Mark 13:1 ‘Look, what magnificent buildings.’ Too big to fail?

By mmayer

Mark 13:1-8

As Jesus was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!’

‘Do you see all these great buildings?’ replied Jesus. ‘Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.’

As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John and Andrew asked him privately, ‘Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are all about to be fulfilled?’

Jesus said to them: ‘Watch out that no one deceives you. Many will come in my name, claiming, “I am he,” and will deceive many. When you hear of wars and rumours of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth-pains.

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The disciples looked at the temple in Jerusalem, and they were so proud – proud that God had chosen their people; proud that the temple was so impressive; proud that this was the chosen place where God came down to earth to be with them. It certainly seemed too big to fail.

Jesus looked at the same stones, and knew that within 40 years, they would be wrecked. He knew that the temple was no longer God’s chosen way to be with humanity and bless them. Jesus was the one who had come down from heaven, to be with all humanity. Jesus was the one who would reach out, through humiliation, death and the grave, to bring us forgiveness and new life. Jesus was the one who would pour out the Holy Spirit on all people, to help them believe.

The disciples were in for some hard lessons. Their whole way of thinking about how God related to them was going to be turned around. They had to learn to see that God’s glory was not in powerful buildings and impressive systems. It was not in earning God’s approval by good deeds. It was in the down to earth ministry of Jesus – God for us.

It is so easy to be impressed by bigger better and more beautiful, but that is not necessarily the way God works. Our joy and strength is that we have a God who comes to us as we are. He offers us unconditional love and acceptance. He keeps inviting us to trust in him, to go with him, to look below the flashy surface to see what real substance and real love is. He gives us the strength to be people of genuine substance, who know how to be faithful, patient and kind.