Church Fathers Commentary Mark 13:1-2

"And as he went forth out of the temple, one of his disciples saith unto him, Teacher, behold, what manner of stones and what manner of buildings! And Jesus said unto him, Seest thou these great buildings? there shall not be left here one stone upon another, which shall not be thrown down." — Mark 13:1-2 (ASV)

The Venerable Bede: Because Judea was to be punished for its treachery after the founding of the Church of Christ, the Lord fittingly went out of the temple after praising the devotion of the Church in the person of the poor widow. He foretold its coming ruin and the contempt in which these wonderful buildings would soon be held.¹

Therefore, it is said, "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!"

Theophylact of Ohrid: For since the Lord had spoken much about the destruction of Jerusalem, His disciples wondered that such numerous and beautiful buildings were to be destroyed. This is why they point out the beauty of the temple, and He answers not only that they would be destroyed, but also that not one stone would be left on another.

Therefore, it continues: "And Jesus answering said unto him, Seest thou these great buildings? there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down."

Now, some may try to prove that Christ's words were false by saying that many ruins were left, but this misses the point entirely. For though some ruins may have been left, still at the consummation of all things, not one stone will be left on another. Besides, it is related that Aelius Hadrian overturned the city and the temple from their foundations, so that the word of the Lord spoken here was fulfilled.

The Venerable Bede: But it was ordained by divine power that after the grace of the Gospel faith was made known throughout the world, the temple itself with its ceremonies should be taken away. This was so that someone weak in the faith, seeing that these things instituted by God still remained, would not gradually fall from the sincerity of the faith that is in Christ Jesus into carnal Judaism.

Pseudo-Jerome: Here the Lord also describes to His disciples the destruction of the final age—that is, of the temple, with its people and its letter. Of this destruction, not one stone will be left on another, meaning that no testimony of the Prophets will remain upon those to whom the Jews perversely applied them, namely, Ezra, Zerubbabel, and the Maccabees.

The Venerable Bede: Again, when the Lord left the temple, the entire edifice of the law and the framework of the commandments were destroyed, so that nothing could be fulfilled by the Jews. And now that the head has been taken away, all the limbs fight against one another.

1. in Marc., iv, 42