Ver. 14,—-But when ye see the abomination of desolation standing where he ought not, In the Authorized Version, after the word “desolation,” the words “spoken of by Daniel the prophet,” are introduced, but without sufficient authority. They were probably interpolated from St. Matthew, where there is abundant authority for them; and thus their omission by St. Mark does not affect the argument drawn from them in favour of the genuineness of the Book of Daniel, against those, whether in earlier or in later times, who reject this book, or ascribe it to some mere recent authorship. The “abomination of desolation” is a Hebrew idiom, meaning “the abomination that maketh desolate.” St. Luke (xxi. 20) does not use the expression; it would have sounded strange to his Gentile readers. He says, “When ye see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that her desolation is at hand.” This reference to the Roman armies by §8t. Luke has led some com- mentators to suppose that “the abomination of desolation” meant the Roman eagles. But this was a sign from without; whereas “the abomination of desolation” was a sign from within, connected with the ceasing of the daily sacrifice of the temple. It is alluded to by the Prophet Daniel in three places, namely, Dan. ix. 27; xi. 31; xii. 11. We must seck for its explanation in some- thing within the temple, “ standing in the holy place” (Matt. xxiv. 15)—some profana- tion of the temple, on account of which God’s judgments would fall on Jerusalem. Now, Daniel’s prophecy had already received one fulfilment (B.0. 168), when we read (1 Macc. i. 54) that they set up “the
ox, xu. 1—37.] THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MARK,
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abomination of desolation upon the altar.” This was when Antiochus Epiphanes set up the statue of Jupiter on the great altar of burnt sacrifice. But that “abomination of desolation” was the forerunner of another and a worse profanation yet te come, which our Lord, no doubt, bad in his mind when he called the attention of his disciples to these predictions by Daniel. There is a remarkable passage in Josephus (‘ Wars of the Jews,’ iv. 6), in whieh be refers to an ancient saying then current, that “ Jerusa- lem would be taken, and the temple be destroyed, when it had been defiled by the hands of Jews themselves.” Now, this literally took place. Fer while the Roman armies were investing Jerusalem, the Jews within the city were in fierce conflict amongst themselves. And it would seem mest prebable that our Lord had in his mind, mm connection with Daniel’s prophecy, more especially that at ix. 27, the irruption ef the army of Zealots and Assassins into the temple, filling the holy place with the dead bodies of their own fellow-citizens. The Jews had invited these marauders to defend them against the army of the Romans; and they, by their outrages against God, were the special cause of the desolation of Jeru- salem, Thus, while St. Luke points to the sign from without, namely, the Roman forces surrounding the city, St. Matthew and St. Mark refer to the more terrible sign from within, the “abomination of desola- tion ’—the abomination that would fill up the measure of their iniquities, and cause the avenging power of Rome to come down upon them and crush them. It was after these two signs—the sign from within and the sign from without—that Jerusalem was laid prostrate. Therefore our Lord proceeds to warn both Jews and Christians alike, that when they saw these signa they should flee unto the mountains—not to the mountains of Judsea, for these were already occupied by the Roman army (Josephus, lib. iii. cap. xii.), but those further off, beyond Judea. We know from Eusebius (iii. 15) that the Chris- tians fled to Pella, on the other side of the Jordan. The Jews, on the other hand, as they saw the Roman army approaching nearer, betook themselves to Jerusalem, as to an asylum, thinking that there they would be under the special protection of Jehovah; but there, alas, they were im- prisoned and slain.
Ver. 15.—Let him that is on the house- top (em Tov déuaros) not go down, nor enter fn, to take anything out of his. house. ‘I'he poofs of the houses were flat, with frequently b little “dome” (Seue) in the centre. The people lived very much uj on them; and the stairs were outside, so that a person wishing to enter the house must first descend by these
euter stairs. The words, therefore, mean that he must flee suddenly, it he would save his life, even though he might lose his goods. He must eseape, perhaps by crossing over the parapet of his own house- top, and so from house-top to house-top, until he could find a convenient point for flight into the hill country.
Ver. 16.—And let him that is in the field not return baek to take his cleke (rd iudrioy avrod)- This was the outer garment or pallium. They who worked in the field were accustomed te leave their cloak and their tunie at heme ; se that, Lalf-stripped, they might be more free to labour. There- fore our Lord warps them that in thie im- pending destruction, se suddenly would it come, tliey must be ready to fly just as they wre. It waa the direction given to Lot, “ iustape for thy life; leok not bebind thee.”
Ver. 17.—But woe unto them that are with ehud and te them that give suck in those days! Women in this condition would be specially ubjects of pity, for they would be more exposed todanger. ‘I'he words, “ Woe to them (ova) !” ure an exclamation of pity, as though it was said, * Alas! for them.” Josephus (vil. 8) mentions that some mothers, constrained by hunger during the siege, devoured their own infants |
Ver. 18.—And pray ye that it be not in the winter. According to the best authorities, “your flight” (4 pvy?} buov) is omitted, but the meaning remains very much the same. St. Matthew (xxiv. 20) adds, “ neither on a sabbath.” But this would be comparatively of little interest to those to whom St. Mark was writing. Our Lerd thus specifies the Winter, because at that season, on account of the cold and snow, flight would be at- tended with special difficulty and hardship, and would be almost impossible for the aged and infirm.