Temple of Ezekiel

The Ezekiel Temple, drawn by Charles Chipiez in the 19th century

As a Third Temple or third temple of Jerusalem is referred to by the vision of the prophet Ezekiel ( Ez 40-47 EU reconstituted) Jerusalem Temple . Ezekiel is said to have received this vision about fourteen years after the temple was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar II .

Description of the temple with its buildings

The book of Ezekiel describes in the 40th chapter how the prophet is led through the temple after his rapture by a man "who looked as if he was made of bronze". After visiting the temple wall, the man leads Ezekiel through the east gate into the temple ( Ez 40.6–16 EU ). The gate building is divided into seven rooms: two three guard cells and one gate hall. Second, Ezekiel is shown the outer atrium with the 30 cells on its outside ( Ez 40,17-19 EU ). Then the outer south and north gates are described ( Ez 40.20-27 EU ), which are constructed in the same way as the outer east gate.

Now Ezekiel is led through the inner south gate into the inner courtyard of the temple ( Ez 40,28–31 EU ). These gates are also constructed like the outer east gate. Only, in contrast to the outer gates, the gate hall is at the beginning of the gate and instead of seven as with the outer gate, eight steps led to the gate. The inner east and north gates have the same structure ( Ez 40,32–16 EU ). Now he describes the inner forecourt, where the altar also stands ( Ez 40.47 EU ). In Ez 40,48-49 EU ; 41 EU deals in detail with the actual temple house. The so-called west building is described in verses 41.12.15a EU .

Afterwards Ezekiel sees the priestly apartments in the north and south Ez 42,1–14 EU . The whole temple has a square base with 500 measuring rods edge length ( Ez 42.15–20 EU ).

The glory of God fills the temple

Now according to Ez 43: 1-12 EU the glory of God moves in through the east gate. This is the same gate where God left the old temple ( Ez 10.1-19 EU ; 11.23 EU ). According to Ez 46.1 EU , the inner gate to the east should be closed on working days. The outer east gate is even supposed to remain closed forever, which is interpreted to mean that God will never leave this temple again ( Ez 44: 1-2 EU ).

Description of the burnt offering altar

The following is a description of the burnt offering altar and the consecration of the right altar on the day of its erection ( Ez 43.18 EU ).

The ordinances of the new sanctuary

Ez 44.16 EU names guidelines for the new temple, and the sons of Zadok are destined for perpetual priestly service because they have shown loyalty to the Lord through all ages. The other Levites would take on other services ( Ez 44,10–11 EU ).

Arrangements for temple service

In Ez 46,19-24 EU six other buildings are described: the two kitchens of the priests, which lie behind their apartments, and the kitchens of the servants, whose kitchens are in the four corners of the forecourt and the forecourt.

A stream of water from the temple

Then Ezekiel is led back to the gate of the (temple) house, where a river rises. This river leaves the temple area to the right of the outer east gate ( Ez 47.2 EU ) and continues into the Dead Sea ( Ez 47.8 EU ). Trees grow on both sides of the river, the fruits of which are eaten and the leaves are used as remedies ( Ez 47.12 EU ). The image of this flow of water is taken up again in Rev 22 : 1-2 EU .

reception

In the early 17th century, the Jesuit Juan Bautista Villalpando published a three-volume commentary on Ezekiel's vision (Ezekielem Explanationes). His (fictional) reconstructions of the Temple of Solomon and the Heavenly Jerusalem after Ezekiel, which appeared in the second volume of the Commentary in 1604, were picked up by many European illustrators and circulated among architects and interested laypeople of the 17th century. Villalpando's illustrations of Solomon's Temple could according to some art historians have an impact on numerous monasteries of the Baroque have had.

Umberto Eco points out that the information is so imprecise and contradictory that a coherent architectural interpretation is impossible. The rabbi Rashi about fell to the 12th century that all information is missing on the situation in the northern areas. Therefore, Ezekiel's vision was always interpreted allegorically, both in the rabbinical tradition and by the Church Fathers . According to evangelical interpreters of the Bible, however, this temple is not just a vision, but the temple that will stand in the messianic kingdom of peace after the return of Jesus Christ .

Individual evidence

^ Gregor Martin Lechner : Villalpandos temple reconstruction in relation to baroque monastery architecture , in: Piel, Friedrich / Traeger, Jörg (ed.), Festschrift Wolfgang Braunfels , Tübingen 1977, 223–237. Paul von Naredi-Rainer; Cornelia Limpricht: Solomon's Temple and the Occident. Monumental consequences of historical errors . Cologne 1994, here pp. 172–189 with illus.
↑ Umberto Eco: The History of the Legendary Countries and Cities. Hanser, Munich 2013, p. 48 f.
^ Stanley A. Ellissen: From Adam to Malachi. Understand the Old Testament . Christliche Verlagsgesellschaft, Dillenburg 2005, pp. 266–267.

[1] Gregor Martin Lechner : Villalpandos temple reconstruction in relation to baroque monastery architecture , in: Piel, Friedrich / Traeger, Jörg (ed.), Festschrift Wolfgang Braunfels , Tübingen 1977, 223–237. Paul von Naredi-Rainer; Cornelia Limpricht: Solomon's Temple and the Occident. Monumental consequences of historical errors . Cologne 1994, here pp. 172–189 with illus.

[2] Umberto Eco: The History of the Legendary Countries and Cities. Hanser, Munich 2013, p. 48 f.

[3] Stanley A. Ellissen: From Adam to Malachi. Understand the Old Testament . Christliche Verlagsgesellschaft, Dillenburg 2005, pp. 266–267.