And some saying of the temple that it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts, he said:
και τινων λεγοντων περι του ιερου οτι λιθοις καλοις και αναθημασιν κεκοσμηται ειπεν
11 Church Fathers comment on this verse
The Lord, knowing that His Crucifixion is imminent, appropriately prophesies concerning Jerusalem, providing us with clear evidence that He is the true God. Even at that moment, when others are admiring the temple structures and offerings—likely referring to the ornate carvings and sculptures like palm trees and cherubim (1 Kings 6:32)—the Lord pays them no heed, instead foretelling their devastation.
From Christ, we have gained insight into what lies ahead, for He is the one who ‘reveals the deep out of darkness’ and understands the hidden things; ‘in him are all the treasures of wisdom and the mysteries of knowledge.’ He alters times and seasons, reshaping creation into its original form. It was through Him, before anything existed, that all was brought into existence by the will of God the Father, as He embodies His living and personal power and wisdom; and again through Him, it can easily transition into something even greater. As His disciple notes, ‘we look forward to new heavens and a new earth, and to His promise.’ This digression was prompted, in part, by the inquiry posed to our common Savior about the temple and its contents, along with the response He provided. Some brought to His attention the magnificent works within the temple and the splendor of the sacrifices, hoping He would appreciate the view as they did, despite the fact that He is God, and heaven is His throne.
The prophecies of the Sign mentioned in the Gospel of Luke, which your holiness recalls, align closely with those found in the Gospels of Matthew and Mark. These three Gospels recount the conversation between the Lord and His disciples when they inquired about the timing of the prophecies concerning the destruction of the temple and sought clarity on the sign of His coming and the conclusion of the age. Any variations between the accounts do not indicate a contradiction; rather, they enhance the understanding of readers by interrelating these narratives, allowing them to mutually support one another. Yet, delving into a comprehensive analysis of this topic would be extensive.
In response to the disciples’ question, the Lord conveyed all that would occur from that point onward, including the destruction of Jerusalem—prompting their inquiry—and His presence through the Church. He continues to manifest until the end of the age, as the Lord is recognized in His ongoing coming to His followers, who are born into the faith daily. This anticipated coming is articulated in the words: “Henceforth ye shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven” (Matt. 26:64), culminating in the day of judgment when He will be revealed to judge both the living and the dead.
This is clearly articulated at the conclusion of the fifty-sixth chapter of the Gospel according to Matthew, which states: ‘And Jesus went out, and walked from the temple; and His disciples came to show Him the buildings of the temple.’
After withdrawing from the crowd, the God-Man did not stay in the temple but left the city through the southeast gate that led toward Bethany. His disciples followed Him, burdened with various thoughts, primarily focused on themselves and their future roles in the Kingdom of the Messiah— their Master. According to popular belief, they envisioned crowns, glory, and treasures in store for the Messiah’s apostles; although hardships and sacrifices were part of this calling, they believed that the bulk of such trials had already been faced by them. Then, unexpectedly, they encountered the grim news that some of these apostles would face crucifixion, others would be killed, and all would endure intense persecution and suffering, with this distressing fate just beginning!
They hoped that the glorious establishment of the Messiah’s kingdom would be swiftly realized as a reward for their trials. However, this hope felt ever so distant amidst a dire condition that the Master declared would prevent Him from appearing in the temple.
It was conceivable that the chief priests and scribes, of their own accord, might one day greet Him with the exclamation: ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ Yet it was clear that this was not a reality expected to come soon. The ominous warning delivered by Jesus concerning the temple was a source of dread for the Israelites and left the disciples troubled. Although prophecies of catastrophic events preceding the Messiah’s arrival were circulating—some scribes even included the prediction of the temple’s destruction—the Jewish people struggled to accept such a fate. Every individual sought to interpret these predictions in a more favorable light, especially concerning the temple, which in Jewish thought symbolized all that was sacred and inviolable, the well-being of the nation, the integrity of their faith, and the glory of Jehovah. Now, this very temple was being prophesied to fall into desolation—foretold by the Messiah Himself, who had departed from it permanently.
The grandeur and magnificence of the structure appeared even more impressive to the disciples. Every remarkable aspect of it captured their attention. One disciple, Peter, could not hold back his astonishment and exclaimed aloud about the sheer size of the stones and the sturdiness of the building. Others began to draw the Master’s eyes to the luxurious decorations, the valuable contributions, and the opulent gifts embellishing the pillars and walls of the temple's many entrances. Some of these offerings were notable not only for their intrinsic worth but also because they had been sent from far-off lands by kings and nobles. The disciples did not explicitly state why they were so preoccupied with these details or why they wished to draw the Master’s focus to them. Still, their words and expressions revealed a hidden sorrow regarding the temple, soon to be decreed desolate, as well as a certain skepticism—not necessarily of the Master’s predictions but of their grasp of His words. Ultimately, they harbored a genuine, albeit naive, desire that the Master would divert his attention from portents of destruction and anger towards the temple’s riches and grandeur, and if possible, preserve it from ruin, claiming it as His own as the Messiah.
The Lord paused and looked upon the significant features that astonished His disciples. He seemed to share their admiration for the temple’s strength, wealth, and grandeur. Yet, in sharp contrast to their expectations, He reinforced the previous warning with greater clarity: ‘Amen, amen I say unto you, there shall not remain here a stone upon a stone, that shall not be destroyed!’
The stark warning shared in Matthew 23:37-39 weighed heavily on the hearts of the disciples. They had faith in its realization yet felt compassion for Jerusalem, struggling to reconcile this with their understanding of the Messiah's reign. As they departed from the temple and observed its grandeur, particularly from the Mount of Olives, He disclosed to them that all the magnificence they beheld would soon be reduced to nothing amidst the impending destruction. Eager to learn more, the disciples, once alone with Him on the mount, inquired about the timing of such a catastrophic event.
They found themselves perplexed, as they had not yet witnessed the inauguration of the Messiah’s kingdom in the way they had anticipated; they discerned no indications that the existing order would be completely transformed with His arrival, as was commonly believed among the Jewish people. United in their curiosity, they asked Him: what signs should we look for to know when His kingdom will manifest and when the end of the age will come?
The Evangelists Matthew and Mark clearly indicate the specific place and time of the event: it occurred as Jesus Christ was departing from the temple accompanied by His disciples on a Tuesday. In contrast, Luke focuses solely on the context of Christ's address. This address followed the conclusion of Christ's critical words directed at the Pharisees and scribes, where He warned of the temple in Jerusalem being abandoned by Him and foretold its destruction (Matt. 23:38). This declaration not only distressed the disciples, who were devout worshippers of the Lord and His holy place, but also left them bewildered. They wondered how it could be possible for the eternal stones of the temple to be brought down (Mk. Lk.), how the magnificent structures, renowned throughout the world (Matt.
Mk.), secure in their existence due to abundant resources (Lk.), might face such ruin. Confused and saddened, they (Mk. one of the disciples, Lk. some of them) turned to the Master, appealing to Him to admire the splendor and majesty of the temple, as if to ask: could all of this truly come to an end? In response, Christ predicted the complete destruction and obliteration of the temple. Later, as Christ along with His twelve disciples ascended the Mount of Olives, they secluded themselves from the crowds, and there the disciples (Mk. Peter, James, John, and Andrew) questioned Him: "Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming and the end of the age?" (Matt.) This inquiry reveals that Christ's disciples were still deeply rooted in the perspectives of the Old Testament, holding a firm belief in the unchanging divine order established in the Old Covenant. For them, the devastation of Jerusalem was tantamount to the end of the world. At the same time, they associated it with the second, glorious return of Christ, possibly influenced by His earlier remarks (Matt. 23:38-39), where, following His prediction of the temple's desolation, He simultaneously assured of a new and glorious revelation of Himself to those who would be left behind.
As Jesus departed from the temple and made His way to the Mount of Olives, His disciples accompanied Him. The events of that day weighed heavily upon their hearts. They were unable to shake off their Jewish aspirations for the majestic reign of the Messiah, along with their anticipated significance within that domain. They believed that the establishment of this kingdom was near at hand. However, the day's occurrences left them feeling a deep sense of disappointment. Jesus' rebuke of the Pharisees and the religious leaders was His final effort to draw them to repentance, but it only served to further harden their malevolent hearts. The very crowd that had welcomed Jesus just two days earlier as the promised King of Israel now turned indifferent upon hearing of His impending crucifixion.
Moreover, Jesus had foretold dire trials for His followers, warning them of persecution, with some facing death, possibly even crucifixion. The treasured temple of Jerusalem, a symbol of pride among devout Jews, was prophesied to be destroyed, and their Master, Jesus, would not be visible until the culmination of time. Questions swirled in their minds: When would the anticipated Messiah's kingdom be unveiled? Shouldn't it be manifest if numerous prophecies had foretold it? Wouldn’t its emergence coincide with the end times and the Second Coming of Christ?
As they grappled with these uncertainties, the apostles found themselves unable to bear the weight of their despair; they needed to speak privately with Jesus. One of the apostles pointed out the magnificence of the temple, exclaiming, "Look at the stones and the buildings! Will all this really be destroyed?" Meanwhile, the other apostles began discussing how to adorn the temple with precious gems and lavish offerings. They felt a deep sorrow for the temple and sought reassurance regarding its future.
Finally, the Savior exited the temple, yet the disciples hesitated to leave the old covenant sanctuary. They struggled to fully grasp the prophecy that had just been proclaimed, even as they sensed its profound reality. Out of compassion, they attempted to once again bring their Master’s focus to the forsaken temple as if wanting to reaffirm the prophecy concerning its destiny.
The context of the Savior's prophetic discourse regarding the downfall of Jerusalem and the culmination of the world is documented in Luke. This occasion is conveyed in Luke with similar generality as in Matthew, while Mark provides more specific details. Refer to Matthew 24:1-4 and Mark 13:1-4, noting that the term "costly stones" refers not to precious gems in a narrow sense, but rather to large, magnificent materials; see the commentary on Mark 13:1. The term "contributions" encompasses all forms of offerings and adornments presented as gifts to God within the temple. It was customary for ancient conquerors to dedicate a portion of their spoils as an offering to their deities, which they would bring to the temples.
Similarly, devout individuals would make diverse offerings to beautify the temples, and this practice appears to have been observed among the Jewish people. Flavius Josephus notes a grand vine crafted from gold that was presented by Herod the Great as a gift to the temple (Bel. Jud. 6, 5, 2. Antt. 15, 11, 3). The Blessed Theophylact interprets this to signify "carved and sculptured works, such as palm trees and cherubim" (3 Kings 6:32).
The prophecy of our Lord Jesus Christ regarding the destruction of the temple left a profound impact on His disciples. The splendid temple structure, flanked by numerous edifices and narthexes, seemed like an impregnable fortress capable of withstanding not only the assaults of adversaries but also the ravages of time. The temple's exquisite adornments, crafted over many years from the generous donations of Jews residing in distant lands, filled bystanders with awe. The holy apostles struggled to reconcile the idea of these resilient structures being brought to ruin and the treasures being seized. While they found it difficult to fathom such a catastrophe, they did not question the veracity of their Master's words.
Thus, they resolved to seek a deeper and clearer understanding of what appeared to be an impenetrable enigma.
As the Lord departed the temple after praising the widow's devotion, one disciple remarked on the magnificence and robustness of the buildings, saying, "Master, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here." Others joined in, highlighting the costly stones and offerings that adorned the sacred space. In response, the Lord affirmed His prophecy firmly, leaving no room for doubt: "Do you not see all these great buildings?" By these emphatic words, the holy Apostles understood that the impending destruction of the Temple was a consequence of God's unavoidable judgment, and they followed the Lord in silence. The God-Man then made His way to the Mount of Olives, intending to gaze once more upon the temple and the city from a vantage point that offered a glimpse into the future.
Passages read together with this verse.
Greek text, 13 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
THEOSIS