“Tell us!
When will this be?
What will be
The sign
That all these things
Are about
To be accomplished?”
Εἰπὸν ἡμῖν, πότε ταῦτα ἔσται, καὶ τί τὸ σημεῖον ὅταν μέλλῃ ταῦτα συντελεῖσθαι πάντα;
There is something similar in Matthew, chapter 24:4, and in Luke, chapter 21:7. Either some unnamed disciples or the 4 main apostles, as indicated here in Mark, were speaking with Jesus privately. Mark did not combine the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple, the Second coming of Jesus, and the end of the world together, since he concentrated on the destruction of the Temple. Mark said that the big four apostles wanted to be told (Εἰπὸν ἡμῖν) when would these things take place (πότε ταῦτα ἔσται)? What would be the sign (καὶ τί τὸ σημεῖον) that all these things were going to finally happen (ὅταν μέλλῃ ταῦτα συντελεῖσθαι πάντα)? They wanted the inside scoop about what was coming up. After all, they were the important leaders among the followers of Jesus.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 