Topical Bible: Temple: Herod the Great's Temple: The Disciples Worship In, After the Resurrection

◄ Temple: Herod the Great's Temple: The Disciples Worship In, After the Resurrection ►

Jump to: Nave's • Library • Subtopics • Terms

Topical Encyclopedia

Herod the Great's Temple, often referred to as the Second Temple, was a grand reconstruction of the original temple built by Zerubbabel. Herod's ambitious project began around 20-19 BC and was not fully completed until long after his death, around AD 63. This temple served as the religious and cultural heart of Jewish life during the time of Jesus and the early church.

Biblical Context

After the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the disciples continued to gather and worship in the temple courts. The temple remained a central place for teaching, prayer, and community for the early believers. The Book of Acts provides several accounts of the disciples' activities in the temple following the resurrection.

Scriptural References

In Acts 2:46, it is recorded: "With one accord, they continued to meet daily in the temple courts and to break bread from house to house, sharing their meals with gladness and sincerity of heart." This passage highlights the disciples' commitment to communal worship and fellowship, with the temple serving as a focal point for their gatherings.

Acts 3:1-2 describes Peter and John going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, indicating the continued observance of Jewish prayer times: "One afternoon Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. And a man who was lame from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those entering the temple courts."

The temple also served as a platform for the apostles to proclaim the message of Jesus Christ. In Acts 5:42, it is noted: "Every day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they did not stop teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ."

Significance

The disciples' use of the temple after the resurrection underscores the continuity and fulfillment of Jewish worship through the person and work of Jesus Christ. The temple, a symbol of God's presence among His people, became a place where the early church could witness to the resurrection and the new covenant established by Christ.

The temple's role in the early church also reflects the transitional period in which the early Christians, many of whom were Jewish, continued to honor their heritage while embracing the transformative message of the Gospel. The temple provided a familiar setting for the apostles to reach out to their fellow Jews, sharing the fulfillment of the Messianic prophecies in Jesus.

Historical and Theological Implications

Herod's Temple, with its grandeur and centrality in Jewish life, was a fitting backdrop for the early church's mission. The disciples' activities in the temple highlight the early church's roots in Judaism and the seamless transition from the old covenant to the new. The temple, while eventually destroyed in AD 70, served as a significant location for the spread of the Gospel in its formative years.

The presence of the disciples in the temple after the resurrection also emphasizes the inclusivity of the Gospel message, reaching out to all who would listen, both Jew and Gentile. The temple, a place of worship and sacrifice, pointed to the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ, whose resurrection the disciples boldly proclaimed within its courts.

Nave's Topical Index

Luke 24:53
And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.
Nave's Topical Index

Acts 2:46
And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,
Nave's Topical Index

Acts 3:1
Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.
Nave's Topical Index

Library

The Foundation of the Church.
... Herod Agrippa, the son of Herod the Great's murdered son ... This chain Herod hung up
in the Temple, for he was a ... the voice of a man!" But while Herod listened and ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/yonge/the chosen people/lesson xxi the foundation of.htm

Introduction. Chapter i. --The Life and Writings of St. Hilary of ...
... of Man, and never wavered in its worship of Him ... In their great works on the Trinity,
Hilary most ... Saturninus, and with Ursacius and Valens, disciples of Arius ...
/.../introduction chapter i the life and.htm