The Gospel of MarkSample

In verses 24-27, Jesus is again quoting from Daniel, chapter 7 this time. When Jesus talks about the Son of Man “coming on the clouds of heaven” we need to go back to Daniel and read very carefully: “I saw one coming with the clouds of heaven. And he came to the Ancient One and was presented before him.” Notice that the direction of the Son of Man is not him returning to earth but going up to the Ancient One. This passage might well be about Jesus’ triumphal return to the Lord after his death and resurrection when he is given power, authority, and dominion.

So one interpretation of what Jesus is talking about in Mark 13 is that when the Temple in Jerusalem is destroyed it will be a sign that Jesus, by opposing the religious leaders, will be vindicated. God’s worship was no longer confined to a Temple that might be used by people like Herod for political purposes, God wanted people to become the temples for his Spirit.

It should be noted that not everyone takes this view, some people see Jesus as picking up on Daniel’s imagery and referring to his Second Coming.

Ultimately no one knows whether this is referring to his vindication or Second Coming, but as we have seen this week, in biblical prophecy it could well even be both!

Let’s not get caught up in the interpretations and miss the theological question we are being invited into here. As the Temple was destroyed (and to this day is not rebuilt), and Jesus claimed to be himself the temple of God, we are now able, through the Spirit, to become a temple of God’s presence. What does this mean for our lives?