Mark 13:2, commentary and pictures

As He left the temple for the last time, after its leaders honored the building while seeking to destroy the One who made it sacred, a disciple pointed with admiration to its strength and beauty and Jesus answered solemnly in the hearing of many that those great buildings would be completely thrown down with not one stone left upon another. The temple they admired was a magnificent national pride of purest white marble and snow-white walls, with stones of almost fabulous size and perfect masonry that looked like one solid stone, costly, firm and apparently indestructible. The prediction was fulfilled literally about forty years later when Roman legions besieged Jerusalem, broke its walls and burned the sanctuary until stone was thrown down upon stone, though Titus willed to spare it and commanded that not one stone be touched, because a higher mandate had gone forth and angels of God were sent to carry out the destruction. The destruction came as judgment hanging over the once favored nation because the people failed to recognize their visitation and rejected and crucified Christ, so the arm strong to save had become strong to smite, and the temple sacrifices had lost their value because the types had met their fulfillment in Christ. In mercy Jesus mingled that destruction with the great day of His coming, so His words reach beyond Jerusalem to the final burning and belong to those who will live in the last scenes of this earth's history, warning that despite their cost, beauty and solidity modern buildings will fall in the same way, and pressing the question who will stand acquitted without spot of character before the judgment seat of Christ.

Setting and Prediction

Jesus was leaving the temple for the last time, after its leaders had honored the building while seeking to destroy the One who made it sacred. As He went out, a disciple and others with Him pointed with admiration to its strength and beauty. He gave His sad and solemn answer in the hearing of many people. Those words led Peter, James, John and Andrew to come to Him alone afterward on the Mount of Olives to ask when these things would be and what would be the sign of His coming and of the end of the world.

The temple they admired was the magnificent pride of the nation, built of purest white marble with snow-white walls. Its stones were of almost fabulous size, and its massive pillars were laid with artistic skill in perfect masonry that looked like one solid stone dug from the quarry. It was costly, firm and apparently indestructible, so that its overthrow could scarcely be comprehended. A portion of its wall and porch had withstood Nebuchadnezzar's army and the devastation of armies.

Pointing to its size and construction to show the certainty and extent of its ruin, Jesus declared that the day would come when those great and wonderful buildings would be completely demolished and thrown down in ruins. Every stone would be displaced and torn down. Not one stone would be left upon another.

Judgment on Jerusalem

The prediction was fulfilled literally about forty years later, when Jerusalem was besieged and destroyed. John lived to old age to see that fulfillment. Roman legions burst open its gates and broke its walls, and the cedar-lined chambers and sanctuary were set ablaze despite attempts to check the soldiers and stay the fire, until the noble edifice was left to its fate and stone was thrown down upon stone. In that siege more than a million people perished and many were taken captive.

Titus willed to spare the costly temple and made complete efforts to save it. Viewing it from Olivet, he commanded that not one stone be touched, and he appealed to the Jewish leaders to surrender to save themselves, their city and their place of worship. When fire broke out he ordered his soldiers to quench the flames, but he could not, because a higher mandate had gone forth from One greater than Titus, making complete destruction certain as the full measure of Jerusalem's doom.

Angels of God were sent to carry out that destruction. The destruction came as judgment hanging like a black cloud over the once favored nation. The people had failed to recognize their time of visitation and had rejected and crucified Christ, so that the arm strong to save had become strong to smite. The temple sacrifices had lost their value because the types had met their fulfillment in Christ the great sacrifice, and the temple veil was torn.

Final Warning and Application

In mercy the description of Jerusalem's destruction was mingled with the great day of coming, because the disciples could not have endured the future as it was beheld, and they were left to study out the meaning for themselves. The reference to Jerusalem's destruction reaches beyond that event to the final burning when the Lord rises to punish the world for iniquity and the earth discloses her blood and no more covers her slain. The whole discourse belongs not to the disciples only but to those who will live in the last scenes of this earth's history.

Despite their cost of millions, architectural beauty, and unusual firmness and solidity, modern expensive buildings will share the same fate as that magnificent structure and fall in the same way. The Jerusalem temple, despite its great size and strength, was completely destroyed with no stone left upon another, and costly, impressive buildings built later are warned that they will share the temple's fate.

The verse belongs to a whole chapter that is a life-and-death warning to be read for life and prayerfully studied and heeded. It calls everyone to take heed to self and to let no human sophistries or mocking burlesque of sacred things blind the mind. Such mocking is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. The teaching looks to the future destiny of the beings for whom Christ gave His life and presses the question who will stand acquitted without spot or stain of character before the judgment seat of Christ. Those who are saved must cooperate with Him to form characters without fault in the sight of a pure and holy God.