22
For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect.
Mark 13:22
Explanation of Mark 13
By Rev. John Clowes M.A.
Explaining the Inner Meaning of Mark 13
Verses 1, 2. THAT the state of the church is not to be judged of from the external aspect of the truths, which the members of the church profess to believe, since if these truths be separated from the good of charity, the church itself must come to vastation and destruction.
Verses 3-6. For which reason the understandings of the members of the church ought to be opened to the light of truth, to prevent their being misled by falsities, since those are about to come, who will say that this is of faith, or that this is truth, when yet it is neither of faith, nor is it truth, but what is false.
Verse 7. Debates also and disputes will exist concerning truths.
Verse 8. And evil is about to fight against evil, and the false against the false, so that the state of the church will be changed, and there will no longer be any knowledge of what is good and true, but infection from falsities.
Verse 9. They, therefore, who are principled in what is good and true, will be in danger, first, from the perversion of truth; next, from its captivity by falsities; and all on account of the goods of love and the truths of faith from the LORD.
Verse 10. Which goods and truths must first be made known to all who are principled in good.
Verse 11. To whom instruction is given, under all infestation by falsities, to consult Divine Truth for security, rather than depend on their own prudence.
Verse 12, and first part of 13. For evil will destroy good, and what is false will destroy what is true, by bringing those heavenly principles into contempt and aversion.
Verse 13, latter part. Nevertheless no injury can be done to those who abide patiently in the LORD.
Verse 14. And who therefore are forewarned, when they observe the predicted vastation of good and truth, not to look elsewhere than to the LORD, thus to the love of Him and neighbourly love.
Verse 15. And they who are in the good of charity, ought not to take themselves to those things which relate to the doctrinals of faith.
Verse 16. And they who are in the good of truth, ought not to take themselves to the doctrinals of truth.
Verse 17. For they who are imbued with the good of love to the LORD, and with the good of innocence, will then be in danger of profaning those goods, and thus of eternal damnation.
Verse 18. They, therefore, who are principled in good and truth, ought to take heed lest a removal from those principles should be made precipitately, in a state of too much cold arising from self-love.
Verse 19. For on that occasion will be the highest degree of perversion and vastation of the church as to good and truth, which is profanation.
Verse 20. So that for the salvation of those who are in the life of good, it will be necessary that they who are of the church should be removed from interior goods and truths to exterior.
Verses 21-23. And the doctrine of those who are in a holy external principle, but in a profane internal, is to be guarded against, because abounding with falsities.
Verses 24, 25. And when there is no longer any faith remaining, all love to the LORD and neighbourly love will disappear, and the knowledges of good and truth will perish, and thus the foundations of the church will be removed.
Verse 26. And then shall be the appearing of Truth Divine through the revelation of the Word as to its internal sense.
Verse 27. Then too shall be election through the influx of holy good and truth from the LORD by the angels, and thus the establishment of a New Church.
Verse 28. And when this New Church is erecting by the LORD, then first of all appears the good of the natural principle, with its affections and truths.
Verse 29. And when all the things above spoken of appear, then will be the consummation of the church, that is, the last judgement and coming of the LORD, consequently then the Old Church will be rejected, and the New established.
Verse 30. In the meantime the Jewish nation, together with their worship, will not be extirpated like other nations.
Verse 31. And the internals and externals of the former church will perish, but the Word of the LORD will remain.
Verse 32. And the state of the church at that time, as to goods and truths, will not appear to any one, either in earth or in heaven, but to the LORD alone.
Verse 33. Therefore man ought to procure to himself spiritual life, which is life from the LORD, because be is in ignorance what the state of his life is, which is to remain to eternity.
Verse 34. For the LORD gives to all who are in the church the knowledges of truth and good from the Word, with the faculty of perceiving them, and of securing them from injury.
Verses 35-37. Wherefore all ought to keep their minds open to the light of truth, to preserve them from the darkness of evil and error.
Mark 13
1
And as he went out of the temple, one of his disciples saith unto him, Master, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here!
2
And Jesus answering said unto him, Seest thou these great buildings? there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
3
And as he sat upon the mount of Olives over against the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately,
4
Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled?
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.
11
But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost.
12
Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death.
13
And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
14
But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains:
15
And let him that is on the housetop not go down into the house, neither enter therein, to take any thing out of his house:
16
And let him that is in the field not turn back again for to take up his garment.
17
But woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!
18
And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter.
19
For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be.
20
And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect's sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days.
21
And then if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Christ; or, lo, he is there; believe him not:
22
For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect.
23
But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things.
24
But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light,
25
And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken.
26
And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.
27
And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.
28
Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When her branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is near:
29
So ye in like manner, when ye shall see these things come to pass, know that it is nigh, even at the doors.
30
Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done.
31
Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.
32
But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.
33
Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.
34
For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch.
35
Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning:
