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It may seem difficult to accept that New Testament symbolism can be applied to this prophecy, because Jesus' words sound very literal. When He refers to the Temple He says, 'There shall not be left here one stone upon another'. However, these words provide an effective use of symbolism to express the initial impact the crucifixion had on the faith of His disciples. When He was first arrested, they all fled (Matt. 26:56), and even Peter, His chief disciple, went on to deny Him (Matt. 26:69-75). The disciples were, in Peter's own words, the stones of the Temple (1 Pet. 2:4-8), every one of which was knocked down and scattered until Jesus' teachings raised the Temple up again through the establishment of the Church.
(39:1)
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