SUMMARY
Temples in the ancient Near East functioned in particular ways across cultures.
ANALYSIS
When discussing the Jerusalem TempleThe Jerusalem temple, unlike the tabernacle, was a permanent structure, although (like the tabernacle) it was a place of worship and religious activity. On one occasion Jesus felt such activity was unacceptable and, as reported in all four Gospels, drove from the temple those engaged... More, it is easy for contemporary readers to picture a modern house of worship (church, synagogueA synagogue is a Jewish house of worship. Jesus often taught in synagogues where he sometimes ran afoul of Jewish leaders. In the book of Acts, Paul and others attend synagogues and teach in them. More, etc.). Since this is an easy association to make, readers would be well-cautioned to keep in mind some important differences between today’s religious sites and the Jerusalem Temple. First, ancient temples typically served as the primary – and at times, only – way of interacting with one’s deity. Prayer was certainly a part of ancient peoples’ lives. The cultures of Israel, JudahJudah was the name of Jacob's fourth son and one of the 12 tribes. More, and the surrounding areas, however, did not have the concept of a close and ever-present deity with whom one could engage on a whim. To interact with a god or goddess, ancient folks had to travel to a centralized place of worship. Why was this? Those specific places were understood to be where the deity lived. (The word for “temple” is the same word for “house” in Hebrew.) The closer you were to the deity’s “house,” the better the chances the deity would actually hear you.
Second, temples were understood to have a metaphysical reality that stretched beyond our mortal plane. Similar to many religions today, ancient peoples pictured their deities as “up,” above the heavens, in a place of residence that was away from the earth. Temples were understood to be the primary point of connection between these two metaphysical realms, a liminal space. In the temple, the veil that separated the mortal world and the divine world thinned and allowed for some messages and influence to pass through in either direction. Humans could offer up sacrifices, the smoke of which would seep into the divine realm; deities could offer back reassurance, curses, or influence, depending on their reaction to the petitioner’s sacrificeSacrifice is commonly understood as the practice of offering or giving up something as a sign of worship, commitment, or obedience. In the Old Testament grain, wine, or animals are used as sacrifice. In some New Testament writings Jesus' death on the cross as the... More.
Third, ancient peoples had limited access to temples in the ancient Near East, unlike most houses of worship today. Temples were national sanctuaries that defined the structure of the society’s religion, but could be accessed only at certain times of the year for most people. Even the courtyard that encircled the temple completely demanded that the sanctuaryA sanctuary is the consecrated area around the altar of a church or temple. It also means a place of safety where one can flee for protection. In the Old Testament, especially in the Psalms, God is referred to as a sanctuary, a refuge from... More was a place set apart, not touched by human influence except in its most interior, sacred spaces.
