26:59-61 When did Jesus say that He was able to destroy the temple of God and build it in three days?

Jesus never said this. That was a statement made by the two false witnesses against Him at His trial.

What Jesus really said is recorded in Jn 2:13-19 (cp Jn 2:13-19). Jesus said as an ironic command to the Jews in response to their demand for a sign to prove His right to eject them from the temple: “destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up”.

He was not referring to the temple from which He had just ejected them, but to the temple of His body and it being raised up in three days after His death (cp Jn 2:20-22).

Back to Matthew Study