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"Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender, and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see these things happening, know that it is near -- at the doors! Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.
"But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is. It is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch. Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming -- in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning -- lest, coming suddenly , he find you sleeping. And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!"
- Mark 13:28-37
In recent readings, Jesus has been teaching on two themes which are mingled: the destruction of the temple and the end of the age. In yesterday's reading, He taught His disciples, "So when you see the 'abomination of desolation,' spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not " (let the reader understand), "then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let him who is on the housetop not go down into the house, nor enter to take anything out of his house. And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! And pray that your flight may not be in winter. For in those days there will be tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the creation which God created until this time, nor ever shall be. And unless the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh would be saved, but for the elect's sake, whom He chose, He shortened the days. Then if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or, 'Look, He is there!' do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will rise and show signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. But take heed; see, I have told you all things beforehand. But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars of heaven will fall, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. And then He will send His angels and gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest part of earth to the farthest part of heaven."
"Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender, and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see these things happening, know that it is near -- at the doors! Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away." My study bible says, "The parable from the fig tree warns us to be watchful and ready for the events of the final days. Each generation since Pentecost has looked for the Second Coming of Christ, and that is proper. Jesus' teaching is that we will know the end is near when we see these things taking place." As we said in yesterday's reading, Jesus' warnings were also explicit about what was to come in Jerusalem, within a generation. The early Church heeded the warning and escaped.
"But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father." My study bible tells us: "Since of that day and hour no one knows, believers should always be ready in watchfulness and prayer. Many Church Fathers consider that nor the Son speaks of Christ's having limited knowledge in His humanity. This shows the depth of Christ's condescension, because in His divine nature He is omniscient as the Father. Other Church Fathers do not accept any limitation of knowledge in Christ, and interpret this as His deliberate accommodation to the disciples' weakness. Exact knowledge of the Second Coming could lead otherwise serious believers to moral carelessness, inactive faith, and lack of daily perseverance." Jesus presents this as a great mystery we cannot possibly know, and so the focus is on watchfulness and preparation.
"Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is." A note here tells us: "To propose schemes of how and when He will come will not prepare anyone for the coming of Christ. But to take heed, watch and pray does prepare us."
"It is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch. Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming -- in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning -- lest, coming suddenly , he find you sleeping. And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!" Several of Jesus' important parables speak of God as a man, a landowner or lord, who is far away from home and property. The question is, What do the servants do when he's away? Here the instruction is clear, they are to Watch! and not be found sleeping.
Jesus tells us several times in these verses to "Watch!" But the Greek word for watch has several implications. It literally means to stay awake, so, in the first place, we have a contrast set up here between those who walk through life in some way asleep, and those who are awake. It implies an awareness of something, and watchfulness comes into play as a quality that is positive in a Christian life. We are to be alert. Another meaning derived from this word is to be quick or fast. Again, it implies something more than not sleeping, but an alacrity, a brisk readiness -- something a truly good servant possesses. Not only are we to be ready for the master, but the emphasis on watchfulness and wakefulness implies much more: that we know what we are about, we are aware of ourselves and what we are doing, and that we are also aware of things that others don't bother to think about. The contrast between watchfulness or wakefulness and being asleep is one that has figured throughout Church history as a metaphor for those who are aware of the possibly imminent return of their Master, and those who haven't got a clue. It contrasts the good disciples or good servants with those who've forgotten what they're supposed to be about, or those who've grown complacent or lazy -- or worse, have tricked themselves into thinking the Master isn't coming after all. Whatever way we want to look at it, "Watch and pray!" are to be the bywords of this time in which we live now, as we await the Second Coming of the Master. It's important that we be the "rational sheep" as the Orthodox put it. That is, we're not blind, we're wide awake and alert. We seek to be thoroughly aware of something, on the lookout for it. Unlike the unjust servant (in parables found in Matthew and Luke) who falls into disreputable and bad behavior, beating his fellow servants, we're to be faithful: caring and righteous. So watchfulness also means acting at all times as if He may return at any moment, within the beat of our hearts, and following His commandments -- especially those two great commandments that teach us love of God and love of neighbor. This is what it means to be awake and watchful and prepared at any moment for the Master's return. It's not a matter of counting up our good deeds as if we can put them all in a little pile and present them when He comes. As in the parable of the Talents, we're to keep working at this, and to keep increasing as best we can. Watchfulness implies a constant sort of action, an unceasing awareness and effort. As the American saying (from baseball) goes, "It ain't over 'til it's over" -- we're not done until He says we're done. And we absolutely never know when that will be. This much He has guaranteed and emphasized, in perhaps one of the greatest paradoxes in our faith which is filled with paradox. We know for a certainty that "heaven and earth will pass away," but His words will not pass away: the time will come, but we will have no idea when that will happen. So watch! Watch and pray! These are His words to us, the way we prepare for His return. And we are to be constantly prepared.
