Matthew 24:2

2 But he answered them, “You see all these, do you not? Truly, I say to you, ¹there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down. ”

Matthew 24:2 Meaning and Commentary

Matthew 24:2

And Jesus said unto them, see ye not all these things?
&c.] "These great buildings", as in Mark; all these goodly stones, so beautiful and large, and so firmly put together: verily, I say unto you, there shall not be left here one stone upon
another, that shall not be thrown down;
or broken, as Munster's Hebrew Gospel reads it: which prediction had a full and remarkable accomplishment; and which is not only attested by Josephus ^F25, who relates, that both the city and temple were dug up, and laid level with the ground; but also by other Jewish writers; who tell us ^F26 that

``on the ninth of Ab, a day prepared for punishments, Turnus Rufus the wicked, (lkyhh ta vrx) , "ploughed up the temple", and all round about it, to fulfil what is said, "Zion shall be ploughed as a field".''

Yes, and to fulfil what Christ here says too, that not one stone should be left upon another, which a plough would not admit of.

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FOOTNOTES:

F25 De Bello Jud. l. 7. c. 7.
F26 Maimon. Hilch. Taaniot, c. 5. sect. 3. T. Bab. Taanith, fol. 23. 1. & Gloss. in ib.

Matthew 24:2 In-Context

1 Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple.

2 But he answered them, “You see all these, do you not? Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down. ”

3 As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age? ”

4 And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray.

5 For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ, ’ and they will lead many astray.

Cross References

• 1. 24:2 Luke 19:44