The passage
      v1-2. Jesus' leaves the temple for the last time, but a disciple's comment about the magnificence of the building, prompts a prophetic word to the crowd. The day is coming when the temple will be completely destroyed.
      v3-4. Alone with his disciples on the Mount of Olives, Jesus is asked what sign will warn of the coming day when the temple is about to be destroyed.
      v5-6. Jesus now sets out to describe a number of "signs" which are not actually signs. The first non-sign will be the emergence of messianic leaders who will claim to act with the authority of Christ. They will appear in the interim leading up to the destruction of the temple. Disciples must be discerning and so not be deceived by them. Their presence is not a sign of the end.
      v7-8. The second non-sign is wars, famine and natural calamities. These are but a foretaste of the coming terrible day, but are not a sign of its nearness. When they occur, disciples should not jump to hasty conclusions.
      v9. The third non-sign is persecution. At a personal level, the disciples can expect that their fellow Jews will persecute them during the interim before the end. As Jesus was "given over" to suffering, so will they. Yet, not only will the disciples suffer at the hands of their own people, they will find themselves defending their faith before secular magistrates.
      v10. In the face of the troubled days before "the end", the disciples will need to sharpen their witness. The disciples must proclaim the gospel from king to surf, throughout all nations.
      v11. The disciples will also need to rely on the Holy Spirit to give them the words to say when they are forced to give account of their faith.
      v12-13. Finally, the disciples must firmly face the days of trouble. Jesus points out that those who follow him will suffer as he suffered. Yet, the disciple who endures through the times of trouble will inevitably be vindicated. There is no guarantee that this hostility will be overcome, but it must be endured.

Hanging in there
      A prophet always speaks to their own generation, but their words echo into the future. When Jesus spoke with the disciples about the destruction of the temple, of the troubles leading up to that terrible day and of the signal that the terrible day is upon them, he was speaking to our generation as much as to theirs. We live in the interim between the ascension and Christ's return and in that interim we experience the same circumstances that Jesus promised his disciples all those years ago. We will experience false prophets, wars and rumors of wars, natural calamities and somewhere in the world, believers will experience persecution.
      As Jesus said to his disciples, these circumstances, often horrific for those caught up in them, are but "the beginning of the birth pangs"; they are a taste of that terrible day in the future and so in a sense they prompt a faithful eye toward glory. Yet, terrible as the circumstances may be, they are not a sign of the nearness of the end.
      As for living in the interim, Jesus gave his disciples four pieces of advice:
        First, the disciple must be discerning of their leaders, their teachers and prophets. There will always be those who promote second-coming fever, claiming some special last-days divine status.
        Second, rather than get distracted by the circumstances of life, the disciple needs to be focused on the business of evangelism. Moving the gospel out into the world is our top priority. What with modern communications, there has never been a time in human history when it was possible to communicate the gospel as effectively as it is today. Faced with the diversity of evangelistic programs, we need to sort through them and support those that effectively communicate the message of God's grace in Christ through the mass media.
        Jesus' third piece of advice is particularly for those who face persecution. It was true of the early disciples, and is often true today, that the followers of Christ are not always this world's "beautiful" people. Does not the Lord call the foolish to confound the wise? We babes in Christ often get picked on. In the face of suffering, Jesus tells us to rely on the indwelling Spirit of Christ to find a word that gives account for the faith that is ours.
        Finally, during this long interim, Jesus calls on us to endure. The difficulties of life and the hostilities we may face because of our faith, may not necessarily be overcome, we may not be victorious in the trouble, but the trouble must be endured. Our faith in Christ will be tested, but in all our doubts we must constantly hold onto our loving Lord.

v1
      ide "look" - pay attention, behold. In NT Greek, normally just an interjection standing by itself, but here followed by a clause indicating what to take note of.
      liqoi (oV) "stones" - Josephus mentions the massive size of the stones used in the construction of the temple.
      potapai pro. "what magnificent" - of what kind, what sort of. Here obviously in the sense of an acclamation, "how magnificent." "He who has not seen the temple in its full splendor has never seen a beautiful building", Josephus.

v2
      blepeiV tautaV taV megalaV oikodomaV "Do you see all these great buildings?" - The phrase may either be a statement or a question. If a statement the sense may either be that the temple's greatness will soon be brought down, or that the disciples should not be overawed by its greatness since it will soon be brought down.
      ou mh "not one" - Double negative emphasizing the total destruction of the temple. Jesus clearly predicts the destruction of the temple, most likely because it has been a stumbling block for Israel and a symbol of its religious life, which life stands condemned. In any case, one greater than the temple is here, a new age has dawned and the temple will be replaced in the divine economy. Did the crowd turn against Jesus because of this prediction or because he would not take up the roll of liberator king? The prediction is used against Jesus at his trial, although he didn't actually say he would personally destroy the temple.
      liqoV epi liqon "[not one] stone [will be left] on another" - stone upon stone. cf Luke 19:44 where the reference is to Jerusalem. Interestingly, other than the foundation platform upon which the temple stood, there are no stones left.

v3
      kaqhmenou autou "as Jesus was sitting" - sitting he. Genitive absolute, verb: gen. part. and the pronoun: gen., expressing a temporal sense, "while", "as". Actually grammatically inappropriate here (as in v1), because its subject is part of the main clause. None-the-less, Mark's construction ties Jesus' words, from v5 onward, to his prediction in v2. Jesus is explaining to his disciples his startling, but mysterious words, declared earlier to the crowd, v2.
      to oroV twn elaiwn "mount of olives" - Possibly emphasizing Jesus' view of the temple and therefore identifying the focus of his words, or more likely fulfilling Ezekiel 11:23, God's abandonment of the temple.
      ephrwta (eperwtaw) imperf. sing. "asked" - were/was questioning. The singular indicates that the questioners are being taken collectively, or that it is possibly Peter who does the asking.

v4
      pote .... estai "when will [these things] happen?" - when will [these things] be. "When/what will be the end of the old order of things?" An interrogative indicative defying convention, with the verb to be in the future tense. The conjoined question directs the following discourse, in that Jesus sets out to answer it, so it is best to interpret the passage in line with the question. The first part of the question is probably not seeking an actual date for the destruction of the temple, since in Aramaic idiom the next (parallel) phrase in this construction serves to exegete the first. So, the two questions are really one. The question concerns the preliminary signals that will serve to warn disciples when Jerusalem is about to be destroyed, cf. Dan.12:6,7.
      tauta "these things" - The Greek word for "these things" is repeated in the second half of the verse, but it is often argued that it does not refer to the same event, the first being the destruction of the temple and the second, the end of the world. Matthew's account drives this view, but here Mark most likely has one set of events in mind, namely, the destruction of the temple/Jerusalem.
      sunteleisqai (suntelew) pas. inf. "to be fulfilled" - to bring to completion. Rather than describing the end of all things, the word serves to identify the completing, accomplishing, of a process. "What will be the signs that precede the accomplishing of the temple's destruction?"

v5
      hrxato legein "said" - began to say. A phrase that signals an important teaching.
      blepete (blepw) imp. "watch out" - look carefully. Without a direct object the word means take note, be discerning, be alert. In the context, the word may lean toward "be prepared."
      planhsh/ (planaw) aor. subj. "deceive" - cause someone to hold a wrong view and thus be mistaken, to mislead, to deceive, to cause to be mistaken*. The presence of deceivers may be a sign that "these things" "are all about to be fulfilled", Cranfield. Other commentators (eg. France) see v5-8 as a warning against premature expectation, and therefore, not a sign, as such. If a sign, the presence of deceivers, or dramatic events (v7-8), serve only to evidence that "these things" are still coming.

v6
      epi tw/ onomati mou "in my name" - in the name of me. Acting on the authority of Jesus, or claiming to represent him. Possibly, "arrogating to themselves the title of Messiah which by right belongs to me", Cranfield.
      egw eimi "I am he" - I am. It is unlikely that these deceivers claim divinity by using the great "I AM." It is more likely they are claiming a special association with Jesus the messiah. Josephus indicates that there were many self-proclaimed prophets (he doesn't use the word messiah) up to the rebellion in 66AD.

v7
      polemwn (oV) gen. "[hear of .... rumors] of wars" - [rumors of violence]. "Hear" followed by the genitive may indicate hearing with understanding as against the hearing followed by the accusative (first "wars"), indicating a hearing without understanding. Probably over subtle.
      qroeisqe (qroew) imp. "do not be alarmed" - 2Thes.2:2, "shaken in your mind". "Don't jump to hasty conclusions."
      oupw to telos "the end is still to come" - the end is not yet. Violence or sensational rumors are not a sign of the fulfilment of "these things" and so the disciple should not jump to hasty conclusions.

v8
      gar "for" - Indicates that this verse expands on the wars of v7.
      egerqhsetai (egeirw) fut. "will rise against" - will rise up. The future tense is not indicating a future sign, but rather that these conflicts will go on happening up till "these things" are fulfilled.
      kata topouV "in various places" - according to place. "From place to place."
      arch wdinwn tauta "these are the beginning of the birth-pains - beginning birth-pangs these [are]. The birthing imagery illustrates the sufferings of the interim. The wars etc. are but a taste of the future "abomination", not a sign of its nearness. Such troubles should prompt a faithful eye toward glory. "The birth-pangs of the Messiah", a rabbinic expression is regarded by some commentators as the source, but modern research has dated the expression later than the New Testament era.

v9
      blepete de uJmeiV eJautouV "you must be on your guard" - you yourselves must be alert/prepared. Here "be alert" has a direct object (see v5) "yourselves", emphasizing the personal nature of the warning. The disciples are no longer watching strife, or hearing rumors of it, they are in it. "But you - watch yourselves."
      paradwsousin uJmaV eiV sunedria "you will be handed over to the local councils" - people (indefinite) will be given over to the Sanhedrin. Both John the Baptist and Jesus are "given over" to death. Those ("they") who do the handing over are unspecified. The Sanhedrin is possibly the local Jewish courts or tribunals, although the word is used of the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem.
      eiV sunagwgaV darhsesqe "[you will be] flogged in the synagogues" - in synagogues you will be beaten. It is possible to include this phrase with the one above: "people will give you over and in tribunals and synagogues you will be flogged."
      epi hJgemonwn kai basilewn staqhsesqe "you will stand before governors and kings" - As above, the sense of this phrase may be dictated by the word "given over." The disciples will be "given over" and stand before secular authorities and suffer the consequences of being accused before a hostile power. Some commentators argue that it is the Jewish authorities who are the persecutors and that the disciples are to defend their cause before the secular authorities. Other commentators argue that instead of referring to persecution by secular authorities, this phrase is speaking of the disciples witness to them, in the sense of preaching the gospel. Although a worthy suggestion, the immediate context of persecution seems to mitigate against this point of view.
      autoiV dat. "to them" - Is this a dative of advantage or disadvantage? Witnessing the gospel in a positive environment is an advantage, but if the disciple is on trial, facing condemnation, the witness carries its own condemnation and therefore is a disadvantage to those who condemn.

v10
      panta ta eqnh "all nations" - all the people/Gentiles. The phrase declares the universal nature of the gospel and so identifies the cause of Jewish persecution. It is interesting how the Old Testament image of Israel as a light to the Gentiles, has the Gentiles attracted to the light, as was the Queen of Sheba attracted to Solomon's kingdom. Yet, Jesus has a more proactive approach, although no less Biblical. The reticence of the apostles to evangelize Gentiles may well reflect the orthodox view that the Gentiles will come to Israel, of their own accord, at the consumption of all things.
      prwton dei "must first" - first it is necessary. Not, "'above all' it is necessary" (a non temporal sense). The temple will not be destroyed until the gospel has moved from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth. Mark would undoubtedly agree with Paul the apostle that the gospel had been preached to all nations, even in Rome. The modern idea of having to preach to every language group in the world before the return of Christ, has little merit, and certainly cannot be argued from this verse.
      euaggelion "gospel" - Mark clearly defines the message as "the time is fulfilled, the kingdom of God is at hand." Gundry limits this statement of the gospel to a declaration of the inauguration of God's long promised reign. He argues that to understand the gospel in its entirety it is necessary to add the atoning death of Christ, the resurrection, coming glory... Yet, it is far better to understand the phrase "the kingdom of God is at hand", as a statement that sums up the grace of God that is now ours through the establishment of God's eternal reign in and through the life, death, resurrection and ascension of Christ.

v11
      paradidonteV (paradidwmi) pres. part. "brought to trial" - handing over. The word ties this verse to v9, indicating that the handing over is to the Jewish authorities. The Jewish authorities may hand the disciples onto Gentile magistrates, although this is not stated.
      ti "what [to say]" - The "what" is clearly content, although some argue from the parallels in Matthew and Luke that the addition of "how or" indicates speaking in tongues. In the NT, speaking in the Spirit is more often an understandable message uttered in a strange way, rather than a word that "no one understands."
      en ekeinh/ th/ wJra/ "in that hour" - The "hour" is not an end-time reference. "At the time a disciple is handed over to the Jewish authorities."
      gar - for. gar introduces v11b, indicating that the clause serves to explain the instruction that a disciple should retain a passive approach in their defense before the tribunal. The reason for passivity is that the Holy Spirit will give them the words to say. France writes "The promise that the words will be supplied, is for hard-pressed (and often illiterate) disciples on trial, not for lazy preachers!"
      to pneuma to aJgion "the Holy Spirit" - After the prologue, the Holy Spirit is mentioned only three times, and this is the only time we are told he functions on behalf of disciples. The Spirit's particular function of supporting a disciple's witness is developed in Luke, John and Acts, although the role is also ascribed to Jesus.

v12
      kai paradwsei adelfoV adelfon eiV qanaton "brother will betray brother to death" - brother will hand over brother to death. Possibly prompted by Jesus' own experience. Note allusion to Mic.7:6. We know of Stephen and the two James boys suffering death, but other than Saul's purge of Hellenist believers in Jerusalem, we know of no general Jewish persecution of Christians.