480 Gustavo Martin suntelei'sqai pavnta) of the disciples’ question in v. 4, and refer, as the question did, to the destruction of the temple. V. 31b merely reinforces and elaborates on the ΔAmh;n levgw uJmi'n of v. 30, and is in stark contrast to the words of the deceivers, the false prophets and false christs of vv. 6, 21-22: oiJ de; lovgoi mou ouj mh; pareleuvsontai). There can be little doubt that v. 29 refers back to v. 14: ”Otan dev i[dhte to; bdevlugma th'" ejrhmwvsew" … tovte oiJ ejn th/' ΔIoudaiva/ feuevtwsan eij" ta; o[rh (v. 14). ”Otan i[dhte tau'ta ginovmena, ginwvskete o{ti ejgguv" ejstin ejti; quvrai" (v. 29). In contrast to the complex event referred to in v. 29 as tau'ta pavnta, which will certainly be fulfilled within the lifespan of Jesus’audience (77) is another event, for which no signs are available and the timing of which is unknown. “But regarding that day or that hour, no one knows….” (v. 32). These words begin a new sub-section which includes its own “parable” and associated paraenesis, but is devoid of o{tan clauses. The only references to time in these 6 verses are expressed in negative terms: oujdei;" oi\den (v. 32) …oujk oi[date ga;r povte oJ kairov" ejstin (v. 33) … ou\n: oujk oi[date ga;r povte oJ kuvrio" th'" oijkiva" e[rcetai (v. 35). In this second sub-section, the simile illustrates not knowing when “the time” is, and having, therefore, to remain alert at all times (v. 33). The noun kairov" appears 5 times in Mark, and its usage seems to denote specific, right, or even climactic time (78). “This is like — continues the Markan Jesus — a man who, having left his house, went away on a journey. He gave each of his servants charge of his work, and he commanded the gate keeper to remain watching”. In the final verse, and colophon of the entire speech, the Markan Jesus widens his potential audience to include all disciples (“I say to all”). For readers and listening audience alike, the coming lord of the household is identified with the coming Son of Man of v. 26, whose coming is likewise predicted in an indeterminate future. The 4 imperatives in this subsection: Blevpete" ajgrupnei'te (v. 33, agrupneite here qualifies Blevpete); grhgorei'te (v. 35) and grhgorei'te j ' (77) This is the natural sense of hJ genea; au{th, though alternative views abound, many motivated by a desire to save the Markan Jesus from an obvious mistake, that is, the alleged prediction of the parousia within a generation of his audience. I have shown that these words, together with the rest of the sub-section made up of vv. 28-31, refer to the destruction of the temple, and not the Son of Man’s coming as described in vv. 26-27. (78) Thus in Mark 1,15; 11,13; 12,2. Perhaps less so in 10,30.