Mark 13:2

13:2 Jesus’ reply to the disciples was shocking. This glorious and massive Temple complex, a symbol of strength and permanence and God’s favor for the Jews, would be totally, irrevocably destroyed. • Not one stone will be left on top of another! Jesus’ prediction emphasized the total devastation that would result from the Roman army’s systematic attack on the entire Temple complex (Josephus, Antiquities 6.9.1; 7.1.1.). To say that Jesus’ prediction was not fulfilled because some of the foundation stones still stand is to misunderstand the language of prophecy. One does not expect a prophet to say that 97.9% of these stones will be removed! Anyone in the first century who visited Jerusalem after AD 70 would have acknowledged that Jesus’ prediction had been fulfilled.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Mar 13:2 . βλέπεις : a question, do you see? to fix attention on an object concerning which a startling statement is to be made. μεγάλας , great buildings, acknowledging the justness of the admiration and pointing to a feature which might seem incompatible with the statement following: that vast strong pile surely proof against destruction!

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2. there shall not be left] Though now they seem fixed in their places for eternity. And even as He said, less than forty years afterwards, “Zion was ploughed as a field, and Jerusalem became heaps, and the mountain of the House as the high places of the forest” (Mic_3:12). Titus himself was amazed at the massive buildings of Jerusalem, and traced in his triumph the hand of God (Jos. Bell. Jud. vi. 9. 1). At his departure after the capture of the city, he left the tenth legion under the command of Terentius Rufus to carry out the work of demolition, and Josephus tells us (Bell. Jud. vii. 1. 1) that the whole inclosing walls and precincts of the Temple were “so thoroughly levelled and dug up that no one visiting the city would believe it had ever been inhabited.”

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And Jesus answering said unto him,.... The Persic version reads, "unto them"; and so Beza's most ancient copy but as that question is put by one, the reply is made to him:

seest thou these great buildings? how beautiful and strong they are. The Vulgate Latin and Ethiopic versions, add the word all; and the sense is, dost thou take a survey of all these buildings, and of the whole of this stately edifice? and dost thou not admire the strength and grandeur of them? and dost thou not think they will be of long duration, and that the demolition of them is scarcely possible?

There shall not be left one stone upon another. The Syriac and Arabic versions add, "here": as in Mat 24:9, and so it is read in four of Beza's copies, and in others:

that shall not be thrown down; See Gill on Mat 24:2.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

2 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.

Ver. 2. There shall not be left one stone, &c.] There is no trusting, therefore, to forts and strongholds; no, though they be munitions of rocks, as Isaiah speaketh. The Jebusites that jeered David and his forces were thrown out of their Sion. Babylon, that bore herself bold upon her twenty years’ provision laid in for a siege, and upon her high towers and thick walls, was surprised by Cyrus. So was this goodly temple by Titus, who left only three towers of this stately edifice unrazed, to declare unto posterity the strength of the place and valour of the vanquisher. But sixty-five years after, Aelius Hadrian inflicting on the rebelling Jews a wonderful slaughter, subverted those remainders, and sprinkled salt upon the foundation.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

As Christ had frequently denounced the destruction of the temple, his disciples, surprised that so beautiful an edifice should be reduced to nothing, wish on that account to shew him the grandeur and magnificence of it; upon which Christ exclaimed: There shall not remain a stone upon a stone. (Theophylactus)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

There shall not be left here one stone upon another, which shall not be thrown down. The word (wde) "here" is rightly inserted; and the prophecy is justified by scientific investigation. The expression is not hyperbolic. Modern investigation shows that the present wall has been rebuilt, probably on the foundation of the older One.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And Jesus

Mat 24:3 on the Olivet discourse: (See Scofield "Mat 24:3").

The Scofield Reference Bible (1917 edition), notes by C. I. Scofield — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2. [2865][2866][2867][2868] omit ἀποκριθείς. Cf. Mar 7:6, Mar 10:5, Mar 12:17. ἀφεθῇ ὧδε ([2869][2870][2871][2872][2873][2874]) rather than ἀφεθῇ ([2875][2876][2877][2878][2879]).

[2865] Codex Sinaiticus. 4th cent. Discovered by Tischendorf in 1859 at the Monastery of St Katharine on Mount Sinai. Now at St Petersburg. The whole Gospel, ending at Mar 16:8. Photographic facsimile, 1911.

[2866] Codex Vaticanus. 4th cent., but perhaps a little later than א. In the Vatican Library almost since its foundation by Pope Nicolas V., and one of its greatest treasures. The whole Gospel, ending at Mar 16:8. Photographic facsimile, 1889.

[2867] Codex Regius. 8th cent. An important witness. At Paris. Contains Mar 1:1 to Mar 10:15; Mar 10:30 to Mar 15:1; Mar 15:20 to Mar 16:20, but the shorter ending is inserted between Mar 16:8 and Mar 16:9, showing that the scribe preferred it to the longer one.

[2868] Codex Athous Laurae. 8th cent. Like N and Σ, it is written in silver letters on purple vellum. Contains Mar 9:5 to Mar 16:20, and, as in L, the shorter ending is inserted between Mar 16:8 and Mar 16:9. As in Δ, the text of Mark is specially good.

[2869] Codex Sinaiticus. 4th cent. Discovered by Tischendorf in 1859 at the Monastery of St Katharine on Mount Sinai. Now at St Petersburg. The whole Gospel, ending at Mar 16:8. Photographic facsimile, 1911.

[2870] Codex Vaticanus. 4th cent., but perhaps a little later than א. In the Vatican Library almost since its foundation by Pope Nicolas V., and one of its greatest treasures. The whole Gospel, ending at Mar 16:8. Photographic facsimile, 1889.

[2871] Codex Bezae. 6th cent. Has a Latin translation (d) side by side with the Greek text, and the two do not quite always agree. Presented by Beza to the University Library of Cambridge in 1581. Remarkable for its frequent divergences from other texts. Contains Mark, except Mar 16:15-20, which has been added by a later hand. Photographic facsimile, 1899.

[2872] Codex Regius. 8th cent. An important witness. At Paris. Contains Mar 1:1 to Mar 10:15; Mar 10:30 to Mar 15:1; Mar 15:20 to Mar 16:20, but the shorter ending is inserted between Mar 16:8 and Mar 16:9, showing that the scribe preferred it to the longer one.

[2873] Codex Sangallensis. 9th or 10th cent. Contains the Gospels nearly complete, with an interlinear Latin translation. The text of Mark is specially good, agreeing often with CL. At St Gall.

[2874] Codex Athous Laurae. 8th cent. Like N and Σ, it is written in silver letters on purple vellum. Contains Mar 9:5 to Mar 16:20, and, as in L, the shorter ending is inserted between Mar 16:8 and Mar 16:9. As in Δ, the text of Mark is specially good.

[2875] Codex Alexandrinus. 5th cent. Brought by Cyril Lucar, Patriarch of Constantinople, from Alexandria, and afterwards presented by him to King Charles I. in 1628. In the British Museum. The whole Gospel. Photographic facsimile, 1879.

[2876] Codex Bezae. 6th cent. Has a Latin translation (d) side by side with the Greek text, and the two do not quite always agree. Presented by Beza to the University Library of Cambridge in 1581. Remarkable for its frequent divergences from other texts. Contains Mark, except Mar 16:15-20, which has been added by a later hand. Photographic facsimile, 1899.

[2877] Codex Monacensis. 10th cent. Contains Mar 6:47 to Mar 16:20. Many verses in 14, 15, 16 are defective.

[2878] Codex Oxoniensis. 9th cent. Contains Mark, except Mar 3:35 to Mar 6:20.

[2879] Codex Petropolitanus. 9th cent. Gospels almost complete. Mar 16:18-20 is in a later hand.

2. Βλέπεις. The sentence is possibly interrogative; “Art thou looking at?” But “Thou art looking at” is more forcible.

οὐ μὴ … οὐ μή. J. H. Moulton states that there are 60 cases of οὐ μή in the Gospels, 54 of which are in actual words of Christ, the remaining 6 being in words addressed to Him (p. 191). Here Mk alone has the double οὐ μή, but Mt. produces the same effect by inserting ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν: “there is not the slightest doubt about the absolute destruction.” Cf. Mar 13:19; Mar 13:30; Joseph. B.J. VII. i. 1. Robinson, Stanley and others tell us how complete the destruction has been. Whole strata of ruins lie beneath the modern Jerusalem. The disciples would think of this magnificent edifice as the centre of the Messianic Kingdom. To hear the Messiah predict its total overthrow must have been a perplexing experience. The ὧδε (see crit. note) is in all three narratives. [3017] Lat-Vet. and Cypr. add, “and in three days another shall rise up without hands,” from Mar 14:58 and Joh 2:19. WH. App. p. 26. Cf. Dan 2:34. On Julian’s attempt to rebuild see Socr. H. E. iii. 20.

[3017] Codex Bezae. 6th cent. Has a Latin translation (d) side by side with the Greek text, and the two do not quite always agree. Presented by Beza to the University Library of Cambridge in 1581. Remarkable for its frequent divergences from other texts. Contains Mark, except Mar 16:15-20, which has been added by a later hand. Photographic facsimile, 1899.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2. Καὶ ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἷπεν αὐτῷ, Βλέπεις ταῦτας τὰς μεγάλας οἰκοδομάσ; οὐ μὴ ἀφεθῇ ὧδε λίθος ἐπὶ λίθον, ὃς οὐ μὴ καταλυθῇ—And Jesus said to him, Seest thou these great structures? There will not be left here stone upon stone, which will not be destroyed. This is a rhetorical statement of utter destruction. It would not be a non-fulfilment of this prophecy to find parts of the original structure still standing.

Omit ἀποκριθεὶς, answering, after Ἰησοῦς, Tisch. Treg. WH. RV. א BL 33, 115, 237, 255, one ms. Lat. Vet. Egyptt. Pesh. Insert ὧδε, here, after ἀφεθῇ, Treg. WH. RV. א BDGLM2 U Δ mss. Lat. Vet. Pesh. Tisch. objects to this insertion as being taken from Mt., where it occurs without variation. λίθον, instead of λίθῳ, after ἐπὶ, Tisch. Treg. WH. RV. א BGLMUX ΓΔΠ 1, 13, 28, 33, 69, etc. D and a number of mss. of Lat. Vet. add here, and after three days, another will rise up without hands! See J. 2:19.

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Thrown down [καταλυθη] . Rather, loosened down. A very graphic word, implying gradual demolition.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.