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10 November. Mark chapters 12-13
Mark chapter 13 is one of the strangest in the Gospels, or at least the hardest to interpret. It concerns prophecies about the future that Jesus made a few days before his death. In commenting on Matthew’s version of this I explained that the prime meaning seems to be aimed at the early Church which certainly suffered persecution and wars in its first few centuries, but that Christians have always understood a second meaning of an eventual “end of time” or “second coming” when we, the followers of Christ, will be saved from the final destruction that will come upon humanity. Once again, this is too big a subject to explore in depth here but I will offer a thought.
Jesus was, of course addressing Jews, and his intention seems to have been primarily renew their faith for the future by replacing the sacrificial system of the Temple with his own sacrifice for redemption and reconciliation. That is why he told a scribe who agreed that loving God and neighbour was more important than burnt-offerings and sacrifices that he was ‘not far from the kingdom of God’ (12:34). Without denying that Jesus’ death and resurrection were effective also for Gentiles, that seems to be secondary in his teaching. Therefore we should think of the Jews first in interpreting these prophecies.
So when Jesus speaks of a time of persecution and hardship such as there has never been or will be again, to be followed by a “gathering of the elect” (13:14-26), it is not surprising that some people see the events of the mid-20th century when the persecution of Jews under Stalin and Hitler was followed by the re-creation of the state of Israel with millions making Aliyah (a pilgrimage of return to the holy land). That is quite different from the traditional Protestant Christian understanding of a bodily return of Jesus to separate believers from non-believers. That’s not to say they might not both be true and valid interpretations of the prophecy, as well as the immediate one for the people of Jerusalem in Jesus’ time and for his followers in the next few generations. History has a habit of repeating itself, and the mystery of God and his saving acts reappears in many forms.
At the end of this passage Jesus gives a clear warning that we must not lose sight of: whichever interpretation we might put on this, we may well be wrong, and be caught out suddenly when either persecution or salvation comes suddenly. “Keep awake” is the message of Jesus, and the theme of Advent, which is fast approaching.