Mark 13:1

Since the Lord spoke much about the desolation of Jerusalem, for example: "your house is left unto you desolate" (Matt. 23:38), the disciples marveled that such magnificent and beautiful buildings were to perish, and therefore they showed Him the striking splendor of the temple.

For many will come in my name, saying, I am Christ, and will deceive many. And when you shall hear of wars and rumors of wars, be not troubled; for these things must be, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there will be earthquakes in various places.

quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:86%@v6-8

O do not leave this fine place." II. How little Christ values external pomp, where there is not real purity; " Seest thou these great buildings " (saith Christ), "and admirest thou them? I tell thee, the time is at hand when there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down, "

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — odd-straight-quotes

And as he went out of the temple,....

The chapter we have now begun is full of prophecy — prophecy of which part has been fulfilled, and part remains to be accomplished. Two great events form the subject of this prophecy. One is the destruction of Jerusalem, and the consequent end of the Jewish dispensation. The other is the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the winding up of the state of things under which we now live. The destruction of Jerusalem was an event which happened only forty years after our Lord was crucified.

"His disciples came to Him," says Matthew (Mt 24:2). Doubtless it was the speech of one, the mouthpiece, likely, of others. Master--Teacher. see what manner of stones and what buildings are here--wondering probably, how so massive a pile could be overthrown, as seemed implied in our Lord's last words regarding it.

The chapter we have now begun is full of prophecy — prophecy of which part has been fulfilled, and part remains to be accomplished. Two great events form the subject of this prophecy. One is the destruction of Jerusalem, and the consequent end of the Jewish dispensation. The other is the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the winding up of the state of things under which we now live. The destruction of Jerusalem was an event which happened only forty years after our Lord was crucified. The second coming of Christ is an event which is yet to come, and we may yet live to see it with our own eyes. Chapters like this ought to be deeply interesting to every true Christian. No history ought to receive so much of our attention as the past and future history of the Church of Christ. The rise and fall of worldly empires are events of comparatively small importance in the sight of God. Babylon, and Greece, and Rome, and France, and England, are as nothing in His eyes by the side of the mystical body of Christ. The march of armies and the victories of conquerors are mere trifles in comparison with the progress of the Gospel, and the final triumph of the Prince of Peace. May we remember this in reading prophetical Scripture! "Blessed is he that reads." (Rev. 1:3.) The first thing that demands our attention in the verses before us, is the prediction of our Lord concerning the temple at Jerusalem . The disciples, with the natural pride of Jews, had called their Master's attention to the architectural splendor of the temple. "See," they said, "what massive stones and what buildings are here!" They received an answer from the Lord very different from what they expected, a heart-saddening answer, and one well calculated to stir up inquisitive thoughts in their minds. No word of admiration falls from His lips.

See what manner of stones - Josephus says, Ant. b. xv. chap. 11: “That these stones were white and strong, Fifty feet long, Twenty-Four broad, and Sixteen in thickness.” If this account can be relied on, well might the disciples be struck with wonder at such a superb edifice, and formed by such immense stones! The principal contents of this chapter are largely explained in the notes on Matt. 24, and to these the reader is requested to refer.