Temple

The central sanctuary of ancient Israelite and Jewish worship in Jerusalem, where God’s presence dwelt among His people. The Temple was the holiest site in Judaism, the setting for key events in Jesus’ life, and its mount remains sacred in Islam.

The First Temple (c. 957-586 BCE)

Construction

Solomon built the First Temple on Mount Moriah—traditionally the site where Abraham nearly sacrificed Isaac. Construction took seven years, using:

• Cedar from Lebanon
• Skilled craftsmen from Tyre
• Gold overlaying the inner sanctuary

The Ark of the Covenant

The Temple housed the Ark containing:

• The tablets of the Ten Commandments
• Aaron’s rod
• A jar of manna

Destruction

Nebuchadnezzar II destroyed the Temple in 586 BCE, carrying the Jews into Babylonian exile. The fate of the Ark remains unknown.

The Second Temple (516 BCE - 70 CE)

Rebuilding

After the Persian conquest, Cyrus permitted Jews to return. Zerubbabel led the rebuilding, completed in 516 BCE. Ezra and Nehemiah later restored community life.

Herod’s Expansion

Herod the Great dramatically expanded the Temple (c. 19 BCE), creating one of the ancient world’s most magnificent structures. This is the Temple Jesus knew.

Destruction

The Romans destroyed the Temple in 70 CE, ending sacrificial worship. Only the Western Wall (Kotel) remains.

Temple Structure

Courts

Moving inward toward the Holy of Holies:

1. Court of the Gentiles
2. Court of Women
3. Court of Israel (Jewish men)
4. Court of Priests
5. The Sanctuary

The Sanctuary

• Holy Place: Daily priestly duties, incense altar, showbread, menorah
• Holy of Holies: Entered only by the High Priest, once yearly on Yom Kippur

In Judaism

The Temple represents:

• God’s dwelling with Israel
• The place of sacrifice and atonement
• The center of pilgrimage (three annual festivals)
• The focus of Jewish longing and prayer

Since 70 CE:

• Synagogue worship and prayer replaced sacrifice
• Jews pray facing Jerusalem
• The Western Wall is the holiest accessible site
• Some pray for the Temple’s rebuilding

In Christianity

Jesus and the Temple

• Presented there as an infant (Luke 2)
• Taught there as a boy (Luke 2:46)
• Cleansed it of merchants (John 2)
• Predicted its destruction (Mark 13)

Theological Reinterpretation

Christians understand:

• Christ as the true Temple (John 2:21)
• His body as the sacrifice ending all sacrifices
• Believers as temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19)
• The church as a spiritual temple (1 Peter 2:5)

In Islam

Al-Aqsa and the Dome of the Rock

The Temple Mount (Al-Haram al-Sharif) is Islam’s third holiest site:

• Where Muhammad was transported during the Night Journey
• From where he ascended to heaven
• The Dome of the Rock marks the sacred rock
• Al-Aqsa Mosque stands on the mount

Quranic References

The Quran mentions Solomon’s building projects and the Temple’s destruction.

Modern Significance

The Temple Mount remains intensely contested:

• Jews revere it as their holiest site
• Muslims maintain the mosques
• Christians honor its New Testament significance
• Political tensions surround access and control