Matthew 24 1

Matthew 24:1 kjv

And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple.

Matthew 24:1 nkjv

Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and His disciples came up to show Him the buildings of the temple.

Matthew 24:1 niv

Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings.

Matthew 24:1 esv

Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple.

Matthew 24:1 nlt

As Jesus was leaving the Temple grounds, his disciples pointed out to him the various Temple buildings.

Matthew 24 verses

Matthew 24 1 Meaning

Matthew 24:1 marks a profound turning point in the ministry of Jesus. As Jesus exited the physical temple complex for the last time before His crucifixion, it symbolized a prophetic abandonment of the old covenant system and its central place of worship. The disciples' subsequent action of pointing out the grand structures of the temple underscored their attachment to the physical, earthly display of power and beauty, contrasting sharply with Jesus' immediate foreshadowing of its complete destruction, thereby setting the stage for His crucial eschatological discourse concerning the end times and His Second Coming.

Matthew 24 1 Context

Matthew 24:1 serves as the direct prelude to the Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24-25), one of the most significant eschatological passages in the New Testament. Immediately preceding this verse, Jesus has just concluded a series of intense condemnations of the religious leaders and Jerusalem (Mt 23). He pronounced woes upon the scribes and Pharisees, lamented over Jerusalem, and declared that their "house is left to them desolate" (Mt 23:38). His final words in chapter 23 hint at His second coming, stating they "will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’” (Mt 23:39).

Against this backdrop of spiritual judgment, the disciples, perhaps still clinging to earthly pride, drew Jesus’ attention to the magnificent structures of Herod’s Temple. This Temple was a monumental undertaking, continuously under construction for over 46 years (Jn 2:20) and a symbol of Jewish identity, national pride, and perceived divine favor. It represented the heart of Jewish worship and was considered immutable. Jesus’ physical departure from this highly revered site, coupled with the disciples' admiration for its grandeur, created a poignant moment. His response, revealed in the subsequent verses (Mt 24:2), immediately shatters their worldly perspective, shifting the focus from the earthly temple's splendor to its inevitable destruction, thus initiating a lengthy discussion about the signs of His coming and the end of the age.

Matthew 24 1 Word analysis

• And Jesus went out (Καὶ ἐξελθὼν ὁ Ἰησοῦς):

  • Καὶ (Kai): "And," connecting to the preceding narrative. It subtly continues the movement from the judgment pronouncements to a new phase.
  • ἐξελθὼν (exelthōn): "Having gone out," an aorist participle. This signifies a completed action: Jesus' departure from the temple precincts was decisive and final, marking a definitive separation. It underscores the culmination of His public ministry within that space.
  • Significance: This is not merely a physical exit but a powerful symbolic act. It conveys divine withdrawal and abandonment of the temple, a parallel to how the glory of God departed from Solomon's temple before its destruction (Ezek 10:18-19). This departure signified the impending end of the temple-based covenant and the dawning of a new spiritual order centered on Jesus Himself.

• from the temple (ἀπὸ τοῦ ἱεροῦ, apo tou hieroū):

  • ἱεροῦ (hieroū): This Greek word refers to the entire temple complex, including the outer courts, colonnades, and surrounding structures, not just the inner sanctuary (naos) where only priests could enter.
  • Significance: Jesus had been teaching and confronting the religious leaders in these outer courts. His departure from the entire complex underscores His separation from the institution and the religious system it represented, a system that had rejected Him.

• and was departing (ἐπορεύετο, eporeueto):

  • ἐπορεύετο: An imperfect tense verb, "He was on His way," or "He was going."
  • Significance: While exelthōn emphasizes the completed act of leaving, eporeueto conveys the ongoing nature of His movement away, possibly implying a definitive journey or trajectory towards Gethsemane and Golgotha, signifying His movement from the place of ritual to the place of redemption.

• and his disciples came to him (καὶ προσῆλθον οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ, kai prosēlthon hoi mathētai autou):

  • προσῆλθον (prosēlthon): "They approached" or "came near to." This verb implies initiative on the part of the disciples, indicating they specifically sought Him out after His exit.
  • Significance: Their approach initiates the conversation, revealing their perspective and opening the door for Jesus' teaching on the last days. It highlights the distinction between Jesus' profound spiritual focus and their human, sensory appreciation of monumental architecture.

• for to shew him (ἐπιδεῖξαι αὐτῷ, epideixai autō):

  • ἐπιδεῖξαι (epideixai): An aorist infinitive, meaning "to point out," "to display," "to show fully."
  • Significance: The disciples wanted Jesus to marvel at the grandeur, perhaps hoping for a word of commendation, or seeking to divert His attention from the stern pronouncements He had just made. It reveals their awe of the physical structure and pride in what was considered Israel's greatest national monument.

• the buildings of the temple (τὰς οἰκοδομὰς τοῦ ἱεροῦ, tas oikodomas tou hieroū):

  • οἰκοδομὰς (oikodomás): "Buildings," "constructions," emphasizing the material structures, foundations, and monumental architecture.
  • τοῦ ἱεροῦ (tou hieroū): Again, referring to the entire temple complex.
  • Significance: This specific phrasing underlines that the disciples' focus was entirely on the physical splendor—the huge stones, magnificent gateways, and lavish ornamentation of Herod’s Temple, which was truly one of the wonders of the ancient world. Their pride in these physical edifices contrasted sharply with Jesus' subsequent spiritual prophecy of total demolition, and His understanding of the spiritual kingdom that superseded it. This contrast serves to emphasize the chasm between worldly value and eternal truth.

Matthew 24 1 Bonus section

This verse subtly underscores the human tendency to marvel at impressive physical structures and institutions, sometimes at the expense of discerning deeper spiritual truths. The disciples' pride in the grand Temple mirrored the general Jewish sentiment that God's presence was unshakeable within this magnificent edifice. Jesus' act of leaving the temple forever and immediately pivoting to its utter destruction challenged this popular belief in its permanent inviolability. It signals a move away from the centrality of a geographical location and ritual sacrifices to the ultimate sacrifice of Christ and the spiritual worship of God in Spirit and truth (Jn 4:21-24), anticipating the formation of the church, the true "spiritual house" (1 Pet 2:5). The grandeur that the disciples admired would soon be leveled, signifying that God's plan was not bound by human constructions but revealed and fulfilled in Christ.

Matthew 24 1 Commentary

Matthew 24:1 is more than a simple description of location; it is a momentous turning point, signifying a theological shift from the Old Covenant to the New. Jesus' final departure from the Temple was not an incidental walk, but a solemn act foreshadowing the temple's obsolescence and eventual destruction, symbolizing the end of its central role in God's redemptive plan. Having already lamented over Jerusalem and pronounced judgment on its spiritual leadership, His physical exit from the temple precinct solidified this judgment. The disciples, conversely, remained fixed on the material splendor of Herod's magnificent construction, eager to showcase its architectural grandeur. Their pride in the massive stones and ornate design highlights their earthly perspective, providing a perfect foil for Jesus' subsequent declaration (Mt 24:2) that "not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down." This contrast sets the stage for the crucial Olivet Discourse, transitioning from the earthly temple to the cosmic events surrounding His Second Coming and the ultimate spiritual temple (His Body, the Church).