Jesus Said To "Watch"---Watch for What?
 

Reading Mark 13 the other day, Jesus told us to "keep watch" because we do not know when the owner of the house will come back. He says "if he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping." Then he says, "what I say to you I say to everyone, 'Watch!'"

What do you think Jesus is admonishing us to watch for---what would constitute someone sleeping? I'm interested in hearing your opinions.

Re: Jesus Said To "Watch"---Watch for What?
 

It means to be ready when He comes back for his Bride or Church. He wants His Church to be repented when he comes back. The word sleep could and probably refers to someone being cold or unrepented. He said also to pray that your flight not be in the winter. In other words be doing everything you know to do is pleasing in God's eyes and don't be like the slothful servant that says the Lord delayeth His coming but have a spirit that says the Lord could come like a thief in the night in an hour that we think not.

Re: Jesus Said To "Watch"---Watch for What?
 

Destruction of the Temple Predicted

i think Christ is telling us to watch out for people who make doctrines out of clear, topical warnings, such as this one specifically to the people of Judea, who would not all pass away before the Temple was destroyed.

Here's my take.

It's a watch for sudden destruction. The house was broken up in the parable at a time when the owner did not think. It's like the same stress put on unexpected and sudden destruction in Noah's story, where the people married and carried on in life and did not know until the flood took them away. It's like Lot's day when it rained fire and brimstone upon the people when they never expected it.

It's not the second coming, since the resurrection has no sudden destruction associated with it, and it was spoken to those standing and listening to Jesus in that day 2000 years ago and was talking about the destruction of Jerusalem.

The christians heeded that warning and history shows not one christian perished in the siege and destruction, since they fled to Pella in safety after Jesus warned them to flee when they see Jerusalem surrounded by armies and the abomination of desolation take place.

Re: Jesus Said To "Watch"---Watch for What?
 

He also said this in the same context and speaking...... Mat 24:16 Then let them which be in Judea flee into the mountains:

When is the last time you lived in Judea?

Not for me.... except in application, not interpretation. This has already happened.

Re: Jesus Said To "Watch"---Watch for What?
 

Hehehehehehehehe

Exactly.

Re: Jesus Said To "Watch"---Watch for What?
 

cool, never heard that one. it even has a wiki
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flight_to_Pella

Re: Jesus Said To "Watch"---Watch for What?
 

Re: Jesus Said To "Watch"---Watch for What?
 

:lol
ok i didn't mean to imply that there weren't lessons relevant to today in the passage, too, but “Watch out that no one deceives you."

Re: Jesus Said To "Watch"---Watch for What?
 

Be on your guard. Be alert to the trickery of our enemy...the principalities and powers of darkness.

Someone who is sleeping is someone who is not spiritually awake to the spiritual warfare going on around them. They have been lulled into spiritual sleep and are caught up in the affairs of this life. They aren't watching and waiting attentively for Jesus to come back.

Re: Jesus Said To "Watch"---Watch for What?
 

ya, that does seem to be the only part that preterists have not covered too well

26Then they will see the •Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. 27He will send out the angels and gather His elect from the four winds, from the end of the earth to the end of the sky.

Re: Jesus Said To "Watch"---Watch for What?
 

Did Jesus come back at the destruction of the Temple? And how does this passage jibe with "all scripture is profitable". How does this passage apply to us today if it was for a specific moment that has passed?

Re: Jesus Said To "Watch"---Watch for What?
 

It fits passages about Judea, but passages like this? Yeah it is found wanting...

Re: Jesus Said To "Watch"---Watch for What?
 

I am thinking He would be admonishing us to watch for the signs of His return. "Sleeping" would be the state of the Christian overcome with the cares of this life-- so much so that the Christian is unaware of the nearness of Christ's return.

Re: Jesus Said To "Watch"---Watch for What?
 

I agree. Jesus and the prophets gave us plenty of signs to look for. He said we were to "look" for His coming. He said "when you SEE the fig tree produce its leaves you know the time of figs is near." There are things we can see and know His coming is near.

Re: Jesus Said To "Watch"---Watch for What?
 

One of my former Pastors twice said that all of the major prophecies have been fulfilled that need to be fulfilled before the coming of Christ.

Re: Jesus Said To "Watch"---Watch for What?
 

I don't know which ones he considers the "major prophecies" but I would dispute that claim. Certainly Israel reemerging as a modern nation is the most important prophecy fulfillment in modern times. To think that they had no hope of having a national identity for nearly 2,000 years and then almost overnight became a nation again, not to mention the fact that they have defeated their enemies since becoming a nation again and again, against insurmountable odds, is nothing less than divine intervention.

Re: Jesus Said To "Watch"---Watch for What?
 

He said it, not me. :)

I used to think that every human being having to hear the Gospel was something that had to occur before the return of Christ-- but I have realized that it is impossible for every human to hear the Gospel before the return of Christ.

Re: Jesus Said To "Watch"---Watch for What?
 

Even with god?

Re: Jesus Said To "Watch"---Watch for What?
 

Preterism for the win!

Re: Jesus Said To "Watch"---Watch for What?
 

:lol
i think both theories have some deficiencies.

Re: Jesus Said To "Watch"---Watch for What?
 

He's probably telling his disciples quit spending so much time on social media/forums.

Thankfully, we have something called preterism. :)

Re: Jesus Said To "Watch"---Watch for What?
 

The Greek actually reads the LAND, talking about Israel. And gathering is speaking about the four winds, which are the four horsemen if you read Zech 6 and Rev 6. Gathered from the destruction. It contrasts their gathering as a hen gathers her chicks, but they refused. SO, instead the elect are gathered.

Re: Jesus Said To "Watch"---Watch for What?
 

Yes, but which coming?

The second coming is not mentioned anywhere in the gospels except John 5. But we do read of His coming to the husbandmen who refused to give Him the fruits of the vineyard.

Matthew 21:40-41 KJV When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen? (41) They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons.

The we have this: A coming in the lifetimes of the people hearing Him.

Matthew 16:28 KJV Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.

And this...

Matthew 10:23 KJV But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.

That is the only coming in Matt that we read about before chapter 24 when the disciples ask about His coming.

How does the scriptures of the problems Paul dealt with in Corinthians apply to us today? EXAMPLES. LESSONS.

We learn to always serve the Lord and walk after Him, for judgment comes to those who don't.

Re: Jesus Said To "Watch"---Watch for What?
 

The fig tree blossoming is a symbol of all the events happening that Jesus listed, IN ONE GENERATION. It's not Israel nor is it Israel becoming a nation. It is all THESE THINGS Jesus listed including the temple destruction. So, if the temple was destroyed in AD70, the generation alive then is the generation, as well as all the other events happening in that same time period.

Matthew 24:32-33 KJV Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: (33) So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.

Re: Jesus Said To "Watch"---Watch for What?
 

well, that deals with v 27, but not v 26? We have no preterist account for "then they will see..." or "He will return the same way He left" Acts 1:11 iow--even though the Canon was still open in 70 AD? Or rather we do, but it seems contrary to Acts 1:11, wherein any person would read "Christ will physically descend, just like He rose."

and i think DB was just directing us back to the spiritual nature of the passage, as i had intimated that it had no application to the present day.

Re: Jesus Said To "Watch"---Watch for What?
 

The second coming takes place as they saw Him go. That is not the coming of Matt 24. Like Adam Clarke said:

If they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert - Is it not worthy of remark that our Lord not only foretold the appearance of these impostors, but also the manner and circumstances of their conduct? Some he mentions as appearing in the desert. Josephus says, Ant. b. xx. c. 7, and War, book ii. c. 13: That many impostors and cheats persuaded the people to follow them to the desert, promising to show them signs and wonders done by the providence of God, is well attested. An Egyptian false prophet, mentioned by Josephus, Ant. b. xx. c. 7, and in the Acts, Act_21:38, led out into the Desert four thousand men, who were murderers, but these were all taken or destroyed by Felix. Another promised salvation to the people, if they would follow him to the Desert, and he was destroyed by Festus, Ant. b. xx. c. 7. Also, one Jonathan, a weaver, persuaded a number to follow him to the Desert, but he was taken and burnt alive by Vespasian. See War, b. vii. c. 11.
As some conducted their deluded followers to the Desert, so did others to the secret chambers. Josephus mentions a false prophet, War, b. vi. c. 5, who declared to the people in the city, that God commanded them to go up into the temple, and there they should receive the signs of deliverance. A multitude of men, women, and children, went up accordingly; but, instead of deliverance, the place was set on fire by the Romans, and 6,000 perished miserably in the flames, or in attempting to escape them.


For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west - It is worthy of remark that our Lord, in the most particular manner, points out the very march of the Roman army: they entered into Judea on the East, and carried on their conquest Westward, as if not only the extensiveness of the ruin, but the very route which the army would take, were intended in the comparison of the lightning issuing from the east, and shining to the west.

Clarke laid the whole chapter out quite wonderfully.

God used heathen armies to mete out his wrath.

Isaiah 10:5-6 KJV O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation. (6) I will send him against an hypocritical nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets.

Re: Jesus Said To "Watch"---Watch for What?
 

Not trying to nitpick, but why do preterists always use historicist commentators instead of preterist commentators? Just wondering.

:)

Re: Jesus Said To "Watch"---Watch for What?
 

well, i've read the preterist commentary, and it does not seem to fit too well either imo.

Re: Jesus Said To "Watch"---Watch for What?
 

unless Jesus is talking about the generation of the church. Psalm 22:30

Re: Jesus Said To "Watch"---Watch for What?
 

by doing that they miss the near and far double interpretation of prophecy in the Bible.

Re: Jesus Said To "Watch"---Watch for What?
 

There ca be no double fulfillment for things like tribulation such as never was nor ever shall be. If it happened once with a second fulfillment, then the second cannot be greater than it ever was. If it is fulfilled once, and a second time, then the first is not greater than what shall be.

Re: Jesus Said To "Watch"---Watch for What?
 

He limited the generation to that which hear Him speak. He looked in their eyes and told them, "this generation." It's like Peter on the day of Pentecost saying Joel's prophecy was fulfilled in that day by saying, "This (what happened on the day of Pentecost) is that (what Joel foretold)."

Re: Jesus Said To "Watch"---Watch for What?
 

To each his own.

Re: Jesus Said To "Watch"---Watch for What?
 

It matters not who writes truth. Truth is truth. That does not validate everything else a person believes, though. But not sure why anyone would even ask this. :)

Re: Jesus Said To "Watch"---Watch for What?
 

Double fulfillment?

Beatings in the synagogue...when?

Mark 13:9 was fulfilled in Acts 22:19?

Re: Jesus Said To "Watch"---Watch for What?
 

Maybe they were really closet Preterists??? :lol

I know a lot of them ;)

Re: Jesus Said To "Watch"---Watch for What?
 

i don't know, you gotta admit, reading the chapter, it starts out that way, but ends up talking about something more timeless, as Miz alludes to.

Re: Jesus Said To "Watch"---Watch for What?
 

well, it seems like you attempted a reply to "the same way you saw Him leave is the way you will see Him return," but i would have to ask you to restate it, perhaps more succinctly, as i didn't get it. And just for the record, i am prolly some kind of preterist; i just feel compelled therein to examine the...futurist? pov.