Did Jesus in Mark 13 incorrectly predict the end of the world in the lifetime of His disciples?

Answer 1

No. The destruction of the temple predicted in verse 2 was but a sign and many other things had to happen. Although the disciples undoubtedly suffered many of the things predicted of them, many other things remained unfulfilled. This does not at all mean that Jesus was mistaken, but simply a partial fulfilment. Nowhere does Jesus state that the world would end in the lifetime of the disciples.

As the disciples, soon to be designated Apostles, were representative of the whole church at that stage, he naturally addressed warnings to them and signs which could be recorded for the benefit of those who were to witness these events in a later age.

Its a common misconception to assume Christ was discussing the end of this 2nd of 3 earth iterations with his disciples as if it were to occur during their time, Christ stated no such thing

Read the events Christ stated in all three of those verses, how could all of them have occurred during the time of the apostles? The Temple was still standing when Christ gave the prophecy and the people of Judah still lived in that land.

The people of Judah would have to be ejected 1st before they could return (Learn the parable of the Fig Tree .... Jeremiah 24)

There would need to be great Ethnic warring (Nation against Nation)

There would need to be Mobs in the streets against the government (Troubles/Sedition)

There would need to be great apostasy (The famine of Amos 8:11), at a time when the Apostles were spreading the word

It should be obvious that what Christ proclaimed to his Apostles as signs of the end times, was not intended for their lifetime, however all of it will occur in this generation (generation of the fig, since 1948)

Answer 2

Yes, Mark's Gospel does portray Jesus as prophesying his return within the lifetimes of his disciples. The first such prophecy is in Mark 9:1 ("And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power.") and there is a detailed prophecy in chapter 13. Chapter 13 contains a quite accurate description of the events of the First Roman-Jewish War, including the civil war that raged within Jerusalem while under siege by the Romans, giving a good estimate of when the end of the world was to take place.

By the time the Gospels of Matthew and Luke were written, it was clear that the second coming was not imminent, so the authors altered Mark's prediction to refer to the more distant future and said that certain things must happen first.