Suppose you were visiting Washington, D.C., and someone you knew well and trusted told you, “See the Capitol and White House. Not one of the stones in these buildings will remain one upon another.” How would you feel? Imagine what the disciples felt when Jesus told them the centerpiece of their faith, the temple, would be destroyed.
Jesus had prophesied the destruction of the temple; so, the disciples asked for details. They wanted to know when and how they could know when the destruction was about to happen. Some believe that in answering Jesus intermingled statements about the troubles that came to Jerusalem in 70 AD with the troubles that would precede His return. Verses five to thirteen contain commands and warnings that always apply to all disciples.
Jesus commands to be on our guard against deception. There will be false teachers claiming to teach in Jesus’ name and even those who claim to be the Messiah. In the context of persecution, the gospel will spread globally until every ethnic group (nation) has heard the gospel. Those who take the gospel to new places and young believers in those places can expect to suffer, but they are not to worry about it. Disciples do not have to rehearse in their minds what they will say in front of the authorities. The Holy Spirit will give them words in the moment if it comes to that.
Disciples should expect others to hate us, both the religious and the secularists. They may face betrayal from loved ones. In the middle of saying these things, Jesus assured them that those who endured all of this to the end would be saved.
So, in this life, we can expect things to be hard. We must be discerning of truth and on guard against religious charlatans. We shouldn’t expect the admiration of the world. (That doesn’t mean we should actively act like jerks to earn their disdain.) When persecution is intense, we should rely on the Spirit to help us.