Mark 13:1
As Jesus was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, look, teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings — the disciple's exclamation communicates genuine awe at the temple complex, which was one of the architectural wonders of the ancient world. Herod the Great had begun its renovation in 20 BCE; the stones were massive limestone blocks, some weighing hundreds of tons. The disciple's wonder is the setup for the most shocking statement Jesus will make in the Gospel before the passion.