In our last post we looked at John’s Gospel, chapter 1 and discussed Jesus’ extraordinary statement about the Jerusalem temple would be replaced and its meaning. In this post we look further into the New Testament and discover more about this.
On the first ‘Palm Sunday’ when Jesus rode into Jerusalem and entered the temple complex, he was not acting as a religious radical. He was acting as God’s replacement temple, the reality to which the temple pointed all along. The shadow of the real thing.
When Jesus died on the cross an extraordinary phenomenon occurred. The temple curtain was torn from top to bottom (Matthew 27:51). This supernatural thing signified the end of the need for a physical temple and the whole sacrificial system.
Jesus’ Body now serves as the dwelling place for God’s presence: the ekklesia, the Body of Christ.
All that the temple had meant for Israel for almost one thousand years was now to be found in Israel’s Messiah. The presence of God which human beings longed for was found through a personal connection with Christ, not in a building in Jerusalem.
The first followers of Jesus could see that the Jerusalem temple was actually ‘overthrown’ and replaced for them at Jesus’ death and resurrection. From that time, around AD 30, the early Christians, understood a new temple was established for all believers, both Jew and Gentile.
They remembered Jesus’ words the night before he was betrayed:
And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” Luke 22:19
In the following verses the apostle Paul highlights the idea that believers collectively form the body of Christ, with each member playing a unique role:
For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Romans 12:4-5.
For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 1 Corinthians 12:12
And Paul saw Jesus’ body as the head over everything to do with the whole ekklesia. His fullness:
And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. Ephesians 1:23
From whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. Ephesians 4:16
All who wish to experience the Lord’s presence, learn his teaching, and enjoy his forgiveness can do so by embracing Jesus the Messiah, the new temple. There is no other way but Jesus’ way!
This is so clearly emphasised in the whole New Testament.
Yet, astonishingly, there are many Christians who have embraced a deadly heresy which fails to do any justice to our Lord’s majesty and headship. They have embraced dispensational theology, which originated only 200 years ago. They aggressively denounce the idea that Jesus’ body has replaced Israel, disparagingly calling it “Replacement Theology”. Thus, they become virtual Christ-deniers.
Of course, the fact that Jesus replaced the entire Mosaic system is undeniable. As we saw in John 2:13-17, Jesus saw himself replacing the whole Jewish system with its central temple worship. Replacing all that with a community. A worldwide family of brothers and sisters.
The state known today as “Israel” is NOT God’s chosen instrument. Of course, under the Old Covenant through Israel all the nations would be blessed by the seed of Abraham.
Christians believe in his seed, i.e., Jesus (Mat 3:9, Rom 4:13-25, Gal 4:28-31), we enjoy living in the New Covenant inaugurated by the Lord Jesus.
And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to promise. Galatians 3:29
In the New Covenant documents the people of God are those who trust in the Lord Jesus Christ: (1 Peter 2:4-10 , Titus 2:14, Heb 3:6, 8:13).
Just before his passion, Jesus said to the people of Israel their end had come. In the parable of the wicked tenants (Mat 21:43)
“And they took him and killed him and threw him out of the vineyard. What will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the tenants and give the vineyard to others.”
Yahweh will replace the wicked tenants with ‘others’, namely the ekklesia. Pentecost.
And then to the hypocritical Jewish leaders he said
“37 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones God’s messengers! How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn’t let me. 38 And now, look, your house is abandoned and desolate.[j] 39 For I tell you this, you will never see me again until you say, ‘Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord!’ (Mat 23:29-38).
From the time of Christ’s crucifixion in 30 AD to 70 AD, it seems God gave the disobedient Jews 40 years to repent and accept Jesus as the Messiah. Then 40 years later many multitudes of unbelieving Jews perished when the Roman armies destroyed Jerusalem.
But today, these deceived people say that someday Jesus will come back and reign on earth for 1000 years. And many even think God will accept sacrifices in a rebuilt temple in Jerusalem! They cite Revelation chapter 20. But Revelation chapter 20 says absolutely nothing about this claim.
Such a temple where animal, and other sacrifices would be carried out would deny our Lords’s once-for-all perfect sacrifice on the cross was sufficient. The whole of Hebrews chapter 9 makes that clear. A reinstated building in Jerusalem that is like the Old Testament temple is not God’s plan.
Such activity in a third, earthly temple will require a legitimate priesthood. That also nullifies the perfect priesthood of Christ and makes his to be insufficient. Men of flesh and blood would have to be appointed to go back to a sacrificial system that Hebrews chapter 8 says was imperfect and could never make those who approached cleaned of sin.
It also denies the one Mediator between God and men being the risen Christ. In conclusion, let’s be glad and thankful for what Jesus has done. He has made obsolete all that came before him. He is the only one who could replace the whole Jewish system Including the Jerusalem Temple.
It also denies the one Mediator between God and men being the risen Christ.
In conclusion, let’s be glad and thankful for what Jesus has done. He has made obsolete all that came before him. He is the only one who could replace the whole Jewish system Including the Jerusalem Temple.
Ian Thomson 