Jesus left the temple area and was going away, when his disciples approached him to point out the temple buildings. 2 He said to them in reply, “You see all these things, do you not? Amen, I say to you, there will not be left here a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down.”
3 As he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples approached him privately and said, “Tell us, when will this happen, and what sign will there be of your coming, and of the end of the age?” 4 Jesus said to them in reply, “See that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and they will deceive many. 6 You will hear of wars and reports of wars; see that you are not alarmed, for these things must happen, but it will not yet be the end. 7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be famines and earthquakes from place to place. 8 All these are the beginning of the labor pains. 9 Then they will hand you over to persecution, and they will kill you. You will be hated by all nations because of my name. 10 And then many will be led into sin; they will betray and hate one another. 11 Many false prophets will arise and deceive many; 12 and because of the increase of evildoing, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But the one who perseveres to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached throughout the world as a witness to all nations, and then the end will come.
Speaking to his disciples on the Mount of Olives, Jesus foretells the destruction of the Temple, warns against deception by false messiahs and prophets, and describes various calamities that will occur before he will return in glory to judge the living and the dead and establish his eternal kingdom.
Jesus had already made his triumphal entry into Jerusalem (Mt. 21:1-11) and was nearing the end of his earthly ministry. His leaving the temple area could signify a symbolic departure from the old covenant centered on the temple and a foreshadowing of the establishment of the New Covenant, which would be inaugurated through his death and resurrection. The disciples admired the temple buildings and drew their splendor to Jesus’ attention. In response, Jesus predicted the destruction of the Temple.
From the Christian perspective, once the Divine presence, Jesus, left the temple, there was no longer a purpose for the temple. One of the main uses of the temple was to offer sacrifices for the atonement of sins. Additionally, the temple served as a place of worship and prayer, a center for religious festivals and pilgrimages, a venue for teaching and instruction, a site for judicial and legal functions, and a place for rituals of purity and cleansing. Since through Jesus’ death he would atone for all the sins of mankind (Mt. 26:28), the sacrificial function of the temple would no longer be necessary. This is emphasized by the tearing of the temple veil at the moment of Jesus' death, symbolizing direct access to God without the need for temple rituals (Mt. 27:51). The historian Flavius Josephus provided a detailed account of the Roman siege and destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple in A.D. 70, fulfilling Jesus’ prophecy (Lk. 21:6).
The disciples asked Jesus to tell them when the Temple would be destroyed and what signs they would see before its destruction, his return, and the end of the age. Jesus warned them not to be deceived because many false Messiahs will come in his name. He outlined that signs such as wars, famines, and natural disasters, will be preliminary indicators but not immediate indications of the end of the present age. Jesus compared such signs to labor pains implying the beginning of a process leading to the end times, not the end itself. Jesus’ reference to “labor pains” aligns with a concept in Jewish apocalyptic literature where the term "birth pangs of the Messiah" refers to the series of tribulations and hardships that would precede the coming of the Messiah and the establishment of God's kingdom.
Jesus foretells the hatred, persecution, suffering, and even death his disciples will experience for the faith and witness of his name. The Christian community will experience internal strife, and the pressures and tribulations during the end times will cause some to abandon their faith, lose their moral compass, or be swayed by false teachings (2 Thess. 2:3). There will be betrayal even between friends and family members (Mt. 10:21-11). False prophets will arise claiming divine authority or special revelation, and will lead people away from the truth of the Gospel. There will be an increase in lawlessness and moral decay, leading to a decline in genuine love and charity among people. This loss of love will lead to a spiritual coldness, where the community's mutual care and compassion deteriorate (Rev. 2:4-5).
Having been warned, the disciples should not be alarmed when these things happen. They must faithfully endure the trials. All who persevere and remain steadfast and faithful to the end will receive the promised reward of eternal life (Mt. 10:22; Jas. 1:12). The good news of God's reign and the salvation brought through Jesus Christ will be preached to all nations, and then the end will come (Mk. 13:10).
Almighty God, grant us the strength to endure the trials and tribulations foretold by Your Son. Help us to remain steadfast in faith in times of deception and moral decay, discerning truth from falsehood. Fill us with Your Spirit that we may spread the gospel of Your kingdom with courage and conviction, bringing hope and salvation to all nations. This we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen!
Bibliography
- Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary.
Paulist Press, 2018.
- Faculty
of the University of Navarre. The Navarre Bible: New Testament Expanded
Edition. Four Courts / Scepter, 2008.
- Brown,
Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Prentice Hall,
1990.
- Orchard,
Bernard, et al. A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture. Feb. 1953.
- Komonchak,
Joseph, et al., editors. The New Dictionary of Theology.
- McKenzie, John. Dictionary of the
Bible. Collier Books, 1965.
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