First Christian Voices: Practices of the Apostolic Fathers

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First Christian Voices

The Jewish Temple B arnabas 16: Moreover, I will also tell you about the temple, how those wretched people wandering in error did not trust in God Himself. Instead, they trusted in the temple as being the house of God. For almost like the Gentiles they worshiped Him in the temple. But how does the Lord speaks when abolishing it? Listen! “Who has marked off the heavens with a span, and the earth with his palm? Was it not I?” says the Lord. “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool; what is the house that you would build for me, and what is the place of my rest?” ( Isa 40:12; 66:1 ) You understand that their hope is vain. Moreover, He again says, “Behold, they who have razed this temple, even they will build it up again” ( Isa 49:17, LXX ). And it has happened. For by going to war, it was destroyed by their enemies. And now, they, as the servants of their enemies, will rebuild it. Again, it was revealed that the city and the temple and the people of Israel were to be given up. For the Scripture says, “And it will come to pass in the last days that the Lord will deliver up the sheep of His pasture, as well as their sheep pen and watchtower, to destruction” ( Isa 5; Jer 25 ). And it happened just as the Lord had spoken. Let us ask, then, if there still is a temple of God. There is! It is where He Himself declared He would make and finish it. For it is written, “And it will come to pass, when the week is completed that the temple of God will be built in glory in the name of the Lord” ( Dan 9:24–27 ). I find, therefore, that a temple does exist. How then will it be built in the name of the Lord? Learn! Before we believed in God, the dwelling of our heart was corrupt