Jesus has just left the Temple. It was a dramatic moment. He lamented the Pharisees and their blind hypocrisy. His heart aches that those in authority to teach, are leading others astray, not seeing what is right before their eyes.
It is curious to me that, given Jesus’ interactions within the Temple, that the disciples draw his attention to it.
Jesus uses their being impressed with Temple as a stepping off point—to speak about the end of the world!
He has not spoken about this before. He gives them some clues about what it will all look like.
He makes two points. The first, the obvious, that this world has an end. There was a beginning to this world, and it has an end.
Then there is the second.
Beyond the truth that there is an “end of the world”, and beyond some scant images—he tells them what is going to happen to them.
He tells them:
9 “Then they will deliver you up to oppression and will kill you. You will be hated by all of the nations for my name’s sake. 10 Then many will stumble, and will deliver up one another, and will hate one another.
I find it interesting, or perhaps troubling, that most Christians I come into contact with (and if I am honest, this includes me) when the conversation turns to the end of the world focus more on “when”, then “are we ready?”
Am I ready?