Mark 13:9-13 9“And watch out for yourselves; they will deliver you over to councils, and you will be beaten in synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for me in order to bear witness to them. 10And to all nations it is first necessary for the gospel to be preached. 11And when they bring you to trial and deliver you over, do not be anxious beforehand what you will say, but say whatever is given you in that hour, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. 12And brother will deliver brother over to death and father child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death. 13 And you will be hated by on account of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.
Verse 9 begins Jesus’ second warning to his disciples of difficult days in the future. This next section focuses on what the disciples must do in response to Jesus’ great commission of preaching the gospel to all creation (16:15). The literal translation hints that the disciples needed to be aware of the challenges they would face. They should expect to be questioned by different religious and political authorities, including councils, synagogues, governors, and kings. The book of Acts records how the early Christians were taken before each of these entities, both Jewish and Gentile, and were sometimes beaten, imprisoned, and even martyred.
When the disciples were interrogated, they would have an opportunity to bear witness to the gospel before the authorities. Those who heard their testimony could either respond with faith or harden their hearts and eventually face God’s judgment. History is full of stories of believers who faced what Jesus describes here. The key idea in verse 9 is that this testimony was for Jesus’ sake (Greek emou, for me). Jesus would not abandon his witnesses at their point of crisis because it was his word they were proclaiming.
Verse 10 expresses the necessary (dei) priority (prōton) of the gospel. The disciples needed to focus their efforts on getting the message out to all the nations, even if it meant suffering and persecution. Their mission may have seemed beyond imagination with the call to all the nations, even with their limited understanding of the expanse of human civilization at that time. The urgency of this mission continues today as communication methods improve and the population grows.
Knowing that it will be costly to preach the gospel does not make it easier but likely will bring anxiety and fear. No one wants to experience pain or even death. One of the great fears is when the gun is pointed at our heads, and we must confess or deny Jesus. We may not have our own boldness or courage but we can stand strong with the help of the Holy Spirit. Verse 11 is one of only four references to the Holy Spirit in Mark’s Gospel (also 1:8; 3:29; 12:36). Just as Jesus was filled with the Spirit, so will his followers. The Spirit will empower believers with boldness and the words to say because we are not speaking our own ideas but God’s words. These words can come from deep conviction forged through prayer and study of God’s word. Those who witness for Jesus will not be left alone but will be given “holy boldness” to be his witnesses (Acts 1:8).
Verse 12 adds the second group of family who may cause persecution to believers. Family may even go as far as to turn in a believing family member to the religious or political authorities who will put him or her to death. Micah 7:6 prophesied the same groups of siblings turning against one another, parents against children, and children against parents. Family is important in the Bible, and we should do all we can to build it up, but faith in Jesus is even more important. Dealing with an unbelieving family can be one of the most difficult things, especially in highly group and honor/shame-oriented cultures. The word deliver over (paradōsei) can mean “betray.” It is used repeatedly of Jesus in Mark (3:19; 9:31; 10:33; and ten times in chapters 14–15), and Jesus applies it to his followers in this passage (13:9, 11, 12).
Verse 13 expands the enemies of Christians to all people. Jesus again adds that this suffering is for him, not for our own religious or political views. We can create problems for ourselves by expressing our own views that are not necessarily part of the gospel message. We must be spiritually and emotionally ready through the power of the Holy Spirit for the hatred (mesoumenoi) we will experience because of our faith in Jesus. These words do not apply only to the first generation of disciples or those who live in the last days but speak to believers of every generation, culture, and context. We should expect the same type of response Jesus received (John 15:19).
Jesus links salvation to endurance. Jesus assures his followers that those who remain faithful to him, even through persecution, suffering and death, will receive salvation. There is more to our existence that physical life. Jesus helps us keep eternity in view. This passage is one of the most difficult and humbling because few believers experience suffering to the point of death, but many do experience friction and rejection by their family because of their faith in Jesus. Persecution does not always come in the form of physical harm. One of the most challenging forms of suffering for many believers is emotional stress that tempts one to compromise in order to be accepted by family. The Holy Spirit will give us words to share even in our families.
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