Temples have been around as long as there has been a Jehovah. And even the early christians took part in the ceremonies therein. Why then is it no longer important to have temples?
After all, how is jesus suposed to " ...suddenly ccome to his temple..." (malachai 3:1) with out a temple to go to?
2006-09-29 14:24:12 · 7 answers · asked by jiggliemon 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
This question makes a wildly inaccurate statement; in fact Jehovah is without beginning, while the physical universe (including every subsequent temple) is much younger than "infinity".
As the question notes, however, one fundamental difference (among many) new to Christianity from Judaism is the introduction of the concept that a physical temple or house of worship is unnecessary under Christianity. Useful, yes, but not necessary.
(John 4:21-24) Jesus said to her: “Believe me, [Samaritan] woman, The hour is coming when neither in this mountain [Gerizim, where the Samaritan temple is located] nor in Jerusalem [where the Jewish temple is located] will you people worship the Father. 22 You [Samaritans] worship what you do not know; we [Jews] worship what we know, because salvation originates with the Jews. 23 Nevertheless, the hour is coming, and it is now, when the true worshipers will worship the Father with spirit and truth [rather than in such temples], for, indeed, the Father is looking for suchlike ones to worship him. 24 God is a Spirit, and those worshiping him must worship with spirit and truth.”
With regard to Malachi 3:1, it is interesting that the word commonly translated as "temple" there can be alternately translated as "divine habitation (dwelling).” Jehovah's Witnesses believe that this Scripture was fulfilled with Jesus as that "messenger" soon after he sat on his heavenly throne in 1914.
Jehovah's Witnesses are happy to explain this and other bible prophecies.
Learn more:
http://watchtower.org/e/19990715/article_01.htm
2006-09-29 17:26:05 · answer #1 · answered by achtung_heiss 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
For those that say a temple and a church are the same thing, you need to read the Bible a bit more closely. At the time of Jesus, they had synagogs and they had the temple. The synagogs were the churches of the Jews. They were the places where the Jews gathered for the Sabbath observances. Anyone could go into a synagog. On the other hand, the temple was a holy place where the Israelites went to perform certain ordinances that could only be performed there. These included the various sacrifices. Only those that were of the house of Israel were allowed in the temple. (A mob tried to kill Paul when he was falsely accused of taking Gentiles into the temple (http://scriptures.lds.org/en/acts/21/26-31#25). So, as you can see, there is a huge difference between a Church and a temple.
2006-10-01 15:20:53 · answer #2 · answered by Glenn Blaylock 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Interestingly, temples are - as Jehovah's Witnesses like to say - of pagan origin. It was not until the days of King David, about 3000 years after Adam, that a temple was built to Jehovah.
Before that, however, temples were very important in Babylon and Egypt, being built for the worship of pagan and false gods.
According to Jehovah's Witness theology - the fact that temples are of pagan origin - should have made David's idea to build a temple for Jehovah, absolutely abominable. And yet Jehovah approved it. Good thing he didn't ask Jehovah's Witnesses - they certainly wouldn't have supported such a pagan-inspired idea.
As far as they're concerned, if the pagans were the first to file their fingernails, then fingernail filing is of 'pagan origin' and therefore unacceptable to them. (This is an example only, but that is the line of reasoning they use about 'pagan origins'.
2006-10-02 01:38:58 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
My guess is the word just sort of lost relevance with the changing of times. Now we can all have our own "house of the Lord" and call it something different so each denomination can feel special. When He comes back, He will have to decide if He is to be in a synogue, a mosque, a tabernacle, a church, etc. Just one more way of taking something (Christianity) and making it laughable by trying to segregate who attends what sort of House of Worship. In other words politics.
2006-09-29 14:34:27 · answer #4 · answered by mortgagegirl101 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Bible states that now our bodies are the temple for the Holy Spirit.
2006-09-29 14:27:50 · answer #5 · answered by bobm709 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
isnt a temple the church, and the body of Christ ( the people) are the church, He will suddenly come to us, his temple.
2006-09-29 14:36:53 · answer #6 · answered by K 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
it's not?
2006-09-29 14:25:59 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋