Supplementary Notes
Mark 13: 24 — 32 ( Mary Betz)
Mark pulls together a number of apocalyptic images from the Hebrew scriptures to describe the end time. Cosmic events can be understood more symbolically than literally: before the final day comes humanity will endure more disasters — suffering, injustice, oppression. These evils will not always be with us, however: the 'Son of Man' (usually understood to mean Jesus as a human being), manifesting God's own power, will gather a scattered humanity from its brokenness. The steadfastness of God's love will call all people to return to a life of love and justice.
Verses 28 — 32 are a series of unconnected parables and sayings, placed by Mark to add to the picture of the end-time painted above. The parable of the fig tree bids us watch the signs of the times for portents of that end-time, and the saying in v. 30 implies that Jesus' listeners will see these signs. The saying in v. 31 in any context could be used to underscore the transcendent value of Jesus' whole message. Contrary to the warnings of vv. 28 — 30, the saying in v. 32 argues that there is really no way anyone, even Jesus, can know when the final judgment will come: that time is God's alone to determine.
Mark 13: 32 (J Dummelow)
Neither the Son This is the true reading not only here, but in Mt 24: 36, where it has been altered in many MSS, probably as being a difficulty to faith. Rightly to understand it, we must remember that Jesus possessed two complete and perfect natures, the divine and the human. In His divine nature He knew all things whatsoever, but in His human nature He knew only such things as He willed to know. And since it was not expedient that we should know the day and the hour of the Last Judgment, He willed to be ignorant of it. This avowed ignorance implies no limitation of Christ's divine nature. Christ had no will but His Father's. When the Father willed to withhold from Him any of His designs, His will was to be ignorant.
The Arians taught that the Son was ignorant even in His divine nature, but Athanasius replied, 'But lovers of Christ recognise that the Word did not say, "I know not," as being the Word, for He knew; but He thus indicated His humanity, showing that ignorance is part of human nature."
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