“And as some spake of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts, he said,”
My Notes
What Does Luke 21:5 Mean?
The disciples admire the temple—its "goodly stones and gifts"—and Jesus responds with a prediction of its total destruction (next verse: "the days will come, in the which there shall not be left one stone upon another"). The beauty that impresses the disciples will be rubble. The magnificent stones they're admiring will be scattered. The gifts that adorn the temple will be meaningless.
The temple that Herod had been rebuilding for decades was one of the architectural wonders of the ancient world. Its white stone and gold glittered in the sun. The craftsmanship was extraordinary. The scale was overwhelming. For a Galilean fisherman looking up at it, the temple must have seemed permanent, invincible, eternal. It was none of those things.
Jesus' response to their admiration is the most countercultural statement possible in a Jewish context: the temple is coming down. The center of Israel's religious life, the dwelling place of God's presence, the most sacred building on earth—demolished. Not damaged. Not renovated. Not one stone left on another. The demolition would be so thorough that the word "temple" would eventually refer to something else entirely: the body of Christ.
Reflection Questions
- 1.What religious 'temple' have you been admiring that might be more temporary than it looks?
- 2.Are you more attached to the structures of your faith (buildings, institutions, programs) or to the person your faith is about?
- 3.Jesus saw rubble where the disciples saw beauty. What might Jesus see when He looks at the things that impress you most?
- 4.If every impressive religious structure that isn't Christ is temporary, where should you be investing your devotion?
Devotional
The disciples look up at the temple and see beauty: massive stones, ornate gifts, architectural splendor. And Jesus looks at the same building and sees rubble. Not one stone left on another. The most impressive religious structure in the world, heading for total demolition.
The temple seemed permanent. It had been under construction for decades. The stones were enormous—some weighing hundreds of tons. The gold glittered. The craftsmanship was breathtaking. By every human standard, this was a building that would last forever. And Jesus said: it's all coming down. Every stone.
This moment is Jesus redirecting worship from a building to a person. The temple was never meant to be the ultimate dwelling of God—it was always a temporary structure pointing toward a permanent reality. The permanent reality is Christ Himself: "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." The stones the disciples admired would be scattered. The body Jesus spoke of would be raised.
If you've been impressed by religious structures—buildings, institutions, organizations, systems—and assuming they're permanent because they're beautiful, Jesus' prediction applies broadly. Every impressive religious structure that isn't Christ Himself is temporary. The stones will scatter. The gold will tarnish. The beauty will fade. Only what's built on the living temple survives. Be careful about what you admire. The most beautiful building in the world can come down without one stone remaining on another.
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
And as some spake of the temple,.... These were the disciples; Mark says, one of them; but it seems there were more than…
Goodly stones - Beautiful stones. Either referring to the large, square, and well-finished stones of which the eastern…
Goodly stones - Or, costly stones. It has been thought by some that this relates not so much to the stones of which the…
See here, I. With what admiration some spoke of the external pomp and magnificence of the temple, and they were some of…
5-7. The Doom of the Temple, and the Question about the End.
5. as some spake We learn from the other Evangelists that…