As we continue to walk through this perplexing chapter in Mark 13, we have noted that the perplexity comes because of the many difficult passages to understand in this chapter, ‘these things,’ ‘those days,’ ‘tribulation,’ ‘abomination of desolation,’ or ‘let the reader understand.’ We have again another difficult phrase today, ‘this generation.’ However, before we get to the difficult phrase, we need to remember what question Jesus is asking in Mark 13. Many people come to Mark 13 and try

As we continue to look at the most perplexing passages in scripture, we come to another perplexing passage. Before we look at this passage, we need to be reminded of what has gone before. Mainly Jesus’ disciples' questions are found in verse 4, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are about to be accomplished?” Two questions relating to ‘these things’ which is a reference to verse two when Jesus

We are looking at Mark chapter 13, which we have explained is a perplexing passage. Last time we looked at the opening verses which helped explain the context of the disciples’ questions asked in verse four. But also, the placement in the Gospel of Mark. That central to this chapter is the Temple, mainly Jesus’ judgement, found in verse two, “Do you see these great buildings? There will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be

Perplexing passages can be found throughout the Bible. Passages that have created differences in opinions throughout the church’s history. To find someone who has a new interpretation of a passage is nothing new. Any time spent on the internet would give you a plethora of perplexing passages. When I speak of perplexing passages, I speak of those that we would understand the passage differently but still fall within the same camp. These perplexing passages create a different understanding of what

Here comes the third and final question asked by those seeking to have Jesus stumble over his words. As the water begins to increase, the bubbles form on the bottom of the pot; the conflict continues to grow, with no sign of it stopping. Eventually, this conflict would bubble over. The Pharisees came to Jesus and asked about taxes, the Sadducees came to Jesus and asked about marriage in heaven, and now it is the Scribes who come and ask

When boiling water for cooking, you can see the temperature increase as small air pockets form on the bottom of the pot, and as they begin to increase, you know the temperature of the water is rising. Eventually, the water starts to bubble and move rapidly; steam begins to rise from the pot. Jesus had dealt with conflict throughout his ministry; on these occasions, they would seem as if the bubbles were forming on the bottom of the pot, then

A 1997 Peanuts comic strip of the beloved Snoopy begins in the first frame with Snoopy sitting at his typewriter on top of his kennel. "Dear IRS," Snoopy starts to write, "I am writing to you to cancel my subscription. Please remove my name from your mailing list." Taxes are never a fun topic; I have never met an excited person about paying taxes. Without getting into a whole different topic, I will do what I always do, work our