The text focuses on the adornments of the temple – its magnificent stones and dedicated gifts. This detail highlights a subtle irony: while people marveled at the temple's earthly grandeur, Jesus was about to reveal its imminent, complete destruction, shifting the focus from external beauty to the spiritual realities he embodied.
And while some were speaking of the temple, how it was adorned with noble stones and offerings, he said, “As for these things that you see, the days will come when there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
As Jesus and his disciples were leaving the magnificent temple, some of them pointed out its massive, beautiful stones and the rich offerings displayed within. This admiration for the temple's grandeur prompted Jesus to deliver a sobering prophecy about its utter destruction, a stark contrast to the earthly glory they were observing. This foretells the devastating fate awaiting Jerusalem and its sacred structure, setting the stage for a discussion about signs of the end times and the importance of spiritual preparedness over material possessions.
Imagine walking towards a building so magnificent, it takes your breath away. That was the Temple for many, a marvel of human engineering and devotion.
As Jesus' disciples marveled at the Temple in Luke 21:5, they were seeing a structure of unparalleled beauty and scale. The 'goodly stones' weren't just large; some were massive blocks, perhaps forty cubits long, showcasing incredible craftsmanship. Beyond the stones, the Temple was adorned with 'gifts' (anathema), which were special votive offerings dedicated to God. These could be precious items like golden vines, crowns, or shields, hung as visible tokens of devotion and gratitude, making the Temple a dazzling testament to wealth and faith.
What happens when human admiration clashes with divine truth? Jesus often used moments of earthly splendor to reveal eternal realities.
The disciples' admiration for the Temple's stones and gifts was met with a jarring prophecy from Jesus. While they saw beauty and permanence, Jesus saw impending destruction. This wasn't just about natural disaster; it was a judgment on a nation that had turned the house of God into a place of pride and misplaced trust. He was shifting their focus from the external and temporal – the magnificent building – to the internal and eternal – their relationship with God and the coming spiritual reality.
Understand the original words
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hieron · Greek Noun
The sacred dwelling place of God’s presence among His people; it functioned as the center of Israel’s religious, social, and national identity, representing the meeting point between the holy God and sinful humanity.
kosmeō · Greek Verb
Decorative items or enhancements, particularly those used to beautify the temple or other significant structures; theologically, they represent the human desire to honor God with external splendor, though they are often transient compared to spiritual devotion.
anathēma · Greek Noun
Articles, precious objects, or sacrifices dedicated to God for the purpose of worship, piety, or fulfilling a religious vow; they often symbolize the outward manifestation of inner devotion.
hieron · Greek Noun
In the context of Jesus' prophecy, this refers to the physical temple in Jerusalem, which served as the central location for Israel's sacrificial system and the presence of God among His people. It signifies the transition from the old covenant order to the new.
The disciples' awe at the Second Temple's grandeur and riches, including its massive stones and precious votive offerings, stands in stark contrast to Jesus' prophecy of its complete destruction, highlighting the temporary nature of earthly glory compared to eternal realities.
c. 20-10 BC
Herod the Great renovates the Temple
King Herod the Great undertakes a massive rebuilding and expansion of the Second Temple, adorning it with enormous stones and precious votive offerings, such as a famous golden vine.
AD 20-30
Temple adorned with many gifts
Princes and wealthy individuals, both Jewish and Roman allies, contribute numerous rich gifts and dedications to adorn the Second Temple complex, including golden wreaths and vessels.
c. AD 30-33— this verse
Jesus teaches in the Temple
During His final week, Jesus teaches and debates within the Second Temple precincts. His disciples admire its magnificent architecture and the rich offerings, prompting Jesus' prophecy.
AD 66-70
The Great Revolt and Siege of Jerusalem
The Jewish people revolt against Roman rule, leading to a brutal siege of Jerusalem. The Roman army, under Titus, eventually breaches the city walls and destroys the Temple.
AD 70
Destruction of the Second Temple
The Roman army under Titus sets fire to and demolishes the Second Temple, fulfilling Jesus' prophecy that not one stone would be left upon another.
This passage directly parallels Luke's account, with Jesus responding to disciples admiring the temple's grandeur with a prophecy of its destruction.
Mark 13:2Similar to Luke, Mark records the disciples pointing out the magnificent temple buildings, prompting Jesus' prediction of its complete demolition.
John 2:19-21This earlier event shows Jesus confronting the temple's commercialization and speaking of His own body as the true temple, foreshadowing the physical temple's ultimate obsolescence and destruction.
Jeremiah 7:11This Old Testament prophet also condemned the misuse of the temple, warning that it would become a 'den of robbers,' reflecting a similar theme of divine judgment on a place that had lost its true spiritual purpose.
1 Kings 8:10-11This passage describes the glory of Solomon's temple upon its dedication, highlighting the immense awe and beauty that the later Herodian temple also evoked, making Jesus' prophecy of its destruction all the more shocking.
pooleLuke 21:5: "And as some spake of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts, he said,"
Ver. 5,6. Matthew and Mark say, that some of his disciples spake these words to him, and received this answer, as he was going out of the temple. For the goodly stones which the disciples admired, we are told that there were some of them forty-five cubits long, five in depth, and six in breadth. The gifts here mentioned are called in the Greek, anayhmata, not anayemata, nor dwra. The latter w…
vincentLuke 21:5: "And as some spake of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts, he said,"
StonesSee on Mark 13:1.Offerings (ἀναθήμασιν)Only here in New Testament. From ἀνατίθημι, to set up. Hence of something set up in the temple as a votive offering. Such were the golden vines presented by Herod the Great, with bunches of grapes as large as a man, and mounted above the entrance to the holy place. The magnificent porch of the temple was adorned with many such dedicated gifts,…
The text focuses on the adornments of the temple – its magnificent stones and dedicated gifts. This detail highlights a subtle irony: while people marveled at the temple's earthly grandeur, Jesus was about to reveal its imminent, complete destruction, shifting the focus from external beauty to the spiritual realities he embodied.
As Jesus and his disciples were leaving the magnificent temple, some of them pointed out its massive, beautiful stones and the rich offerings displayed within. This admiration for the temple's grandeur prompted Jesus to deliver a sobering prophecy about its utter destruction, a stark contrast to the earthly glory they were observing. This foretells the devastating fate awaiting Jerusalem and its sacred structure, setting the stage for a discussion about signs of the end times and the importance of spiritual preparedness over material possessions.
As Jesus and his disciples were leaving the magnificent temple, some of them pointed out its massive, beautiful stones and the rich offerings displayed within. This admiration for the temple's grandeur prompted Jesus to deliver a sobering prophecy about its utter destruction, a stark contrast to the earthly glory they were observing. This foretells the devastating fate awaiting Jerusalem and its sacred structure, setting the stage for a discussion about signs of the end times and the importance of spiritual preparedness over material possessions.
"And while some were speaking of the temple, how it was adorned with noble stones and offerings, he said, “As for these things that you see, the days will come when there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown…" — The text focuses on the adornments of the temple – its magnificent stones and dedicated gifts. This detail highlights a subtle irony: while people marveled at the temple's earthly grandeur, Jesus w…
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Last reviewed October 2026
