Be on your guard
This phrase emphasizes the need for vigilance and readiness. In the context of Mark 13, Jesus is speaking about the end times and the signs of His return. The call to be on guard is a warning against complacency and spiritual slumber. In the broader biblical narrative, this echoes the warnings given to the Israelites to remain faithful and obedient to God's commandments (Deuteronomy 4:9). The Greek word used here, "blepete," implies a continuous, active watchfulness, suggesting that believers must constantly be aware of spiritual dangers and the need for perseverance in faith.

and stay alert!
The command to stay alert reinforces the urgency of the previous phrase. This alertness is not just physical but spiritual, requiring discernment and awareness of the times. In the cultural context of the first century, watchfulness was a critical duty for guards and servants, especially at night. This metaphor would resonate with Jesus' audience, who understood the importance of being prepared for unexpected events. Theologically, this alertness is linked to prayer and spiritual readiness, as seen in Ephesians 6:18, where believers are encouraged to pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.

For you do not know
This phrase highlights the uncertainty of the timing of future events, specifically the return of Christ. It underscores the limitations of human knowledge and the need for trust in God's sovereign plan. The unpredictability of the timing is a recurring theme in Jesus' teachings about the end times (Matthew 24:36). This uncertainty serves as a motivation for constant readiness and faithfulness, as believers are called to live in a state of preparedness, not knowing when the Lord will return.

when the appointed time will come.
The "appointed time" refers to the divinely ordained moment of Christ's return and the fulfillment of God's eschatological plan. This concept of an appointed time is rooted in the Old Testament, where God sets specific times for His purposes (Ecclesiastes 3:1). Theologically, it affirms God's sovereignty and control over history. The term "kairos" in Greek indicates a specific, opportune moment rather than chronological time, emphasizing the significance and decisiveness of this event. This appointed time is a central theme in eschatology, reminding believers of the culmination of God's redemptive work and the establishment of His eternal kingdom.

1. Jesus Christ
The speaker of this verse, providing a warning and instruction to His disciples and, by extension, to all believers.

2. Disciples
The immediate audience of Jesus' teaching, representing all followers of Christ who are called to heed His warnings.

3. Mount of Olives
The location where Jesus delivered the Olivet Discourse, which includes this verse, discussing the end times and the need for vigilance.

4. End Times
The broader context of this passage, where Jesus speaks about the signs of the end of the age and His second coming.

5. Appointed Time
Refers to the unknown time of Christ's return, emphasizing the need for constant readiness.Vigilance in Faith
Believers are called to be constantly on guard, maintaining a state of spiritual alertness and readiness for Christ's return.

Uncertainty of Timing
The exact time of Jesus' return is unknown, which should motivate Christians to live each day as if it could be the day of His coming.

Spiritual Preparedness
Just as a watchman stays alert, Christians must cultivate a life of prayer, study, and obedience to remain prepared.

Active Waiting
Waiting for Christ's return is not passive; it involves active engagement in God's work and living out the Gospel.

Encouragement in Community
Believers should encourage one another to stay vigilant and support each other in their spiritual journeys.1. What is the meaning of Mark 13:33?

2. How can we "stay alert" in our daily walk with Christ?

3. What does "keep watch" mean in the context of Mark 13:33?

4. How does Mark 13:33 relate to the parable of the ten virgins?

5. What practical steps help us prepare for Christ's return, as Mark 13:33 advises?

6. How can prayer enhance our vigilance as instructed in Mark 13:33?

7. What does "Be on the alert" in Mark 13:33 imply about Christian vigilance today?

8. How does Mark 13:33 challenge the concept of predestination versus free will?

9. Why is the command to "watch" significant in the context of Mark 13:33?

10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Mark 13?

11. What does the Bible say about watchmen?

12. Why does Jesus' return prediction in Mark 13:30 suggest an imminent end of the world that didn’t happen?

13. Are you living as if Christ could return today?

14. What does the Greek word "kairos" mean?Be on your guard

Jesus begins with a command that sounds like a sentry’s order. He is talking to His disciples (Mark 13:3) but, by extension, to every believer who waits for His return.

• “Guard” points to active responsibility, not passive interest. Mark 14:38 repeats the thought: “Watch and pray so that you will not enter into temptation”.

• The charge covers every arena of life—belief, behavior, and relationships—echoing Proverbs 4:23, “Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow springs of life.”

• Paul catches the same tone in 1 Corinthians 16:13: “Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, be men of courage, be strong.”

Being on guard means refusing spiritual drowsiness, spotting sin’s approach early, and preserving the gospel’s purity amid cultural drift.

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and stay alert!

The phrase tightens the warning: guarding must be joined to constant wakefulness.

• “Stay alert” pictures eyes wide open, the opposite of the disciples’ literal sleep in Gethsemane (Matthew 26:40-41).

• Romans 13:11 urges the same urgency: “The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.”

• 1 Thessalonians 5:6 adds, “So then, let us not sleep as the others do, but let us remain awake and sober.”

Christians live between two advents; spiritual nap-taking dulls love, weakens witness, and opens doors to compromise. Alertness means tuning our minds to eternal realities while handling everyday tasks.

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For you do not know

Ignorance of the timetable is deliberate on God’s part. Jesus told the apostles in Acts 1:7, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by His own authority.”

• Uncertainty fosters humility—no place for prideful date-setting.

• It nurtures dependence: like Israel gathering daily manna, we rely on fresh grace each day (Lamentations 3:22-23).

• James 4:13-15 reminds us that even tomorrow’s business plans are subject to God’s will, so presumption is folly.

Because knowledge is limited, obedience must be immediate. Today is always the right day to repent, believe, serve, and encourage.

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when the appointed time will come

“Appointed time” points to God’s fixed, sovereign schedule. The end is not random; it is an appointment already set.

• Hebrews 9:27-28 couples two appointments: death and Christ’s return to bring salvation to those waiting for Him.

• Jesus likens His coming to a homeowner arriving unexpectedly (Matthew 24:44). Servants who expect Him at any moment stay busy with His work.

• Peter explains the apparent delay: “The Lord is not slow to fulfill His promise…but is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish” (2 Peter 3:9). Yet the very next verse warns, “The day of the Lord will come like a thief.”

• Revelation 3:3 delivers the bottom line: “If you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come upon you.”

The certainty of the appointment, paired with its unknown date, produces watchful hope rather than fearful speculation.

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summary

Mark 13:33 is Jesus’ concise call to lifelong vigilance. Guard your heart, stay wide-awake to spiritual realities, admit you do not—and cannot—know the schedule, and live ready for the divinely fixed moment when Christ returns. Persistent watchfulness is not anxiety; it is faith that takes God at His word and keeps serving until He appears.

(33) Take ye heed.--Note once more the characteristic iteration of the warning. It would almost seem, from the very different conclusions of the discourse in the three Gospels, as if they had been based up to this point on a common document which then stopped and left them to a greater divergency of memory or tradition. The omission of St. Matthew's reference to the history of Noah is, perhaps, characteristic of St. Mark's as a Gentile Gospel.

Verses 33-37. - These exhortations, which gather up in a succinct form the practical bearing of the parallel passages and parables in St. Matthew, must not be understood as implying that our Lord's coming in judgment would be during the lifetime of his disciples. The preceding words would teach them plainly enough that the actual time of this coming was hidden from the. m. But the intention was that, while by the certainty of the event their faith and hope would be quickened, by the uncertainty of the time they might be left in a continual state of watchfulness and prayer. According to the Jewish reckoning, there were only three watches - namely, the first watch, from sunset to 10 p.m.; the second watch, from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m.; and the third watch, from 2 a.m. to sunrise. But after the establishment of the Roman power in Judaea, these watches were divided into four; and were either described as the first, second, third, and fourth respectively; or, as here, by the terms even, beginning at six and ending at nine; midnight, ending at twelve; cockcrowing, ending at three; and morning, ending at six.

Parallel Commentaries ...

Be on your guard
Βλέπετε (Blepete)
Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 991: (primarily physical), I look, see, perceive, discern. A primary verb; to look at.

[and] stay alert!
ἀγρυπνεῖτε (agrypneite)
Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 69: Ultimately from a and hupnos; to be sleepless, i.e. Keep awake.

For
γὰρ (gar)
Conjunction
Strong's 1063: For. A primary particle; properly, assigning a reason.

you do not know
οἴδατε (oidate)
Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 1492: To know, remember, appreciate.

when
πότε (pote)
Conjunction
Strong's 4219: When, at what time. From the base of pou and te; interrogative adverb, at what time.

the
ὁ (ho)
Article - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

appointed time
καιρός (kairos)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2540: Fitting season, season, opportunity, occasion, time. Of uncertain affinity; an occasion, i.e. Set or proper time.

will come.
ἐστιν (estin)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.


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NT Gospels: Mark 13:33 Watch keep alert and pray (Mar Mk Mr)