Mark 13:26

Mar_13:26

The Son of Man coming in the clouds.

Christs second advent

It has been as much a hope as a fear in all religions of men that there would be a verdict which would on the one hand bring forth mens righteousness as the light, and on the other change their pride in sin to shame. For a new start the great thing to be longed for is that all men and things might find their proper level; the evil, its rebuke and penalty; the good, its crown and its reward. Therefore there will be a judgment, and Christ will be the Judge. Through Him the worlds were made; through Him salvation wrought; and through Him judgment will be executed. We think too little of that day whose glory pales the sun, and of the fact that many things, now seeming great, will then seem trifling and contemptible, and much obscure faithfulness will be lifted into light and glory. The uses we should make of this truth are various.

1. It should quicken our sense of responsibility. The thought that God ignores our deeds permits good to languish and evil to thrive. The belief that God will bring all into judgment, stimulates good, represses evil.

2. It should give us a more vivid sense of Gods providential presence. On this world He walked; on it He again will stand. He is the living God, and is guiding the course of all events by His loving hand.

3. It should comfort us. Mans judgment of us is harsh; our judgment of ourselves unwise. But what could we ask for more than to be judged by Christ? (R. Glover.)

The second coming of Christ

Brethren! the earnest belief in and the longing for the coming of Jesus Christ has been too much surrendered to one school of interpreters in unfulfilled prophecy, who have no greater claim to possess it than the rest of us. It belongs, or ought to belong, to us all. And I bring it to you, dear friends, as a sharp test-what do you feel about that coming? Can you say, More than they that wait for the morning, my soul waiteth for Thee? Does your heart leap when you think that Christ, who is ever present, is drawing near to us? All the signs of the times, intellectual and social, the rottenness of much of our life, the abounding luxury, the hideous vice that flaunts unblamed and unabashed before us all; the unsettlement of opinion in which it is unbelief that seems to be removing the mountains that all men thought stood fast and firm forever; all these things cry out to Him whose ear is not deaf-even if our voice does not join in the cry-and beseech Him to come. And I believe that a Day of the Lord, dreadful and radiant with the brightness of destructive power, which is also constructive and merciful love, is hanging over much of the world, and not a little of the Church, at this moment. (A. Maclaren, D. D.)

Sight of Christ as Judge

Mr. G-was mayor of the town of Maidenhead not many years after the late Rev. J. Cooke settled in it. One Sabbath evening he attended the meeting house, and heard Mr. Cooke preach. The text was, Behold, He cometh with clouds, and every eye shall see Him (Rev_1:7). His attention was powerfully arrested: an arrow of conviction entered his heart; he became speedily a changed man, and regularly attended the means of grace. He had been a jovial companion, a good singer, and a most gay and cheerful member of the corporation. The change was soon perceived. His brethren, at one of their social parties, rallied him upon Methodism. But he stood firm by his principles, and said, Gentlemen, if you will listen patiently, I will tell you why I go to meeting, and do not attend your card table. I went one Sunday evening to hear Mr. Cooke. He took for his text, Behold, He cometh with clouds, and every eye shall see Him. Your eye shall see Him! In short, he gave them so faithful and powerful an epitome of the sermon, and applied it so closely to them individually, marking the words, every eye shall see Him, with such emphasis, and pointing to them, said, Your eye, and your eye, that they were satisfied with his reasons for going, and never again durst speak to him on the subject. (Biblical Museum.)

Science points to the end of the world

Is it not probable, it may be asked, that the time will come when the globe itself will come to an end? And if it be so, can science detect the provision that is possibly made for this consummation of all things? We have seen that the atmosphere has for long been undergoing a change; that at a very early period it was charged with carbonic acid, the carbon of which now forms part of animal and vegetable structures. We saw, also, that at first it contained no ammonia; but since vegetation and decomposition began, the nitrogen that existed in the nitrates of the earth, and some of the nitrogen of the atmosphere, have been gradually entering into new combinations, and forming ammonia; and the quantity of ammonia, a substance at first non-existent, has gradually increased, and as it is volatile, the atmosphere now always contains some of it. The quantity has now become so great in it that it can always be detected by chemical analysis. There is an evident tendency of it to increase in the atmosphere. Now supposing, it to go on increasing up to a certain point, it forms with air a mixture that, upon the application of fire, is violently explosive. An atmosphere charged with ammonia is liable to explode whenever a flash of lightning passes through it. And such an explosion would doubtless destroy, perhaps without leaving traces of, the present order of things. (Dr. Kemp.)

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

Mar 13:26. Μετὰ δυνάμεως πολλῆς καὶ δόξης, with great power and glory) The adjective in the middle, applying to both nouns. Mark frequently employs a Zeugma of this kind, so as to put some word in the middle, which is intended to be connected with the preceding, and also with the subsequent word or words, See ch. Mar 3:26, Mar 4:21, Mar 5:40; Mar 5:42, Mar 6:13, Mar 7:2; Mar 7:21, Mar 10:7.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Mar 13:26 . τὸν ὑιὸν τ . ἀ .: the Son of Man, not the sign of, etc., as in Mt.: Christ His own sign, vide on Mt.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

(26) Then shall they see the Son of man.—Note the simpler form, which at once replaces and explains St. Matthew’s “the sign of the Son of Man.”

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

26. shall they see the Son of man] Even when speaking of the “glorious majesty” of His Second Advent, He calls Himself by the name which links Him to the Humanity He came to save. For the title see note on ch. Mar_2:10, and compare Joh_5:22; Joh_5:27, “the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son, and hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.”

in the clouds] And so the Angels distinctly stated to the Apostles at the Ascension (Act_1:11); and Daniel foresaw Him coming with the clouds of heaven (Dan_7:13-14).

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Now learn a parable of the fig tree,.... Our Lord was now upon the Mount of Olives, in one part of which fig trees grew in great plenty, and one, or more, might be near, and in view; and it was the time of year, the passover being at hand, for its putting forth:

when her branch is yet tender; and soft and opening, through the sap now in motion:

and putteth forth leaves; from the branches:

ye know, that summer is near; from such an appearance on the fig tree; See Gill on Mat 24:32.

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

26 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.

Ver. 26. {See Trapp on "Mat 24:30"}

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.

And then shall they see the Son of man coming in clouds with great power and glory. St. Matthew (Mat_24:30) introduces here the words, "And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven." Many of the Fathers, as St. Chrysostom, Jerome, Bede, and others, think that this sign will be the cross. Josephus (5:3) says that shortly before the destruction of Jerusalem, a portent like a sword, glittering as a star, appeared in the heavens. But surely the sign of the Son of man at the end of the world will be the Son of man himself coming in clouds. The clouds, covering the troubled heaven and now illuminated by the brightness of his coming, will constitute "the sublime drapery of his presence" (Dr. Morison).

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

Son of man

Christ (Second Advent). Luk 12:35-40; Deu 30:3; Act 1:9-11 (See Scofield "Mat 8:20")

The Scofield Reference Bible (1917 edition), notes by C. I. Scofield — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

26. καὶ τότε. “Then, and not till then.” Mt. has “on the clouds” (ἐπί); with that exception, all three have the same wording.

ὄψονται. Not, “ye shall see.” This is another intimation that those whom He is addressing will not live to see the Second Advent. Cf. 1Th 4:16; 2Th 1:7; 2Th 2:8; Rev 1:8; Rev 19:11-16; Zec 12:10. Mt. has “Then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man.”

τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου. The ref. to Dan 7:13 is clear, as also in Mar 14:62; see Driver, ad loc. pp. 102–109; Westcott on Joh 1:14, pp. 71–74. Early in the Ministry Christ seems to have begun to use the title “Son of Man” of Himself (see on Mar 2:10), and to have made the application to Himself gradually more clear (see on Mar 8:31). But here for the first time He is said to have definitely connected it with the famous prophecy in Daniel.

ἐν νεφέλαις. Mt. has “on the clouds of heaven” (bis), Lk. “in a cloud,” Dan. “with the clouds of heaven,” Rev. “with the clouds.” We must not insist on a literal interpretation of these words; the clouds may be part of the symbolism. It is God who moves the clouds (Isa 19:1; Psa 104:3); and they accompany “the destined Possessor of universal dominion” (Dalman, Words, pp. 242–9).

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.

26. καὶ τότε ὄψονται τὸν υἱὸν τ. ἀνθρώπου ἐρχόμενον ἐν νεφελαῖς—And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds. This language is not to be taken literally, any more than that about the heavenly bodies. That is, usage makes it unnecessary, and in this case, the immediate connection with the destruction of Jerusalem makes it impossible. In Psa 97:1-5, the reign of God on earth has the same accompaniment of clouds, darkness, and fire. In Isa 19:1, Yahweh is represented as coming on a swift cloud to Egypt. In Zec 9:14, when God stirs the sons of Zion against the sons of Greece, he, himself, is seen above the combatants, sending forth his arrows like lightning, blowing the trumpet, and coming in the whirlwinds of the south. And in Psa 18:5-16, is the locus classicus, where all the powers of nature are made to contribute to the pomp of Yahweh’s coming to the rescue of his servant. But the passage from which this language is taken is Dan 7:13, in which one like a Son of Man comes with the clouds of heaven, and the Ancient of Days gives him an everlasting and universal kingdom. The writer has seen a vision of four beasts, which are four kingdoms, and then he has a vision not of a beast, but of a Son of Man, to whom is given not a perishable kingdom like that of the beasts, but an everlasting kingdom. And when he explains this kingdom like the others, it appears to be the kingdom of the saints of the Most High. But the point is, that in this vision, the clouds are not to be taken literally; they make a part of the picture, intended to represent that this kingdom to be set up on the earth is after all not an earthly kingdom, but one coming down out of heaven, a theocracy. If any one had suggested to the writer, that it was to have a literal fulfilment, he would have said that that was not in his mind. Jesus then, in adopting this language, meant that this prophecy out of the O.T. was to be fulfilled in himself at the time of the destruction of Jerusalem. Then the kingdom of God is to be set up in the world, that unworldly and everlasting kingdom of which the sign is not a beast, but one like a Son of Man coming in the clouds. But here, we face the question, what there was in this catastrophe of the Jewish nation which can be described as a coming of the Son of Man in the clouds with power and great glory. All the marks of time in the chapter point to that one time and confine us to that; and, as we have seen, the language, which seems to point to a world-catastrophe and the consummation of all things, does not take us beyond that, since it is used elsewhere of events, such as the destruction of Babylon and the judgment of Edom, which have the same general character as this destruction of Jerusalem. But what is there about this event that can be called a coming of the Son of Man with power and great glory? The answer to this is to be found in the fact that Christ is said in the N.T., to have assumed the seat of power at the right hand of God, and especially that the government of the world has been committed to him. The same language that has been used in the O.T., therefore, to represent a Divine intervention in the affairs of the world, especially in great national crises, is now applied to the Messianic King, who rules, not on an earthly but a heavenly throne. And neither in the one case nor the other is a visible coming implied. But Mt., in the account of the trial of Jesus before the Sanhedrim, uses a word which is decisive of the way in which the coming of the Son of Man is to be taken. Jesus says, Mat 26:64, ἀπʼ ἄρτι ὄψεσθε τ. υἱὸν τ. ἀνθρώπου καθήμενον ἐκ δεξιῶν τ. δυνάμεως, κ. ἐρχόμενον ἐπὶ τ. νεφελῶν—Henceforth, from this time on, you will see the Son of Man seated on the right hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven. This settles two things: first, that the coming is not a single event, any more than the sitting on the right hand of Power; and second, that it was a thing which was to begin with the very time of our Lord’s departure from the world. Moreover, the two things, the sitting at the right hand of Power, and the coming, are connected in such a way as to mean that he is to assume power in heaven and exercise it here in the world. The period beginning with the departure of Jesus from the world was to be marked by this assumption of heavenly power by the Christ, and by repeated interferences in crises of the world’s history, of which this destruction of Jerusalem was the first. With it, there was to be a consummation of that age, συντέλεια τοῦ αἰῶνος, a winding up of the Jewish period, and with it the removal of the great obstacle at that time to the setting up of the kingdom of God in the world.

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