He That Shall Endure (Mark 13:13)
“And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” (Mark 13:13)
The First Half of the Verse
When approaching Mark 13:13, it is important to avoid some potential interpretive potholes, lest we end up with a theological flat tire. The first half of that verse is straightforward and non-controversial. “And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake.” I tried to address this to some degree in a recent sermon entitled “No Resurrection, No Hope.” In a wicked world, it is only logical that those who try to live righteous lives will face scorn and derision from those who have contempt for their faith and Savior. I doubt there are many Christian adults unable to share an anecdote or two that supports this unavoidable corollary of fallen depravity that I have at times referred to as the Hater’s-gonna-hate-principle, as certain also of your own poets have said.
The Second Half of the Verse
Handling the latter half of the verse is where we encounter a thicket: “but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” Answers to the following questions seem helpful in charting a path out of the brush.
1. What manner of “salvation” is in view?
2. Who is “He that shall endure”?
The Eternal Salvation Interpretation
When I ask what manner of “salvation” is in view, I am asking, “Is this verse speaking about eternal salvation or matters of temporal deliverance from some pending calamity?” If one takes the eternal salvation view, this leaves the us to ponder, who is “he that shall endure”? If “he” is one of fallen humanity, then it is apparent that eternal salvation is by works, because endurance in the face hostility and hatred is most certainly a work of righteousness that involves one’s willing and active participation. If this endurance is a requirement of eternal life, then Paul was wrong when he said we are saved “Not by works of righteousness, which we have done” (Titus 3:5) and should have rather said, “we are saved through works of righteousness which we have done.”
This observation alone, however, is insufficient to eliminate the possibility that this passage is speaking of “eternal salvation” in my estimation. If, on the other hand, “he” is the Lord Jesus Christ, our intercessor (Hebrews 7:25), the Lord our Righteousness (Jeremiah 23:6), the one who proclaimed “I have overcome the world” (John 16:33), then I believe it is possible to make sense of this verse by pointing out that the elect are not judged on their own works, but upon His works - they are judged on the merits of Christ. It follows that they are ALL “endure” because Christ endured in their stead (II Corinthians 5:21). This interpretation does not violate the principles of salvation by sovereign, monergistic grace, so far as I can tell. Nevertheless, it is possible to interpret a passage so that it teaches a biblical truth, while also missing the particular point of the passage in view.
The Time Salvation Interpretation
This brings us to another possible consideration: What if the “salvation” in view is not eternal salvation but has reference to a temporal deliverance? This view seems to reconcile the matter quite nicely, without blunting what appears to be an evident admonition to persevere in the face of hostility. The verses which immediately precede this admonition speak of persecution of Christians by both religious and civil authorities. This time of persecution transpired in Jerusalem for some time after Christ’s ascension and was no doubt troubling. The verses immediately afterwards speak of the abomination of desolation and other dreadful events from which they were told to flee. So, it seems consistent with history that this admonition might well have been to assure Christians that if they stayed with their brethren, even in the face of Jewish persecution and attempts to force them back into the broader Jewish community and culture, that they would be spared through a timely departure that would allow them to avoid the calamity that befell Jerusalem in 70 AD.
Conclusion
I believe it is possible to reasonably interpret Mark 13:13 in two different ways, neither of which contradict the principles of grace. However, only one of these two interpretations captures the author’s true intent. As to which one is correct, let every man be convinced in his own mind. I prefer to interpret it as an exhortation to perseverance and a promise of escape to those who endure through an impending, temporal calamity, similar to, “Save yourselves from this untoward generation.” (Acts 2:40)
- Elder Daniel Samons