Mark 13:2Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

For, since the Lord had spoken much concerning the destruction of Jerusalem, His disciples wondered, that such numerous and beautiful buildings were to be destroyed; and this is the reason why they point out the beauty of the temple, and He answers not only that they were to be destroyed, but also that one stone should not be left upon another: wherefore it goes on: And Jesus answering said unto him, Seest thou these great buildings? there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. Now some may endeavour to prove that Christ’s words were false, by saying that many ruins were left, but this is not at all the point; for though some ruins had been left, still at the consummation of all things one stone shall not be left upon another. Besides it is related, that Ælius Adrian overturned the city and the temple from the foundation, so that the word of the Lord here spoken was fulfilled.

Who among us is unaware of the prosperity experienced by the nation of Israel in ancient times, standing triumphantly against all the empires of the earth? What illustrious palaces graced the city of Jerusalem! What formidable walls and towers! What an awe-inspiring structure was the temple! The Lord's followers marveled at all these wonders, and filled with astonishment, they sought to direct the Lord's attention to the magnificent works and buildings. But the Lord revealed to them the impending desolation that awaited this place, prophesying that soon nothing would remain for them to behold. Even amid His suffering, the women followed Him, mourning the unjust condemnation He faced, for they had yet to grasp the future restoration.

Here also the Lord enumerates to His disciples the destruction of the last time, that is of the temple, with the people, and its letter; of which one stone shall not be left upon another, that is, no testimony of the Prophets upon those, to whom the Jews perversely applied them, that is, on Ezra, Zerubbabel, and the Maccabees.

The Antichrist, as referenced in 1 John 2:18-22, 1 John 4:3, and 2 John 1:7, will appear at a time when, as foretold by the Saviour, there will be no stone left standing in the Jewish temple. The collapse, whether due to disrepair or destruction occurring under the guise of restoration or for other reasons, will result in the removal of every stone, not just the outer walls but also the inner sanctuary where the cherubim resided (see 2 Samuel 6:27, 2 Samuel 8:6). At this juncture, he will come with deceptive signs and wonders (see 2 Thessalonians 2:9; Matthew 24:24; Mark 13:22), elevating himself above all idols. Initially, he will feign compassion but will ultimately reveal his brutality, particularly towards the faithful servants of God.

Because after the founding of the Church of Christ, Judæa was to be punished for her treachery, the Lord fitly, after praising the devotedness of the Church in the person of the poor widow, goes out of the temple, and foretold its coming ruin, and the contempt in which the buildings now so wonderful were soon to be held, wherefore it is said, And as he went out of the temple, one of his disciples saith unto him, Master, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here!

This warning (Matt. 23:37-39) deeply affected the hearts of the disciples, who were convinced it would come to pass. They felt compassion for Jerusalem and struggled to reconcile this with their perceptions of the Messiah's reign. As they departed from the temple, and the Lord overheard His disciples admiring the magnificence of the temple, particularly from the vantage point of the Mount of Olives to which they were heading, He disclosed to them that all this grandeur would ultimately be lost in the impending devastation. Eager for further understanding, the disciples, once alone with Him on the Mount of Olives, inquired about the timing of such a catastrophic event.

The Evangelists Matthew and Mark provide a specific place and time for the event: it took place when Jesus Christ was departing from the temple with His disciples on Tuesday. In contrast, Luke only mentions the context of Christ's discourse. The context was that Christ concluded His strong rebuke of the Pharisees and scribes by warning about the temple of Jerusalem, stating that He would withdraw His presence and protection, and foretelling its ruin (Matt. 23:38). This revelation not only distressed the disciples, who were devout followers of Jehovah and His holy place, but it was also beyond their understanding; they questioned how the eternal stones of the temple could ever be destroyed (Mk. Lk.) and how its splendid structures, celebrated throughout the world (Mt.

Jesus paused and gazed at the grand structures of the temple. He then indicated them to his disciples and proclaimed, “The time will come when not one stone will remain upon another from what you see here; it will all be thrown down!” This prophecy regarding its ruin eliminated any uncertainties concerning the temple's destiny. Thus, all that Jesus foretold will indeed come to pass. It marks the conclusion of aspirations for the majestic reign of the Messiah and the dreams of partaking in its splendor.

Finally, the Savior departed from the temple; however, the disciples were hesitant to leave behind the Old Testament sanctuary. Though they didn’t fully grasp the prophecy just spoken, they instinctively felt its significant truth. Out of compassion, they ventured to draw their Master's attention once more to the forsaken temple, as if hoping to further explore the prophecy concerning its destiny. In response, Christ answered the disciple who engaged Him, “See these great buildings? All these will be destroyed, so that not one stone will be left upon another.” With this clear declaration, there was no room left for misinterpretation of the prophecy. The disciples, following their Master, exited the temple with a weight of sorrow in their hearts.

The context for this profound prophetic discourse given by the Lord is recorded in the Gospel of Mark, where it appears more frequently than in the Gospel of Matthew. In Matthew, it is noted that the disciples pointed out to Him the splendor of the temple's structures, and upon His announcement of their impending destruction, they inquired on the Mount of Olives about when His predictions would come to fruition. Mark, however, reveals that not all of the Lord's disciples were involved in this exchange; it was initially one disciple who remarked on the buildings, followed by four of the most trusted who asked Him about the timing of the fulfillment of His prophecy, thereby eliciting this exalted and grand discourse.