The Strait and Narrow

Posts Tagged ‘Temple’

Looking over these passages I noticed one thing that I would like to share. I’ve always heard that the temple that Jesus mentioned in John 2:19 was his body that which was to be destroyed, but exmaning the context of these verses it becomes clear that Jesus is refering to that physical temple and not of his body that will be destoryed, however it was his body as the Body of Christ the new temple that was raised after three days. This is what John makes clear also.

See what Jesus said about the physical temple and noticed that the Jews response with a question about a sign due to the reason he done those things.

Then Jesus responses by the statement ‘destory this temple’ ….I want to stop there to define what temple is to be destroyed, but first I notice the word ‘Destory’ Strong’s G5351 - phtheirō which in some places translated to ‘Defile’. In noticing this that word phtheirō means: in the opinion of the Jews, the temple was corrupted or “destroyed” when anyone defiled or in the slightest degree damaged anything in it, or if its guardians neglected their duties

In this sence of defilement would be in context of what those merchants had done and all Jesus was saying is that Defile is temple and I will rise up another in three days.

This would parallel in meaning in how Paul taught the Corinthians in if they ‘Defiled the temple of God’, that God shall ‘Destroy’ him.

The ’Defile this temple’ is about the physical temple and not the body of Jesus in the context of John 2. The sign that he had the authority to do these things (clean the temple) is shown in the rising of his body as the temple of God after three days.  So it would be my opinion that the translator’s interperted the meaning of  phtheirō  for us which given the error and fallacy which distort the meaning behind Jesus statement of defiling the temple.

 Addition 11-28-11

 Looking over this again the Greek word for destroy is G3089 - lyō which carries the meaning of ‘loose, break, melt, dissolve and destroy’. So given that it is mostly used as ‘loose or break’ Seeing that the context is one of a temple opposite of that heavenly temple. How has that Greek word ‘luo’ being employed? Here is one scripture I found that may help give a understanding of how ‘luo’ is employed with the temple.

Ephesians 2:13-14
13But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
14For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down [luo]the middle wall of partition between us;

Broke down (3089) (luo) means to loose, release, dissolve. Christ loosened or dissolved the barrier of that earthly temple which is the Mosaic Law separating Jews and Gentiles. So in this sence ‘luo’ doesn’t give the image of the body of Christ as ‘this temple’.

Although it’s clear that they defiled the temple causing Jesus to run them out and cleaning of the house of God. I would add that Paul after Jesus on the cross spoke as if the temple was destroyed as that dividing wall was broken. Paul had been wrongfully accused of taking an Asian Gentile, Trophimus, past this checkpoint Acts 21:29.