And he answering, said to them: Do you see all these things? Amen I say to you, there shall not be left here a stone upon a stone that shall not be destroyed.
ο δε ιησους ειπεν αυτοις ου βλεπετε παντα ταυτα ταυτα παντα αμην λεγω υμιν ου μη αφεθη ωδε λιθος επι λιθον ος ου καταλυθησεται
12 Church Fathers comment on this verse · 13 commentaries
How means He this, that one stone shall not be left upon another? Either as conveying the notion of its utter overthrow; or with respect to the place in which it stood, for its parts were broken up to its very foundations. But I would add, that, after the fate it underwent, the most captious might be satisfied that its very fragments have perished.
To the disciples, He foretells the ruin of the temple. As they, focused on worldly matters, admire the splendor of the structures and pointed out to Christ, as if to express, ‘Look at this magnificent building You abandon,’ He shifts their focus from their preoccupation with temporal concerns and brings their attention to the heavenly Jerusalem, declaring, ‘There shall not be left here one stone upon another.’ Through this emphatic statement, He anticipates the comprehensive devastation of the edifice.
Figuratively; When the Lord departed from the temple, all the buildings of the Law and the structure of the Commandments were so overthrown, that none of them could be fulfilled by the Jews, but, the Head being taken away, all the parts were at war among themselves.
He first inquires, ‘Do you not marvel at all these wonders?’ Then He predicts not just abandonment, but the total annihilation of these structures. Mark records, ‘And one of His disciples said to Him, “Teacher, look at these magnificent stones and buildings.” Jesus replied, “Do you see these towering edifices?”’ Luke notes that some were remarking on the church’s beautiful stones and exquisite treasures, to which He responded, ‘The days will come when not one stone will remain upon another; every one will be thrown down.’ Naturally, all the disciples gathered to direct Jesus’ attention to the temple’s buildings.
As they discussed the temple adorned with precious stones and lavish offerings, one disciple remarked to Jesus, “Teacher, behold the stones and the structure.” He reiterated His earlier answer to them all. Some claim that certain sections still stand with stones upon stones that weren’t destroyed. To this assertion, we counter that everything the Lord deemed remarkable at that time was utterly laid to waste. If any remnants from the Romans survived, they were either demolished later or repurposed for other constructions.
Christ, when He had foretold all that should come upon Jerusalem, went forth out of the temple, He, who while He was in it, had upheld the temple that it should not fall. And so each man, being the temple of God by reason of the Spirit of God dwelling in him, is himself the cause of his being deserted, that Christ should depart from him. It is worthy of note how they shew Him the buildings of the temple, as though He had never seen them. We reply, that when Christ had foretold the destruction that should come upon the temple, His disciples were amazed at the thought that so magnificent buildings should be utterly ruined, and therefore they shew them to Him to move Him to pity, that He would not do what He had threatened.
And because the constitution of human nature is wonderful, being made the temple of God, the disciples and the rest of the saints confessing the wonderful working of God in respect of the forming of men, intercede before the face of Christ, that He would not forsake the human race for their sins.
Every man also, who, by taking into him the word of God, is become a temple, if after sinning he yet retains in part the traces of faith and religion, his temple is in part destroyed, and in part standing. But he who after sin has no regard for himself is gradually alienated, until he has altogether forsaken the living God, and so one stone is not left upon another of God’s commandments, which he has not thrown down.
The glorious splendor of the temple was revealed to Christ right after He predicted the ruin of Jerusalem, as though to prompt a response. Yet, He declared that it would all be laid waste, stating that no stone would remain upon another, for the everlasting temple was already sanctified as the residence of the Holy Spirit. This everlasting temple is humanity, who becomes deserving of God’s abode through the understanding of the Son, acknowledgment of the Father, and adherence to the commandments.
The historical sense is clear, that in the forty-second year after the Lord’s passion, the city and temple were overthrown under the Roman Emperors Vespasian and Titus.
So it was ordained of God, that as soon as the light of grace was revealed, the temple with its ceremonies should be taken out of the way, lest any weakling in the faith, beholding all the things instituted of the Lord and hallowed by the Prophets yet abiding, might be gradually drawn away from the purity of the faith to a carnal Judaism.
The Lord paused and observed the structures that captivated the disciples; it appeared to them that He too admired the temple's magnificence and even felt a sense of sorrow for it. Yet, unexpectedly, He emphasized even more forcefully the earlier warning regarding the temple: JESUS proclaimed to them, SEE ALL THESE structures, these grand edifices? Truly, I say to you, there is nothing truly significant or beautiful among human accomplishments unless it is blessed by God. Men have turned this house of worship into a den of thieves: how can God's blessing rest upon it? NOT ONE STONE WILL REMAIN HERE UPON ANOTHER; EVERYTHING WILL BE RAISED TO THE GROUND. This splendid temple will leave not a trace!...
The conviction and intensity with which these words were spoken resonated like the irrevocable judgement of eternal fate. This solemn pronouncement was fulfilled accurately thirty-six years later when the Romans captured Jerusalem and reduced the temple to rubble. Despite Roman commander Titus's desire to preserve the temple for the glory of his empire, the Lord’s decree prevailed. In his effort, Titus attempted to extinguish the flames engulfing the temple and commanded the centurions to execute the disobedient soldiers; they refused to comply and did not quench the fire. Ultimately, Titus had to retreat, and the temple was consumed by flames. Everything was leveled, and the plow traversed the remnants of what was once a majestic structure.
Even three hundred years later, Julian the apostate sought to rebuild the temple of Judah as a challenge to Christ’s great prophecy; he summoned thousands of Jews from around the world to Palestine. They began to excavate the temple’s foundations, with even the wealthiest women laboring alongside them, driven by fervor that bordered on zealotry—all in vain! Suddenly, fireballs erupted from the ground, driving the workers away. This terrifying phenomenon occurred repeatedly whenever they attempted to resume construction, causing the builders to scatter, much like the builders of the Tower of Babel. They bore witness that the ruins of the temple are under the authority of the King of Heaven, who desires them to testify to the glory of His Son.
The Lord’s judgement stands firm to this day. Scholars engage in debates over the precise location of the Holy of Holies, and only near the Mosque of Omar, which is situated over the site of Solomon's magnificent Temple, can one find remnants of the ancient walls—the temple's foundations. Each year, near these meager remains of Jerusalem's former splendor, Jews gather with tears and heartfelt cries, embracing these stones in a heartfelt effort to fulfill the words of the prophet (Psalm 101:15).
Jesus paused and gazed at the magnificent structures of the temple. He then indicated them to His disciples, declaring, "There will come a time when not a single stone of what you see here will remain intact; all will be brought to ruin." This prophecy about its devastation eliminated any uncertainties concerning the temple’s future. Thus, every other word will come to pass just as Jesus foretold. This marks the end of aspirations for the glorious reign of the Messiah and the cessation of hopes to share in the splendor of His kingdom.
Christ responded succinctly to the disciple who spoke to Him, saying, "Do you see these magnificent structures? Not one stone will remain upon another; all will be torn down." With such a definitive declaration, there could be no ambiguity regarding the prophecy given. The disciples, guided by their Teacher, left the temple’s grounds burdened by somber reflections.
The complete and utter devastation of this site shall be absolute, leaving no remnants of this glorious temple and its expansions. This prophecy came to fruition approximately 36 years subsequent to its declaration. In 70 A.D., Jerusalem fell to the Romans, culminating in the temple's destruction and its descent into desolation. In the following years, during Trajan's reign, any remaining evidence of it was eradicated. Titus, the Roman commander, aimed to safeguard the temple during Jerusalem's conquest; however, human intention could not override God's decree. The Jewish people ignited the vestibule of the temple, and in defiance of orders, a Roman soldier cast flames through a window, igniting the sanctuary. Despite Titus's commands to extinguish the fire, they went unheeded; the soldiers instead rushed to loot the blazing temple, impervious to commands, threats, or punishment. The temple was consumed by flames and subjected to pillage.
Passages read together with this verse.
Greek text, 22 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
THEOSIS