Mark 14:58

KJV

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.

KJV (with Strong's)

{G3754} We {G2249} heard {G191} him {G846} say {G3004},{G3754} I {G1473} will destroy {G2647} this {G5126} temple {G3485} that is made with hands {G5499}, and {G2532} within {G1223} three {G5140} days {G2250} I will build {G3618} another {G243} made without hands {G886}.

Complete Jewish Bible

"We heard him say, `I will destroy this Temple made with hands; and in three days I will build another one, not made with hands.'"

Berean Standard Bible

“We heard Him say, ‘I will destroy this man-made temple, and in three days I will build another that is made without hands.’”

American Standard Version

We heard him say, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and in three days I will build another made without hands.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Mark 14:58 records the false testimony presented against Jesus during His trial before the Sanhedrin, where accusers distorted His earlier prophetic statement about the temple. They claimed He threatened to destroy the physical Jerusalem Temple and rebuild another "not made with hands" within three days. While intended as a malicious misrepresentation to secure a death sentence, this accusation inadvertently echoed the profound truth of Jesus' own words concerning His death and resurrection, revealing His identity as the true temple and the ushering in of a new spiritual reality.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse is situated within the dramatic and unjust nocturnal trial of Jesus before the Sanhedrin, immediately following His arrest in Gethsemane and preceding Peter's denial. The chief priests and the entire council were desperately seeking false testimony to condemn Jesus to death, as genuine charges were lacking. The "witnesses" in this passage, rather than providing consistent or truthful accounts, offered contradictory and distorted versions of Jesus' previous teachings, particularly His statement recorded in [John 2:19](/john/2-19 "John 2:19 - Jesus' Challenge to the Jews at the Temple"). Mark highlights the unreliability of these testimonies, underscoring the illegitimacy of the trial itself. This specific accusation serves as a pivotal moment, touching upon Jesus' authority over the Temple and foreshadowing His imminent death and resurrection.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The Jerusalem Temple was the spiritual, cultural, and political heart of Jewish life. It was the place where God's presence was believed to dwell, the center of worship, sacrifice, and national identity. Any perceived threat to the Temple was considered an act of sacrilege and sedition, a capital offense. The charge that Jesus intended to "destroy this temple" would have been highly inflammatory and deeply offensive to the Jewish authorities and populace. Furthermore, the trial itself was irregular, taking place at night, outside normal legal procedures, and relying on manipulated testimony, indicating the authorities' eagerness to condemn Jesus by any means necessary, even if it meant violating their own laws.
* **Key Themes:** Mark 14:58 contributes significantly to several key themes within the Gospel of Mark and broader biblical theology. It highlights the theme of **false witness and injustice**, demonstrating the lengths to which Jesus' enemies would go to condemn Him, twisting His words to fit their malicious agenda. Crucially, it introduces the profound theme of the **Temple of His Body**, foreshadowing Jesus' death and resurrection as the ultimate "destruction" and "rebuilding" of a new spiritual dwelling for God, a concept explicitly clarified in [John 2:21](/john/2-21 "John 2:21 - Jesus spoke of the temple of His body"). This also points to the **prophecy of resurrection**, as the "three days" directly alludes to His triumph over death. Finally, the distinction between "made with hands" and "made without hands" underscores the **transition from the old covenant's physical structures to the new covenant's spiritual reality** centered on Christ and His people, as seen in passages like [Hebrews 9:11](/hebrews/9-11 "Hebrews 9:11 - Christ, the greater and more perfect tabernacle").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **destroy (Greek, _katalýō'_):** This verb (G2647) means "to loosen down (disintegrate)," or "to demolish (literally or figuratively)." In this context, the accusers used it to imply a literal act of physical destruction against the revered Temple. However, in Jesus' original statement, it carried a figurative sense, referring to the "destruction" of His own body through death.
* **build (Greek, _oikodoméō'_):** This verb (G3618) means "to be a house-builder," or "to construct or (figuratively) confirm." While the accusers presented it as a literal construction project, Jesus' true meaning referred to the supernatural act of His resurrection, the "building" of a new, spiritual reality.
* **made without hands (Greek, _acheiropoíētos'_):** This adjective (G886) signifies something "unmanufactured" or "inartificial," meaning it is not created by human effort but is of divine or supernatural origin. This term is crucial for understanding Jesus' true meaning, as it points to the spiritual and heavenly nature of the "temple" He would raise – His resurrected body and the new spiritual order it inaugurates.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"We heard him say":** This clause establishes the nature of the testimony as hearsay, emphasizing that these are alleged words, not direct quotes, and immediately sets a tone of unreliability. The plural "We" suggests multiple witnesses, yet their accounts were inconsistent, as Mark notes in the preceding verse.
* **"I will destroy this temple that is made with hands":** This is the core of the false accusation. The phrase "this temple that is made with hands" clearly refers to the physical Jerusalem Temple, built by human effort. The accusers deliberately twisted Jesus' original statement (as recorded in [John 2:19](/john/2-19 "John 2:19 - Jesus' challenge about the temple")) to imply a literal, destructive act against the sacred edifice, which would be a capital offense.
* **"and within three days":** This specific timeframe, "within three days" (Greek: _diá treîs hēméras_), is a direct and accurate recollection of Jesus' original prophecy regarding His resurrection. While the accusers used it to frame a literal rebuilding project, it inadvertently highlighted the very prophecy of His death and resurrection that would soon be fulfilled.
* **"I will build another made without hands":** This phrase reveals the profound spiritual truth embedded within the false testimony. "Another made without hands" points to something not constructed by human effort, signifying a divine, supernatural work. This refers to Jesus' resurrected body and, by extension, the new spiritual temple of God's presence, the Church, which is not confined to physical structures but is built by divine power.

#### Literary Devices
Mark 14:58 is rich in **Irony**. The very words used by the false witnesses to condemn Jesus inadvertently articulate a profound truth about Him. Their malicious distortion of His statement about destroying and rebuilding the temple ultimately serves to highlight Jesus' divine authority and His impending resurrection. The accusation, intended to portray Him as a blasphemer or revolutionary, instead becomes a veiled **Prophecy** of His victory over death and the inauguration of a new spiritual reality. Furthermore, the verse employs **Contrast** between "made with hands" (referring to the physical, temporary temple) and "made without hands" (referring to the spiritual, eternal reality of Christ's body and the Church). This contrast is a form of **Symbolism**, where the physical temple symbolizes the old covenant and its limitations, while the "temple made without hands" symbolizes the new covenant established through Christ's death and resurrection.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Mark 14:58, though a product of false witness, inadvertently reveals a profound theological truth: Jesus Christ Himself is the true Temple, the ultimate dwelling place of God among humanity. The physical Jerusalem Temple, magnificent as it was, was merely a shadow or a type of this ultimate reality. With Jesus' death and resurrection, the need for a physical temple and its sacrificial system was fulfilled and superseded. God's presence is no longer confined to a building "made with hands" but is now accessible through Christ and dwells within the community of believers, the Church, which is the spiritual body of Christ. This verse thus points to the radical shift from the Old Covenant's external rituals and physical structures to the New Covenant's internal transformation and spiritual reality centered on Jesus.

* [John 2:21](/john/2-21 "John 2:21 - Jesus spoke of the temple of His body")
* [1 Corinthians 3:16](/1_corinthians/3-16 "1 Corinthians 3:16 - Believers as the temple of God")
* [Hebrews 9:11](/hebrews/9-11 "Hebrews 9:11 - Christ, the greater and more perfect tabernacle")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Mark 14:58 serves as a powerful reminder of the dangers of misinterpretation and false witness, urging us to seek truth and context diligently, especially in matters of faith. It challenges us to look beyond superficial appearances and human constructs to discern God's deeper spiritual realities. For believers, this verse underscores that our faith is not centered on physical buildings or human institutions, but on the living Christ, who is the true dwelling place of God. Our focus should be on building up the spiritual temple of the Church, growing in unity and holiness, and recognizing that God's presence is found not in stone and mortar, but in the hearts of His people. It also reminds us that even through the most unjust circumstances, God's sovereign plan and prophetic truth can be unwittingly declared.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How does understanding Jesus as the true Temple change your perception of where God's presence dwells today?**
* **In what ways might we, like the false witnesses, be prone to misinterpret or distort spiritual truths based on our own biases or agendas?**
* **What does the "temple made without hands" imply about the nature of the Church and our role within it?**
* **How does the injustice of Jesus' trial, as highlighted by this false testimony, deepen your appreciation for His sacrifice?**

### FAQ

**What was Jesus' original statement about the temple that was distorted?**

Answer: Jesus' original statement, recorded in [John 2:19](/john/2-19 "John 2:19 - Jesus' challenge to the Jews"), was: "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." The Gospel of John clarifies in [John 2:21](/john/2-21 "John 2:21 - Jesus spoke of the temple of His body") that "He was speaking of the temple of his body." The accusers at His trial deliberately took His metaphorical reference to His own death and resurrection and twisted it into a literal threat against the physical Jerusalem Temple, aiming to portray Him as a destructive revolutionary or blasphemer.

**Why was threatening the temple considered such a grave accusation?**

Answer: The Jerusalem Temple was not merely a building; it was the sacred center of Jewish life, worship, and national identity. It was believed to be the dwelling place of God's presence (the Shekinah glory) and the site of atonement through sacrifices. Any perceived threat to the Temple was considered an act of profound sacrilege, treason, and an attack on God Himself and the Jewish people. Such a charge could carry the death penalty under Jewish law, making it a powerful tool for Jesus' accusers.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Mark 14:58, though presented as a false accusation, ironically points directly to the heart of Christ's redemptive work. The "temple made with hands" represented the Old Covenant system, a physical structure where God's presence was localized and accessed through ritual sacrifice. Jesus, by speaking of its "destruction" and the building of another "made without hands," was prophesying His own death and resurrection. His body, broken on the cross, was the ultimate sacrifice, fulfilling and superseding all temple rituals. His resurrection "within three days" was the divine act of "building" a new, eternal temple – His glorified body, which now serves as the true and living tabernacle where God dwells fully among His people (see [John 1:14](/john/1-14 "John 1:14 - The Word became flesh and dwelt among us")). This new temple is not confined to stone but extends to the Church, the spiritual body of Christ, in whom God's Spirit now resides (as affirmed in [1 Corinthians 6:19](/1_corinthians/6-19 "1 Corinthians 6:19 - Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit") and [Ephesians 2:20-22](/ephesians/2-20-22 "Ephesians 2:20-22 - Christ as the cornerstone of the spiritual temple")). Thus, the false charge against Jesus becomes a profound declaration of His identity as the ultimate High Priest, the perfect sacrifice, and the very dwelling place of God, ushering in a new covenant where access to God is no longer through a physical structure but through faith in the resurrected Christ.

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.

Cross-References

John 2:19

Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.

2 Corinthians 5:1

¶ For we know that if our earthly house of [this] tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

Hebrews 9:11

But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;

Hebrews 9:24

For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, [which are] the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:

Acts 7:48

Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet,

Daniel 2:34

Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet [that were] of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces.

Mark 15:29

And they that passed by railed on him, wagging their heads, and saying, Ah, thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest [it] in three days,