In the Temple Courts

Our Bible passage today is Acts 3.11-26 - Please read it in your Bible or click on
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%203.11-26&version=31

Good Morning.

Did you see it? Did you see it again in today's passage? Peter trying to set the record straight. Last time, he was saying, 'No, these people are not drunk--they are filled with the Holy Spirit! Listen to them. . . they are speaking to you, in your own language, telling you about the great things God has done.' And this time? The people were amazed and filled with wonder when Peter commanded the lame man at the Beautiful Gate to get up and walk, and he did! The onlookers were inclined to think Peter and John had some sorta' power--well, they did! They were empowered by the Holy Spirit to heal, for the glory of, and in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. I can almost visualize Peter getting worked up, not wanting the people to miss God's presence among them again, as he looks around at those gathering at Solomon's Colonnade.

Solomon's Colonnade? I think it is prudent to pause here a moment to talk about the Temple, and its place in Judaism. Jewish Christians loved the temple as much as they always had, and continued to go there for worship and teaching. So what was Solomon's Colonnade where Peter is ready to address the crowd? It was an open-roofed 45-foot porch with double columns that were 38 feet tall, situated along the east side of the Court of Gentiles. (can you see it?) Although it was part of the temple complex, it was not considered to be part of the actual temple, because Gentiles were not allowed into the temple but they could be present in Solomon's Colonnade. Rather, it was along the inner side of the wall enclosing the outer court. Rabbis, teachers of the law, and Jesus were known to teach from this porch.

'What was the deal with the Temple?' you ask. It was central to all Jewish life, for from its hallowed walls, came the laws and teaching which guided everything about their lives, from personal cleansing to conduct on the Sabbath to worship. . . Three times a year, Jews traveled from all over to observe the sacred feasts. So, the magnificent Temple was not only admired by the local Jews, but actually belonged to every Jew throughout the world. A great portion of religious devotion could only be performed in the Temple at Jerusalem, and the great Jerusalem Council, the "Sanhedrin", was the only central reference point in the entire world for the interpretation of the Torah.

The Jews rebuilt the temple after the Babylonians had destroyed it some 500-plus years before Christ was born, though it was plain by comparison to Solomon's temple. It was actually Herod, who began beautifying and fortifying it about 30 B.C., and the work on the Temple, and Temple complex was not complete until A.D. 64. In A.D. 70, Rome crushed Jerusalem, and destroyed her Temple. The Jews have not had a temple since. After the destruction of the second temple, the mountain remained desolate until the Moslem conquest in the year 638. Mount Moriah was the mountain identified with the place where Isaac was sacrificed, and where the first and second temples were built--(the Temple Mount- sacred to all Jews). Today, though, it is the gilded Dome of the Rock and El-Aqsa Mosque that occupy that spot. Can you spell T-E-N-S-I-O-N? The only remnant of the Temple is the Wailing Wall--the Western Wall which Jewish tradition teaches was built by King David, with the wall we see today built upon his foundations. The Wall has been fought over for centuries, but in the six-day war of 1967, Israelis took control of it. As you know, it is a place of holy pilgrimage for Jews worldwide.

Peter's speech, or sermon, is similar to the one on Pentecost in that it talked about repentance, the story of Jesus, and prophecy, but let me point out a couple powerful points on which we might focus:
1) Peter stresses the name of Jesus. . . "By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus' name and the faith that comes through Him that has given this complete healing to him..."Acts 3.16 Remember, Jesus had told the disciples that they could ask for things in His name - John 16.23-24 --My Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. . . Yes, there is power in the name of Jesus.

2) Peter offers them times of refreshing - I love that offering. Do you need a time of refreshing? (Who doesn't?!) Take a look at verse 19 to see how to get it--Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord... Spend some time bringing your accounts with God into order. 'Want to be refreshed, friends? Consider what you have done, that you need to confess to God, that has grieved Him? No, it might not be what you think of as the BIG stuff, but how about your pride? Selfishness? Over preocuupation with work? (Sin? Oh, come on--well, think about it, will you?) Or, maybe, you just need to spend some time with Him.

Yes, Peter has grown up--His faith is not just real, but effective, and he has assumed strong leadership for the young church. Tomorrow...the plot thickens.
Until then. . .
Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might~
Christine (DiGiacomo) espressocd@cox.net Sources: Archaeological Study Bible; www.bible-history.com; bibleplaces.com; wikipedia