John Trapp on Mark 13

CHAP. XIII.

Verse 1. What manner of stones, &c.] HUge stones, and so cunningly cimented, and as it were inoculatedQuasi tota [illegible: 1 word] ex [illegible: 2 words] lapide [illegible: 1 word] tantam magnitud. [illegible: 1 word] the one into the other, that a man would have thought and sworn almost, that they had been all but one entire stone. Josephus writeth of these stones, that they were fifteen cubits long, twelve high, and eight broad.

Verse 2. There shall not be left one stone, &c.] There's no trusting therefore to Forts and strong-holds, no though they be munitions of rocks; as Esay speaketh; The Jebusites, that jeared David and his forces, were thrown out of their Sion. Babylon, that bore her selfe bold upon her twenty yeers provision laid in for a siege, and upon her high Towers and thick walls, was surprised by Cyrus. So was this goodly Temple by [illegible: 1 word], who left onely three towers of this stately edifice unrazed, to declare unto posterity the strength of the place, and valour of the vanquisher. But, sixty five years after, AElius [illegible: 1 word] inflicting on the rebelling Jewes a wonderfull flaughter, subverted those remainders, and sprinkled salt upon the foundation.

Verse 4. Shall be fulfilled] Or, have an end, that is, be destroyed, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. as vers. 2. Which yet these Apostles held not destroyable till the worlds destruction, as appears [illegible: 1 word]. 24.

Verse 5. And Jesus answering them, &c.] Not directly to their question, but far better to their edification. This was [illegible: 1 word] with our Saviour.

Verse 7. The end shall not be yet] Neither of the world, nor of the Temple.

Verse 8. The beginning of sorrowes] The sorrowes and [non-Latin text not transcribed]. throwes of child-birth; which are nothing so bad at first, as in the birth.

Verse 10. Among all nations] i. e. Among other nations then the Jewes.

Verse 11. Neither [illegible: 1 word] ye [illegible: 1 word] ] Conne not your answers as boyes use to doe their Orations and School-exercises, which the Greeks call [non-Latin text not transcribed]: whereunto Beza thinks our Saviour here [illegible: 1 word].

Verse 14. The abomination of desolution] The Romane forces, therefore most abominable to God and his Angels, because they desolated the pleasant land, and abolished the true worship of God. See Revel. 17. 4, 5. Where it ought not] viz. In respect of the Romanes, who did it onely out of ambition and covetousnesse. See Esay 10. 7.

Verse 19. For in those dayes shall be affliction] Gr. Those dayes shall be affliction: as if the very time were nothing else but [illegible: 1 word] it self. See the Notes on Mat. 24. 21.

Verse 20. Except the [illegible: 1 word] had [illegible: 1 word] ] [illegible: 1 word], [illegible: 1 word]. [non-Latin text not transcribed]. Not in respect of the divine decree, but 1. of the long miseries that the people had deserved: 2. of the enemies rage, that would have exceeded. See [illegible: 1 word]. 1. 13.

Verse 28. Now learn a parable of the fig-tree] We should not rest content with a naturall [illegible: 1 word] of the creatures, as bruits doe, but pick some spirituall matter out of every sensible object. Thus [illegible: 1 word] Master [illegible: 1 word] when the Sun shined on his face now lying on his death bed, fell into a sweet meditation of the gloryD. Hall's Art of Divine Meditation. of God, and his approaching joy.

Verse 30. Till all these things be done] Begun they were in the destruction of Jerusalem, carried on by the enemies rage against the Church, and to be ended with the last age of the Church, which begins at the coming of Christ in the flesh.

Verse 34. The porter to watch] That the rest did their work.

Verse 35. When the Master cometh] But come he will to judgement, as sure as that hee hath destroyed Jerusalem: This is a pledge of the other.

Verse 37. Watch] What Serbidius Scevola was wont to say of the Civill Law, holds more true of the divine Law: Jus civile scriptum est vigilantibus, non dormitantibus: The Law was written for those that observe to obey it.