John 2:20 (BSB)
“This temple took forty-six years to build,” the Jews replied, “and You are going to raise it up in three days?”
Commentary on John 2:20
- John Calvin (Reformed), Calvin's Commentaries on John 2:20: 20. Forty and six years. The computation of Daniel agrees with this passage, (Daniel 9:25;) for he reckons seven weeks, which make Forty-nine years; but, before the last of these weeks had ended, the temple was finished. The time described in the history of Ezra is much shorter; but, though it has some appearance of contradiction, it is not at all at variance with the words of the Prophet.
- Matthew Henry (Presbyterian), Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary on John 2:12-22: Here we have, I. The short visit Christ made to Capernaum, Joh 2:12. It was a large and populous city, about a day's journey from Cana; it is called his own city (Mat 9:1), because he made it his head-quarters in Galilee, and what little rest he had was there.
- John Gill (Reformed Baptist), Exposition of the Old and New Testaments on John 2:20: Then said the Jews,.... Unto him, as read the Syriac, Arabic, Persic, and Ethiopic versions: forty and six years was this temple in building; which cannot be understood of the temple as built by Solomon, for that was but seven years in building, Kg1 6:37.
- Albert Barnes (Presbyterian), Barnes' New Testament Notes on John 2:20: Verse 20. Then said the Jews, &c. The Jews, either from the ambiguity of his language, or more probably from a design to cavil, understood him as speaking of the temple at Jerusalem. What he said here is all the evidence that they could adduce on his trial (), and they reproached him with it when on the cross, . The Jews frequently perverted our Saviour's meaning.