Participants: Alex Schlusser (Host), Rachael Hyman (Host), Sasha Bolotnikov
Series Code: BTOR
Program Code: BTOR000024
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00:01 What was the role of the temple in Hebrew worship?
00:04 Today we'll be talking about that on 00:05 "Back to our Roots." 00:06 Join us. 00:27 Hello and welcome once again to 00:29 "Back to our Roots." 00:30 I'm your host Alex Schlusser and this is my co host-- 00:33 Rachel Hyman. 00:34 And we're so happy 00:35 that you've chosen to join us today. 00:37 Today we're going to be talking about the temple. 00:42 Now I am not talking about the one 00:44 that's down the corner, 00:46 that as you would go worship on Sabbath. 00:49 We're talking about "The Temple", 00:51 the temple that existed not only in the time of Jesus 00:55 but even going back to that at the time of David 00:58 and even going back beyond that to the time of Moses, 01:02 that was called the Tabernacle in the Wilderness 01:03 or in Hebrew the Mishkan. 01:06 So we want to begin by trying to understand, Rachel. 01:12 What the role of the temple was in that period of time. 01:16 And the simple answer to that, 01:20 it was a place that housed the altar. 01:23 It was a place where the children of Israel 01:26 could come worship. 01:28 But you know another really interesting thing is that 01:31 when we talk in terms 01:32 of the Tabernacle in the Wilderness 01:34 especially God had placed that 01:36 right in the crossroads of the known world, 01:39 so that as all the caravans would travel 01:42 back and forth carrying their goods and everything, 01:45 they would come by. 01:46 Can you imagine what it must have been 01:48 to see the camp of the Hebrews 01:50 with millions of people encamped around the tabernacle 01:53 and the pillar of smoke by day and the fire by night, 01:57 how it must have drawn people. 01:59 It was the ultimate evangelistic campaign going on, 02:03 produced by God and God alone, amen. 02:05 I want to invite our resident scholar Alexander Bolotnikov, 02:12 Sasha, Dr, Alexander. 02:15 How are you, Rachel, today? 02:16 I am fine, good. How are you Alex? 02:18 I am good, Sasha. How are you doing? 02:19 Very good. 02:21 Good, we're going to once again talk about 02:23 one of those subjects that 02:24 I know you have so much to say. 02:27 We're gonna try and keep a leash on you today. 02:30 So it doesn't get out of control 02:31 but I know you just it's overflowing. 02:36 The temple, the sanctuary whatever we want to call it 02:41 and you can correct anything 02:42 that I say wrong at this point, okay. 02:45 So I opened up by saying 02:46 that the primary role of this house 02:49 of this tabernacle both in the wilderness 02:53 and as we move forward in history 02:54 to a brick and mortar to an established place 02:59 was really to house the altar of sacrifice. 03:02 Yeah absolutely, 03:04 in fact according to Deuteronomy Chapter 12, 03:09 this is the only place to conduct sacrificial service 03:17 which typified the plan of salvation 03:22 and redemption through the sacrifice of Jesus 03:26 the Calvary. 03:27 So God had told through Moses I guess 03:31 that there was no other place 03:33 that they could bring their offerings, 03:35 their sacrifice. 03:36 Absolutely and there is another very important aspect. 03:42 Temple was the place of ritual service 03:45 but was not a place for worship. 03:49 Because there was no place for worship at the temple 03:54 it was like the altar-- 03:56 So that brings in and I ask you a question 03:59 that I am sure will throw a lot of people 04:01 because you know that in many places 04:03 the place where people worship the part of the building 04:09 where people work it's typically called what? 04:11 The sanctuary, that's as a least number. 04:14 Yeah, because as you're saying the sanctuary, 04:18 the place where God's presence 04:20 throughout the place where offerings took place 04:22 really was not for public worship at all. 04:26 Absolutely. Where did they worship? 04:28 Well, it's a very interesting question 04:34 they worship God on every Sabbath at Levitical towns, 04:40 Levi, yeah Levites, 04:42 remember the tribe of Levi was not settled in one place, 04:47 they were scattered in towns close to proximity 04:51 where people live and Levites were supposed to go, 04:55 teach them the word of God 04:57 and that was on the weekly basis 04:59 and that's what people would come in and do 05:02 and only two occasions 05:06 where people would go to the temple. 05:08 One occasion somebody committed a serious sin, 05:12 they will have to bring a sin offering 05:14 and in other occasion is the pilgrimage 05:17 three times a year they would go 05:20 during Passover during Shavuot, 05:23 Pentecost and during Sukkot. 05:25 They would go specifically to the temple 05:27 where the glory of God resided and what did they do then, 05:33 they did you know if we call it a worship or wasn't, 05:38 it was more of a barbeque party. 05:42 Well, they would-- Interesting. 05:43 Yeah they would take a peace offering, 05:45 you know unlike a sin offering 05:47 which was eating by the priest, 05:49 peace offering you give only the right shoulder 05:55 to the priest and breast 05:57 and the rest you take for your family 06:00 and by the way you invite friends, 06:02 because it has to be eaten right way, 06:03 so they would camp around in the little villages around, 06:08 you know like-- 06:09 Was it really like a party I mean are you joking? 06:11 Well, not a party-- 06:13 Now the scripture does say that you want to celebrate. 06:16 Okay. Well, they celebrate. 06:18 Remember the description of Samuel 06:22 when he was doing peace offering 06:25 and soul wondering and how Samuel anointed him, 06:29 you know, they are at this meal, 06:32 it was a festive meal they would probably had the bull 06:36 and the entire village was eating 06:38 but that village of Rama was you know 06:41 maybe half a mile from the temple. 06:43 So that's how it was happening 06:45 but that was the only unique place you could do it. 06:50 Don't even dare to do it anywhere else you know. 06:54 So, let me ask you some, 06:55 since we have already said 06:56 that the primary role of the temple 06:58 was to house the altar of sacrifice. 07:01 I know that in passages in the Bible 07:05 before Deuteronomy the message 07:07 the mention of altar of sacrifice comes up, right. 07:11 Oh, yes, oh, yes. 07:13 Well, you first have Abraham mainly, 07:18 Abraham and building altars 07:21 all across the land of Canaan 07:23 through which he wander around, you know in Bethel, 07:27 in Shechem and things like this. 07:31 But then with Moses in Exodus, 07:36 it all took a little different shape 07:38 because through building of a tabernacle, 07:42 you know, it was only altar 07:44 and then the tabernacle was added to it 07:48 which showed another dimension 07:51 of the typological service of plan of salvation. 07:57 Sasha, can you really quickly, 07:59 I know this is deep and broad, 08:01 but real quickly kind of start us 08:04 from outside in the courtyard 08:08 and walk us in what someone would see 08:10 as they move from the opening of the court 08:12 to the altar of sacrifice and so on. 08:15 Can you just, I know that's a lot 08:16 but let's kind of just do it briefly. 08:19 You enter there is a little area 08:23 and that's straight away is your brazen altar. 08:26 That's when the sinner brings the sin offering 08:30 and then beyond this brazen altar 08:34 a regular Israelite cannot go in 08:37 so beyond this altar you walk, 08:41 you can pass the lever 08:42 that's where the priest would wash, 08:45 have ritual washing. 08:46 So it's a big ball of fire. Yes, yes. 08:48 And then you hit what's-- 08:51 during Moses was a tabernacle, 08:54 during Solomon it was that temple building. 08:58 That everyone is familiar with the pictures. 08:59 Yes, so you walk through the door, 09:03 you end up in the holy compartment 09:07 which has on the left seven candled menorah. 09:11 Right. 09:12 On the right the table for the twelve breads 09:17 known in English as the showbread. 09:19 And then right at the end in front 09:23 there was a veil that separates the holy of holy, 09:28 holies and in front of it 09:31 it's small golden altar of incense. 09:35 Then only once a year the high priest 09:38 walks into the most holy 09:41 in which there is the Ark of the Covenant 09:44 inside the Ark tablets with Ten commandments 09:49 and besides the Ark there is the Torah scroll. 09:53 Right, right. 09:55 The average priest could they enter 10:00 into the first compartment of the sanctuary? 10:04 When the priest is on duty, 10:07 doing the daily service and the daily service includes 10:12 administration of the burn 10:14 offering of the lamps evening and morning. 10:18 Then he needed to keep up the flame 10:22 on the menorah and he needed to put the incense 10:27 at the altar of incense. 10:30 That's regular priest does. 10:33 Weekly service includes removing 10:35 and eating the bread from the table of the showbread 10:41 and also putting the new bread, that's on every Shabbat. 10:46 Interesting, interesting. 10:47 Moses is commanded by God to build a sanctuary 10:53 and he says a place that I might dwell 10:56 amongst my people, right. 10:57 Oh yeah, 10:58 that's a very important statement 11:00 and you even have Mishkan, Mishkan to dwell. 11:06 Well, dwell doesn't carry this interesting connotation. 11:11 This root, trilateral Hebrew verbal root shakan 11:16 it means to neighbor-- 11:19 To neighbor. Yeah, you first avoid. 11:23 So God says to Moses, 11:24 build me a tabernacle that I might neighbor with you. 11:28 Yeah, exactly that what it all, God wants-- 11:30 That I can live with you-- 11:31 God wants to be our neighbor 11:33 and in fact if you look at the Israeli camp, 11:38 they had a tents and God had tent then they-- 11:42 He had a big one. 11:43 Well, yeah, but it was still a tent. 11:46 But then they would realize, 11:48 hey I build for myself a palace of stone-- 11:53 How can God live in a tent? 11:55 Yes. Yeah. 11:56 So, Moses has this through the command of God. 12:00 Now the verses in the Bible are pretty extensive 12:06 as far as the explanations of 12:08 the what the sanctuary of components were, 12:12 how it was to be built, 12:13 God gives very specific details He doesn't leave anything 12:16 to Moses as imagination and He actually says that 12:19 you know it's a pattern based on what? 12:22 On. 12:23 This is a pattern that is based on the temple in heaven. 12:27 Exactly. 12:29 In particular Psalm 18 speaks very clearly 12:33 that God has, you know, 12:36 the temple in heaven 12:38 and the Book of Revelation is very clear, 12:41 shows throughout that 12:43 John sees different furniture and the-- 12:47 how the ark is there and everything so it's-- 12:50 So you mentioned about David, 12:54 that David realized that he's built himself a house yet 12:57 God is still dwelling in a tent, I am curious. 13:03 Was there a difference in the wall of the Mishkan 13:07 the sanctuary in the wilderness 13:09 versus the wall of the established stone temple 13:14 or was it exactly the same thing. 13:16 The main difference is that the Mishkan 13:20 in the desert the sanctuary, 13:23 the tabernacle was in the midst of the camp. 13:27 So it was in proximated to anybody 13:31 who needed to come to it right away. 13:34 As soon as they move to the land of Israel, 13:37 they got scattered so somebody may live 13:42 50-80 miles away from the a Mishkan 13:45 so it doesn't have, 13:46 that's why I said there was no-- 13:49 it wasn't the place of the worshiping anymore. 13:51 It lost its accessibility to the people. 13:54 Now do you think that could be reason 13:57 why now we see the development of synagogues 14:02 and things like that spread out 14:04 because the people have been removed from that proximity 14:07 or do you think that even in the time of the Mishkan, 14:10 there was something like that going on. 14:13 What happened in the time of Mishkan 14:18 probably known as not necessarily 14:21 but in the time of Israel definitely, 14:24 but we don't know about synagogues 14:26 until the time of Ezra which is 5th-4th century. 14:32 Okay. 14:33 What we know is based on the Book of Deuteronomy 14:37 and based on what we know 14:39 from the Book of Judges and Kings 14:41 that the priest and Levites were supposed to carry out 14:45 the responsibility of teaching the Torah to the people, 14:50 but you mentioned important aspect 14:53 what we have in Ezra, 14:56 we have an example particularly 14:58 in the Book of Nehemiah Chapter 8 15:00 it's recorded how Ezra organized 15:03 the public reading of the Torah 15:06 which was not connected to the temple 15:10 and that is specifically a good illustration 15:14 of how today in Jewish world, 15:17 the temple is absolutely separate from the synagogue, 15:22 because the synagogue is the place 15:23 where the Torah is read, where people study, 15:26 where people learn and the temple 15:29 is where people take care of their sin. 15:32 So let me ask you this question 15:35 and let me make it as a statement 15:37 but kind of as a question though. 15:39 So the participation that one had 15:42 in the sacrificial rituals what, 15:44 centered around the temple, 15:46 was that an indicator of whether someone 15:48 was connected literally to a Jewish community or not, 15:51 or they could be outside of the community, right, 15:54 and participate in temple offerings 15:57 but never be connected to Judaism as a whole. 16:00 Well, when we talk about Judaism 16:02 and we're switching now to a period 16:05 what is known as intertestamental period 16:08 because that's, that's where the difference, 16:10 you know, when-- 16:11 You know and that's the period 16:12 between the Prophet Malachi, right, and the gospels. 16:17 Yeah, first century, that's where the change occurs 16:20 because and again it's all access, 16:23 issue of accessibility. 16:25 You have the desert and the camp, 16:29 everybody can walk through the Mishkan, 16:32 then you have Israel twelve tribes 16:34 or some people live far away, 16:36 then three times a year, 16:38 and then you have somebody living in the diasporas 16:42 somewhere in the today's Spain. 16:46 Can this probably go to the temple 16:49 three times a year, not a chance. 16:52 Many people in when they moved away from Judea, 16:57 they didn't have access to temple. 16:59 And the only thing that connected them 17:02 to the faith was synagogue 17:05 and so synagogue took this more primary role 17:11 and especially it became even more acute 17:15 when you have the Maccabean Wars 17:20 when we talked about 170 BC 17:23 where priest lost credibility 17:27 and the scripture began to be taught by the Pharisees, 17:31 interpreters of the scripture. 17:33 I am curious, Sasha. 17:35 So since we're talking now that the temple 17:38 wasn't so much central to the community, 17:41 it was for the rituals and worship. 17:42 Absolutely no. 17:43 Okay, so certainly we know that 17:46 there are different instances in the gospel narratives 17:48 where we find Jesus at the temple, okay. 17:52 So tell me about that? 17:55 Well, first time in the gospel 17:57 we see Jesus as I say at the temple studying with rabbis 18:03 at the age of 12, that's the age 18:06 when boys prepare for their Bar Mitzvah. 18:09 Right, but I though that the temple really 18:14 was more for worship. 18:16 So where there places around the temple 18:19 or in the vicinity of the temple 18:20 where people would still come together and study. 18:22 Well, we have to talk about Herodian Temple. 18:25 It was much bigger than the temple 18:28 which was originally restored after the Babylonian captivity. 18:32 What Herod did, he made a massive addition 18:35 around the temple, 18:37 he built the wall, he built the square, 18:39 so that whole square known today, 18:42 known even today as a temple mount. 18:46 Now they have mosques, there are stuff like this 18:48 but it's still a temple mount. 18:50 So that's square housed the temple proper 18:55 and it housed all additional buildings. 18:59 So then it would, I guess, Sasha, 19:01 would kind of be like that if you go to a small town 19:04 and in the center is the courthouse, right, 19:07 but if you were to call the whole town the courthouse, 19:10 that's kind of what's happening. 19:11 Exactly. 19:12 So in the proximity of the temple that was it, 19:15 but really for practical reasons, 19:17 Jesus isn't meeting people 19:19 and speaking with people at the temple. 19:21 Oh, absolutely. 19:22 He's in Solomon's portico, he's in these places, 19:24 that are the outskirts around the temple. 19:26 Yes, Solomon's portico was a synagogue, 19:30 was one of the synagogues 19:31 where Pharisees taught 19:34 and that's where people would go. 19:39 Even Jerusalem, it's like apostles. 19:41 They go to the temple to pray. 19:44 So that was the place when Jesus as a boy, 19:47 you know, I must be about my father's business and all, 19:49 He's in that area. 19:51 Yeah, that's where they studied the Torah, 19:53 that's where they have prayers, everything. 19:56 And only, you know, 19:58 we have the mention of the actual sacrificing 20:02 when Paul takes-- he goes with this, know-- 20:07 For the Nazirite vows. 20:08 For the Nazirite vows. 20:09 Then they go into the area 20:12 where the altar is and there was all kinds of troubles. 20:16 This kind of reminds me a little bit, 20:18 I know it's on The Temple but typically today 20:20 wherever there is Jewish synagogues, 20:22 Jews try to build the community around it, 20:25 so they didn't have to drive anymore, 20:27 they just walk. 20:28 And they see the temple today as a place of, 20:31 you know, prayer and worship 20:32 and all of these things. 20:34 And we have to say that in American Judaism 20:37 particularly Reform Judaism, 20:41 they often use the title temple for the synagogue. 20:46 Right, but that's not really biblically correct. 20:48 It's biblically, and they know it's not correct biblically. 20:51 But, but, if you think about it, 20:52 I think their rational to that is, you know, 20:55 because now sacrifice has been substituted 21:00 by prayer and giving, right. 21:02 It's still a temple I guess in their mind. 21:03 So for them that's where they bring their offering. 21:07 In the sense, in Reform Judaism I ask this question, 21:12 I've studied in reform school, 21:14 so I ask this question of why is the temple, 21:17 and they say just to remember the temple so they-- 21:23 And that's a big part of Judaism, 21:24 there is so much of it that's about remembering what was, 21:27 you know, even in the commands of God gifts, 21:31 you know, regarding Passover and many things. 21:33 You know, that you talk about it to your children, 21:34 let them remember and so on. 21:36 But it is interesting that orthodox synagogues 21:38 are not called temple. 21:41 Orthodox synagogues are called shul. 21:43 And in Yiddish shul means school. 21:46 Oh, that's school. 21:48 So I want to talk also about the disciples 21:53 and their role around the temple, 21:55 you know, on the first trip 21:57 that I made to Israel many years ago, 21:59 one of things that they did is they took us around, 22:02 I guess it's to the southern side of the old city 22:06 and the wall there I remember that the doors 22:10 that used to exist, they're long since closed up, 22:13 but there is all the stairs there. 22:16 And it's pretty commonly thought that 22:18 this is the place that Peter preached 22:21 and that the 3,000 people heard and got saved, 22:27 which brings, you know, 22:28 this idea of their role in the temple 22:36 again probably separating the temple itself 22:39 from all the buildings and all the things 22:41 that exist around it. 22:45 Well, the gospels and the Book of Acts 22:49 constantly talk about Jesus 22:51 and disciples going to the temple. 22:54 In fact the Gospel of John is very meticulous in particular 22:58 about Jesus being at the temple 23:02 during every holiday, every holiday, every festival. 23:06 Right, and we have already talked about that 23:08 and when we talked about Sukkot. 23:09 Exactly, but never in scripture 23:14 do we see Jesus even attempting to offer 23:16 sacrifices at the temple. 23:18 Oh, never. 23:19 Yeah, I have often wondered the answer to that. 23:23 That's indicative to the fact that temple 23:28 as a place for sacrifice has lost its significance more 23:35 so it lost its significance 23:40 because the priest were not anymore in the authority. 23:46 And so that's why, you know, 23:51 Judaism focus on the teachers of the Torah 23:54 and while these teachers were around the temple, 23:57 you know, these are Pharisees 24:00 but the Sadducees they were in the temple 24:03 and they were not popular among the people. 24:07 Well, we're gonna-- once again 24:09 we've come to the end of the program. 24:12 You know, I think we need to make this a two hour program, 24:14 right, so we can cover everything but we don't. 24:17 So, Sasha, if you could introduce the song for me, 24:20 I am gonna go sing. 24:22 That's Alex is gonna sing from Psalms 117. 24:26 "Praise the Lord, All The Nations." 26:58 Amen. 26:59 Praise the Lord, all ye nations. 27:03 You know, Rachel, there is a passage 27:05 that says there is a time when every knee will bow 27:09 and every tongue will confess to the glory of God, 27:12 the Jesus, our Messiah is Lord. 27:14 Amen. Amen. 27:16 Friends, I hope and I pray that 27:19 you have enjoyed our program today 27:23 that you maybe glean something 27:25 that you have never heard before, 27:27 but more importantly remember this. 27:29 That yes there was an earthly temple. 27:31 Yes, there is heavenly temple, 27:34 but God has called us to be that tabernacle, 27:37 that temple in the wilderness to bring His light 27:40 and His glory wherever we go to those who need it. 27:44 And may the Lord bless you and may He keep you 27:47 and may the Lord make His face 27:48 to shine upon you and be gracious to you. 27:51 May the Lord lift His countenance upon you 27:53 and bring you His peace. 27:55 Have a wonderful day. 27:57 God bless you and join us again. |
Revised 2014-12-17