Matthew 24:2

New Testament Gospel ASV (1901)

What does Matthew 24:2 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “But he answered and said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

But he answered and said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
Matthew 24:2 — American Standard Version

Context — Matthew 24

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
2But he answered and said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.

What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“And Jesus said unto them, see ye not all these things? etc.] “These great buildings”, as in Mark; all these goodly stones, so beautiful and large, and so firmly put together: verily, I say unto you, there shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down; or broken, as Munster’s Hebrew Gospel reads it: which prediction had a full and remarkable accomplishment; and which is not only attested by Josephus f1353, who relates, that both the city and temple were dug up, and laid level with the ground; but also by other Jewish writers; who tell us f1354 that “on the ninth of Ab, a day prepared for punishments, Turnus Rufus the wicked, lkyhh ta çrj, “ploughed up the…”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“There shall not be left here one stone upon another - At the time this was spoken, no event was more improbable than this. The temple was vast, rich, splendid. It was the pride of the nation, and the nation was at peace. Yet in the short space of 40 years all this was accomplished exactly. Jerusalem was taken by the Roman armies, under the command of Titus, 70 a.d. The account of the siege and destruction of the city is left us by Josephus, a historian of undoubted veracity and singular fidelity. He was a Jewish priest. In the wars of which he gives an account, he fell into the hands of the Romans, and remained with them during the siege and destruction of the city. Being a Jew, he would of…”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“There shall not he left one stone upon another - This was most punctually fulfilled; for after the temple was burnt, Titus, the Roman general, ordered the very foundations of it to be dug up; after which the ground on which it stood was ploughed up by Turnus Rufus. Matthew 24:3”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · Modern study notes
“24:2 Not one stone: The destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple was a sign of God’s judgment (see 1 Kgs 9:7-9; Jer 7:8-15; 9:10-12; 26:6, 18; Mic 3:12; see also Isa 64:11; Luke 19:44; Acts 6:14).”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“There: Josephus says that "Cesar gave orders that they should now demolish the whole city and temple, except the three towers Phaselus, Hippicus, and Mariamne, and a part of the western wall; but all the rest was laid so completely even with the ground, by those who dug it up from the foundation, that there was nothing left to make those who came thither believe that it had ever been inhabited." Kg1 9:7, Kg1 9:8; Jer 26:18; Eze 7:20-22; Dan 9:26, Dan 9:27; Mic 3:12; Luk 19:44; Pe2 3:11 Matthew 24:3”
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Related study paths

Sources and verification