And when ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars, be ye not troubled: for such things must needs be; but the end shall not be yet.
Our Lord Jesus, in reply to their question, sets himself, not so much to satisfy their curiosity as to direct their consciences; leaves them still in the dark concerning the times and seasons, which the father has kept in his own power, and which it was not for them to know; but gives them the cautions which were needful, with reference to the events that...
Commenting on Mark 13:5-13
And when ye shall hear of wars, and rumours of wars,.... Among the Jews themselves, and with the Romans: be not troubled; keep your place, abide by your work, go on preaching the Gospel, without distressing yourselves about the event of things: for such things must needs be: being decreed by God, foretold by Christ, and made necessary by the sins of the people: but...
[Be not troubled.] Think here, how the traditions of the scribes affrighted the nation with the report of Gog and Magog, immediately to go before the coming of the Messiah:-- "R. Eliezer Ben Abina saith, When you see the kingdoms disturbing one another, then expect the footsteps of the Messiah.