and the fourth watch was from three a.m. to six a.m. It was, of course, possible for soldiers to fall asleep during their watch, but not advisable since the punishment for such negligence was death. It is therefore understandable that this parable might be read literally as a dire warning.

Looking beyond the literal sense, however, these night-time periods represent the various states of a person’s life. Whenever we are relying on our own reasoning rather than on what the Lord teaches in His Word, we have receded from daylight and are then in the time period called “evening.” This is the first watch, a time to notice tendencies to trust in self rather than in God. This time of increasing darkness is followed by a much darker period called “night.” As night-time falls and darkness thickens, self-absorption blocks out the reception of love and faith. This rejection of God’s love and denial of God’s truth is the darkest time of all. It is a midnight of the spirit. However, it is not the end. No matter how deep the darkness might be, it can be followed by the crowing of the rooster, a state in us that anticipates the rising of the sun. In this state, the love of truth is rekindled. Like the sound of trumpet, which gathers the elect (Mark 13:27), the crowing of the rooster heralds the dawn of a new day. And, finally, daybreak arrives representing the state we experience whenever we are endeavoring to reform our lives through truths from the Lord’s Word. ³¹

From this more interior perspective, it becomes clear that the whole topic of the destruction of the temple and the rebuilding of a new one is about the transformation of our spiritual lives. Each of us is called to devote ourselves to the task of dismantling our old ways of thinking and believing — ways that kept us enslaved — while allowing the Lord to build within us a new belief system that will lead us into the greatest freedom. This is a divine process, done with our cooperation, which can never be completed, either in this world or the next, but which can get better and better to eternity. In this regard, there is no “completion date” for the world’s most important construction project — the refinement of our souls. ³²

Our main task, throughout this time of rebuilding, is to stay awake and be aware so that the Lord can rebuild our understanding, and through that new understanding, help us to build a new will. All we have to do is remain alert and stay on guard, closing the door to what flows in from hell and opening the door to what flows in from heaven. When we stay “awake” in this way, whether it be evening, night-time, or morning, we will have done our part well. Or, as Jesus puts it, as He concludes this parable, “What I say to you, I say to all: Watch!” (Mark 13:37). This is how each of us can help the Lord to achieve His divine purpose in our life. ³³

A practical application

In this chapter, it was explained that in the Last Judgment, people go to the place they feel most comfortable — the place that corresponds to the way they lived their lives (see Apocalypse Explained 413:3). People who had lived their lives being comfortable with behaviors such as complaining, criticizing, and blaming, discovered that they felt stifled and tormented by the atmosphere of heaven. Longing for the comfort of their habitual patterns of thought and feeling, they rushed towards the particular hell where they could feel most relaxed and happy. Nobody “cast them into hell.” There was no “Last Judgment” in that sense. Hell was the place of their greatest comfort, the place where they could “breathe free.” And they went there of their own accord. With this in mind, it’s useful to ask ourselves, What kinds of thoughts and feelings make us most comfortable? What behaviors make us feel most at home? As these thoughts, feelings, and behaviors become more ingrained as our “go-to” way of being, we are freely determining our place in the next world. For practice, observe your customary thoughts and feelings, the place where you “dwell.” Eventually, this will become your spiritual “home.” Watch and pray. ³⁴

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