n had ever done. It
had been a theatre of His divine power.

That was a sad and solemn hour in the last week of His life when, as
Matthew says, "Jesus went out and departed from the Temple." That was
His farewell to it. With sadness He thought not only that He would never
return to it for a blessed ministry of word and healing, but that the
place itself would be destroyed. As He led His disciples from it, their
minds were also upon the Holy House: but their thoughts were not His
thoughts. They had long been familiar with its magnificence, from the
day when each of them, at twelve years of age, for the first time had
gazed upon it in wonder and admiration. We do not know why, as they were
turning away from it and walked toward Olivet, "some spake of the
Temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and offerings," nor why
"one of His disciples saith unto Him, Master, behold what manner of
stones, and what manner of buildings!" But so they did. Doubtless they
were surprised and disappointed that the Lord did not respond with like
spirit to their enthusiastic exclamations. Were not such richness and
beauty worthy of even His admiration? Why His momentary silence? Why His
sadness of expression, as He looked toward the Temple, beholding it as
they bid Him do, but manifestly with different purpose and feeling from
what they intended? His appearance seemed most inconsistent with the
glorious view. His response was startling,--"Seest thou these great
buildings? There shall not be left here one stone upon another, which
shall not be thrown down."

The astonished disciples were silenced, but an unspoken question was in
the minds of some of them. Christ turned aside and ascended the
mountain, taking with Him the chosen three, Peter, James and John. On
this occasion Andrew is added to the private company. Once more we see
by themselves the two pair of brothers with whom in their boyhood we
became familiar in Bethsaida. We are reminded of the days when they sat
together on the sea-shore, the time when they were watching for the
coming of the Messiah with whom they now "sat on the Mount of Olives
over against the Temple." Two days before, in the road below He had also
prophesied of the destruction of the city, as He gazed upon it through
His tears. Now He was on the summit, directly opposite the Temple, from
which the city was spread out before Him. To me it is still a delight in
thought, as it was in reality, to stand where they sa