The Temple and the Church's Mission

"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth. . . . And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem. . . . And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man." (Revelation 21:1-3, ESV).In this comprehensive study, G. K. Beale argues that the Old Testament tabernacle and temples were symbolically designed to point to the end-time reality that God's presence, formerly limited to the Holy of Holies, would be extended throughout the cosmos. Hence, John's vision in Revelation 21 is best understood as picturing the new heavens and earth as the eschatological temple.Beale's stimulating exposition traces the theme of the tabernacle and temple across the Bible's story-line, illuminating many texts and closely-related themes along the way. He shows how the significance and symbolism of the temple can be better understood in the context of ancient Near Eastern assumptions, and offers new insights into the meaning of the temple in both Old and New Testaments.

Gregory K. Beale is Kenneth T. Wessner Chair of Biblical Studies and Professor of New Testament at Wheaton College Graduate School of Biblical and Theological Studies, Illinois.

Series preface

9

(2)

Author's preface

11

(4)

Preface by Mary Dorinda Beale

15

(4)

Abbreviations

19

(294)

1 Introduction

23

(6)

The final vision of the Apocalypse and its implications for a biblical theology of the temple

23

(3)

A brief comment on the interpretative approach of this book

26

(3)

2 Cosmic symbolism of temples in the Old Testament

29

(52)

The Old Testament view of Israel's earthly temple as a reflection of the heavenly or cosmic temple

31

(14)

Judaism's view of the symbolism of the temple

45

(3)

Conclusion: symbolism of the temple in the Old Testament and Judaism

48

(2)

Israel's temple in the light of the Ancient Near Eastern view of the earthly temple as a reflection of the heavenly or cosmic temple

50

(10)

Divine 'rest' after creating the cosmos and after constructing the sanctuary

60

(6)

Israel's earthly tabernacle and temple as reflections and recapitulations of the first temple in the Garden of Eden

66

(15)

3 The expanding purpose of temples in the Old Testament

81

(42)

Humanity's kingly and priestly role in serving God in the temple

81

(1)

The cosmic expansion of the garden sanctuary through Adam's rule as a priest-king in God's image

81

(6)

The Ancient Near Eastern concept of the cosmic expansion of temples through the rule of priest-kings in the image of a deity

87

(6)

Adam's commission as a priest-king to rule and expand the temple is passed on to others

93

(30)

4 The expanding end-time purpose of temples in the Old Testament

123

(46)

The view of the Old Testament

123

(31)

Views of early Jewish commentators

154

(12)

Concluding thoughts on the Old Testament and Jewish views about an expanding garden or temple

166

(3)

5 The 'already and not yet' fulfilment of the end-time temple in Christ and his people: the Gospels

169

(32)

Introduction

169

(2)

Jesus as the Last Adam and the temple of the new creation in the Synoptic Gospels

171

(9)

Excursus: an early patristic text linking the Adamic commission to Christ and the church as a temple under construction

180

(12)

Jesus as the temple of the new creation in John

192

(9)

6 The inauguration of a new temple in the book of Acts

201

(44)

The descent of the new temple in the form of the Spirit at Pentecost

201

(15)

Christ as the cornerstone of the new temple

216

(1)

Christ as the emerging new temple: Stephen's testimony

216

(16)

Christ as the emerging new temple: James's testimony

232

(13)

7 The inauguration of a new temple in the epistles of Paul

245

(24)

1 Corinthians 3

245

(8)

2 Corinthians

253

(6)

Ephesians

259

(4)

Colossians

263

(6)

8 The temple in 2 Thessalonians 2

269

(24)

The content of the false teaching in Thessalonica

269

(2)

The prophesied sign of the final future apostasy

271

(1)

The prophesied sign of the future Antichrist in the temple

272

(12)

The beginning fulfilment of Antichrist's prophesied defilement of the temple in the Thessalonian church

284

(4)

Conclusion: does Paul spiritualize Daniel's temple prophecy? A 'literal' versus a 'redemptive-historical' approach

288

(5)

9 The inauguration of a new temple in Hebrews

293

(20)

The temple in Hebrews 8

294

(6)

Christ as the veil of the heavenly end-time tabernacle

300

(1)

Christ as the heavenly end-time tabernacle itself

301

(1)

'Mount Zion' and the 'heavenly Jerusalem' as equivalent to the end-time temple

301

(8)

Excursus: further biblical-theological reflections related to Hebrews' contention that the eternal end-time temple cannot be 'handmade'

309

(4)

10 The world-encompassing temple in Revelation

313

(22)

The church as the eschatological temple in Revelation 11:1-4

313

(15)

Other texts in the Apocalypse that further contribute to understanding the end-time temple in Revelation 11 and 21 - 22

328

(3)

The church as the eschatological temple in 1 Peter 2 and its relationship to Revelation's temple

331

(2)

Excursus on Christ as the foundation stone of the temple, and, hence of the new creation in the light of the Ancient Near East

333

(2)

11 The temple in Ezekiel 40 - 48 and its relationship to the New Testament

335

(30)

The contextual connections of chapters 40 - 48 within the book of Ezekiel that point to a non-structural end-time temple

336

(4)

The descriptions within chapters 40 - 48 that point to a non-structural end-time temple

340

(6)

Is the temple-city in Revelation 21 the fulfilment of Ezekiel's vision?

346

(7)

Conclusion

353

(1)

Excursus: further reflections on the nature of Ezekiel's vision of the temple

354

(11)

12 Theological conclusions: the physical temple as a foreshadowing of God's and Christ's presence as the true temple

365

(30)

The consummate eschatological stage of the world-encompassing temple in Revelation 21:1 - 22:5

365

(8)

Hermeneutical reflections on the theological relationship of the Old Testament temple to the temple in the New Testament

373

(12)

Theological reflections on the relationship of the Old Testament temple to the temple in the New Testament

385

(7)

Conclusion

392

(3)

13 Practical reflections on Eden and the temple for the church in the twenty-first century

395

(8)

Bibliography

403

(22)

Index of modern authors

425

(5)

Index of Bible references

430

(20)

Index of ancient sources

450

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The Temple and the Church's Mission

Summary

Author Biography

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials