sastark
Puritan Board Graduate
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Let me know what you think!
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"Temple" in 2 Thess 2:4
by Seth Stark
There are four Greek words translated in the AV NT as "temple": naos (Strong's #3485), hieron (#2411), oikos (#3624), and eidoleion (#1493). Naos is used either in reference to the sanctuary of the temple in Jerusalem (that is the Holy place and the Holy of Holies), a heathen temple or metaphorically for the Church. Naos is the Greek word used in 2 Thess. 2:4. So, what does "naos" mean in 2 Thess. 2:4? What was the "temple of God" referred to by Paul? Was it the Holy of Holies in the Jerusalem temple which the High Priest would enter once a year? Or is Paul referring to the Church?
To answer this question, we must go beyond Paul's warning of the man of sin, and examine other uses of the word "naos" in the NT. As already stated, this word is used to refer to three things: the Holy place and Holy of Holies, a heathen temple, or the Church. Since Paul clearly says the man of sin sits in the "temple of God" we can dismiss the one time in the NT when naos is translated as a heathen temple. Therefore we are left with two possible interpretations of the word- either the sanctuary of the physical temple in Jerusalem or the body of Christ, the Church.
Let us first examine passages where "naos" is used and the definition if obvious. Matthew 23:16-17; 21 is the first occurrence of naos in the NT:
"'Woe to you, blind guides, who say, "Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple, he is obliged to perform it." Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctifies the gold?'"..."'He who swears by the temple, swears by it and by Him who dwells in it.'"
Here, Jesus condemns the Pharisees for swearing by the gold of the temple, and because we know that "naos" refers to the holy place and holy of holies, we can know that the Pharisees swore by the gold of the sanctuary, which only the Priests could enter. What arrogance and blasphemy!
Only a few verses later, in Matt 23:35, "naos" occurs again:
"'That on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.'"
Here, Christ makes reference to the historical event of the slaying of the prophet Zechariah, author of the book of Zechariah. Obviously, Jesus is speaking of the physical temple in Jerusalem.
Other occurrences of naos which obviously refer to the physical temple in Jerusalem are:
Matt. 27:5- When Judas Iscariot throws down the silver which he received as payment for betraying Jesus in the temple.
Matt 27:51- When the veil of the temple was torn from top to bottom.
Mark 15:38- Again, referring to the veil of the temple being torn.
Luke 1:9, 21-22- These verses tell us about Zacharias, father of John the Baptist, offering incense in the temple and the vision which he had seen.
Luke 23:45- Again, referring to the veil of the temple being torn.
The next occurrence of naos, where the meaning is obvious, is in 1 Corinthians 3. Here, Paul writing to the church in Corinth says in verses 16-17:
"Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are. "
In Ephesians chapter 2, we again find a passage where naos is used, and the definition is clear.
"Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit."
These are the passages where the use of the word naos is clearest. Can these shed light on 2 Thess 2:4? I believe they can.
There were many significant events which occurred while Christ was on the cross; however, one of these events relates directly to our study, and that is the tearing of the veil in the temple. What was the significance of the veil being torn? It shows that we now no longer need an intercessor between God and men as was the case in the Old Covenant. We now have direct access to the throne of God through Jesus Christ, our one mediator and advocate. When that veil was torn, the temple worship in Jerusalem ceased to be the acceptable manner in which the people of God were to worship the Lord. The blood of goats and bulls would no longer suffice, for the One perfect sacrifice had been made. The temple in Jerusalem was no longer the temple of God, for the people of God would no longer worship God in that temple. Instead, God created for Himself a new temple, but not a temple built with hands (Acts 7:48 and 17:24), but rather a spiritual temple, also called the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:27), commonly called the "œchurch". Now, it ought to be clear, since the Temple in Jerusalem was no longer the "œtemple of God" that Paul is referring to the church in 2 Thess. 2:4.
In conclusion, we can know that the man of sin would sit in the temple of God- the church, claiming to be God. And who better fits this description that the bishop of Rome? Did he not sit in the church, the temple of God, showing himself to be God by taking to himself titles such as "œMost Holy Father", "œThe Head of the Church", and "œThe Vicar of Christ on Earth"?
Therefore, to say that "œNo justification exists for separating Paul's words from either the Temple standing at the time of his writing or the end of the Jewish age." is to ignore the weight of Scripture which, when examined, makes it very clear that Paul is speaking of the Church- the only temple of God at the time of Paul´s writing.
*All quotations are from the New King James Version of the Bible
[Edited on 4-25-2005 by sastark]
Let me know what you think!
----------------------------
"Temple" in 2 Thess 2:4
by Seth Stark
There are four Greek words translated in the AV NT as "temple": naos (Strong's #3485), hieron (#2411), oikos (#3624), and eidoleion (#1493). Naos is used either in reference to the sanctuary of the temple in Jerusalem (that is the Holy place and the Holy of Holies), a heathen temple or metaphorically for the Church. Naos is the Greek word used in 2 Thess. 2:4. So, what does "naos" mean in 2 Thess. 2:4? What was the "temple of God" referred to by Paul? Was it the Holy of Holies in the Jerusalem temple which the High Priest would enter once a year? Or is Paul referring to the Church?
To answer this question, we must go beyond Paul's warning of the man of sin, and examine other uses of the word "naos" in the NT. As already stated, this word is used to refer to three things: the Holy place and Holy of Holies, a heathen temple, or the Church. Since Paul clearly says the man of sin sits in the "temple of God" we can dismiss the one time in the NT when naos is translated as a heathen temple. Therefore we are left with two possible interpretations of the word- either the sanctuary of the physical temple in Jerusalem or the body of Christ, the Church.
Let us first examine passages where "naos" is used and the definition if obvious. Matthew 23:16-17; 21 is the first occurrence of naos in the NT:
"'Woe to you, blind guides, who say, "Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple, he is obliged to perform it." Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctifies the gold?'"..."'He who swears by the temple, swears by it and by Him who dwells in it.'"
Here, Jesus condemns the Pharisees for swearing by the gold of the temple, and because we know that "naos" refers to the holy place and holy of holies, we can know that the Pharisees swore by the gold of the sanctuary, which only the Priests could enter. What arrogance and blasphemy!
Only a few verses later, in Matt 23:35, "naos" occurs again:
"'That on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.'"
Here, Christ makes reference to the historical event of the slaying of the prophet Zechariah, author of the book of Zechariah. Obviously, Jesus is speaking of the physical temple in Jerusalem.
Other occurrences of naos which obviously refer to the physical temple in Jerusalem are:
Matt. 27:5- When Judas Iscariot throws down the silver which he received as payment for betraying Jesus in the temple.
Matt 27:51- When the veil of the temple was torn from top to bottom.
Mark 15:38- Again, referring to the veil of the temple being torn.
Luke 1:9, 21-22- These verses tell us about Zacharias, father of John the Baptist, offering incense in the temple and the vision which he had seen.
Luke 23:45- Again, referring to the veil of the temple being torn.
The next occurrence of naos, where the meaning is obvious, is in 1 Corinthians 3. Here, Paul writing to the church in Corinth says in verses 16-17:
"Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are. "
In Ephesians chapter 2, we again find a passage where naos is used, and the definition is clear.
"Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit."
These are the passages where the use of the word naos is clearest. Can these shed light on 2 Thess 2:4? I believe they can.
There were many significant events which occurred while Christ was on the cross; however, one of these events relates directly to our study, and that is the tearing of the veil in the temple. What was the significance of the veil being torn? It shows that we now no longer need an intercessor between God and men as was the case in the Old Covenant. We now have direct access to the throne of God through Jesus Christ, our one mediator and advocate. When that veil was torn, the temple worship in Jerusalem ceased to be the acceptable manner in which the people of God were to worship the Lord. The blood of goats and bulls would no longer suffice, for the One perfect sacrifice had been made. The temple in Jerusalem was no longer the temple of God, for the people of God would no longer worship God in that temple. Instead, God created for Himself a new temple, but not a temple built with hands (Acts 7:48 and 17:24), but rather a spiritual temple, also called the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:27), commonly called the "œchurch". Now, it ought to be clear, since the Temple in Jerusalem was no longer the "œtemple of God" that Paul is referring to the church in 2 Thess. 2:4.
In conclusion, we can know that the man of sin would sit in the temple of God- the church, claiming to be God. And who better fits this description that the bishop of Rome? Did he not sit in the church, the temple of God, showing himself to be God by taking to himself titles such as "œMost Holy Father", "œThe Head of the Church", and "œThe Vicar of Christ on Earth"?
Therefore, to say that "œNo justification exists for separating Paul's words from either the Temple standing at the time of his writing or the end of the Jewish age." is to ignore the weight of Scripture which, when examined, makes it very clear that Paul is speaking of the Church- the only temple of God at the time of Paul´s writing.
*All quotations are from the New King James Version of the Bible
[Edited on 4-25-2005 by sastark]