This week’s readings are all from Mark chapter 13. Click here to see a full listing of each day’s reading and the full chapter of Mark 13. Full readings of each day’s smaller segments of the readings will be posted on this site during the week.
Today's Reading
9 “You must watch out for yourselves. You will be handed over to councils and beaten in the synagogues. You will stand before governors and kings because of me, as a witness to them. 10 First the gospel must be preached to all nations. 11 When they arrest you and hand you over for trial, do not worry about what to speak. But say whatever is given you at that time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit. 12 Brother will hand over brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rise against parents and have them put to death. 13 You will be hated by everyone because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.
Parallel Passages
An interesting thing I read in the NET notes, refers to how persecution will play out in Jewish contexts (councils & synagogues) and Gentile contexts (governors & kings)… And he then says the gospel must be preached to all nations.
Jesus is hoping and pushing for the continued spread of the gospel, with the acknowledgement of challenges… and the encouragement: “the one who endures to the end will be saved.” Not as a requirement to be saved but a motivation to keep pushing through.
I have historically, subconsciously connected the GOSPEL must be preached to all nations to an end times expectation. That as long as their are unreached peoples, Jesus will not come back.
As I again read this in a new context I recognize that this is speaking toward how the known world (Roman Empire) would be reached before the temple's destruction. We see in Acts, and in other traditional/historical teaching, that the Gospel had spread out around the known world before the temple was destroyed.