In our study of Mark we are in Mark 13:9; where Jesus tells his disciples that they must watch out because they will be arrested and beaten and hauled before both Jewish and gentile magistrates for the purpose of witnessing the Gospel.

We noted that these things happened to the disciples as the Age of Israel was put on hold and the Church Age inserted. What this means is that anytime there is a transition between Ages there is major deception, conflict and disaster and war.

We noted that Paul discussed this generically in 2Tim 3:1-7; where he describes it as characteristic of the "last days" because anytime there is an end to one thing and a beginning of another the transition is generally the result of pervasive locked in negative volition so the deception and public lie that is created from the negative volition leads to conflict and war during the period of change.

The disciples were living in the "last days" of Israel as a nation and the "last days" of the Age of Israel" since the Church Age was going to be intercalated in about 50 days and Jerusalem was to be destroyed in about 40 years.

This means that the situation was going to become increasingly difficult and dangerous. We have no specific timeframe but this is what is appears to be happening today.

These kinds of things are presently happening in nations where Christians are being persecuted but they will intensify and become much more widespread as locked in negative volition increases as we approach the Tribulation.

Church Age believers don't go into the Tribulation but those who become believers in the Tribulation will endure this same kind of persecution where it will be much more intense and widespread.

Mark 13:10; First the gospel must be preached to all nations.

Gospel is the Greek word "euaggelion" that means "good news" The "good news" is that salvation is the result of simply believing that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, that He died for the sins of the world as our substitute and that he was resurrected on the third day.

Worldwide evangelism occurs in both the Church Age and the Tribulation but in the Tribulation there is more focus on the kingdom and Jesus Christ's imminent coming as Israel's king similar to what we saw with John the Baptizer announced regarding the imminent coming of Jesus as king of Israel.

We have already studied the doctrine of the Gospel and the doctrine of evangelism so I will not repeat them here except to note that the gospel is the same in all dispensations but it may have a modifier to explain it in context.

"The gospel of God" Rom 1:16; The gospel belongs to God; The Jesus, the Son of God is the gospel.

"My gospel" Rom 2:16;. "My" is possessive. This doesn't change the gospel but it does mean is that as a believer the gospel belongs to you. It doesn't change the content of the gospel about Jesus Christ, that always remains the same.

Modifiers simply give a different emphasis; in this case it emphasizes the fact that it belongs to every believer and each believer has the responsibility to evangelize.

Another possessive pronoun is used in 2Cor 4:3,4; with the statement "Our gospel" placing emphasis on the responsibility of those who possess the gospel to communicate it.

"Gospel of peace" in Eph 6:15;. emphasizes the work and the production of the gospel, that produces peace, peace between God and man that ultimately results in peace among mankind. Eph 2:14-22; Rom 5:1; 2Cor 5:19-20;

"The eternal gospel" of Rev 14:6; emphasizes eternity. It is the same gospel but eternity is just around the corner so it is called the "eternal gospel".

"The gospel of the kingdom" is used in the parallel passage in Matt 24:14; The words "Of the kingdom" comprise a genitive phrase that simply means that during the Tribulation the next event is the coming of Messiah and His kingdom so during that time the nearness of the return of Jesus Christ as king is emphasized.

Believe on Jesus Christ, He is coming back soon. The gospel of the kingdom emphasizes the Second Advent and the fulfillment of the unconditional covenants to Israel.

During the slightly less than seven years of the Tribulation the gospel is preached to all the nations from least four different sources.

First the 144,000 Jewish evangelists of Rev 7:4; preach it.

Second, the Tribulational saints of Rev 14:12,13 preach it.

Third, the two witnesses will evangelize all the nations through some system of worldwide media. Rev 11:3-6;

Just before Jesus returns the angels will evangelize all the nations. Rev 14:6-10;

Every individual alive during the Tribulation will be presented with the gospel; The word "nations" is the Greek word "ethnos" that literally means "peoples" that in the context of Israel refers "to all nations" or literally, "to all Gentiles."

Mark 13:11; Jesus prepares His disciples and by extension everyone who represents Him who is in the world but not of it (John 15:19;) for the opposition that they will face in the devil's world. They will be surrounded with opposition.

When they arrest you and hand you over to those with religious and political power do not worry in advance about what to say to them but say to them whatever the Holy Spirit recalls to your thinking at the time. Net note 18

This verse does not apply to unprepared preachers who are going try to teach God's Word without proper preparation.

This verse is for people who have been apprehended and taken prisoner. They are speaking in a courtroom situation where they are going to be cross examined by the authorities in the devil's world so they are under great pressure and concerned for their lives.

They have been arrested and are being prosecuted for using their God given freedom of speech to present the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Even now this freedom has been restricted in parts of the world. Try speaking freely about Jesus in any country where Islam rules.

The disciples already had doctrine available in their stream of consciousness from Jesus' teaching so the Holy spirit gives them the ability to recall and present the precisely correct information from that they have been taught.

The principle is that to say the right thing under pressure in front of powerful political leaders will be difficult so God will provide special wisdom for the pressure situation.

Again, this promise does not apply to preachers in preparation for messages in times of tranquility in a local assembly it only applies to believers under pressure from persecution.

The more doctrine believers have learned, the more they have studied, the easier it will be for them to answer under pressure. In other words, to properly answer under pressure you will have to have appropriate doctrine available to be recalled from what that you have previously received from your training under doctrine.