Mark 13:3 Meaning and Explanation
“And as he sat upon the mount of Olives over against the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately,”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Seated on the Mount of Olives across from the temple, Jesus is asked privately by Peter, James, John, and Andrew about what he has foretold.
What Does Mark 13:3 Mean?
Jesus crosses to the Mount of Olives, where the whole temple complex spreads out in view across the valley. The four fishermen he called first — two pairs of brothers — come to him away from the crowds. Sitting was the posture of a teacher in Israel, and what follows is the longest sustained teaching Mark records.
There is something tender in the scene: the Lord seated above the doomed city, his oldest friends gathered close with their fears and questions. Jesus does not brush them off. The future is not a forbidden subject; he welcomes honest questions about it. But as his answer unfolds, he will steadily turn curiosity about dates into readiness of heart — which is what their lives, and ours, actually require.
Frequently Asked Questions About Mark 13:3
What does Mark 13:3 mean?
Seated on the Mount of Olives across from the temple, Jesus is asked privately by Peter, James, John, and Andrew about what he has foretold.