These things which you see, the days will come in which there shall not be left a stone upon a stone that shall not be thrown down.
ταυτα α θεωρειτε ελευσονται ημεραι εν αις ουκ αφεθησεται λιθος επι λιθω ος ου καταλυθησεται
11 Church Fathers comment on this verse
As the Lord prepares for His imminent Crucifixion, He appropriately prophesies concerning Jerusalem, providing us with clear evidence of His divinity. Even at that moment, while some are admiring the temple's structures and its offerings, which I believe refer to intricate carvings like palm trees and cherubim (1 Kings 6:32), the Lord remains unmoved by their praise and foretells the temple's ruin.
Yet He paid little heed to these earthly structures, trivial as they were, and entirely inconsequential in comparison to the heavenly dwellings. Having shifted His focus away from them, He turned to what was essential for their purpose. He cautioned them that, no matter how deserving of their reverence the temple might be, it would ultimately be laid waste to its very foundation, overthrown by the might of the Romans, with Jerusalem engulfed in flames, and Israel would endure the wrath for the murder of the Lord. Following the crucifixion of the Savior, immense suffering was inflicted upon them.
The passage refers to the temple constructed by Solomon, which was destined for destruction by an invading force prior to the Day of Judgment. Throughout history, nothing built by human hands has escaped the ravages of time, the usurpation of power, or the consuming flame. However, another temple exists, adorned with precious gems and dedicated gifts, and its destruction may be foreshadowed by the Lord. This refers to the Jewish synagogue, whose dilapidated structure will collapse when the Church is established. Additionally, there is a temple within every individual, which deteriorates when faith wanes, particularly among those who bear the name of Christ yet compromise their reverence for God.
This interpretation resonates deeply with me. What value is it to know the timing of the Day of Judgment? What significance does the Lord's return hold if I carry a multitude of sins, and if He does not enter my soul or touch my mind, if Christ is not present within me, speaking through me? Christ must approach me; His coming must be realized within me. The fulfillment of the Lord’s Second Coming occurs when we can declare, "For me the world has been crucified, and I for the world." Such a person will be found at the time of the world's end on the rooftop, as his true home is in heaven. The visible and physical temple, the tangible law, the literal Passover, and the material unleavened bread—dare I also say, the temporal aspect of Christ—will be eradicated, as it once was for Paul prior to his conversion.
Christ exists in eternity solely for those for whom the world has lost its significance. For them, the temple is spiritual, the law is spiritual, and the Passover is spiritual, particularly since Christ was sacrificed once for all. Such individuals partake with unleavened bread that does not come from earthly sources but rather reflects the fruit of righteousness. For them, wisdom, power, and truth endure; redemption remains. Christ died once for the sins of the people to provide daily atonement for them.
This is clearly articulated at the conclusion of the fifty-sixth chapter of Matthew's Gospel, which says: 'And Jesus went out, and walked from the temple; and His disciples came to show Him the buildings of the temple.'
After stepping away from the crowds, the divine Son did not linger within the temple but exited the city through the southeastern gate that led to the road toward Bethany. The disciples trailed behind Him, their minds heavy with various thoughts, primarily revolving around themselves and their future roles in the kingdom of their Master, the Messiah. Influenced by the prevailing beliefs, they envisioned that immense rewards, glory, and wealth awaited them as apostles of the Messiah. They thought that while hardship, trials, and sacrifices were part of their calling, they had largely endured those challenges already.
Suddenly, they were confronted with the unsettling news that some of them would face crucifixion, others death, and all would suffer severe persecution and pain, with those horrific events still ahead of them. They hoped that at least, as a result, the establishment of the glorious kingdom of the Messiah might come swiftly. However, this hope appeared to be thwarted by a daunting condition: the Master had decided not to show Himself in the temple until it was met. In light of everything that had transpired, it did not seem plausible that the chief priests and scribes would voluntarily greet Him with the joyful proclamation, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” It was evident that such a scenario was far from realization, perhaps even a very long time away. The grave warning given by Jesus concerning the temple offered no comfort to the souls of the Israelites and was a source of dread for the disciples. Despite the widespread anticipation of calamities preceding the arrival of the Messiah—predictions that some scribes amplified to include the temple’s destruction—the Jewish people could not adapt to this foreboding expectation. Instead, they sought to interpret it in a light and favorable manner, especially concerning the temple, which they viewed as sacred and inviolable, integral to the welfare of the Jewish nation, the integrity of their faith, and the glory of the Lord. And now, this sacred place was foretold to be laid waste, a prophecy from the Messiah Himself, who had furthermore departed from it forever. The awe-inspiring and remarkable structure now appeared even more magnificent and towering to the disciples. Each extraordinary feature they passed captured their attention. One of them, Peter, could not help but vocalize his astonishment at the impressive stones and the overall sturdiness of the edifice. Others began to highlight the lavish decorations and generous offerings that adorned the temple’s pillars and walls. Some of these gifts were particularly noteworthy, having been sent from distant lands by monarchs and dignitaries. The disciples did not explicitly state why they were so fixated on these details or why they sought to draw the Master’s gaze toward them, but their expressions and words revealed a hidden sorrow for the temple, soon to face desolation. This invoked a sense of uncertainty—not entirely about the Master's prophecies, but a questioning of their own understanding of His words. Ultimately, they harbored a genuine, albeit naive, desire for the Master to focus more on the temple’s grandeur and riches, seeking to preserve it from ruin and, as the Messiah, claim it for Himself. The Lord paused and surveyed the impressive elements that had captured the disciples’ wonder; He appeared to share their admiration for the temple's strength, abundance, and beauty. Yet, contrary to their expectations, He reaffirmed His earlier warning with even greater clarity: “Amen, amen I say unto you, there shall not remain here a stone upon a stone, that shall not be destroyed!”
The warning given (Matt. 23:37-39) weighed heavily on the disciples, who, despite believing it to be true, felt compassion for Jerusalem and struggled to reconcile it with their understanding of the Messiah's reign. As they departed the temple and made their way towards the Mount of Olives, the Lord overheard His followers admiring the temple's grandiosity. In response, He disclosed that all this magnificence would eventually be reduced to nothing in the forthcoming desolation. Curious to learn more, the disciples, once alone with Him on the Mount, inquired about the timing of such a calamitous event. They were puzzled, as those who had yet to witness the advent of the Messiah’s kingdom, as they anticipated, could not perceive any indications of the end of the existing order. With their Jewry views that the world was destined to transform with the Messiah’s arrival, they together asked: what signs will indicate the unfolding of His kingdom and the conclusion of the age?
The Evangelists Matthew and Mark specify the exact location and timing of the event: it occurred as Jesus Christ was departing from the temple alongside His disciples on a Tuesday. In contrast, Luke focuses solely on the occasion that prompted Christ's discourse. The context is as follows: Christ concluded His strong rebuke of the Pharisees and the scribes by forewarning of the withdrawal of His presence from the temple in Jerusalem, signaling its impending devastation (Matt. 23:38). This prediction was distressing to the disciples—devout worshipers of the Lord and His sacred space—and was utterly baffling to them.
They could hardly fathom the possibility that the eternal stones of the temple might be destroyed (Mark, Luke), considering the grandeur of its structures (Matthew, Mark) and the generous support that ensured its stability (Luke). Confused and sorrowful, they (some of the disciples) approached the Lord, urging Him to appreciate the beauty and magnificence of the temple, as if to inquire: will all of this truly be lost? In reply, Christ foretold the complete destruction and eradication of the temple. Later, when Christ, along with the twelve disciples, reached the Mount of Olives and withdrew from the crowd, certain disciples (Peter, James, John, and Andrew) sought His insight, asking: “Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming and the end of the age?” (Matthew). This inquiry indicates that the disciples were steeped in the understanding of the Old Testament, firmly believing in the permanence of the divinely established order; thus, the destruction of Jerusalem signified to them the conclusion of the world. They also linked this event with the second glorious coming of Christ, likely influenced by His earlier remarks (Matt. 23:38-39), where He foretold the temple's desolation while simultaneously promising a glorious return to those who had been forsaken.
Jesus paused and observed the magnificent structures of the temple. He then indicated them to his disciples, declaring, "The time will arrive when not a single stone will remain upon another from what you see; all will be laid to waste." This announcement clarified any uncertainties regarding the temple's destiny. Thus, everything else will come to pass just as Jesus proclaimed. This signified a conclusion to the aspirations for the splendid reign of the Messiah and dashed hopes of participating in its splendor.
Christ responded succinctly to the disciple who spoke to Him, ‘Do you notice these grand structures? All of them will be brought to ruin, and there will not be a single stone left upon another.’ Following this clear assertion, the prophecy could not be misinterpreted, leading the disciples, as they followed their Teacher, to leave the temple with heavy hearts. They traversed the valley of Kidron and ascended the steep path to the Mount of Olives toward Bethany. Upon reaching the mountain's summit, they paused, and Christ sat down to rest, perhaps beneath the lush boughs of two magnificent cedars that once flourished at the top of the mountain. The vista from this height stirred the deepest of thoughts.
Below lay the holy city, which had long strayed from righteousness and, even on this, the final day of Christ's public ministry, demonstrated decisively that it recognized not the moment of its visitation. The mountainside and the garden of Gethsemane spread out beneath Him. Facing the city walls, a broad square adorned with marble columns and gilded temple roofs greeted His gaze. To the east, beyond the barren, rocky hills of the Judean wilderness, loomed the majestic Moabite mountains, which shimmered like a string of precious gems at sunset. In a deep, sun-scorched basin, the murky waters of the Dead Sea stirred gently. As He looked down from the mountain's peak, the Savior beheld everywhere signs of divine judgment and human transgression. On one side sparkled the mournful waters of the Dead Sea, whose dark and oppressive waves stood as a perpetual reminder of God's punishment for moral decay, while beneath Him lay the infamous city, notorious for the blood of all prophets it had shed, destined to face an even graver reckoning for its profound iniquity.
The prophecy of 'The days will come' (cf. Luke 19:43) signals a period when all these things will face ruin. When this period will occur, and other related inquiries of the disciples are framed more broadly in Luke and Mark compared to Matthew. In Matthew, the disciples are questioned about two specific topics: the destruction of Jerusalem and the conclusion of the age. Consequently, the discourse of the Lord is articulated in reference to these two significant occurrences (see note on Matthew 24:3). In contrast, Luke, like Mark, presents only one aspect—the timing of Jerusalem's destruction—with a more concise account of the Lord's message than what is found in Matthew, mirroring nearly the same level of brevity as in Mark.
While there are fewer definitive elements from Matthew pertaining to the second coming and the end of the age, the profound implications of Jerusalem's destruction in relation to the latter events (see note on Matthew 24:3) allow for some connections to be drawn between the two.
The foretelling of the destruction of the temple by our Lord Jesus Christ left a profound impact on the disciples. The grand edifice, surrounded by numerous structures and courtyards, seemed an impenetrable fortress, capable of withstanding not only outside threats but also the passage of time. The ornate embellishments of the temple, crafted over many years through the generous offerings of Jews from various nations, filled the observers with awe. The holy apostles found it hard to imagine that such formidable buildings could ever face ruin or that these treasures could be taken away, yet they could not contest the truth of their Master's proclamation. Thus, they sought a deeper understanding of what seemed to be an unfathomable mystery.
As the Lord departed from the temple after extolling the widow's faithfulness, one disciple pointed out the beauty and strength of the structure, saying: Master, look at the stones and the buildings. Others chimed in, highlighting the precious materials and gifts that adorned the sanctuary. In response to their observations, the Lord reaffirmed His prophecy unequivocally, leaving no doubt: Do you not see all these - these great buildings? The disciples, hearing these definitive words from their Master, recognized that the impending devastation of the Temple was a direct result of divine judgement, and they followed the Lord in silence. The God-Man then made His way to the Mount of Olives, where from its heights He could once again gaze upon the temple and the city, aware of the future that lay ahead.
Passages read together with this verse.
Greek text, 15 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
THEOSIS