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!
Jesus had uttered all His mind against the Jewish ecclesiastics, exposing their character with withering plainness, and denouncing, in language of awful severity, the judgments of God against them for that unfaithfulness to their trust which was bringing ruin upon the nation. He had closed this His last public discourse (Matthew 23:1-39) by a passionate Lamentation over Jerusalem, and a solemn Farewell to the Temple. "And (says Matthew, Matthew 24:1) Jesus went out, and departed from the temple" - never more to re-enter its precincts, or open His mouth in public teaching. With this act His public ministry. Since He withdrew, says Olshausen, the gracious presence of God left the sanctuary; and the Temple, with all its service, and the whole theocratic constitution, was given over to destruction. What immediately followed is, as usual, most minutely and graphically described by our Evangelist.
And as he went out of the temple, one of his disciples saith unto him. The other Evangelists are less definite. "As some spake," says Luke: "His disciples came to Him," says Matthew. Doubtless it was the speech of one, the mouth-piece, likely, of others.
Master [`Teacher' Didaskale (G1320 )], 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. Josephus, who gives a minute account of the wonderful structure, speaks of stones forty cubits long (Jewish War, 5: 5. 1.), and says the pillars supporting the porches were twenty-five cubits high, all of one stone, and that the whitest marble (Ib., 5: 5. 2). Six days' battering at the walls, during the siege, made no impression upon them (Ib., 6: 4. 1.) Some of the under-building, yet remaining, and other works, are probably as old as the first temple.