Summary
John’s vision reveals a city that would have shocked his audience: a city without a 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 and gates that never close.
Analysis
For those used to modern western cities which sprawl and are not centered around religious buildings, John’s vision of the new Jerusalem may seem mundane. For urban residents of the ancient world, however, it would have been shocking. John’s new Jerusalem lacks one of the most important features of an ancient city: its temple (21:22). Ancient cities often had multiple temples, all devoted to different deities. They were centers of commerce where people could exchange currency (cf. MatthewA tax collector who became one of Jesus' 12 disciples. More 21:12) or buy sacrificial animals. In addition, temples controlled much of ancient taxation. The lack of a temple in this city means that many of the normal patterns of everyday life do not exist in the new Jerusalem. Most importantly, it means an end of the sacrificial system that undergirded many ancient religions. In its place is the worship of the Lord Almighty and of the Lamb.
Not only does the city lack a temple, but even though the new Jerusalem has 12 gates, they never close (21:25). The gates of an ancient city were defensive fortifications meant to keep invaders out. If the gates of the city never close, this means that the city is always at peace. At the end of Revelation, despite all of its imagery of war and violence, peace prevails.
