John 2:20

KJV

Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?

KJV (with Strong's)

Then {G3767} said {G2036} the Jews {G2453}, Forty {G5062} and {G2532} six {G1803} years {G2094} was {G3618} this {G3778} temple {G3485} in building {G3618}, and {G2532} wilt {G1453} thou {G4771} rear {G1453} it {G846} up {G1453} in {G1722} three {G5140} days {G2250}?

Complete Jewish Bible

The Judeans said, “It took years to build this Temple, and you’re going to raise it in three days?”

Berean Standard Bible

“This temple took forty-six years to build,” the Jews replied, “and You are going to raise it up in three days?”

American Standard Version

The Jews therefore said, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou raise it up in three days?

Commentary

### SUMMARY
In [John 2:20](/john/2-20 "John 2:20 - The Jews' Misunderstanding of Jesus' Temple Prophecy"), the Jewish leaders respond to Jesus' cryptic statement about destroying and raising the temple in three days. Their immediate and literal interpretation of "temple" as the physical Jerusalem edifice, which had been under construction for forty-six years, highlights their profound misunderstanding of Jesus' spiritual meaning, setting the stage for a central theme in John's Gospel: the inability of many to grasp divine truth.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse is embedded within the narrative of Jesus' first public act in Jerusalem following the wedding at Cana. [John 2:13-17](/john/2-13-17 "John 2:13-17 - Jesus Cleanses the Temple") describes Jesus' forceful cleansing of the temple courts, an act that directly challenged the commercialization and corruption of the religious system. This radical demonstration of authority provoked the Jewish leaders to demand a sign, leading to Jesus' enigmatic prophecy in [John 2:19](/john/2-19 "John 2:19 - Jesus' Prophecy of the Temple"). Their response in [John 2:20](/john/2-20 "John 2:20 - The Jews' Misunderstanding") reveals their complete failure to comprehend His words, a misunderstanding that is clarified by the narrator in [John 2:21-22](/john/2-21-22 "John 2:21-22 - Jesus Spoke of His Body as the Temple"), who explains that Jesus was speaking of "the temple of his body." This sequence establishes a pattern of Jesus' words being misunderstood, only to be fully understood by His disciples after His resurrection.

* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The "temple" referred to by the Jews was Herod's Temple, a magnificent reconstruction and expansion of the Second Temple. Initiated by Herod the Great around 20-19 BC, this massive building project was still ongoing during Jesus' ministry (ca. AD 27-30). The figure "forty and six years" (46 years) provides a specific historical anchor, indicating the immense scale and continuous nature of the construction, which would not be fully completed until AD 63, only seven years before its destruction by the Romans in AD 70. The Jews' pride in this architectural marvel and their literal focus on its physical grandeur made Jesus' claim to "rear it up in three days" seem utterly preposterous and blasphemous, as they could not conceive of a power capable of such a feat or a meaning beyond the literal stones.

* **Key Themes:** The exchange in [John 2:20](/john/2-20 "John 2:20 - The Jews' Misunderstanding") contributes to several major themes in John's Gospel. Primarily, it highlights the **misunderstanding of spiritual truth**, a recurring motif where Jesus' words, though clear in their spiritual intent, are consistently misinterpreted by those who think only in worldly or literal terms (e.g., Nicodemus' confusion about being "born again" in [John 3:3-4](/john/3-3-4 "John 3:3-4 - Nicodemus' Misunderstanding") or the Samaritan woman's literal interpretation of "living water" in [John 4:10-15](/john/4-10-15 "John 4:10-15 - The Woman at the Well and Living Water")). Secondly, it introduces the theme of **the true temple**, shifting the focus from a physical structure to Jesus' own body as the ultimate dwelling place of God's presence, foreshadowing the New Covenant where God's presence is no longer confined to a building. This transition from the physical to the spiritual is a hallmark of John's theology, emphasizing that the old order is being superseded by the new reality in Christ, as seen in Jesus' discourse on worship in [John 4:21-24](/john/4-21-24 "John 4:21-24 - Worship in Spirit and Truth").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **said (Greek, _épō'_):** This verb (G2036) is a primary verb meaning "to speak or say (by word or writing)." In this context, it denotes the direct verbal response of the Jewish leaders. Their "saying" is not merely a question but an incredulous, almost mocking retort, revealing their immediate and profound misunderstanding of Jesus' statement. It highlights the direct confrontation between Jesus' spiritual truth and their literal, earthly perspective.
* **temple (Greek, _naós'_):** The Greek word (G3485) specifically refers to the inner sanctuary or shrine, the sacred dwelling place of God, as opposed to the broader temple complex (hieron). Jesus' use of _naós_ in [John 2:19](/john/2-19 "John 2:19 - Jesus' Prophecy") and the Jews' echo of it in [John 2:20](/john/2-20 "John 2:20 - The Jews' Misunderstanding") is crucial. While the Jews understood it as the physical holy of holies within Herod's edifice, John's subsequent clarification in [John 2:21](/john/2-21 "John 2:21 - Jesus Spoke of His Body") reveals Jesus' metaphorical use, referring to His own body as the true, sacred dwelling place of God.
* **rear it up (Greek, _egeírō'_):** This verb (G1453) means "to waken, rouse, lift up, or raise." While it can refer to physical construction, its broader semantic range includes raising from sleep, disease, or death. In Jesus' prophecy, and thus in the Jews' incredulous repetition, _egeírō_ carries the profound implication of resurrection. The Jews heard "rebuild," but Jesus meant "resurrect." This word choice, especially in light of John's commentary, is a direct foreshadowing of Christ's triumph over death.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Then said the Jews":** This introductory clause identifies the speakers as "the Jews," a common Johannine designation for the religious authorities or those who oppose Jesus. Their collective voice here represents the established religious system's inability or unwillingness to perceive Jesus' true nature and authority. Their immediate response underscores the confrontational nature of the encounter.
* **"Forty and six years was this temple in building":** This statement serves as the basis for their incredulity. It highlights the immense scale, duration, and human effort invested in Herod's Temple. By stating this precise figure, the Jews emphasize the physical reality and monumental nature of the structure, contrasting it sharply with Jesus' seemingly absurd claim. This detail grounds their perspective firmly in the tangible, material world.
* **"and wilt thou rear it up in three days?":** This rhetorical question expresses the Jews' utter disbelief and scorn. The "wilt thou" (σύ, _sý_) emphasizes Jesus' singular, seemingly insignificant person against the backdrop of such a massive undertaking. For them, the idea of a single man, in a mere three days, accomplishing what took decades of collective labor was not only impossible but bordered on madness or blasphemy, revealing their complete failure to grasp the divine power and spiritual meaning inherent in Jesus' words.

#### Literary Devices
The verse powerfully employs **Dramatic Irony**, where the audience (and the narrator, John) understands Jesus' true meaning (His resurrection) while the characters (the Jewish leaders) remain ignorant, interpreting His words literally concerning the physical temple. This creates tension and highlights the spiritual blindness of Jesus' interlocutors. Furthermore, there is profound **Symbolism** at play; the physical temple, a central symbol of God's presence in the Old Covenant, is implicitly contrasted with Jesus' body, which will become the new, ultimate dwelling place of God. The mention of "three days" is a clear **Foreshadowing** of Jesus' resurrection, a key event in Christian theology. The entire exchange also functions as a form of **Misunderstanding**, a recurring Johannine motif that underscores the chasm between human perception and divine revelation.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
John 2:20 is a pivotal verse that encapsulates the tension between the old covenant and the new, the physical and the spiritual, and human understanding versus divine revelation. The Jews, fixated on the grandeur of the physical temple, failed to recognize that God's presence was about to manifest in a new, infinitely more profound way through the person of Jesus Christ. This misunderstanding underscores a core theological truth: God's ultimate dwelling place is not in buildings made with human hands, but in His Son, and by extension, in His people. The destruction and raising of the temple, in Jesus' true meaning, points directly to His death and resurrection, which would inaugurate a new era of worship "in spirit and truth," transcending geographical and architectural limitations.

* [Matthew 26:61](/matthew/26-61 "Matthew 26:61 - False Witness Against Jesus") - False witnesses at Jesus' trial accuse Him of saying, "I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days."
* [Mark 14:58](/mark/14-58 "Mark 14:58 - False Testimony About the Temple") - Similar false testimony: "We heard him say, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands."
* [1 Corinthians 6:19](/1_corinthians/6-19 "1 Corinthians 6:19 - Your Body as a Temple") - Paul teaches that believers' bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, extending the "temple" concept to the individual Christian.

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
This passage serves as a powerful reminder of the human tendency to literalize spiritual truths, often missing the profound depth of God's revelation. Like the Jewish leaders, we can become so focused on the external, the tangible, or the traditional that we fail to perceive the deeper, transformative work of God in our midst. Jesus' statement about the temple challenges us to consider where we place our trust and understanding. Is it in grand institutions, physical structures, or human achievements, or in the living, resurrected Christ? The true "temple" is now Christ Himself, and by extension, His body, the Church. This calls us to a worship that is not bound by location but is centered on the person of Jesus, who broke down barriers and established a new way of relating to God through His sacrifice and resurrection. We are invited to look beyond the superficial, to seek spiritual discernment, and to understand that God's presence is not confined, but permeates the lives of His people through the indwelling Spirit.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what areas of my life might I be interpreting spiritual truths too literally, missing a deeper, more profound meaning?**
* **How does understanding Jesus as the true temple change my perception of worship, community, and God's presence?**
* **What "temples" (e.g., traditions, institutions, personal achievements) might I be clinging to that prevent me from fully embracing the spiritual reality of Christ?**

### FAQ
**Why did the Jews focus so much on the 46 years of building?**
Answer: The Jewish leaders emphasized the "forty and six years" (G5062 `tessarákonta` and G1803 `héx` years G2094 `étos`) to underscore the sheer impossibility of Jesus' claim from a human perspective. Herod's Temple was a massive, ongoing construction project that had consumed decades of labor and resources. By highlighting its immense scale and duration, they intended to expose Jesus' statement as utterly absurd and perhaps even blasphemous, as no human could conceivably rebuild such a monumental structure in just "three days" (G5140 `treîs` days G2250 `hēméra`). Their focus on the physical structure and its history revealed their literal-mindedness and their inability to grasp the spiritual, prophetic nature of Jesus' words, which pointed to His own body and resurrection.

**Did Jesus actually intend to destroy the physical temple?**
Answer: No, [John 2:21](/john/2-21 "John 2:21 - Jesus Spoke of His Body as the Temple") explicitly clarifies that "he spake of the temple of his body." Jesus was using the physical temple as a metaphor for Himself. His statement was a prophecy of His own death and resurrection, not a literal promise to demolish and rebuild the stone edifice. His resurrection three days after His crucifixion would establish Him as the new and ultimate dwelling place of God's presence, superseding the need for a physical temple. This concept is further developed in the New Testament, where believers are also called temples of the Holy Spirit, as seen in [1 Corinthians 3:16](/1_corinthians/3-16 "1 Corinthians 3:16 - You Are God's Temple").

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
[John 2:20](/john/2-20 "John 2:20 - The Jews' Misunderstanding") finds its profound Christ-centered fulfillment in Jesus' death and resurrection. The Jews, focused on the physical temple, missed the profound truth that Jesus Himself was the true temple, the ultimate dwelling place of God among humanity. When Jesus declared, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up" ([John 2:19](/john/2-19 "John 2:19 - Jesus' Prophecy of the Temple")), He was prophesying His own crucifixion and glorious resurrection. His body, broken on the cross and raised on the third day, became the new and living temple, through whom all humanity could access God. This fulfillment is central to the Gospel message, as articulated by the apostles (e.g., [Acts 2:24](/acts/2-24 "Acts 2:24 - God Raised Jesus From the Dead")). Through His resurrection, Jesus inaugurated the New Covenant, rendering the physical temple obsolete and establishing a spiritual reality where God's presence resides in Christ and, by extension, in His Church, the body of Christ ([Ephesians 2:20-22](/ephesians/2-20-22 "Ephesians 2:20-22 - The Church as a Holy Temple")). Thus, the stone temple's destruction in AD 70 merely confirmed what Jesus had already accomplished: the transition from a localized, physical dwelling of God to a universal, spiritual presence found in the resurrected Lord.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.