John 2:20 (WEB)
The Jews therefore said, “It took forty-six years to build this temple! Will you raise it up in three days?”
Catechism · 2
Jesus and Israel
“Therefore his being put to bodily death” — Catechism footnote: Cf. Jn 2:18-22.
"I Believe in the Resurrection of the Body"
“He speaks of this unique event as the "sign of Jonah," The sign of the temple: he announces that he will be put to death but rise thereafter on the third day.” — Catechism footnote: Cf. Mk 10:34; Jn 2:19-22.
Fathers and councils · 25
Irenaeus of Lyons
“He spake this, however,” it is said, “of the temple of His body.”” — editor's note: John ii. 19–21.
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Augustine of Hippo
“And they said, “In forty and six years was builded this temple, and wilt Thou in three days raise it up?”” — editor's note: John ii. 19, 20.
Read the whole comment“…again to the temple, where he states that Jesus spoke of the temple of His body in these terms: “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up:” in which declaration emphatic intimation is given not only that God was in that temple in the person of the Word that was made flesh, but also that He Himself…” — editor's note: John ii. 12–22.
Read the whole comment“For they said, “Forty and six years was this temple in building.”” — editor's note: John ii. 20
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John Chrysostom
“Ver.” — the author cites it
Read the whole comment“And indeed He had said, “In three days,” but He said not, “I will destroy,” but, “Destroy,” and not about that temple but about His own body.” — editor's note: See John ii. 19–21.
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Clement of Alexandria
“But He spake of the temple of His body.”” — editor's note: John ii. 19–21.
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Catena Aurea on John
- Theophylact of OhridCatena Aurea on John
The Jews seeing Jesus thus acting with power, and having heard Him say, Make not My Father’s house an house of merchandize, ask of Him a sign; Then answered the Jews and said unto Him, What sign shewest Thou unto us,…
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on John
But were signs necessary for His putting a stop to evil practices? Was not the having such zeal for the house of God, the greatest sign of His virtue? They did not however remember the prophecy, but asked for a sign;…
Read the whole comment - BedeCatena Aurea on John
For inasmuch as they sought a sign from our Lord of His right to eject the customary merchandize from the temple, He replied, that that temple signified the temple of His Body, in which was no spot of sin; as if He…
Read the whole comment - Theophylact of OhridCatena Aurea on John
He does not however provoke them to commit murder, by saying, Destroy; but only shews that their intentions were not hidden from Him. Let the Arians observe how our Lord, as the destroyer of death, says, I will raise…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on John
The Father also raised Him up again; to Whom He says, Raise Thou me up, and I shall reward them. (Ps. 41:10) But what did the Father do without the Word? As then the Father raised Him up, so did the Son also: even as…
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on John
But why does He give them the sign of His resurrection? Because this was the greatest proof that He was not a mere man; shewing, as it did, that He could triumph over death, and in a moment overthrow its long tyranny.
Read the whole comment - OrigenCatena Aurea on John
Both those, i. e. both the Body of Jesus and the temple, seem to me to be a type of the Church, which with lively stones is built up into a spiritual house, into an holy priesthood; according to St. Paul, Ye are the…
Read the whole comment - Theophylact of OhridCatena Aurea on John
The Jews, supposing that He spoke of the material temple, scoffed: Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and will Thou rear it up in three days?
Read the whole comment - Alcuin of YorkCatena Aurea on John
Note, that they allude here not to the first temple under Solomon, which was finished in seven years, but to the one rebuilt under Zorobabel. (Ezra 4:5) This was forty-six years building, in consequence of the…
Read the whole comment - OrigenCatena Aurea on John
Or some will reckon perhaps the forty and six years from the time that David consulted Nathan the Prophet on the building of the temple. David from that time was busy in collecting materials. But perhaps the number…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on John
Or it may be that this number fits in with the perfection of the Lord’s Body. For six times forty-six are two hundred and seventy-six days, which make up nine months and six days, the time that our Lord’s Body was…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on John
The process of human conception is said to be this. The first six days produce a substance like milk, which in the following nine is converted into blood; in twelve more is consolidated, in eighteen more is formed…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on John
Or thus, if you take the four Greek words, anatole, the east; dysis, the west; arctos, the north; and mesembria, the south; the first letters of these words make Adam. And our Lord says that He will gather together…
Read the whole comment - Theophylact of OhridCatena Aurea on John
From this Apollinarius draws an heretical inference: and attempts to shew that Christ’s flesh was inanimate, because the temple was inanimate. In this way you will prove the flesh of Christ to be wood and stone,…
Read the whole comment - OrigenCatena Aurea on John
Our Lord’s Body is called the temple, because as the temple contained the glory of God dwelling therein, so the Body of Christ, which represents the Church, contains the Only-Begotten, Who is the image and glory of God.
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on John
TWO. things there were in the mean time very far removed from the comprehension of the disciples: one, the resurrection of our Lord’s Body: the other, and the greater mystery, that it was God who dwelt in that Body:…
Read the whole comment - Alcuin of YorkCatena Aurea on John
For before the resurrection they did not understand the Scriptures, because they had not yet received the Holy Ghost, Who was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. (John 7:39) But on the day of the…
Read the whole comment - OrigenCatena Aurea on John
But (in the mystical interpretation) we shall attain to the full measure of faith, at the great resurrection of the whole body of Jesus, i. e. His Church; inasmuch as the faith which is from sight, is very different…
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Cross-references · 12
Cited together in Augustine of Hippo on John 2:18–22 (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in On the Holy Trinity IV.5.
Cited together in On the Holy Trinity IV.5.
Cited together in Against Heresies V.6.
Cited together in Against Heresies V.6.
Cited together in Against Heresies V.6.
Cited together in Against Heresies V.6.
Cited together in Against Heresies V.6.
Cited together in Against Heresies V.6.
Cited together in Augustine of Hippo on John 2:18–22 (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in John Chrysostom on John 2:18–22 (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in On the Holy Trinity IV.5.