Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.
All Commentaries on Mark 13:31 Go To Mark 13
Bede
AD 735
Under the example of a tree the Lord gave a pattern of the end, saying, “Now learn a parable of the fig tree, when her branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is near. So ye in like manner, when ye shall see these things come to pass, know that it is nigh, even at the doors.”.
This fruit bearing of the fig tree may also be understood to mean the state of the synagogue, which was condemned to everlasting barrenness, because when the Lord came, it had no fruits of righteousness in those who were then unfaithful. But the Apostle has said that when the fulness of the Gentiles is come in , all Israel shall besaved. What means this, but that the tree, which has been long barren, shall then yield the fruit, which it had withheld? When this shall happen, doubt not that a summer of true peace is at hand.
By generation He either means the whole race of mankind, or specially the Jews.
The heaven which shall pass away isnot the ethereal or starry heaven, but the heaven where is the air. For wheresoeverthe water of the judgment could reach, there also, according to the words of the blessed Peter, the fire of judgment shall reach . But the heaven and the earth shall pass away in that form which they now have, but in their essence they shall last without end.
