Mark 13:12

Mar_13:12

Now the brother shall betray the brother to death.

Christianity causing division

As Christianity gives birth to and cherishes the most perfect love, so it calls forth the most bitter hatred. It calls forth a love which is above nature, because it makes men love their enemies. Contrariwise it calls forth a hatred which is unnatural, for it made, and yet makes, men hate and betray, and, if they can, destroy their own flesh and blood. Thus we read that the Emperor Domitian, in his hatred of the Christian name, slew Flavius Clemens and his niece, or near relation Flavia Domitilla; the Emperor Maximin martyred Artemis, his own sister; and Diocletian slew his own wife, and other relatives. St. Barbara also was killed by her own father; and if we had a full martyrology of obscure Christians, we should find multitudes of others similarly betrayed by their own flesh and blood. We are told by Indian missionaries, that as soon as converts are baptized, they become objects of hatred to their nearest relatives; even their wives often desert them. Now, if this be so in a country where Christianity is the religion of the rulers, what would it be if heathenism were unchecked in its power of persecution? (M. F. Sadler, M. A.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Mar 13:12-13. The brother shall betray the brother to death — The unbelieving Jews and heathen shall discover, betray, and deliver to be imprisoned, tortured, and put to death, their believing relatives, even their brethren, fathers, or children. With respect to the Jews in particular, their known zeal and cruelty render it abundantly credible that, in the persecution of the Christians, the bigots to the law of Moses, overlooking the ties of nature, would be instrumental in putting their own relations to death, who followed the standard of Christ. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake — That the disciples of Christ were hated of all men in the first ages of Christianity, is well known. Their opposition to idolatry was the cause of the ill-will which the heathen bore toward them; their preaching that the law of Moses was abrogated, enraged the Jews: and in this temper both Jews and heathen continued during the first three centuries, till Constantine, declaring himself a Christian, put an end to the cruelties that had been so long exercised upon the disciples of Christ. “That not only the apostles,” says Dr. Doddridge, “but all the primitive Christians, were in general more hated and persecuted than any other religious sect of men, is most notorious to all who are at all acquainted with ecclesiastical history: a fact which might seem unaccountable, when we consider how inoffensive and benevolent their temper and conduct was, and how friendly an aspect their tenets had on the security of any government under which they lived. The true reason of this opposition was, that while the different pagan religions, like the confederated demons honoured by them, sociably agreed with each other, the gospel taught Christians, not only, like Jews, to bear their testimony to the falsehood of them all; but also with the most fervent zeal to urge the renunciation of them, as a point of absolute necessity, requiring all men, on the most tremendous penalties, to believe on Christ, and in all things to submit themselves to his authority: a demand which bore so hard, especially on the pride and licentiousness of their princes, and the secular interests of their priests, that it is no wonder they raised so violent a storm against it; which, considering the character and prejudices of the populace, it must be very easy to do.” But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved — He who is neither made to apostatize by the persecutions I have described, nor led astray by the seduction of unbelieving Jews or false Christians, shall escape out of the destruction that is about to fall on this land; and, persevering in faith and piety to the end of his life, shall be saved eternally.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

13:12-13 There would be no single group, not even their own families, to whom persecuted Christians could automatically flee or turn for help (see Matt 10:35-36; Luke 12:53). They would be universally hated because of their allegiance to Jesus (because you are my followers). Those who remain faithful to death (to the end) will be saved from eternal punishment (see also Mark 8:35; Rev 2:7, 10, 17, 26-28; 3:5, 12, 21).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

(12) Now the brother.—Literally, and the brother.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And ye shall be hated of all men,.... Not only of your friends and relations of your countrymen the Jews; but of all men, the generality of men, in, all nations of the world, wherever they came:

for my name's sake; for the sake of Christ and his Gospel, they professed and preached:

but he that shall endure; reproaches, afflictions, and persecutions, patiently; or persevere in the faith of Christ, in the profession of his name, and in preaching his Gospel:

to the end; of such troubles, and of life:

the same shall be saved; if not with a temporal, yet with an everlasting salvation; See Gill on Mat 10:22, Mat 24:13.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

12 Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death.

Ver. 12. See Mat 10:21.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The brother shall betray ... - The brother shall give up in a treacherous manner his brother to be put to death, on account of his attachment to Jesus. Through fear, or from the hope of reward and from the hatred of the gospel, he will overcome all the natural ties of brotherhood. and give up his own kindred to be burnt or crucified. Perhaps nothing could more clearly show the dreadful evil of those times, as well as the natural opposition of the heart to the religion of Christ.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

This is but an amplification of the fifth sign, given us Mar 13:9, viz. a furious persecution, eminently made good in the Jewish persecution before the destruction of Jerusalem; in the pagan persecution, for three hundred years after Christ; and in the popish persecutions at this day.

See Poole on "Mat 24:9-10".

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Our Lord further warns his disciples that they would have to suffer persecution even from their own relations, their brethren, and their fathers, who, forgetful of natural affection, would persecute the faithful even unto death. It is related of Woodman, a martyr in Sussex, in Queen Mary"s time, that he was betrayed and taken by his father and his brother, and that he comforted himself with the thought that this very text of Scripture was verified in him. Bede says that our Lord predicted these evils, in order that his disciples, by a knowledge of them beforehand, might be the better able to bear them when they came.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Dissension within families:

v. 12. Now the brother shall betray the brother to death and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death.

v. 13. And ye shall be hated of all men for My name’s sake. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

There is no hatred so unrelenting and implacable as that caused by enmity against Christ. It destroys the firmest friendships, it severs the ties of the closest blood-relationship. Brothers, fathers, children will not only stand by unmoved and see their nearest of kin suffer for the sake of their religious, Christian conviction, but they will become inhuman enough to cause these sufferings, to deliver them into the hands of the authorities and cause them to be put to death. History has scores of examples, from the time of the apostles down through the time of the Inquisition, to the present day. It is an ineradicable characteristic of the world and its children that they hate the truth of the Gospel, even at such times when they speak of toleration and of the value of the Christian spirit for the community. But mark two factors that make such persecutions not only endurable, but under circumstances welcome: They come upon the believers for the sake of the Lord’s name, and it is an honor to suffer for Him, on His account; they have a glorious promise: He that endures, patiently suffers, to the end, the same shall be saved. A reward of mercy will come upon him from the boundless treasure of his Lord, salvation will be given him with endless rejoicing in heaven.

Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

12. καὶ παραδώσει ([2926][2927][2928][2929][2930]) rather than παρ. δέ ([2931][2932][2933][2934][2935][2936]).

[2926] Codex Sinaiticus. 4th cent. Discovered by Tischendorf in 1859 at the Monastery of St Katharine on Mount Sinai. Now at St Petersburg. The whole Gospel, ending at Mar 16:8. Photographic facsimile, 1911.

[2927] Codex Vaticanus. 4th cent., but perhaps a little later than א. In the Vatican Library almost since its foundation by Pope Nicolas V., and one of its greatest treasures. The whole Gospel, ending at Mar 16:8. Photographic facsimile, 1889.

[2928] Codex Bezae. 6th cent. Has a Latin translation (d) side by side with the Greek text, and the two do not quite always agree. Presented by Beza to the University Library of Cambridge in 1581. Remarkable for its frequent divergences from other texts. Contains Mark, except Mar 16:15-20, which has been added by a later hand. Photographic facsimile, 1899.

[2929] Codex Regius. 8th cent. An important witness. At Paris. Contains Mar 1:1 to Mar 10:15; Mar 10:30 to Mar 15:1; Mar 15:20 to Mar 16:20, but the shorter ending is inserted between Mar 16:8 and Mar 16:9, showing that the scribe preferred it to the longer one.

[2930] Codex Athous Laurae. 8th cent. Like N and Σ, it is written in silver letters on purple vellum. Contains Mar 9:5 to Mar 16:20, and, as in L, the shorter ending is inserted between Mar 16:8 and Mar 16:9. As in Δ, the text of Mark is specially good.

[2931] Codex Alexandrinus. 5th cent. Brought by Cyril Lucar, Patriarch of Constantinople, from Alexandria, and afterwards presented by him to King Charles I. in 1628. In the British Museum. The whole Gospel. Photographic facsimile, 1879.

[2932] Codex Bezae. 6th cent. Has a Latin translation (d) side by side with the Greek text, and the two do not quite always agree. Presented by Beza to the University Library of Cambridge in 1581. Remarkable for its frequent divergences from other texts. Contains Mark, except Mar 16:15-20, which has been added by a later hand. Photographic facsimile, 1899.

[2933] Codex Monacensis. 10th cent. Contains Mar 6:47 to Mar 16:20. Many verses in 14, 15, 16 are defective.

[2934] Codex Oxoniensis. 9th cent. Contains Mark, except Mar 3:35 to Mar 6:20.

[2935] Codex Sangallensis. 9th or 10th cent. Contains the Gospels nearly complete, with an interlinear Latin translation. The text of Mark is specially good, agreeing often with CL. At St Gall.

[2936] Codex Petropolitanus. 9th cent. Gospels almost complete. Mar 16:18-20 is in a later hand.

12. παραδώσει ἀδελφός. In Mar 13:9, παραδώσουσιν is impersonal. Here we are told who they are that will do this thing—“they of a man’s own household” (Mat 10:36); nec ullus est inter eos fidus affectus, quorum diversa fides est (Bede). This deadly division in families is predicted Mic 7:1-6; cf. Eze 22:7; Eze 38:21. It was regarded as a special feature in the Woes of the Messiah; 2Es 6:24; 2Es 13:30-32. Cf. Enoch c. 1; “Brothers will fall in death one with another, until it streams with their blood like a river.”

ἐπαναστήσονται. The verb implies rebellion against authority (Jdg 9:18; 2Sa 22:40; etc.). Note the plur. verbs, marking the numerous separate instances of such conduct.

θανατώσουσιν. All three have this verb, which in class. Grk is used of executions. In Enoch c. 2 it is the fathers who put the sons to death.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

12.] = καὶ ἀλλήλους παραδώσουσιν καὶ μισήσουσιν ἀλλήλους Matt.

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

12. καὶ παραδώσει ἀδελφὸς ἀδελφὸν εἰς θάνατον—And brother will deliver up brother to death.

καὶ παραδώσει, instead of παραδώσει δὲ, א BDL mss. Lat. Vet. Egyptt.

They will be subject not only to governmental opposition, but to private persecution, and this will extend even to members of their own families, so bitter will be the hostility awakened against them.

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.