Mark Series, pt. 43
Olivet Discourse 2 - The Abomination of Desolation (13:14-23)
[READ]: It all once; then this pericope's part again - ESV, NET; KJV.
This is a single & unbroken dialogue by Jesus, and should be treated as such; however, it's broken up in to a "trilogy" because trying to have it as one part would be a 4h discussion..
Paralleled: Matthew, sorta Luke
Mark & Matthew are extremely similar
v15: Matthew directly calls out Daniel, and "the holy place."
v20: Matthew "prays" it not happen not in the winter nor also on the sabbath.
Luke is pretty different
Seems to imply the "Desolation" is by earthly armies, but no phrase of "Abomination of Desolation."
"Fleeing" is similar but shortened.
Adds v22; and v24: quite direct & precise.
Has been seen as Destruction of Jerusalem/Temple, and this theme is echoed in Mark later: 14:58, 15:29 & 39 -> condemnation of Jesus by Jews = judgment of Jerusalem/destruction of Temple.
v14a: The Abomination of Desolation
Literally: The Cursed Devastation.
One of the most contemptuous passages in all of the Gospels! Called "cryptic and difficult" and vastly "disputed."
An idol of some kind that leads to destruction (of the Temple(?)), spiritual and physical!
Daniel: an Abomination that Desolates
Matthew (v15) makes it clear that is a direct reference to Daniel 9:27 (and Dn. 11:31, 12:11; and sorta 8:13).
Based on the translations, the AD is mostly about idol worship in the Temple, but the central passage to Mark seems to be a person who defiles and/or destroys the Temple.
8:13 is an act, probably the setting up of idol(s): "the transgression/rebellion that makes desolate"
9:27 is probably a person
11:31 is probably an idol
12:11 is probably an idol
Interpretations
Vocab
Preterist view: already fulfilled (seems so with Luke parallel)
via Antiochus IV: in 168/7 BCE under the Seleucid king with small statue of Zeus placed on the Alter of Burnt Offering and sacrificed a pig (1 Mac. 1:54; 2 Mac. 6:5). The phrases here and in Maccabees clearly refer to this ruler.
via Titus: in 70 CE under the Romans general; as well as the Zealots also desecrating the Temple (Jewish War 4.3.6-10 & 4.5.4).
We know from Josephus that Titus wanted to actually save the Temple - because it was so magnificent, and make the grounds a pantheon of idol while the Temple would've been rededicated to the Imperial Cult. However, during the siege of the Temple compound, fire spread and ruining it's beauty; Roman soldier did set up their own Imperial standards within the grounds and then made their own sacrifices, but not within the Temple itself (Jewish War 6.6.1). Because the Temple was marred, Titus ordered its complete demolition and leveled the the rest of city - except for the foundation of the City's walls and the supporting walls of the Temple because they were too entrenched. Josephus thought that while Daniel 9 was about Antiochus, he still believed Dn. 9 could be applied to Jerusalem's sack and the obliteration of the Temple (Antiquities 10.11.7 & 12.7.6; Daniel Hamstra).
Futurist view: refers specifically to Antichrist - often citing 2 Th. 2:3-4 as a related passage, and will not be fully realized until the period of the great tribulation at the end of the age (Mk. 13:19 & 24, Mt. 24:21, Rv. 13:14-15). The Luke parallel is just about Jerusalem, while Mark & Matthew is about the future.
This CAN be seen as working "with" the Preterist view, since the words of Jesus seem to indicate that Antiochus nor Titus was not the final fulfillment, but that there was - at least from Jesus’ perspective, still (an)other fulfillment(s) yet to come that God would flee (Ez. 7:14-23).
Some interpretations of the Futurist view includes the Antichrist being worshiped at a third Temple, which is mentioned in Rv. 11. However, Rv. 11 is probably being a prophetic parable - given the use of naon there means only the Holy of Holies; thus, coupled with Rv. 21:22, seems to nullify a third Temple.
Some Christian interpretations
Ancient (AFSB)
Hippolytus: Antiochus as an antichrist -> the Antichrist
Titus or the Antichrist
Study Bibles
ESV: Probably Antiochus, or the Antichrist
NBC: Probably Titus, or possibly the Antichrist.
NIV: Probably a reference to Antiochus; but possibly Titus, or even the Antichrist.
Quick Study
Jewish
Rashi: Titus allowing pagan worship within the Temple grounds.
JSB: Antiochus.
Alter: Antiochus (8:13, 11:31).
Jews for Judaism: Titus, who sent Jews into diaspora for 2,000y.
Secular
NOAB: Antiochus.
OBC: Antiochus.
Where Mark's Abomination Desolates
"'standing where he[or "it"] ought not be' (let the reader understand)": an idolatrous person destroying the Temple
The grammatical form the participle ἑστηκότα can also be neuter plural - "where things ought not be"; however, this is sometimes interpreted as referring to various abominations or atrocities committed during the intertestamental period, or to a statue set up in the temple, or to an altar constructed on top of the altar of burnt offering for the purpose of pagan sacrifices. Each of these views is not without difficulties.
Confining the issue merely to the grammatical problem, the interpreter is forced to choose between a discrepancy in grammatical gender (the participle ἑστηκότα is masculine singular but the word it modifies, βδέλυγμα, is neuter singular) or a discrepancy in number (the participle ἑστηκότα is neuter plural but the word it modifies, βδέλυγμα, is neuter singular.
Given that the issue is one of grammatical gender, however, it is still possible for the neuter head noun (βδέλυγμα) to refer to a masculine individual rather than a set of circumstances or a thing.
The present translation uses “he," since the participle ἑστηκότα is a masculine singular modifying a neuter noun; generally understand it to refer to the individual known as the Antichrist; at the very least, it would be an idol of man/masculine "thing."
For the translations using “it” for the pronoun (CSB, KJV, NASB, NET, NIV, NRSV, RSVCE, TLV) - "standing where it ought not be," allows for a degree of ambiguity to remain for the English reader.
Matthew (v15) makes it clear where this person - or idol, ought not be: "'the holy place' (let the reader understand)" -> place where just the Jewish priests could go - so inside the Temple building itself, either outside the Veil or inside the Holy of Holies.
The parenthetical "let the reader understand" could be referring to eschatological mystery also found in Daniel (1:17, 2:21-23, 9:25).
v14b-22: Flee!
Fleeing - many times to mountains, is an OT image of escaping judgment (Gn. 19:17, Jd. 6:2, Is. 15:5, Jr. 16:16, Zc. 14:5), as well as echoing other prophetic verses about the Spirit fleeing the Temple (Ez. 7:14-23, 10:18-19, 11:23). This is especially worrying since Jerusalem was often spoken of as a place of refuge (Is. 16:3, Jr. 4:6, Zc. 2:11).
Flight, however, is useless in the Apocalypse happens (Rv. 6:15-17)
According to Eusebius, Christians fled Jerusalem for Pella when they heard a revelation (Church History 3.5.3), which Josephus somewhat endorses (Jewish War 2.10.1)
Pella is ~50mi north, at the foothills of the Transjordan mountains near the southern end of the Sea of Galilee; this isn't much of a "mountain" though, since it's located in the Jordan Valley - exactly at sea level (~2,400ft below Jerusalem).
Plus, the "revelation" doesn't sound like he's referring scripture, since it refers to just a few select men in the Jerusalem church.
v15-18: Urgency
Underscores the need for rapid flight; recalls the quickness of Passover and of the aged priest Mattathias (1 Mc. 2:28).
v15: the flat roofs were used as midday prayer and were usually accessed by outside ladder/stairs; Jesus is saying to not take anything - even in the heat, but run fast!
v16: similar to v15, if you already have a head-start, don't turn back to waste it - even for a necessary travel item!
v17: representative for anyone forced to flee under difficult circumstances; birth pangs imagery again
"in those days" in repeated in v19 - and referenced in v20 twice; mentioned again in v24.
This is a stereotypical OT expression that has gained eschatological associations (Jr. 3:16-18 & 33:15, Jl. 2:28 & 3:1, Zc. 8:23, Hb. 9:25).
Never any (immediate) time-frame attached to it.
v18: hope it won't be in the absolute worst conditions (it wasn't! Apr - Sept); Winter was cool - with it being rainy, obviously hard conditions to travel in!
v19-22: Reasons
v19-20: catastrophe without precedent is imminent!
Classic use of Semitic hyperbole (Mi. 1:2, Is. 13:6-10, Jr. 30:7, Jl. 2:2; Baruch 2:2, 1 Mac. 9:27, Assumption of Moses 8:1; Josephus Jewish War 5.10.3-5 & 6.3.3-5; DSS 1QM 1.11-12).
v19 virtual identical to LXX of Dn. 12:1b-c, but replacing "until that day" with "until now."
The reference to the scope and severity of this judgment strongly suggest that much more is in view. Most likely Jesus is referring to the great end-time judgment on Jerusalem in the great tribulation.
Gregory the Great says, "Let us keep in mind that these present afflictions are as far below the last tribulations..." (On the Gospel Homily 1).
v20: God restrains His own actions; for if He doesn't, no one would be left. He restrains His judgment because for the salvation of His chosen.
Possibly the "restraint" is Christ returning with salvation of believers.
The Greek term used here for suffering here has cosmic implications, hence the classical use of "tribulations."
v21-22: Anti-Christs
Possibly a doublet of v5-6, though context is much different: don't be deterred from flight - even with signs and wonders (Dt. 13:4-14. Josephus mentions sign performers Antiquities 20.97, 168-170)! Especially by people claiming to be the Messiah, for He is not back yet!
Do not be delayed, fleeing is the imperative!
v23: Closing Reminder
Again, another refrain for the Church to "watch out" (v5 & 9) because "these things" (v4) will happen without Jesus immediately coming.
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