Temple of God

November 19, 2018

Destroy the Temple in three days (Mk 14:58-14:58)

“They said.

‘We heard him say.

‘I will destroy

This Temple

That is made

With human hands.

Then in three days,

I will build another,

Not made

With human hands.’”

 

ὅτι Ἡμεῖς ἠκούσαμεν αὐτοῦ λέγοντος ὅτι Ἐγὼ καταλύσω τὸν ναὸν τοῦτον τὸν χειροποίητον καὶ διὰ τριῶν ἡμερῶν ἄλλον ἀχειροποίητον οἰκοδομήσω.

 

This is similar to Matthew, chapter 26:60-61, who said that at last 2 witnesses came forward to speak out.  There was nothing like this in Luke, chapter 22, and John, chapter 18.  Mark indicated that someone said that they had heard this man saying (ὅτι Ἡμεῖς ἠκούσαμεν αὐτοῦ λέγοντος) that he was going to destroy this Temple made by human hands (ὅτι Ἐγὼ καταλύσω τὸν ναὸν τοῦτον τὸν χειροποίητον).  Matthew had called it the Temple of God (τὸν ναὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ).  Then Jesus said that he would build another Temple in three days (καὶ διὰ τριῶν ἡμερῶν ἄλλον οἰκοδομήσω) without human hands (ἀχειροποίητον).  There was no indication of when these witnesses said that Jesus had uttered these words.

 

July 16, 2018

Two witnesses come forward (Mt 26:60-26:61)

“At last,

Two witnesses

Came forward.

They said.

‘This fellow said.

‘I am able

To destroy

The Temple of God,

And to build it

In three days.’”

 

ὕστερον δὲ προσελθόντες δύο

εἶπαν Οὗτος ἔφη Δύναμαι καταλῦσαι τὸν ναὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ διὰ τριῶν ἡμερῶν οἰκοδομῆσαι.

 

This is similar to Mark, chapter 14:57-58, but Mark has more details and does not explicitly mention 2 witnesses, but only some witnesses.  There is nothing like this in Luke, chapter 22, and John, chapter 18.  Matthew said that finally 2 witnesses came forward (ὕστερον δὲ προσελθόντες δύο), an important number under Jewish law.  They said that this man had said (εἶπαν Οὗτος ἔφη) that he was able to destroy the Temple of God (Δύναμαι καταλῦσαι τὸν ναὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ) and rebuild it in three days (καὶ διὰ τριῶν ἡμερῶν οἰκοδομῆσαι).  Jesus had mentioned destroying this Temple in chapter 24:2.  He had also spoken about his resurrection in three days in chapters 16:21, 17:23, and 20:19.  There was no indication of when the 2 witnesses said that Jesus had uttered these words.