And saying, You that destroy the temple, and build it in three days, save yourself. If you be the Son of God, come down from the cross.
Read Chapter 27
Cornelius a Lapide
AD 1637
And saying, Ah! Thou that destroyest the temple of God. The word "Ah!" is a term of reproach. Shame on Thee for boasting! Thou canst destroy the temple of God and build it up in three days! Show that Thou canst do it by setting Thyself free from the cross. If Thou canst not do this small matter, how canst Thou do that greater work on the temple, that vast building?
If thou be the Son of God: Behold these children of Satan, how they imitate the language of their father. That wicked fiend, tempting our divine Saviour, exclaimed, "if thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: "and these his children say, "if thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross: "but, on the other hand, Jesus will not descend from the hard wood of the cross, because he is the Son of God; for, being God, he descended on earth, took upon himself human nature, to die thus for those who crucified him. (St. John Chrysostom)
Marvel not therefore if at this time also they were perverse, being thus altogether prepared to set themselves impudently against all things; but observe this other point, how great signs He had wrought, some from Heaven, some on earth, some in the very temple, at once marking His indignation, and at the same time showing that what were unapproachable are now to be entered, and that Heaven shall be opened; and the work removed to the true Holy of Holies. And they indeed said, If He be the King of Israel, let Him come down now from the cross, Matthew 27:42 but He shows that He is King of all the world. And whereas those men said, Thou that destroyest this temple, and buildest it in three days, Matthew 27:40 He shows that it shall be made forever desolate. Again they said, He saved others, Himself He cannot save, Matthew 27:42 but He while abiding on the cross proved this most abundantly on the bodies of His servants. For if for Lazarus to rise on the fourth day was a great thing, how mu...
And yet who would not have been moved by the multitude that was following Him, and lamenting Him? Nay, not these wild beasts. Wherefore also He to the multitude vouchsafes an answer, but to these men not so. For after having done what they would, they endeavor also to injure His honor, fearing His resurrection. Therefore they say these things publicly, and crucified thieves with Him, and wishing to prove Him a deceiver, they say, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days come down from the cross. Matthew 27:40 For since on telling Pilate to remove the accusation (this was the writing, The king of the Jews), they prevailed not, but he persevered in saying, What I have written, I have written, John 19:22 they then endeavor by their derision of Him to show that He is not a king.
