As he was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, "Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!" "Do you see all these great buildings?" replied Jesus. "Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down."
In a Nutshell
A disciple pointed to the temple. Jesus told this disciple to think about the future.
Questions
Explain why Jesus answered like He did? Why didn't He just ignore His disciple's comment?
Read the exchange again and the paragraphs on either
side. Think about it. Look up Matthew 24:1-2 and Luke 21:5-6. Try to identify
where they are similar. What differences can you find? List them in the chart
below:
|
|
Same |
Different |
|
Matthew
24:1-2 |
|
|
|
Mark 13:1-2 |
|
|
|
Luke 21:5-6 |
|
|
This
was an important event. It was to play a part when Jesus was put on trial. It
was not just chit-chat. Think about the brief discussion. What was it about?
Disciple: What
do you think about this temple?
Jesus: What do you
mean?
Disciple: Well
it is so lovely! It's such a glorious place!
Could
this disciple have been singing Psalm 84?
|
How lovely are your places fair O Lord of Hosts how dear The pleasant places where you live And dwell with us so near! My life cries out. I almost die Your courts O Lord to view My heart and body shout aloud My living God for
You. |
In that place, Lord, the sparrow free Can build her house a special place And nurse her young, the swallow, too, Can snuggle there before your face. Just by your tables Lord of Hosts They find a safe abode And
home they come across the way T'ward thee, my
King, my God. |
We learn
a lot by listening to chit-chat. But Jesus didn't take this as chit-chat.
Disciple: Here we are,
and all us students have come all this way with you from Galilee to the temple.
What that legal scribe said and what you said just adds to the beauty of this
place. Isn't it glorious? Look how carefully hewn those stones were formed. And
those beams over there! What a wonderful place for you to teach. And now you’re
here. It must make you think it has all been worth the effort.
Jesus: Did you know the wrecker's on the way. It's
going to fall down.
Try
to imagine it. This was the temple which was supposed to be the place of God's
dwelling, the centre of worship from where He ruled His special people. Jesus
said the lawyer's answer indicated he was not far from God's Kingdom. But that
also implied people could be far from God's Kingdom even when they were walking
around its precincts all day, every day! That would have made some uneasy.
Jesus pointed to things this disciple ought to have known from Psalm 84.
|
For
in your courts one day to be Is
better and more blest Than
joys of utmost luxury A
thousand days be blest. So
in the temple of my God I'd
rather keep the door Than dwell in tents and rich abode With evil evermore |
The
Lord God is a sun and shield His
grace makes all things bright No
good thing has he e'er withheld From
those whose walk is right. Lord
God of Hosts you rule all things That
one is never fussed Who
finds there is no one but thee In whom to truly trust |
Jesus
was emphatic. It was as if the wreckers were already on the way. The temple
would be demolished. The disciple could count on it. God's plans would not be wrecked.
God was planning to dwell with His people and His temple had been where He came
up close and gave His people big hugs of love and generosity. Jesus was
indicating there was something much more enjoyable than relying on the temple
and the beauty of its wonderful construction. It's destruction was coming;
people were not to trust in it. The One who had hitherto chosen to dwell there,
so close with His people, could be relied upon. God keeps His promises.
Mark
is telling us that when Jesus came to the temple it was to remind His disciples
how close God had come to us, by living in our midst. That is the hope that His
disciples must live by.