Two thousand years ago, Jesus Christ shocked His audience with one of the most incredible statements ever uttered. He made a startling declaration that the religious centerpiece of His people would come tumbling down.
He framed the statement by saying, "Assuredly, I say to you." Next, He broke the news—"Not one stone shall be left here upon another" (Matthew 24:2).
What was He talking about? He was pinpointing the total destruction of the sacred temple, which was the crowning jewel of a massive religious complex. It is hard for the modern mind to grasp the impact of such words on His audience.
Why did Christ declare such a target-specific prophecy? This statement is often regarded as the opening salvo to the Olivet Prophecy of Matthew 24. But unfortunately, as with other biblical studies, people are prone to start studying from verse 1 of any given chapter rather than exercising a basic key of Bible study, which is to find "the beginning of the story." The context often begins in previous chapters. Matthew 24 is no exception. In this case, the story actually begins in chapter 23.
Let's understand the setting
The setting of Matthew 23 places us in the last days of Jesus Christ's human existence. He had only a few days to complete His calling as the "Son of Man." Jesus foresaw this moment and knew what He had to say. He directs His message to the religious audience, to people of the covenant who should have been more spiritually aware and mature.
