Mark 13:1 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And as he came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, "Look, Teacher, what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!"

NIV: As Jesus was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, "Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!"

NASB: As He was going out of the temple, one of His disciples *said to Him, 'Teacher, look! What wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!'

CSB: As he was going out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, "Teacher, look! What massive stones! What impressive buildings!"

NLT: As Jesus was leaving the Temple that day, one of his disciples said, 'Teacher, look at these magnificent buildings! Look at the impressive stones in the walls.'

KJV: 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!

NKJV: Then as He went out of the temple, one of His disciples said to Him, “Teacher, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here!”

Over five hundred years before Jesus was born, Jewish exiles in Babylon returned to Jerusalem and rebuilt the temple (Ezra 3). About 160 years before Jesus was born, Antiochus IV Epiphanes defiled the temple by dedicating it to Zeus and sacrificing a pig on the altar. The Maccabean family led a revolt, taking back the temple and rededicating it. In 39 BC, Herod the Great overran the temple and killed many of the priests. About twenty years later, he tried to placate the Jewish populace by renovating the temple to surpass the standards God gave Solomon. Although major construction was completed in only a few years, it wasn't entirely finished until AD 67—long after this passage in Mark occurred. Three years later, the Romans besieged Jerusalem and fulfilled Jesus' prophecy that every stone would be taken, one from another (Mark 13:2).

At this time, the temple and surrounding courtyard are indeed "wonderful." The temple is massive, made of great white stones. The eastern side is covered in gold. Herod not only expanded the temple, he expanded the top of the temple Mount. He built great walls to roughly square off the plateau, and back-filled them to flatten the top. Porticoes—open-air porches— line the top edges. The largest, Solomon's portico, borders the southern edge. On the northwest corner is Antonia Fortress, home to the garrison that guards the temple Mount against riots. It is this garrison that will save Paul when he is wrongly accused of bringing Gentiles into the temple (Acts 21:27–36).

Throughout the week, Jesus and the disciples have probably entered the temple courtyard through the east gate, where the morning sun shines through and onto the temple. Although built by an evil, quasi-Jewish king, the temple is architecturally a magnificent emblem, representing both the worship of God and the nationalism of the Jews. Unfortunately, it has become more of the latter and less of the former. The building that should be the centerpiece of God-worship is now a symbol of corruption (Mark 11:15–19).

Mark 13:1–2 is a short conversation tying together Jesus' teaching and interactions on the temple Mount in Mark 11:15—12:44 with the next section of Mark. That future episode is noticeably darker. Jesus has spent the last week sleeping on the Mount of Olives during the night and teaching in the temple courtyard during the day (Luke 21:37). The representatives of the temple have rejected Jesus, so God will reject them and the symbol of God-worship they have corrupted. Within forty years, the temple, Jerusalem, and the cohesiveness of the Jewish people will be gone—ruined by the Romans in AD 70. Jesus' prophecy about the temple is also found in Matthew 24:1–3 and Luke 21:5–7.

Days before the crucifixion, the disciples praise the glory of the temple. When Jesus tells them the temple will be destroyed, they ask for signs of that coming destruction and of His return (Matthew 24:3). Jesus answers their second question with information crucial for believers in the end times, and any time. Tribulation Christians will face horrifying hardships and violence, as may believers of any era, but they must remember that the hardships will not last. Jesus will return so quickly, any attempt to live by the world's rules will be futile.

The prior chapter contained several parables and Jesus' answer to assorted questions. In this section, Jesus turns His teaching towards the disciples. He explains concepts related to the end times: the still-future period when God will complete His plan for judgment on sin. Those details include a prophecy about the impending destruction of the temple. The final chapters of Mark then describe events up to and after the crucifixion of Jesus at the hands of His enemies.

The Gospel of Mark emphasizes both Jesus' servanthood and His role as the promised Messiah: the Son of God. This is done through a concise, action-packed style. Mark provides relatively few details, instead focusing on actions and simple statements. This relates to the Gospel's authorship, which is believed to be based on the memories of the apostle Peter. These include many of Jesus' miracles, in contrast to other Gospels which include many more of Jesus' teachings and parables. Mark also makes frequent mention of Jesus' ministry being misunderstood by others.