As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”
3. And while he was sitting. Mark mentions four disciples, Peter, James, John, and Andrew But neither he nor Luke states the matter so fully as Matthew; for they only say that the disciples inquired about the time of the destruction of the temple, and — as it was a thing difficult to be believed — what outward sign of it God would give from heaven.
And as he sat upon the Mount of Olives,.... Which was on the east of the city of Jerusalem (a), "over against the temple", as Mark says, and where he could sit and take a full view of it; for the wall on the east side was lower than any other, and that for this reason; that when the high priest burnt the red heifer...
Verse 3. He sat upon the mount of Olives. . From that mount there was a magnificent view of the whole city. The disciples came unto him privately. Not all of them, but Peter, James, John, and Andrew, . The prediction that the temple would be destroyed, had been made in the presence of all the apostles. A part now came privately to know more particularly when this would be.