Do you not see all these things? The disciples wanted Jesus to look at the beautiful buildings Jesus told them to turn around and take a good look at those things. Where there was no gold, there were blocks of marble of such a pure white that from a distance strangers thought there was snow on the temple.Ĭ. The Jewish historian Josephus said that the temple was covered with gold plates, and when the sun shone on them it was blinding to look at. But the Second Temple wasn’t just big it was also beautiful. The temple was finished only seven years before it was destroyed. Herod’s plan for rebuilding started in 19 B.C. After Herod’s work, the temple was huge: nearly 500 yards or meters long and 400 yards or meters wide. “Josephus the Jew (Antiquities 15.14) tells us that for eight whole years together he kept 10,000 men a-work about it and that for magnificence and stateliness, it exceeded Solomon’s temple.” (Trapp)

This temple was the center of Jewish life for almost a thousand years – so much so, that it was customary to swear by the temple (Matthew 23:16), and speaking against the temple could be considered blasphemy (Acts 6:13).

Herod the Great (who ruled when Jesus was born) greatly expanded and improved it. His disciples came up to show Him the buildings of the temple: After the destruction of Solomon’s temple, this temple was originally built by Zerubbabel and Ezra (Ezra 6:15). “They came to their Master, going before in a deeply preoccupied mood, and tried to change the gloomy current of His thoughts by inviting Him to look back at the sacred structure.” (Bruce)ī. He was going away, like one who did not mean to return.” (Bruce) Went out and departed: “There is an emphasis on the idea of the verb. Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple: Jesus would contend no more with the religious leaders, and never again come to the temple in His earthly ministry. And Jesus said to them, “Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down.”Ī. Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and His disciples came up to show Him the buildings of the temple. (1-2) Jesus predicts the destruction of the temple. The destruction of the temple and its implications.

Down and Out Today by Matthew Small