“Tell us, when will that be, and what sign will there be when all these things are about to be fulfilled?”
The disciples’ question shows their natural interest in knowing the time and the sign of the fulfillment of the Lord’s word. Hearing about the destruction of the temple, they understand that it concerns a great and dreadful event, and therefore they want to know when it will happen and by what its approach will be recognized. This question reveals the common human desire to know in advance the times and signs of the future. Yet the very form of the question shows that they still did not fully understand the depth of the coming events and needed the Lord to explain them to them.