John 2:20

‘The Jews then said, ‘It has taken forty six years to build this Temple, and will you raise it up in three days?' ”

The Judaisers were naturally taken aback. Did He really mean that if they destroyed the Temple He would be able to rebuild it in three days? The building of Herod's Temple had commenced around 20 BC and was still in process of being completed. Such completion would not occur until many years after, in 63 AD, just in time for its destruction. In view of the fact, therefore, that it had been in process of building most of their lives it is not surprising that they found His statement about its destruction difficult to comprehend. And especially His claim to be able to rebuild it in three days. They were stunned.

This time note is especially interesting because it would not have been known to anyone at a much later time how many years there were between the commencement of the building of the Temple and the commencement of Jesus' ministry. And yet it is strictly accurate. Once more we have evidence that the writer is someone who was there, and who heard and remembered correctly.