TRV
Translation
King James Version
Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled?
Complete Jewish Bible
"Tell us, when will these things happen? And what sign will show when all these things are about to be accomplished?"
Berean Standard Bible
“Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to be fulfilled?”
American Standard Version
Tell us, when shall these things be? and whatshall bethe sign when these things are all about to be accomplished?
World English Bible Messianic
“Tell us, when will these things be? What is the sign that these things are all about to be fulfilled?”
Geneva Bible (1599)
Tell vs, when shall these things be? and what shalbe the signe when all these things shalbe fulfilled?
Young's Literal Translation
`Tell us when these things shall be? and what is the sign when all these may be about to be fulfilled?'
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In the KJVVerse 24,722 of 31,102
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Commentary on Mark 13 verses 1–4
1 ¶ And as he went out of the temple, one of his disciples saith unto him, Master, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here!
2 And Jesus answering said unto him, Seest thou these great buildings? there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives over against the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately,
4 Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled?
We may here see,
I. How apt many of Christ's own disciples are to idolize things that look great, and have been long looked upon as sacred. They had heard Christ complain of those who had made the temple a den of thieves; and yet, when he quitted it, for the wickedness that remained in it, they court him to be as much in love as they were with the stately structure and adorning of it. One of them said to him, "Look, Master, what manner of stones, and what buildings are here, Mar 13:1. We never saw the like in Galilee; O do not leave this fine place."
II. How little Christ values external pomp, where there is not real purity; "Seest thou these great buildings" (saith Christ), "and admirest thou them? I tell thee, the time is at hand when there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down," Mar 13:2. And the sumptuousness of the fabric shall be no security to it, no nor move any compassion in the Lord Jesus towards it. He looks with pity upon the ruin of precious souls, and weeps over them, for on them he has put great value; but we do not find him look with any pity upon the ruin of a magnificent house, when he is driven out of it by sin, for that is of small value with him. With what little concern doth he say, Not one stone shall be left on another! Much of the strength of the temple lay in the largeness of the stones, and if these be thrown down, no footstep, no remembrance, of it will remain. While any part remained standing, there might be some hopes of the repair of it; but what hope is there, when not one stone is left upon another?
III. How natural it is to us to desire to know things to come, and the times of them; more inquisitive we are apt to be about that than about our duty. His disciples knew not how to digest this doctrine of the ruin of the temple, which they thought must be their Master's royal palace, and in which they expected their preferment, and to have the posts of honour; and therefore they were in pain till they got him alone, and got more out of him concerning this matter. As he was returning to Bethany therefore, he sat upon the mount of Olives, over against the temple, where he had a full view of it; and there four of them agreed to ask him privately, what he meant by the destroying of the temple, which they understood no more than they did the predictions of his own death, so inconsistent was it with their scheme. Probably, though these four proposed the question, yet Christ's discourse, in answer to it, was in the hearing of the rest of the disciples, yet privately, that is, apart from the multitude. Their enquiry is, When shall these things be? They will not question, at least not seem to question, whether they shall be or no (for their Master has said that they shall), but are willing to hope it is a great way off. Yet they ask not precisely the day and year (therein they were modest), but say, "Tell us what shall be the sign, when all these things shall be fulfilled? What presages shall there be of them, and how may we prognosticate their approach?"
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 1–4. Public domain.
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Augustine of Hippo (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)AD 430
Catena Aurea by Aquinas
(Epist. cxcix. 9.) In answer to the disciples, the Lord tells them of things which were from that time forth to have their course; whether He meant the destruction of Jerusalem which occasioned their question, or His own coming through the Church, (in which He ever comes even unto the end, for we know that He comes in His own, when His members are born day by day,) or the end itself, in which He will appear to judge the quick and the dead.
Augustine of HippoAD 430
LETTER 199, TO HESYCHIUS 25
There is no discrepancy in the Gospels as to facts of the end time, although one may supply details which another may pass over or describe differently. Rather, they supplement each other when compared, and thus give direction to the mind of the reader.
Bede (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)AD 735
Catena Aurea by Aquinas
(ubi sup.) Because the Lord, when some were praising the buildings of the temple, had plainly answered that all these were to be destroyed, the disciples privately enquired about the time and the signs of the destruction which was foretold; wherefore it is said: And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, over against the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately, Tell us when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled. The Lord sits upon the mount of Olives, over against the temple, when He discourses upon the ruin and destruction of the temple, so that even His bodily position may be in accordance with the words which He speaks, pointing out mystically that, abiding in peace with the saints, He hates the madness of the proud. For the mount of Olives marks the fruitful sublimity of the Holy Church.
(ubi sup.) For many came forward, when destruction was hanging over Jerusalem, saying that they were Christs, and that the time of freedom was now approaching. Many teachers of heresy also arose in the Church even in the time of the Apostles; and many Antichrists came in the name of Christ, the first of whom was Simon Magus, to whom the Samaritans, as we read in the Acts of the Apostles, listened, saying, This man is the great power of God: wherefore also it is added here, And shall deceive many. (Acts 8:10) Now from the time of the Passion of our Lord there ceased not amongst the Jewish people, who chose the seditious robber and rejected Christ the Saviour, either external wars or civil discord; wherefore it goes on: And when ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars, be ye not troubled. And when these come, the Apostles are warned not to be afraid, or to leave Jerusalem and Judæa, because the end was not to come at once, nay was to be put off for forty years. And this is what is added: for such things must needs be; but the end shall not be yet, that is, the desolation of the province, and the last destruction of the city and temple. It goes on: For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.
(ubi sup.) Now it is on record that this literally took place at the time of the Jewish rebellion. But kingdom against kingdom, the pestilence of those whose word spreads as a canker, dearth of the word of God, the commotion of the whole earth, and the separation from the true faith, may all rather be understood of heretics who, by fighting one against the other, bring about the triumph of the Church.
Theophylact of Ohrid (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)AD 1107
Catena Aurea by Aquinas
But before answering their question, He strengthens their minds that they may not be deceived, wherefore there follows: And Jesus answering them began to say, Take heed lest any man deceive you? And this He says, because when the sufferings of the Jews began, some arose professing to be teachers, wherefore there follows: For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
That is, the Romans against the Jews, which Josephus relates happened before the destruction of Jerusalem. For when the Jews refused to pay tribute, the Romans arose, in anger; but because at that time they were merciful they took indeed their spoils, but did not destroy Jerusalem. What follows shows that God fought against the Jews, for it is said, And there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Mark 13:4 captures the disciples' urgent and deeply human inquiry to Jesus, immediately following His startling prophecy concerning the complete destruction of the magnificent Jerusalem Temple. As they sat privately with Him on the Mount of Olives, overlooking the very structure He had just condemned, Peter, James, John, and Andrew sought clarity on the timing and the specific, identifiable "sign" that would herald the fulfillment of these catastrophic events, implicitly linking them to the broader eschatological expectations of their day regarding the end of the age and the Messiah's coming.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Mark 13:4 primarily employs Interrogation, as the entire verse is a direct question posed by the disciples to Jesus. This device immediately establishes the central tension and the narrative's trajectory, setting the stage for Jesus' comprehensive eschatological teaching. The question also contains an element of Foreshadowing, as it anticipates the detailed signs and events Jesus will describe in the subsequent discourse, including wars, famines, persecutions, and the coming of the Son of Man. Furthermore, there is an Implicit Irony in the disciples' request for a "sign," as Jesus Himself is the ultimate sign of God's kingdom, and His very presence and words are the most profound indicators of the unfolding divine plan, even as they struggle to grasp the spiritual rather than purely temporal nature of His kingdom.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
The disciples' question in Mark 13:4 encapsulates a fundamental human desire to comprehend divine timing and discern the unfolding of God's purposes, particularly concerning future events. It highlights the tension between human curiosity and divine sovereignty, as Jesus' subsequent discourse will not provide a simple calendar but rather a call to vigilance and spiritual readiness. This passage underscores the importance of eschatology not as a speculative exercise, but as a framework for understanding God's ultimate triumph and the believer's enduring hope. It also reveals how deeply ingrained the expectation of a "sign" was in the Jewish mindset, a desire for clear, tangible evidence of God's intervention, which Jesus often redirected towards a call for faith and discernment.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
The disciples' earnest question in Mark 13:4 resonates deeply with the human inclination to seek clarity and certainty about the future, especially in times of great upheaval or prophetic pronouncements. While their curiosity about "when" and "what sign" is natural, Jesus' subsequent teaching in the Olivet Discourse subtly redirects the focus from chronological prediction to spiritual preparedness, faithful endurance, and active watchfulness. For believers today, this passage serves as a vital reminder that our primary concern should not be an obsessive quest for precise dates or deciphering every current event as a definitive "sign," but rather cultivating a posture of readiness, living faithfully in the present, and diligently pursuing the mission Christ has entrusted to us until His return. It calls us to discern the times with wisdom, to persevere through trials, and to live with an expectant hope that shapes our daily actions and priorities, rather than being paralyzed by fear or consumed by speculation.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why were the disciples so concerned about the "sign" of these things being fulfilled?
Answer: The disciples' concern stemmed from a combination of factors rooted in their Jewish worldview and Jesus' recent, startling prophecy. Firstly, the Temple was the spiritual and national heart of Israel; its destruction, as prophesied by Jesus in Mark 13:2, was an unthinkable catastrophe, often associated in Jewish thought with the "end of the age" or the coming of the Messiah's kingdom (Matthew 24:3). They likely interpreted Jesus' words through this eschatological lens, seeking a clear "sign" (Greek: sēmeîon) that would indicate the definitive arrival of these momentous events. Secondly, throughout the Old Testament, God often provided signs or wonders to confirm His prophetic words or imminent actions. The disciples, therefore, naturally expected a divine indicator for such a monumental shift in history. Their question reflects a desire for certainty and a practical guide for discerning the times, so they could understand when to expect the fulfillment of Jesus' profound and unsettling prophecy.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Mark 13:4, though a question from the disciples, ultimately points to Christ as the central figure of all eschatological fulfillment. The disciples' inquiry about "when" and "what sign" of the Temple's destruction and the "end of all these things" is answered by Jesus' subsequent discourse, which reveals Him not merely as a prophet of future events, but as the sovereign Lord who orchestrates and fulfills them. The destruction of the Temple, a key focus of their question, foreshadows the end of the Old Covenant system and its sacrificial practices, which find their ultimate and perfect fulfillment in Christ's once-for-all sacrifice on the cross (Hebrews 9:11-14). Jesus Himself is the ultimate "sign" (Luke 11:29-30)—the one through whom all prophecies are realized and in whom God's redemptive plan culminates. His promised return, the "coming of the Son of Man" (Mark 13:26), is the definitive eschatological event, superseding any lesser signs. Thus, the disciples' question, born of a longing for future clarity, is ultimately satisfied by the revelation of Jesus as the Alpha and Omega, the one who initiates and brings to completion all things (Revelation 1:8).