Matthew 24:1-3 · Bible study
Matthew 24:1-3 Commentary: Jesus Leaves the Temple, and the Disciples’ Questions
Greek · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why did the disciples point out the temple buildings? This study explores Jesus’ final departure, the prophecy of destruction, and the disciples’
Research Summary
- Meaning: Jesus leaves the temple in judgment; the disciples, fixated on its splendor, question him about its destruction, conflating it with his return and the end of the age.
- Key words: Hieron (temple complex), parousia (coming/presence, not simply “arrival”), sunteleia tou aionos (consummation of the age, not “world” but the current Jewish age).
- Main debate: Whether the disciples asked about one event (temple destruction) or three distinct events (temple, coming, end of the age). Most commentators say they conflated them.
- Theological theme: God’s departure from the old covenant order and the replacement of physical temple with Christ’s presence. Judgment and mercy intertwined.
- Best use: Cautions against overconfidence in religious institutions; invites patient trust in Jesus’ timing rather than demanding signs.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
1As Jesus left the temple and was walking away, His disciples came up to Him to point out its buildings.
2“Do you see all these things?” He replied. “Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”
3While Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming and of the end of the age?”
WEB World English Bible 2000
1Jesus went out from the temple, and was going on his way. His disciples came to him to show him the buildings of the temple.
2But he answered them, “You see all of these things, don’t you? Most certainly I tell you, there will not be left here one stone on another, that will not be thrown down.”
3As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? What is the sign of your coming, and of the end of the age?”
KJV King James Version 1769
1And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple.
2And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
3And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
ASV American Standard Version 1901
1And Jesus went out from the temple, and was going on his way; and his disciples came to him to show him the buildings of the temple.
2But he answered and said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
3And as he sat on the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
1And having gone forth, Jesus departed from the temple, and his disciples came near to show him the buildings of the temple,
2and Jesus said to them, `Do ye not see all these? verily I say to you, There may not be left here a stone upon a stone, that shall not be thrown down.'
3And when he is sitting on the mount of the Olives, the disciples came near to him by himself, saying, `Tell us, when shall these be? and what is the sign of thy presence, and of the full end of the age?'
Darby Darby Bible 1890
1And Jesus went forth and went away from the temple, and his disciples came to [him] to point out to him the buildings of the temple.
2And he answering said to them, Do ye not see all these things? Verily I say to you, Not a stone shall be left here upon a stone which shall not be thrown down.
3And as he was sitting upon the mount of Olives the disciples came to him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be, and what is the sign of thy coming and [the] completion of the age?
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
1And Jesus being come out of the temple, went away. And his disciples came to shew him the buildings of the temple.
2And 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.
3And when he was sitting on mount Olivet, the disciples came to him privately, saying: Tell us when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign of thy coming and of the consummation of the world?
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · Matthew 24:1
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that Jesus’ departure from the temple was a final act of judgment, fulfilling his earlier pronouncement that “your house is left to you desolate” (Matthew 23:38). Calvin describes it as Christ paying “his last adieu to the temple.” Matthew Henry notes that Jesus “took his final farewell of it.” The disciples, still dazzled by the temple’s splendor, point out its buildings, an action Barnes and Gill see as an attempt to challenge or soften Jesus’ words. But Jesus responds with an emphatic prophecy: not one stone will be left on another. This was literally fulfilled, as Clarke and Wesley note, when the Romans destroyed the temple in AD 70. In verse 3, the disciples come privately and ask three questions, when the temple will fall, the sign of Christ’s coming, and the sign of the end of the age. Wesley and Vincent observe that the disciples conflated these events, assuming the temple’s destruction and the end of the world were the same. Jesus clarifies in the discourse that follows.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Futurist reading: The disciples ask about Christ's coming and the end of the age, which futurists interpret as the final judgment and second coming, not the events of AD 70.
- Preterist reading: The prophecy is entirely fulfilled in AD 70; the 'coming' refers to Christ’s judgment on Jerusalem, and the 'end of the age' means the end of the old covenant order.
- Partial preterist / dual reference: The temple destruction is a historical event that also foreshadows the final coming; Jesus’ answers interweave near and far horizons.
What is clear: Jesus literally left the temple, predicted its total destruction, and the disciples asked about timing and signs — a question that has required discernment about how to relate that prophecy to the fuller scope of history.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| What the disciples meant by 'these things' | All traditions agree the immediate referent is the destruction of the temple and Jerusalem. | Some (e.g. Wesley, Clarke) see the question as conflating temple destruction with the end of the world; others argue the disciples distinguished two events but expected them to happen close together. |
| The meaning of 'your coming' (parousia) | The word denotes presence or arrival, and in context it refers to a future manifestation of Christ. | Preterist interpreters link it to Christ's coming in judgment on Jerusalem in AD 70; futurists apply it to the second coming at the end of history; many see a dual reference. |
| The role of the sign | The disciples ask for a sign to anticipate these events, and Jesus gives various signs in the following discourse. | Some traditions interpret the signs (wars, famines, earthquakes) as primarily preceding AD 70; others see them as characteristic of the entire age between Christ's first and second comings. |
Historical & Cultural Context
These verses occur on Tuesday of Passion Week, immediately after Jesus’ public denunciation of the scribes and Pharisees (Matthew 23). He leaves the temple for the last time, walking eastward toward the Mount of Olives. As he descends into the Kidron Valley and climbs the opposite slope, the temple rises behind him in full view, a structure of dazzling white marble and gold, with enormous stones. Josephus records stones sixty-seven feet long, seven feet high, and nine feet wide. The disciples, raised to believe the temple would stand forever, could not imagine its ruin. They came “to show him the buildings,” perhaps hoping to change his mind or at least to gain reassurance that so glorious a place would not be abandoned.
Jesus’ prophecy of total destruction was not a new theme. The prophets had warned that the temple would be left desolate because of the people’s sin (Jeremiah 6:8; Ezekiel 8:6). The departure of God’s glory from the temple via the Mount of Olives was also prefigured (Ezekiel 11:23). By sitting on the Mount of Olives, Jesus places himself in that tradition. From there, he and the four disciples who came privately (Peter, James, John, and Andrew, per Mark 13:3) could see the entire city. The disciples’ three questions, “when will these things be?”, “what is the sign of your coming?”, and “what is the sign of the end of the age?”, show they believed the temple’s fall would usher in the Messiah’s final victory. They did not yet understand that a gap of time would separate the two events.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note one significant textual variant in verse 2. Clarke observes that the Greek phrase ou blepete (“do you not see?”) is read without the negative particle by several manuscripts, including the Coptic, Sahidic, Armenian, Ethiopic, Vulgate, and Itala versions, as well as by some church fathers. These witnesses read instead “see (or consider) all these things.” The difference does not change the meaning: Jesus still calls attention to the temple buildings in order to pronounce judgment. No other variant of consequence is discussed in the commentaries for this passage.
Reception History
Early Christian writers saw Matthew 24:1-3 as a prophecy fulfilled in the Roman destruction of Jerusalem, which they often interpreted as divine judgment on those who rejected Christ. Origen and Eusebius cite Josephus to confirm the literal fulfillment. Augustine, in his City of God, read the passage as describing both the fall of Jerusalem and the end of the world, with the former serving as a type of the latter. During the Reformation, commentators like Calvin and Matthew Henry emphasized the finality of Jesus’ departure from the temple and the transience of earthly religious glory. In modern times, the passage is central to debates between preterist, futurist, and partial-preterist readings of the Olivet Discourse, with each tradition finding support in the disciples’ questions and Jesus’ response. Despite these differences, the church has consistently used this passage to warn against placing ultimate trust in outward religious structures and to call believers to readiness for Christ’s return.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The departure of judgment. Jesus leaves the temple permanently. His action declares that the old order, centered on a physical building, is finished. The glory has departed (Hosea 9:12).
- The shock of prophecy. The disciples admire the temple’s stones and buildings. Jesus shatters their assumption that outward splendor means permanence. “Not one stone here will be left on another”, a prophecy verified in AD 70.
- The misunderstanding of hope. The disciples assume the destruction must mean the end of the world. They ask for signs of his coming and the end of the age, conflating two events that Jesus will later distinguish.
Five-point outline
- Jesus leaves the temple (v.1)
- The disciples’ frame of mind: pride, confusion, attachment to the visible (v.1)
- Jesus’ reply: total destruction (v.2)
- The setting on the Mount of Olives (v.3a)
- The disciples’ threefold question (v.3b)
Illustration hooks
- A proud landmark. Think of a building your community loves, an old courthouse, a church where generations worshipped. Someone says it will be demolished. You point out its beautiful masonry, its history. The speaker says, “Every stone will come down.” That is the disciples’ shock.
- A child’s misunderstanding. A family moves to a new town. A child asks, “When will we get there?” The parent says, “We’ll need to stop for gas, then eat, then we still have hours.” The child only heard “we’ll get there” and missed the steps in between. The disciples heard “temple destroyed” and jumped straight to the end of history.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Did Jesus mean the temple would be destroyed within a few years, or is this about the end of the world?
- Why were the disciples so attached to the temple, and what does that say about our attachments to church buildings today?
- How do we know when a prophecy has been fulfilled, and when it still points forward?
Leading a Discussion
Jesus has just left the temple after a week of conflict. The disciples, who grew up believing the temple was the eternal house of God, try to draw his attention to its beauty. His response shocks them: total destruction. In this small group session, explore the tension between what we cherish and what God says is passing away.
Discussion questions
- Why do you think the disciples pointed out the buildings of the temple? What did they hope would happen?
- Jesus responds by saying not one stone will be left. How would you feel if he said that about a place you loved and trusted?
- The disciples asked about “the sign of your coming” and “the end of the age.” Why did they connect the temple’s destruction with Jesus’ return? What does this tell us about their expectations of the Messiah?
- Read Jeremiah 6:8 and Ezekiel 11:23. How do these cross-references help you understand why Jesus left the temple?
- In your own life, is there something you are tempted to trust because it looks strong and lasting? How does Jesus’ prophecy challenge that trust?
- Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives and spoke privately to four disciples. Why do you think he answered their questions at length rather than rebuking them for misunderstanding?
- What difference does it make to know that the temple’s destruction was both a historical event (AD 70) and a picture of a greater future judgment?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Jeremiah 6:8 | Be instructed, Jerusalem, lest my soul be alienated from you, lest I make you a desolation, an uninhabited land.” |
| Ezekiel 8:6 | He said to me, “Son of man, do you see what they do? Even the great abominations that the house of Israel commit here, that I should go far off from my sanctuary? But you will again see yet other great abominations.” |
| Ezekiel 10:17 | When they stood, these stood. When they mounted up, these mounted up with them; for the spirit of the living creature was in them. |
| Ezekiel 10:19 | The cherubim lifted up their wings and mounted up from the earth in my sight when they went out, with the wheels beside them. Then they stood at the door of the east gate of Yahweh’s house; and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above. |
| Ezekiel 11:22 | Then the cherubim lifted up their wings, and the wheels were beside them. The glory of the God of Israel was over them above. |
| Ezekiel 11:23 | Yahweh’s glory went up from the middle of the city, and stood on the mountain which is on the east side of the city. |
| Hosea 9:12 | Though they bring up their children, yet I will bereave them, so that not a man shall be left. Indeed, woe also to them when I depart from them! |
| Matthew 21:23 | When he had come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching, and said, “By what authority do you do these things? Who gave you this authority?” |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke identifies three distinct questions from the disciples: when the temple will be destroyed, what marks Christ's coming, and when the world ends. He notes that some interpreters collapse these into one question about the Jewish state alone. He also stresses the literal, minute fulfillment of Christ's prediction about the temple's destruction, citing Josephus and Jewish sources.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes highlights the prophecy
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin points out that the disciples, dazzled by the temple's splendor, could not imagine its fall without the whole world ending. They mistakenly linked the temple's destruction to Christ's final, triumphant coming, skipping over any intermediate struggle and leaping straight to a visible, happy kingdom.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
Cambridge Bible Schools notes that the temple Jesus left behind was dazzling white marble with gold pinnacles, like a mountain of snow. His prophecy that not one stone would remain was fulfilled when the temple was destroyed by fire despite Roman efforts to save it. The disciples' two questions point to a near event (temple destruction) and a distant one
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB provides no separate exposition on Matthew 24 here, instead directing readers entirely to the parallel account in Mark 13 for the full treatment of Jesus' prophecy about Jerusalem's destruction and warnings about his return.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Matthew Henry stresses the finality of Jesus leaving the temple: he took his last farewell, never to return, and its ruin follows directly. The house Christ leaves is truly desolate. Henry also notes the disciples left the temple to be with him, for it is better to be where Christ is than where he has departed.
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Vincent notes that the disciples ask about the end of the current age, not the end of all time. He clarifies that the Greek word for temple here means the whole complex, not just the sanctuary, and that “coming” can mean presence or arrival, not exclusively the final judgment.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley observes that the disciples bundled three separate events together in their question: the temple's destruction, Christ's coming, and the world's end. Jesus answered them distinctly about each, treating the temple's fall as a separate matter from his own return and the final judgment.