Did Jesus utter these words prophetically, four decades before the Jewish revolt against Rome was quashed, Jerusalem razed to the ground and the temple reduced to rubble? Unlike the rabbi from Nazareth, the rebels of Masada had seen no other way but to take up swords against their oppressors. 

Masada means ‘strong foundation’ in Hebrew. The rebels had retreated to a natural fortress on a rocky plateau, thousands of feet above the Dead Sea. Previously, King Herod the Great had capitalised on the strategic assets of Masada by having his winter castle built there. 

A century or so later an 8,000-strong Roman legion marched towards Masada. Jerusalem had already fallen. It took the commander Flavius Silva and his men several months to conquer the fortress. So as not to fall into enemy hands, the Jewish freedom fighters took their own lives. 

‘Just keep swimming’ are words immortalised by Disney Pixar’s Finding Nemo. The film about clown fish Marlin looking for his abducted son Nemo echoes the story of the Bible – a father’s relentless pursuit of his son who went his own way and found himself in trouble so deep he needed rescuing. An impossible task? Well, a father’s love is a powerful thing. In the movie, it kept Marlin swimming, despite fear and opposition, till Nemo was home safe. 

When Jesus was threatened by the Pharisees to leave, as Herod wanted to kill him he kept swimming, so to speak. ‘I must press on …’ he said. Press on towards what, exactly? 

Jesus came to bring us back home. Nothing was going to stop him. No threat of violence or death. Even Peter’s attempt to fight off the Roman guards didn’t stop him from going to the cross and doing his Father’s will. Jesus went all the way so he could say, ‘It is finished.’ 

God has been looking for you. Have you let him bring you home yet?

Read on, to find out more about Jesus predicting the disaster that was to befall Jerusalem and its people.

• The fall of Jerusalem and the coming judgement Mark 13