BURKITT: | Mr 13:1-2 | Mr 13:3-4 | Mr 13:5-10 | Mr 13:11-13 | Mr 13:14 | Mr 13:15-18 | Mr 13:19-20 | Mr 13:21-23 | Mr 13v24-27 | Mr 13:28-32 | Mr 13:33-37 |
Reference
5 And Jesus answering them began to say, Take heed lest any man deceive you: 6 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. 7 And when ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars, be ye not troubled: for such things must needs be; but the end shall not be yet. 8 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows. 9 But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them. 10 And the gospel must first be published among all nations. (Mark 13:5-10 KJV)
William Burkitt’s Commentary
Here, and in the following verses, our Saviour gives his disciples the signs which should forerun the destruction of Jerusalem. The first of which was this, that there should arise false Christs, false prophets, and seducers; such as Theudas, and others, under the name and person of the Messiah, some affirming themselves to be Christ personal, or the promised Messiah; others to be Christ doctrinal, affirming their erroneous opinions to be the mind and doctrine of Jesus Christ.
Learn hence, That as there will be many seducers before the end of the world (for Jerusalem’s destruction was a type and emblem of the world’s destruction) and many will be seduced and misled by them: so it is the duty of Christ’s own disciples to take heed lest they, being also led away by the error of the wicked, do fall from their own stedfastness: Take heed, says Christ, that no man deceive you: for many will come in my name, saying, I am Christ, and will deceive many.
The second sign of Jerusalem’s destruction was, wars and rumors of wars; that is, civil broils, and intestine commotions among themselves; as also famines and earthquakes.
Whence note, That war and fire, earthquakes and famines, are judgments and calamities inflicted by God upon sinful people, for their contempt of Christ and gospel grace.
2. That although these be very terrible judgments, and desolating calamities, yet to an incorrigible and irreclaimable people are they the forerunners of worse judgments. These are, says Christ, the beginnings of sorrows.
The third sign of this approaching destruction, was a general persecution of the ministers of the gospel, for preaching the doctrine of the gospel to a lost world; Ye shall be beaten, and brought before kings for my sake, for a testimony.
From whence note, That the preaching of the gospel wherever it comes, will be for a testimony to them to whom it comes; either a testimony for them, or against them: to the humble it is a testimony for, to despisers and scorners it is a testimony against; if the dust of ministers feet bear witness against the despisers of the gospel, their sermons much more.
The word of God delivered in the scriptures, and dispensed in the ministry thereof, hath its divers and contrary effects upon different and contrary subjects; from both which ye Almighty God knows how to raise his own glory; to the humble and teachable, the gospel is in adjutorium: to some, the saviour of life unto life; to others, the saviour of death unto death.