The disciples see the temple in awe, but Jesus tells them that the temple is going to be destroyed. In shock, the disciples ask Jesus when these things will be and Jesus instead tells them what signs will precede His return (Mark 13:1-13).

Jesus criticizes the scribes' money practices and points out a widow's donation to the temple in contrast. We see in this passage how Jesus would have us approach finances under His discipleship (Mark 12:38-44).

After a gauntlet of questioning, Jesus has taken the floor and takes this as the opportunity to better instruct His listeners on the identity of the Messiah. Much like the scribes of Jesus' day, we too often underestimate the supremacy of the Christ and in so doing deprive ourselves of the full gift offered to us in Jesus (Mark 12:35-37).

Jeremiah, by the Lord's direction, sends out a letter to those in exile in Babylon. This letter tells these people to build lives in Babylon and lead reputable lives that would bear witness to the goodness of God. In response, the prophet Shemaiah authors a false prophetic letter calling for the ceasing of Jeremiah's ministry. God tells His people that this exile will not last forever, but there will come a time when Israel and Judah will be ruled by One of their own people.

Are all of God's commandments equal or is there one supreme one? Jesus answers this question to the agreement of a sincere scribe and although this agreement brings this scribe near to God's kingdom, it does not admit him in entirely. Jesus shows how He calls us to an arrangement deeper than religion (Mark 28-34).

Jeremiah's ministry and Jeremiah himself continue to inconvenience the rulers in Judah. As he continues to prophesy judgment by Babylon, Jeremiah is sentenced to death but spared in the last minute. To symbolize the surrender to Babylon, God has Jeremiah dawn a yoke. During this spectacle, the prophet Hananiah challenges Jeremiah with a conflicting prophecy.

When the Sadducees propose to Jesus a cleverly-smithed question to illustrate the supposed inconsistency of the after life. Jesus not only corrects their misunderstanding of the afterlife, but also displays His experiential authority over heavenly matters (Mark 12:18-27).

God assures Judah that they will be sacked by Babylon. He also expresses a complete rejection of the line of Coniah, yet still promises a coming faithful branch. Lastly, Jeremiah has a vision of two baskets of figs. God surprisingly explains that the those that remain in Jerusalem are, in fact, the bad figs.

In another attempt to entrap Jesus, the Pharisees and Herodians ask Jesus whether the Jews should pay taxes to Caesar. Jesus turns this seemingly unanswerable conundrum into a dissertation of eternal and heavenly truth (Mark 12:13-17).

God's indictment on His people continues, including their disregard for His holy Sabbath day. Jeremiah still perseveres in his ministry, but when he's arrested, he curses even the day he was born.