Mark 13:3-4

Evidently the disciples pondered Jesus’ prophecy as they crossed the Kidron Valley that separated the temple complex from Mt. Olivet to the east. When they sat down on the mountain and looked west into the temple courtyard, Jesus’ first four disciples (Mark 1:16-20) asked two questions.

The first question dealt with the time of the temple’s destruction. Matthew’s account shows that their second question had two parts. They asked what the sign of Jesus’ coming and of the end of the present age would be. Mark combined these two parts into one simple question about the sign of "all these things" being fulfilled. The disciples viewed the destruction of the temple and the end of the present age as occurring together. In His answer Jesus taught them that these events would not happen at the same time. Again a question from the disciples led to a teaching session (cf. Mark 4:10-32; Mark 7:17-23; Mark 9:11-13; Mark 9:28-29; Mark 10:10-12).