Mar 13:14 But when you shall see the abomination of desolation,
Mar 13:14 But when you shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that reads understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains:
Ὅταν δὲ ἴδητε “τὸ βδέλυγμα τῆς ἐρημώσεως” ἑστηκότα ὅπου οὐ δεῖ, ὁ ἀναγινώσκων νοείτω, τότε οἱ ἐν τῇ Ἰουδαίᾳ φευγέτωσαν εἰς τὰ ὄρη,
Alternative: And you may see the rotten and despoiled raised up where it is not needed, those recognizing it must know what is coming, then those in Judea must flee to the mountains. (My Greek version doesn't show the statement about Daniel, Dan 9:27).
Hidden meaning: Christ does not see the end result of all temporary life, becoming rotten and despoiled with time, as a bad thing in itself any more than he see the other physical parts of life, eating and drinking, for example, as bad. However, these aspect of life have their proper place. Spreading fertilizer makes sense in the field but not in the house. Rot and spoiling is needed some places but not others. That is what Christ is warning us about here.
The word "standing" has a wealth of meanings (see below), but the sense here is that the rotten and despoiled are being raised up and somehow praised. This means that people start seeing some kind of value in what is worthless, raising up filth and destruction as good things. When this happens, it means things are about to fall apart. Those that recognize what is happening need to head for the hills.
Thematically and Linguistically Related Verse(s): Mat 24:15 and Mat 24:16 are the parallel verses in Matthew.
Vocabulary:
"When" is from Ὅταν (hotan), which means "whenever (as a condition)," and "since (as a cause)." "Shall see" is from ????, (eidon) which means "to see," "to examine," "to perceive," "to behold," "to know how to do," "to see with the mind's eye," and "to know."
"Abomination" is from βδέλυγμ (bdelygma), which means "abomination," "foul thing," and detestable thing, coming from a root word meaning to "to stinck" or "to rotten." This word is only found in the biblical Greek.
"Desolation" is from ἐρημώσεως (eremosis), which means "making desolate," "laying waste," "ruining," and "despoiling."
"Standing" is from ἑστηκότα (histemi), which means "to make to stand," "to stand," "to set up," "to bring to a standstill," "to check," "to appoint," "to establish," "to fix by agreement," "to be placed," "to be set," "to stand still," "to stand firm," "to set upright," "to erected," "to arise," and "to place." Like the English words "put" and "set," it has a number of specific meanings from "to put down [in writing]," "to bury," "to establish," "to make," "to cause," and "to assign."
"Where" is from ὅπου (hopou), which means "somewhere," "anywhere," "wherever," and "where." "
Ought" is from, δεῖ (dei), which means "needful," and "there is need."
"Let him that reads" is from ἀναγινώσκων(anaginosko), which means "to recognize," "to know well," "to know certainly," "to know again," "to own," and "to acknowledge." "
Understand" is from noeô (noeo), means specifically "to perceive with the mind," "apprehend," "think out, "devise," "consider," and "reflect."
"Flee" is from φευγέτωσαν, (pheugo) which means "to flee," "to take flight," "to escape," and "to flee one's country."
