Mark 13:26Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Then they will behold the Lord as the Son of Man, that is, in human form, for His body is what is visible in Him. Although He will arrive in this fleshly state and as the Son of Man, He will come ‘with much power and glory.'

This can be understood in two ways. He may either arrive within the Church as if on a cloud. In this manner, He fulfills the prophecy, "Henceforth ye shall see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of power, and coming on the clouds of heaven" (Matt. 26:64). He will return with immense authority and glory, as His power and majesty will be evident among His saints, who will be endowed with significant strength, making them unconquerable. Alternatively, He may come in the flesh, the same flesh that is seated at the right hand of the Father (cf. Mk. 16:19; Rom. 8:34; Col. 3:1), the same flesh through which He suffered, died, rose again, and ascended into heaven.

In describing a sequence of alarming events, the Lord focused particularly on the imminent manifestation of God's severe judgement regarding Jerusalem. He stated that the destruction of Jerusalem is inevitable, for, in line with Daniel's prophecy, the abomination of desolation will occur in the sacred place. At that time, anyone wishing to escape the impending doom should hasten to leave Judea. Those who choose to remain will endure a tribulation unparalleled since the dawn of creation. Additionally, there will be false messiahs arising, but do not be deceived by them. The Son of Man will come like lightning, not confined to a specific location or form, but as the embodiment of divine judgement (Matthew 24:15-28). He will reveal His full glory at the culmination of the age (29-31).

The conclusion of the current age will involve the utter annihilation of its existing state, with a complete transformation taking place (cf. 2 Pet. 3:10, 12, 13). As this dreadful disturbance in the visible realm unfolds, with signs emerging in the celestial bodies and the sea tumultuous upon the land, there will be a sense of despair among nations and confusion; individuals will be seized by fear and anticipation of the disasters approaching the world (Lk.). “Then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven,” and all the tribes of the earth will mourn (Matt.), affected by the weight of their sins. To the believers, the Lord has assured: “When these things begin to come to pass, then look up and lift up your heads, for your redemption is near” (Luke).

These remarkable events, coupled with the unprecedented turmoil of the seas, will lead to great confusion among people, leaving them in a state of alarm. Once they come to understand that grave misfortunes are approaching, they will weep out of despair, collapse, grow weary, and may even perish in hopelessness. However, those who place their faith in Christ and adhere to His Father's will need not experience fear or discouragement. Instead, as these occurrences unfold, they should take joy in the imminent arrival of their salvation from this worldly existence and the commencement of their eternal joy. They are encouraged to lift their eyes to heaven with confidence and witness the sign of the Son of Man, followed by His return upon the clouds of heaven in tremendous power and majesty.

Though the return of the Lord and the conclusion of the age remain a mystery, even to the angels, certain signs exist that may indicate the proximity of these momentous occurrences. During that time, the sun will lose its light, the moon will no longer shine, and the stars will plummet like autumn leaves, causing the celestial forces to tremble. A significant transformation of the world's structure will take place, after which Christ will dispatch angels equipped with trumpets to gather his elect from all corners of the earth.

The statement resembles the assertion made by Eu. In Matthew 24:26-36, it is noted that ‘Neither the Son’ refers to a point made in Matthew 24:36. If He had declared that He knows but would not disclose it, it would have caused sorrow among them. Instead, His declaration that neither the angels nor He possess this knowledge shows immense wisdom and prevents them from desiring this knowledge or annoying Him. An analogy can clarify this. Young children often see an object in their father's hands and request it; if their fathers wish to withhold it, the children might weep when they do not receive it. In such cases, fathers may conceal the item from view and display empty hands, which helps to prevent tears.