those days” (13:17). And the calamitous events of 70 CE account for Jesus’ statement that “this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place” (30). From our standpoint today, however, 70 CE hardly qualifies as the end, no matter how traumatic that year was at the time. We might notice, therefore, that Jesus predicts not one but multiple wars and calamities (13:7–8). Also, the Son of Man “will gather his elect … from the ends of the earth” (13:27). This sounds like preparation