Church Fathers Commentary Matthew 24:2

"But 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." — Matthew 24:2 (ASV)

Origen of Alexandria: After He had foretold all that would come upon Jerusalem, Christ “went out of the temple”—He who, while He was in it, had upheld the temple so that it would not fall. In the same way, each person, being the temple of God because of the Spirit of God dwelling in them, is the cause of their own desertion, so that Christ departs from them.

It is worth noting how they “show Him the buildings of the temple,” as if He had never seen them. We reply that when Christ foretold the destruction that would come upon the temple, His disciples were amazed at the thought that such magnificent buildings would be utterly ruined. Therefore, they show the buildings to Him to move Him to pity, so that He would not do what He had threatened.

And because human nature is wonderfully made, being the temple of God, the disciples and the other saints, confessing God’s wonderful work in forming humanity, intercede before Christ, asking that He not forsake the human race for their sins.

Rabanus Maurus: The historical sense is clear: in the forty-second year after the Lord's passion, the city and temple were overthrown under the Roman Emperors Vespasian and Titus.

Remigius of Auxerre: So it was ordained by God that as soon as the light of grace was revealed, the temple with its ceremonies would be taken out of the way. This was so that no one weak in the faith, seeing all the things instituted by the Lord and hallowed by the Prophets still remaining, might be gradually drawn away from the purity of faith to a carnal Judaism.

St. John Chrysostom: What does He mean by this, that one stone shalt not be left upon another? It could mean its utter overthrow, or it could refer to the place where it stood, for its parts were broken up down to its very foundations. But I would add that after the fate it suffered, even the most critical person would be satisfied that its very fragments have perished.¹

St. Jerome: Figuratively, when the Lord departed from the temple, the entire edifice of the Law and the structure of the Commandments were so overthrown that none of them could be fulfilled by the Jews. With the Head taken away, all the parts were at war among themselves.

Origen of Alexandria: Likewise, any person who becomes a temple by taking the word of God into themselves, if after sinning they still retain some traces of faith and religion, their temple is partly destroyed and partly standing. But the one who, after sinning, has no regard for themselves is gradually alienated until they have completely forsaken the living God. In this way, not one stone of God's commandments is left upon another that they have not thrown down.

1. Hom lxxv