Jesus Upon the Mount of Olives - Mark 13:3

Mark wrote how Jesus, “went out of the temple” and “one of his disciples said unto him, Master, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here! And Jesus answering said unto him, Do you see these great buildings? there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down”, and in chapter thirteen and verse three of his book, Mark shared what happened as Jesus, “sat upon the mount of Olives over against the temple” where we read:

And as he sat upon the mount of Olives over against the temple,

Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately,

The verse reads, “And as he sat upon the mount of Olives over against the temple, ...” Mark began with the words, “and as he sat upon the mount of Olives” or “and as Jesus was seated upon the rising above the plain known as the Mount of Olives because of the trees that bore olive fruit upon them which were grown there” “over against the temple” or “directly opposite of the sacred worship and prayer place in Jerusalem”. Mark shared how Jesus was “seated” upon the “Mount of Olives” directly opposite of the site of the “temple” in Jerusalem.

The verse continues, “... Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately.” Mark added the word, “Peter” which means “little stone or rock” and was “one of Jesus' disciples and the brother of Andrew” “and James” whose name means “supplanter and was one of Jesus' disciples and the son of Zebedee and brother to the apostle John” “and John” who was “the apostle of Jesus who was the son of Zebedee and the brother to James whose name means Jehovah is a gracious giver” “and Andrew” or “a disciple of John the Baptist who became an apostle of Christ, was a native of Bethsaida in Galilee and brother to Simon Peter” “asked him privately” which means “inquired of Jesus alone and by Himself”. Mark shared how Jesus' four disciples, “Peter, James, John and Andrew” made an inquiry of Jesus by Himself.

When we think through Mark's words in this verse, we see how Jesus settled in across from the temple upon the “Mount of Olives” where He often resorted with His disciples. As He sat there, His four disciples, “Peter, James, John and Andrew” came to ask a question of Him. We shall learn what that question is in our next verse, but for now let it suffice us to know that Jesus was accessible to His disciples when they had questions. God loves people to have personal loving relationship with Him through His Son Jesus, and when they do, they are allowed to “come boldly unto the throne of grace” that they “may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need”. (See Hebrews 4:16)

Next time Mark shares how Jesus' four disciples ask Him, “Tell us, when shall these things be?”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".