On Line Bible Study - For the week October 26 - November 1, 2009

Lesson 411

The text before us for this lesson is Mark 13:1-37 - this constitutes the entire thirteenth chapter of the Gospel. Signs of the End of the Age is how one Bible summarizes the chapter. Jesus' Eschatological Discourse - that's how John Donahue and Daniel Harrington describe it, using language that is a bit more technical.

After predicting that not one stone in the temple would be left standing upon another, four of his disciples ask Jesus in private when this would happen and what would be the sign:

Mark 13: ⁵Jesus said to them: "Watch out that no one deceives you. ⁶Many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am he,' and will deceive many. ⁷When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. ⁸Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains.

Though I am behind in this lesson as far as keeping up with one study per week, it is appropriate to be considering this text. This coming Sunday, November 29, is the First Sunday of Advent. Churches where the preacher follows the lectionary are going to here this same story as recorded by St. Luke. The lectionary brings us to these eschatological texts every year as the Christian "new year" is celebrated. "Advent" means "coming" - And what begins in the story as a tearing and tumbling down of the temple, with "nation rising against nation", culminates with Christ's coming "in clouds with much power and glory ..." (Mark 13:8 and 26 respectively.)

I am preaching on this story on Sunday - not as told by Mark, but as told by Luke. While there are some significant differences between the two texts, the main themes are the same.

Christ coming "in the clouds" is an event of cosmic proportion. It is preceded by rumors of wars, geophysical disruptions and famine.

Mark also reports an "abomination of desolation standing where he should not", at which time people should flee. And Christ warns his listeners not to run after "false messiahs and false prophets". When will this happen? Only the Father knows.

These texts are highly charged with imagination and emotion. They emerge out of the specific context of Israel living under the oppressive occupation of the Roman Empire. They point to a time when oppressors will pay the price, and the innocent will be exonerated.

I will share the point on Sunday that Christianity is not cyclical in its world view like Buddhism or Hinduism. It is chronological in the world view it posits. Things have a beginning and an end. The Second Coming of Christ is about judgment - about setting things right that are wrong.

Mark concludes this text with the warning:

Mark 13: ³⁵"Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. ³⁶If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. ³⁷What I say to you, I say to everyone: 'Watch!' "

I believe we are not only supposed to be watching for the cloud-entrance of Christ; we are supposed to be watching what we are doing now. How would your actions hold up to divine judgment? If there are wars, do you want to be the one starting them or perpetuating them? If there are earthquakes, do you want to be seen running away from those in need of help? If there is famine, do you want to be found at your table laden with food and having done nothing to alleviate the hunger of others?

This is, I believe, a major point in the whole Christian theology around Jesus as "judge" ... that at a point in time all second bets are off! That Christ is coming again intensifies the meaning of what we do now. The "false messiahs" will offer us their brand of salvation; they will assure us that we don't have to endure the suffering. In fact, they will attempt to convince us that we should not allow ourselves to be inconvenienced at all! If we fall for their message it is going to be extremely difficult to justify our position to the Christ who died for all.

Another perspective on the question: When will these things happen? Who cares !! ?? In a very real sense, these things are happening already!

The various interpretations of these texts over the centuries have been every bit as imaginative as the texts themselves. For many, the "rumors" that have become associated with the "end times" make it difficult for them to take the texts themselves seriously. But the fact that the texts are often parodied does not serve to deny or discount the authenticity of the texts themselves.

Christ is coming again. At the very least that means it matters what we are doing today!