Looking at God’s temple with sheer reverence

November 9, 2015 

The Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome - Feast

Readings

Book of Ezekiel 47:1-2, 8-9, 12 

1Then he brought me back to the entrance of the temple, and I saw water flowing out from beneath the threshold of the temple toward the east, for the facade of the temple was toward the east; the water flowed down from the southern side of the temple, south of the altar.[1]

2He led me outside by the north gate, and around to the outer gate facing the east, where I saw water trickling from the southern side. 8He said to me, "This water flows into the eastern district down upon the Arabah, and empties into the sea, the salt waters, which it makes fresh.

9Wherever the river flows, every sort of living creature that can multiply shall live, and there shall be abundant fish, for wherever this water comes the sea shall be made fresh.

12Along both banks of the river, fruit trees of every kind shall grow; their leaves shall not fade, nor their fruit fail. Every month they shall bear fresh fruit, for they shall be watered by the flow from the sanctuary. Their fruit shall serve for food, and their leaves for medicine."

 Psalms 46:2-3, 5-6, 8-9

2God is our refuge and our strength, an ever-present help in  distress. 3Thus we do not fear, though earth be shaken and mountains quake to the depths of the sea,

5Streams of the river gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High. 6God is in its midst; it shall not be shaken; God will help it at break of day.

8The LORD of hosts is with us; our stronghold is the God of Jacob. 9Come and see the works of the LORD, who has done fearsome deeds on earth.

First Letter to the Corinthians 3:9-11, 16-17

9For we are God's co-workers; you are God's field, God's building. 10According to the grace of God given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building upon it. But each one must be careful how he builds upon it,[2] 11for no one can lay a foundation other than the one that is there, namely, Jesus Christ.

16Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 17If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy that person; for the temple of God, which you are, is holy. [3]

Holy Gopel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 2:13-22

13Since the Passover of the Jews was near, Jesus went up to Jerusalem.[4][5]

14He found in the temple area those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves, as well as the money-changers seated there.[6][7]

15He made a whip out of cords and drove them all out of the temple area, with the sheep and oxen, and spilled the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables, 16and to those who sold doves He said, "Take these out of here, and stop making my Father's house a marketplace."

17His disciples recalled the words of scripture, "Zeal for your house will consume me."[8] 18At this the Jews answered and said to Him, "What sign can you show us for doing this?" 19 esus answered and said to them, 15 "Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up."[9]

20The Jews said, "This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and you will raise it up in three days?"[10] 21But He was speaking about the temple of His body. 22Therefore, when He was raised from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this, and they came to believe the scripture and the word Jesus had spoken.

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Notes on Readings

[1] Ezekiel 47:1-12 - The wonderful and superabundant stream flowing from the temple, restoring to fertility traditionally arid ground, is symbolic of the return of the conditions of primeval paradise; compare with Genesis 2:10-14. Water signifies great blessings, just as dryness signifies a curse; compare with Ezekiel  26:5, 14.

[2] 1 Corinthians 3:10-11 - There are diverse functions in the service of the community, but each individual's task is serious, and each will stand accountable for the quality of his contribution.

[3] 1 Corinthians 3:17 - Holy: "belonging to God, that is." The cultic sanctity of the community is a fundamental theological reality to which Paul frequently alludes (compare with 1 Corinthians 1:2, 30); 6:11; 7:14). 

[4] John 2:13-22 - This episode indicates the post-resurrectional replacement of the temple by the person of Jesus.

[5] John 2:13 - Passover: this is the first Passover mentioned in John; a second is mentioned in John 6:4  a third in John 13:1. Taken literally, they point to a ministry of at least two years.

[6] John 2:14-22 - The other gospels place the cleansing of the temple in the last days of Jesus' life (Matthew, on the day Jesus entered Jerusalem; Mark, on the next day). The order of events in the gospel narratives is often determined by theological motives rather than by chronological data.

[7] John 2:14 - Oxen, sheep, and doves: intended for sacrifice. The doves were the offerings of the poor (Leviticus 5:7. Money-changers: for a temple tax paid by every male Jew more than nineteen years of age, with a half-shekel coin (Exodus 30:11-16), in Syrian currency. See the footnote on Matthew 17:24.

[8] John 2:17 - Psalm 69:10, changed to future tense to apply to Jesus.

[9] John 2:19 - This saying about the destruction of the temple occurs in various forms (Matthew 24:2; 27:40; Mark 13:2; 15:29; Luke 21:6; compare with Acts 6:14. Matthew 26:61 has: "I can destroy the temple of God. . ."; see the footnote there. In Mark 14:58, there is a metaphorical contrast with a new temple: "I will destroy this temple made with hands and within three days I will build another not made with hands." Here it is symbolic of Jesus' resurrection and the resulting community (see John 2:21 and Revelation 21:2). In three days: an Old Testament expression for a short, indefinite period of time; compare with Hosea 6:2.

[10] John 2:20 - Forty-six years: based on references in Josephus (Jewish Wars 1,21,1 #401; Antiquities 15,11,1 #380), possibly the spring of A.D. 28. Compare with the footnote on Luke 3:1.