Prior Book | Prior Chapter | Prior Verse | Next Verse | Next Chapter | Next Book | Viewing NASB and Amplified 2015 | |
NASB | Matthew 24:2 And He said to them, "Do you not see all these things? Truly I say to you, not one stone here will be left upon another, which will not be torn down." |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Matthew 24:2 And He said to them, "Do you see all these things? I assure you and most solemnly say to you, not one stone here will be left on another, which will not be torn down." |
Bible Question:
You seem quite against a third building of the Temple in Israel. How do you then interpret the second half of Ezekiel where he prophesies about a Temple being built that has not yet been built? Also, if the Temple was so bad after Jesus' resurrection, then why did Paul perform sacrifices in the Temple is Acts 21-22? Did Jesus prophesy against the Temple as you say, or did he prophesy against what was going on in the Temple? Or was he simple stating a fact that the Temple was going to be destroyed? MJH |
Bible Answer: Hi, MJH! When reading Scriptural prophecies we discover that usually there are several layers of revelations... some deal with the immediate time frame of the prophets; some deal with a near future; still others with a distant or very distant future... So when Jesus says that the Temple will be destroyed and that not one stone (rock) will be left upon another... it is so! When the prophets prior to Jesus' incarnation speak of a Temple not yet built... it could very well be not the physical building but the form of worship that it was demanded by God from the Israelites (Hebrews) way back when... He prophesied that the Hebrews would stubbornly reject Him and that He would make a nation onto Himself of those that were not His people... God also said that He would keep a Remnant that stayed loyal to Him and from that Remnant the shoot of Jessie would bring forth the Eternal King! While introducing the Kingdom of Heaven Jesus told the Samaritan woman that there would come a time (and that the hour was at hand) that neither in the Temple nor in the mountains God would be worshipped... He revealed that God is Spirit and those that worship Him would worship in Spirit in Truth. (John 4:19-26) There is a distinct progression in the constitution of the Temple... In the Old Testament Temple worship was very individualized... a certain person would become entrusted with a direct revelation/interaction with God and he would build a temple/monument to God... when the Hebrews were liberated from Egypt they went into the desert to worship... there was no building... so the Tent of the Covenant where the Ark rested was the Temple... centuries passed before Salomon constructed the first fixed Temple... When Jesus, the Anointed One, came He declared that the Holy Spirit, the Father and He Himself would abide in the Believers... we are the Temple of the Living God! (1 Corinthians 3:16-17; 6:19-20; Ephesians 2:19-22) Still, Revelation tells us that the Father and the Lamb are the Temple of the Great City, the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:9-22)... I would suggest that this is that Temple not yet built! God Bless! Angel |