The Disciples Express Their Admiration of the Temple And Receive Some Astonishing News (13:1-2).
The disciples had just been called on to consider the widow who gave her two mites and now they were confronted by this magnificent sight, this splendid Temple, still incomplete and yet majestic in its splendour and hugeness and seemingly everlastingly permanent. And the disciples were awestruck enough to draw Jesus' attention to it. The two mites were forgotten. But Jesus looked at it with calm indifference for He knew its destiny. He was still awestruck at the giving of the poor widow, by which they appear not to have been impressed, and dismissed the Temple with a few succint words. To Him it was her gift which was everlastingly permanent. The Temple was under the judgment of God.
Analysis.
a And as He went forth out of the Temple, one of His disciples says to Him, “Teacher, behold, what manner of stones” (Mark 13:1 a).
b “And what manner of buildings!” (Mark 13:1 b).
b And Jesus said to him, “Do you see these great buildings?” (Mark 13:2 a).
a “There will not be left here one stone upon another, which will not be thrown down” (Mark 13:2).
Note that in ‘a' reference is to the stones, and in the parallel the stones will be thrown down. In ‘b' reference is and to the buildings, and in the parallel Jesus draws their attention to the buildings.