Mark 14:58 Meaning and Explanation
“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.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The witnesses claim Jesus said he would destroy the temple made with hands and build another in three days without hands.
What Does Mark 14:58 Mean?
The charge twists something Jesus did say. John records it: Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up — but he spake of the temple of his body (John 2:19-21). The witnesses recast it as a threat: I will destroy this temple that is made with hands.
Yet even mangled, the saying gleams with truth the court cannot see. A temple not made with hands is indeed coming: his risen body, and a people built on him into an habitation of God (Ephesians 2:21-22; Hebrews 9:11). Within three days, the words used against him would begin to come true. God hides his greatest promise inside the evidence of the prosecution.
Mark 14:58 in the Original Language
acheiropoietos (ἀχειροποίητος), 'made without hands' -- not built by human hands; of God's own making.
Frequently Asked Questions About Mark 14:58
What does Mark 14:58 mean?
The witnesses claim Jesus said he would destroy the temple made with hands and build another in three days without hands.