The Temple in the Days of our Savior Described, Chapter 40
CHAP. XL. The ſtate and fate of the firſt Temple.
AT Naioth in Ramah where Samuel and David ſpent ſome time together, they platfsormed the buildings of the Temple and the manner of the ſervice: It was an unlikely time for David to thinke and contrive for ſuch a thing at that time, when he knew not where to hide his own head from the fury of Saul, yet ſo ſure was the promiſe to him, and ſo aſſured was his faith in it, that even from that time he laid the foundation of his thoughts towards the building of a Temple, ſetling of a ſervice, and even all his time after was preparing towards it. In all his wars and victories he ſtill remembred to dedicate ſomething of his ſpoiles for that purpoſe, 2 Sam. 8.10, 11. 1 Chron. 18.8, &c. ſo that at his death he left the greateſt ſums of ſilver and gold, and ſtock of braſſe and iron and ſuch materials that is recorded in any ſtory: And as he had his firſt inſtructions from Samuel, ſo did he ripen then by the propheticke directions of Gad and Nathan the Prophets, 2 Chron. 29.25. and ſo ſetled the Prieſts and Levites in their courſes, and carpenters and maſons to worke, and had deſcribed the platforme of all thingsſo exactly, that he leſt to Solomon in a manner but the care to ſee the worke done, for he had prepared all things before.
About eleven or twelve years ſpace was the worke of the Temple in hand, before it was finiſhed, namely foure yeares in hewing ſtone and framing timber, and ſeven years and an half in bringing up the building: For David in the laſt year of his reign hath gathered all the proſelytes in the land to the number of 153000 and had ſet them to worke, and ſo they continued framing and preparing materialls till the fourth yeare of the reigne of Solomon, in the ſecond monethmonth of which yeare the foundation of the houſe was laid, and in the eight monethmonth of his eleventh yeare the worke was finiſhed, 1 King. 6.38. and ſo it was ſeven yeares and an halfe in building, which the text for roundneſſe of number doth count but ſeven.
It was a yeare within a monethmonth after that it was finiſhed before the dedication of it, in which time it is likely, they were getting away the rubbiſh, and preparing for its conſecration, it lying uſeleſſe all the while, for the providence of the Lord diſpoſed that it ſhould be dedicated at ſuch a time, as that the time ſhould carry a myſtery and type with it, as well as the Temple it ſelfe. In the eleventh yeare of Solomons reigne in the monethmonth Bul which is the eight month it was finiſhed. 1 King. 6.38. and in his twelfth yeare in the monethmonth Ethanim which is the ſeventh monethmonth it was conſecrated: even at the time of the feaſt of Tabernacles, 1 King. 8.20, 2 Chron. 5.3. or the fifteenth day of that monethmonth: Concerning the title Ethanim, by which this monethmonth was named, the Jewes have theſe gloſſet: The Chaldes renders that verſe in the booke of Kings thus, And all the men of Iſrael were gathered to the King in the old monethmonth, which they called the firſt month, but now the ſeventh. [b]Aru. … in vece foreignSome of the Rabbines ſay it was called Ethanim (which ſignifieth ſtrength, or ſtrong ones) becauſe the fathers were borne in it which were the mighty ones of the world: And others[i]Levi Gerſh. in 1 King. 8. becauſe in it were the greateſt ſeaſts: or[k]Kimch. ibi. as others, becauſe in it the fruits were gathered, which are the ſtrength of mans life, &c. But whatſoever was the notation of the name, certainely the remarkableneſſe of that month was ſingular, in regard of many eminent occurrences that befell in it, of which we have ſpoken elſewhere, the moſt renowned of all which was, that our Saviour in that month was borne into the world (and what if on that very day that the Temple was conſecrated, namely the 15 day of the month) of whoſe incarnation and birth how lively a type, the Temple and its dedication were. I need not to illuſtrate: Thus was the Temple dedicate and the ſervice of it began anno mundi 3001.
At the dedication of it, both the books of Kings and Chronicles informe us, that the Tabernacle of the Congregation and all the holy veſſels that had been in the Tabernacle were brought up thither, 1 King. 8.4. 2 Chron. 5.5. But the queſtion is, What became of them there, were they uſed on were they laid up? There are that aſſert either way: and the latter ſeemeth the more probable, namely that theſe things of Moſes, upon the riſing of a greater and more eminent glory, did decay and were laid aſide, as all his Ceremonies were to doe upon the riſing of the Goſpell.
The Temple though it were of a heavenly reſemblance, uſe and concernment, as figuring Chriſts body, Joh. 2.19. enjoying Gods preſence, 2 Chron. 7.16. and Iſraels worſhip, Pſal. 122.4. &c. yet being but an earthly building it was ſubject to the univerſall condition of earthly things, caſualty and changing: Nay there is hardly any ſtate or place in any ſtory, of which may be found more viciſſitudes and alterations of condition then of this: and there is hardly any Kings time of all thoſe that reigned in the time of the Temple, in which it received not ſome remarkable alteration of eſtate or other. In the time of Solomon that built it, it received that vile affront of an Idol Temple built by him in the face of it, and what became of the ſervice of the Temple in theſe times may be ſhrewdly ſuſpected: In his ſonne Rehoboams time, it was firſt forſaken by the ten tribes, and afterward by Judah it ſelfe, who fell to Idolatry, and then it was plundred by Shiſhak. How oft the Treaſuries of it were plundred ſometimes by forainers, ſometimes by their owne Kings, how oft it ſelfe prophaned, as by Athaliah, Abaz, Manaſſeh, how the ſervice of it either totally ſlighted, or ſlightly performed, how Idols ſet up in it, & Altars to ſtrange gods: how the blood of the High-prieſt ſhed, and the manners of the Prieſts corrupt, and the houſe of prayer made a den of theeves, as alſo how ſometimes againe it was repaired, the ſervice reſtored, the Prieſts reformed, and matters amended with it, is ſo plainly and copiouſly deſcribed in the bookes of Scripture, that it were but tranſcription of the text to recite them in particular. At laſt it had run out its date, and it ſelfe fired and all its precious veſſells were captived by the Babylonian: what became of the Arke the Scripture doth not mention, the Jewes conceive that it was hid, in ſome vault that they ſay Solomon had purpoſely made againſt ſuch a time, where it eſcaped the conquerors fury: but this we leave to their owne credit.
The time of the ſtanding of this firſt Temple from its finiſhing in the eleventh yeare of Solomon, to its firing by Nebuzaradan, was 420 years.
SECT. II. The ſtate of the ſecond Temple under the Perſian Monarchy.
ALthough between the returne out of the Babylonian captivity, and the finall deſolation of Ieruſalem, there might ſeeme to be ſtrictly and literally two Temples, that of Zorobabel, and that of Herod, (for Herod began his Temple from the very foundation) yet do the Scriptures, and all Jewiſh writers ſo unanimouſly and generally own them but for one Temple, calling it the ſecond Temple all the time there was a Temple after its firſt building under Cyrus, that it would be but needleſs labour and unwarrantable curioſity to take up any other notion or diſtinction of it. For though the Temple built by Zorobabel were pulled down to the very ground by Herod, when he built that fabrick that ſtood to the laſt fate of Ieruſalem, yet ſince that demolition was not by deſtruction and ruine, but for reparation and for its bettering, there is no reaſon to reckon theſe as two ſeverall Temples, but as one Temple firſt built and then repaired to a more excellent and glorious condition.
From the firſt yeare of Cyrus (in which he proclaimed redemption to the Captives, and gave commandment to reſtore and build Jeruſalem) to the death of Chriſt were 490 years, as they be ſummed by an Angel, Dan. 9. and from the death of Chriſt to the fatall and finall deſtruction of Jeruſalem were 40 yeares more, 530 yeares in all. In all which time it were endleſſe to ſhew every particular occurrence, and change of condition that befell the Temple, and it would require a large ſtory and volume: I ſhall therefore onelyonly touch upon the chiefeſt, diſtributing the times into thoſe ſeverall and remarkable periods that they fell into, and applying the ſtories to the times accordingly.
The firſt parcell of this time was taken up by the Perſian Monarchy, which how long it continued, and for how many Kings Succeſſion, is a thing of as diſputable and controverted a nature, as any one thing in Chronology: I will keep to the number and names of the Kings of that Throne that we find in Scripture.
In Dan. 11.2. there are theſe words: Behold there ſhall ſtand up yet three Kings in Perſia, and the fourth ſhall be far richer then they all: and by his ſtrength through his riches he ſhall ſtir up all againſt the Re In of Grecia. And a mighty King ſhall ſtand up, &c. And when he ſhall ſtand up his Kingdome ſhall be broken, and ſhall be divided toward the four winds of Heaven, and not to his poſterity, &c. It is obſervable concerning this propheſie and account about the Perſian Monarchy.
1 That this was told Daniel in the third yeare of Cyrus chap. 10.1. and ſo when he ſaith, There ſhall ſtand up yet three Kings, and the fourth, &c. he meaneth foure beſides Cyrus, the firſt beginner of the Kingdome; and therefore ſome of the Jewes do make but a croſſe reckoning upon this place, who will have Cyrus which was the firſt, to be meant by this that is called the fourth.
2 The Propheſie ſpeaketh of the length of the Perſian Monarchy, till it brings it up to Alexander the great, the deſtroyer of that Monarchy, of whom it ſpeaketh plainly, ver. 3, 4. and of his Succeſſors afterward, ver. 5, &c.
3 There were therefore, by the account of the Angell here, but five Kings of Perſia, namely, Cyrus, and four more.
4 Theſe four are thus named in the Scripture, 1 Ahaſhueroſh, Ezra 4.6. 2 Darius, Ezra 4.24. & 6.1. &c. 3 Artaxerxes, Ezra 6.14. 4 Darius, Neh. 12.22. To which may be added for the confirmation of this account,
5 That Nehemiah lived quite through the whole length of the Perſian Monarchy, being at mans eſtate the firſt yeare of it, Ezr. 2.2. and ſeeing Darius its laſt King, and probably his laſt times, Nehem. 12.12. Nay Ezra who was borne either before or in the firſt yeare of the Babylonion Monarchy, yet liveth neere the expiration of the Perſian: by which it is eaſie to conclude how far the Heathen hiſtories are out, who reckon 14 Kings ſucceſſively in the Perſian Throne, and 200 years of their ule, before its fall.
In the firſt yeare of Cyrus, the returned Captires out of Babel onelyonly built an Altar, and ſacrificed thereon for ſeven months together having yet no Temple: but in this ſeeond year, the ſecond monethmonth of that yeare they lay the foundation of the houſe, Ezra 3.8, &c. the progreſſe of which work is ſoon oppoſed, and indeavoured to be made fruſtrate by the Samaritanes all the time of Cyrus, Ezra 4.5. but in his time they prevailed not.
In his third year Artaxerxes commeth to the kingdom, who is alſo called Ahaſhueroſh, Ezra 4.6, 7. he is perſwaded by evill Counſellors to interdict and prohibit the Temple building, and ſo it lay intermitted all his time, Dan. 10.1, 2, 3. Ezra 4.23.24.
Darius ſucceeded him, called alſo Artaxerxes, Ezr. 6.1. & 7.1. &c. In his ſecond yeare the building goes on againe, and is finiſhed in his ſixth, Hag. 1. Ezra 6.14. And thus had the Temple lien waſte and deſolate juſt ſeventy years, from the nineteenth of Nebuchadnezzar, in which year it was fired, to the ſecond of Darius, when it began to be wrought upon ſo as that it came to perfection, Zech. 1.12. & 4.3, 5.
In the ſeventh yeare of this Darius, which was the year after the Temple was finiſhed, Ezra cometh up, Ezra 7.8. and thirteen yeares after, namely, in the twentieth yeare of this Darius (called alſo Artaxerxes) Nehemiah cometh up to Jeruſalem, Neh. 1.1. and both help to repair, ſettle and rectifie, Temple, City, and people, as their ſtory is at large in their owne bookes.
In the two and thirtieth year of this Darius, Nehemiah having finiſhed what he had to doe, about the building, beautifying, and ſettling of City, Temple and people, he returneth againe unto the King, Neh. 13.6. and here ends Daniels firſt parcell of his ſeventy weekes, namely, ſeven weekes in which ſtreet and wall ſhould be built, and that in troublous times, Dan. 9.25. By ſeven weeks he meaneth ſeven times ſeven yeares which amounts to nine and forty: and ſo there were hitherto; namely, 3 of Cyrus, 14 of Ahaſhueroſh, and 32 of Darius.
After Darius there reigned Artaxerxes, commonly known in heathen ſtories by the name of Xerxes, the invader of Greece with his huge army, &c. He was a favourer of the Jews at the leſt for a while, as it appeareth by that paſſage in Ezra 6.14. They builded and finiſhed according to the commandment of the Lord, and according to the commandement of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes: where this Artaxerxes is ſet in parallel equipage with Cyrus and Darius for favouring the Temple: It is true indeed the work was finiſhed in the time of Darius, as to the very building of the houſe, yet were the buildings about it ſtill coming on and encreaſing, and this Xerxes did favour the work as well as thoſe Princes had done before him.
Yet did there an unhappy occurrence befall in this Kings time in the Temple it ſelfe, which if it did not alienate and change his affection from well-willing to it, yet did it prejudice the Temple in the affection of him that was chiefe Commander under this King in thoſe parts, whoſe name was Bagoſes: The occaſion was this;[a]Ioſeph. Ant. lib. 11. cap. 7. Iochanan who was then High-prieſt upon ſome diſpleaſure againſt his owne brother Jeſus, did fall upon him and ſlay him in the very Temple: Bagoſes favoured this Ieſus, and intended to have made him High-prieſt, and it is like that Iochanan ſmelt the deſigne, and out of jealouſie of ſuch a thing, thought to prevent it by his brothers diſpatch: whatſoever was the cauſe of this his murder, the fruit of it was this: that Bagoſes violently preſſeth into the Temple, which he might not have done, and layeth a mulct upon the people, namely, 40 drachmes upon every Lamb that was to be ſacrificed: Ezra and Nehemiah were both now alive, and do but imagine how their piety would digeſt a thing ſo impious.
The next in the Throne after this Artaxerxes mentioned in Scripture, was Darius, Neh. 12.22. the man with whom the Empire fell under the victorious ſword of Alexander the great. In his time another occaſion from another brother of an High-prieſt occurreth, which accrewed not a little to the prejudice of the Temple and the Nation; and that was this,[b]Ibid. cap. 8 Neh: 13.28. Manaſſeh one of the ſons of Ioiada the ſon of Eliaſhib the High-prieſt, had married Nicaſſo the daughter of Sanballat, for which being driven from the Altar and Prieſthood, he betaketh himſelfe to his father-in-law to Samaria; and they betwixt them obtaine a Commiſſion from Darius, and get it confirmed alſo by Alexander the great, to build a Temple upon Mout Geri…im, Iohn 4.20. which being built in affront to the Temple of Ieruſalem, it proved no ſmall diſadvantage to it, and the ſervice there: for it not onelyonly cauſed a faction and defection in the Nation, but alſo it became the common refuge and ſhelter of all lawleſs and irregular deſpiſers of diſcipline and government.
In this Darius was the end of the Perſian ſtate and Kingdom; having continue for the ſucceſſion of theſe Kings, but whether any more, and how many preciſe years is not eaſily determinable, what times went over the Temple in their reignes beſides what is mentioned here, may be obſerved in the books of Nehemiah, Ezra, Haggai, Zachary, and Malachi.
SECT. II. The occurrences of the Temple under Alexander.
[a]Ioſeph. ubi ſupra.ALexander the great the Conquerour of Darius and overthrower of the Perſian Kingdom, did in his own perſon viſit Ieruſalem and the Temple, coming towards it like a Lion, but he came into it like a Lamb. He had taken indignation at Iaddua the High-prieſt, Neh. 12.22. becauſe he denyed him aſſiſtance at the ſiege of Tyrus (for Jaddua had ſworn fealty to Darius.) Hereupon he cometh up towards Jeruſalem breathing fire and fury againſt it, till he came within the ſight of the City: There he was met by Jaddua in the High-prieſts garments, and by all the Prieſts in their veſtments and the people in white: whom when he came neare, in ſtead of offering them violence, he ſhewed reverence to the High-prieſt and curteouſly ſaluted all the people.
When his Commanders wondred at ſuch a change, he told them that in a dream in Macedon, he ſaw one in the very ſame attire that the High-prieſt was in, who encouraged him to invade the Perſian empire and promiſed to lead his Army and to make him victorious. So he goeth with them into the City, offereth at the Temple, is ſhewed Daniels propheſie concerning himſelfe, granteth favourable priviledges to the Jewes about their religion, and ſo departeth.
[b]Vid. Juch. fol. 15.It is held by ſome of the Jewes, that in the very yeare that Alexander came to Ieruſalem, Ezra, Haggai, Zechary and Malachi died, and the ſpirit of Propheſie departed from Iſrael; which if we follow the computation of Heathen ſtories is a thing of utter improbability, they prolong the Perſian Monarchy to ſo large a time; but if we follow the account of Scripture it makes the improbability a great deale leſſe, as might be ſhewed if we were following the purſuit of Chronology: And if it be queſtioned how it ſhould be poſſible, that all Heathen ſtories that handle the ſucceſſion of the Perſian Kings, ſhould be ſo farre wide as to double, nay, almoſt to treble the number of the Kings more then they were, theſe three things may be produced as thoſe that either ſeverally, or rather jointly might be the reaſons of ſuch a miſtake.
1 Becauſe every one of the Perſian Kings had a double, nay, ſome a treble name, and this multiplicity of names might deceive the heedleſſe Hiſtorian into an aſſertion of numerouſneſs of perſons.
2 The Perſian Kingdome was a double Kingdome, Media and Perſia, the two armes and ſhoulders in Dan. 2. now the King of Perſia and the Viceroy of Media might be likewiſe miſconceived in after-times for two differing Perſian Monarchs.
3 It was the manner of the Perſian Kings when they went into the warres, to create a King to rule at home while they were abſent, and this might cauſe the accounting of ſo many Kings and of ſo long a time. And ſo Herodotus beareth witneſſe that[c]Herod. Polymn. vel lib. 7. foreign; when the King went to warre, it was the Law of the Perſians that he ſhould appoint a King and ſo goe his way on his expedition. And this cuſtome was that that made Cyrus his third yeare to be accounted for Artaxerxes his firſt, though Cyrus was yet alive, becauſe he left him King at home whileſt he himſelfe went to warres abroad.
Alexander dying in the flower of his age and victories, his large Dominions obtained ſo ſuddainly by the ſword, were divided as ſuddainly againe, in a manner by the ſword, amongſt four of his chiefe Commanders, according as was propheſied Dan. 8.8. & 11.4. Two of them were Seleucus Nicanor, who obtained Syria, and Ptolomy Lagus, who obtained Aegypt, whoſe families (the houſe of the North and the houſe of the South, Dan. 11.) being ill Neighbours one to another, did both of them prove ill Neighbours to Iudea, and through and under them the people and Temple did undergoe divers varieties of fortune, but moſt commonly the worſt.
The Kings of theſe Countries are reckoned theſe.
[d]Vid. Euſeb. in Chron. Strab. Geog.l. 17.Kings of Syria.
1 Seleucus Nicaner 32. y.
2 Antiochus Soter 19.
3 Antiochus Theos 15
4 Seleucus Gallinicus 20
5 Seleucus Ceraunos 3
6 Antiochus Magnus 31
7 Seleucus Philopater 12
8 Antiochus Epiphanes 11
9 Antiochus Eupator 2
10 Demetrius Soter 22
11 Alexander 11
12 Demetrius 3
13 Antiochus Sedetes 9
14 Demetrius iterum 4
15 Antiochus Grippus 12
16 Antiochus Cyzicenus 18
17 Philippus 2
[d]Vid. Euſeb. in Chron. Strab. Geog.l. 17.Kings of Aegypt.
1 Ptolomy Lagus 40. y.
2 Ptol. Philadelphus 18
3 Ptol. Euergetes 26
4 Ptol. Philopator 17
5 Ptol. Epiphanes 24
6 Ptol. Philometor 36
7 Ptol. Euergetes 29
8 Ptol. Phyſcon 17
9 Ptol. Alexander 10
10 Ptol. Lathurus 8
11 Ptol. Dionyſius 30
12 Cleopatra 22
SECT. III. A Briefe of the ſtate of the Temple in the times of theſe Kings.
IF we were to write a ſtory of the City and people, as we are of the Temple, here were a very large field before us, for exceeding much of the ſtory of Jeruſalem and Judea hath to doe with the ſtory of theſe Kings: but ſince our confinement is to the Temple only, we ſhall make a ſhorter cut, becauſe the peculiar relations that we finde about that, are but few in compariſon of the general ſtory of the City and Nation.
[a]Ioſ. Ant. lib. 12. c. 3.Seleucus Nicanor, (or Nicator as ſome do call him) the firſt of theſe Kings of Syria, was a great favourer of the Jewiſh Nation, for he infranchiſed them in his Syrian Cities, yea even in Antioch the Metropolis it ſelfe: and[b]Id. in lib. Maccab. cap. 3.2 Mac. 3.3. he beſtowed benevolences upon the Temple, to an exceeding liberall and magnificent value.
But Ptolomy Lagus King of Aegypt his contemporary, was as bitter to the Nation as he was favourable: He having his army in the Country, tooke advantage one Sabbath day of the Jewes ſtrict reſting on that day, and pretending to come into the City to Sacrifice, he ſurprized the City, and it is like the Temple ſped but indifferently with him, and he carryed exceeding many thouſands away captive.
[c]Ariſteas & Joſ.ubi ante.His ſon and ſucceſſour Ptolomy Philadelphus was againe as favourable to the Nation, as he had been miſchievous: He ſent for the Lxx Elders to tranſlate the Bible, & ſent exceeding great munificence to the Temple, which we have had ſome cauſe to ſpeak of before.
In the time of Ptolomy Euergetes the ſucceſſour of Philadelphus, the covetize of Onias the High-prieſt, had provoked the diſpleaſure of that King, and was like to have brought miſchiefe upon the place and people, but that it was wiſely appeaſed by Ioſeph Onias his ſiſters ſon.
From the time that Ptolomy Lagus had ſo baſely ſurprized Jeruſalem it was under homage to the Crowne of Aegypt, till Antiochus the great releaſed it, or changed it rather into ſubjection to Syria; whether it were of his goodneſſe and devotion, or whether rather out of his policy to make ſure the Jews to him[d]Appian. in Syrinc. in the great wars that he had, eſpecially with the Romans he beſtowed many favours upon the people, and liberall donations and priviledges upon the Temple: And particularly this edict in its behalfe, That no ſtranger ſhould come into the virge of the Temple prohibited; which it may be firſt occaſioned thoſe inſcriptions upon the pillars at the entrance into the Chel that we have ſpoken of, that no ſtranger ſhould come there upon paine of death.
After him ſucceeded Antiochus Epiphanes (ſave onelyonly that Seleucus Philopater reigned 12 yeares between) a man or a monſter ſhall I call him? of whom and of whoſe curſed actings are thoſe propheſies in Dan. 7.21, 25. & 8.10, 11, 12, 24, 25. & 11.28, &c. and 12.1. &c. and Ezek. 38. & 39. and who performed according to thoſe predictions to the utmoſt of wickedneſſe.
He began his reigne by the account of the booke of the Maccabees in the 137 yeare of the reigne of the Seleucian family, 1 Mac. 1.10. And in the 143 yeare, as both that booke and[e]Joſ. Ant. l. 12. c. 6. 1 Mac. 1.21. &c. Joſephus reckon, he came up to Ieruſalem, being invited thither by a wretched faction of Onias, who was alſo called Menelaus the High-prieſt, and he taketh the City by their meanes, and ſlew many of the contrary party, and tooke away many of the holy things and much ſpoile, and ſo returned to Antioch. This was the beginning of thoſe 2300 daies mentioned in Dan. 8.13, 14. or the daies of deſolation, when the Hoſt and the Sanctuary were both trodden under foot. Two yeares and ſome months after, namely, in the yeare 145 he cometh up againe, and under colour of peaceableneſſe obtaining entrance, he ſacketh Jeruſalem, plundereth the Temple, fireth the faireſt buildings of the City, puls downe the wals, ſlayeth even ſome of thoſe that had invited him, taketh many thouſands priſoners, and ſetteth a Syrian Garriſon for a curbe to the City and Temple. Here was the beginning of thoſe 1290 dayes mentioned Dan. 12.11. the time that the dayly Sacrifice was taken away, and the abomination of deſolation was ſet up; which ſpace is called a time times and halfe a time: which was three yeares and an halfe, and ſome twelve or thirteene dayes.
The miſchieſe that this tyrant and perſecutor wrought to the Temple, nation and religion is not expreſſible: how he forbad circumciſion, aboliſhed religion, burnt the books of the Law, perſrcuted the truth, murdered thoſe that profeſſed it, and defiled the Sanctuary with all manner of abomination, inſomuch that the Holy Ghoſt hath ſet this character upon thoſe ſad times, that that was a time of trouble, ſuch as was not ſince they were a nation even to that ſame time. Dan. 12.1. And here began the ſtory and glory of Mattathias the father of the Maccabean family, who withſtood this outrage and villany[f]1 Mac. 2 70. but died in the next year, namely 146 of the Selencian kingdome.
Iudas Maccabeus ſucceeds him in his zeale and command, and prevaileth ſo gallantly againſt the commanders appointed by the tyrant, Apollonius Seron Gorgias and Lyſias, that in the yeare 148 he and his people returne and purifie the Temple, erect a new Altar, reſtore the ſervice, and keepe the feaſt of dedication for eight dayes, and ordaine it for an annuall ſolemnitie, And from thence even till now (ſaith Ioſephus) we keepe that feaſt and call it foreign (Candlemas, if I may ſo Engliſh it) naming the feaſt as I thinke from this, becauſe ſuch a reſtauration ſhone upon us unexpected. There is mention of this feaſt, and it was honoured with Chriſts preſence Ioh. 10.22. and what was the manner of its ſolemnity, eſpecially by lighting abundance of Candles at it, I have ſhewed in another place.
Both Joſephus and the booke of Maccabeus make it but exactly three yeares betweene the time of Antiochus his defiling of the Altar, with abomination, and Maccabeus his reſtoring and purifying it againe:[g]1 Mac. 1.54. Joſ. ubi ſupr. OnelyOnly the one of them ſaith its defiling began on the fiſteenth day of the month Ciſleu in the 145 yeare of the Seleucian Kingdome; and the other ſaith it began on the five & twentieth day of the ſame month in the ſame year, but both agree that it was purified on the five and twentieth day of the ſame month in the year 148. which teacheth us how to diſtinguiſh upon that paſſage of Daniel forementioned, in chap. 12.11. namely that the time the daily ſacrifice was taken away was 1290 dayes or three years and an half and ſome few dayes over, but the time that the abomination that maketh deſolate was ſet up, that is, idols in the Temple, and an idol altar upon the Lords Altar, was but three yeares.
Antiochus died in Perſia, within 45 daies after the reſtoring of the Temple, as Dan. 12.12. ſeemeth to intimate, when it pronounceth him bleſſed that cometh to 1335 daies, for then he ſhould ſee the tyrants death.[h]Id. ibid. cap. 15. His ſon Antiochus Eupator who ſucceeded him, was invited into Judea by ſome Apoſtate Jewes to come to curbe Iudas Maccabeus, who was beſieging the Syrian garriſon that was in Jeruſalem: He cometh with a mighty power, forceth Judas into the Temple, and there beſiegeth him: But being ſtraitned for proviſions, and hearing of ſtirrings in his owne Kingdome, he offereth the beſieged honourable conditions, upon which they ſurrender. But he entring and ſeeing the ſtrength of the place, and ſuſpecting it might be troubleſome to him againe, he breaketh his articles and his oath, and putteth downe the wall that incompaſſed the holy ground downe to the ground. And thus poore Judas and the Temple are in a worſe condition then before, for the Antiochian garriſon in Jeruſalem that was ready upon all occaſions to annoy it, is not onelyonly not removed, but now is the Temple laid naked to their will and fury.
[i]Ibid.This Antiochus put Menelaus the High-prieſt to death (and he rewarded him but juſtly for calling the tyrant this mans father in) and he made Alcimus High-prieſt in his ſtead, one that was not of the High-prieſts line at all: which made Onias who was next to the High-prieſthood indeed, to flee into Aegypt, and there by the favour of Ptolomy Philometor, he built a Temple parallel to that at Jeruſalem: And thus hath Jeruſalem Temple two corrivalls, a Temple on mount Gerizim in Samaria on the North, and a Temple in Aegypt on the South. Of this Temple built by Onias in Egypt the Talmudicall writers doe make frequent and renowned mention. They ſpeake in the treatiſe Succah, kSuccah. per. 5.of a great Synagogue or Sanbedrin here in the time of Alexander the great, in which they ſay there were 70 golden chaires, and a Congregation belonging to it of double the number of Iſraelites that came out of Egypt: And that Alexander deſtroyed them, to bring upon them the curſe denounced by Jeremy againſt their going downe into Egypt Jer. 44 and the curſe due to them for the violation of the command, Ye ſhall returne thither (to Egypt) no more.
[l]Joſ. Ant. lib. 13. cap. 6. Juchaſ. fol. 14.Yet would Onias venture to build a Temple here againe, and that the rather, building upon that prophecy Eſay 19.19. There ſhall be an Altar to the Lord in the Land of Egypt, &c. Upon which paſſage take the gloſſe of R. Solomon: [m]R. Sol. in Eſai. 19.We learne in Sedat Olam, that after the fall of Sennacherib, Ezekiah ſtood up, and let goe all the multitudes that he had brought with him from Egypt and Cuſh, and they tooke upon them the Kingdome of Heaven, and they returned to their owne place, as it is ſaid, In that day there ſhall be five cities in the land of Egypt &c. They went and built an Altar to the Lord in the land of Egypt, and offered upon it an offering to God to fulfill what was ſpoken, In that day there ſhall be an altar to the Lord in the land of Egypt &c. But ſome of our Doctors in the treatiſe Menachoth, doe underſtand it of the Altar of the Temple of Onias the ſonne of Simeon the juſt, who fled to Egypt and built there an Altar.
In the laſt chapter of the treatiſe Menachoth, the tract which our Rabbin citeth, the Talmudiſts have ſpeech concerning this Temple of Onias, and particularly theſe paſſages[n]Menachoth per. 13. A man ſaith, Behold I undertake to offer a burnt-offering, he muſt offer it at the Sanctuary, and if he offer it at the Temple of Onias he is not diſcharged. If he ſay, I undertake for an offering in the Temple of Onias, he is to offer it at the Sanctuary, but if he offer it at the Temple of Onias he is diſcharged. If he ſay, I undertake to be a Nazarite, he is to poll his head at the Sanctuary, and if he poll it at the Temple of Onias he is not diſcharged: but if he ſay, I will poll at the Temple of Onias, let him poll at the Sanctuary, yet if he doe poll at the Temple of Onias he is quit: The prieſts that ſerve at the Temple of Onias, ſhall not ſerve at the Sanctuary at Ieruſalem: So that it appeareth that there were ſacrifices offered and other Temple-rites uſed in this Temple in Egypt as were in the Temple at Ieruſalem, [o]Juchaſ. ubi ſupra.and it ſo ſtood in great glory 200 yeares according to the opinion of Rambam: But it ſeemes (they are the words of Iuchaſin) that it ſtood all the time of the Sanctuary: for Ioſhuah the ſonne of Perahiab fled thither and ſo in the time of Hillel: and they were obedient to the wiſe men of Ieruſalem and brought offerings, and ſo they brought their wives eſpouſall writings to Hillel (for they ſaid they were baſtards) and he allowed them: And there was there a great Congregation double to the number that came out of Egypt, till after the deſtruction of the ſecond Temple, when Adrian the Emperour came up againſt them and ſlew them all at the time of the deſtruction of Bitter: Thinke of this great plantation of Iewes in Egypt when ye read Mat. 2.13, 14.
But let us returne from this Temple in Egypt to the Temple at Ieruſalem where our buſineſſe lies. Aleimus the Highpri ſt (whoſe illegall induction to that office, had occaſioned this Act of Onias) as he was the Creature of the Antiochian family, ſo was he ſerviceable to it to his utmoſt, even to the miſchiefe of that religion and people in and among which he tooke on him the High-prieſthood: He aſſiſts Demetrius (though he had ſlaine Antiochus who had ſo favoured him) in the invaſion of Iudea, and attempteth to pull downe the wall of the inner Court of the Sanctuary: but is ſuddainly ſtrucke with a divine ſtroke from heaven, and ſo dieth.p1 Mac. 9.54. Joſ. Ant. lib. 12. cap. 17.
Nicanor a commander of this Demetrius forced Iudas Maccabeus to betake himſelfe to a garriſon in Ieruſalem: and he himſelfe going up into the Temple, and there intertained fawningly by the Prieſts, who clawed him by ſhewing him the ſacrifices which they ſaid they offered for his Lord the King, he taunted them, and threatned miſchiefe to the place if Iudas were not delivered to him: but ere long the proud boaſter and threatner was overthrowne and ſlaine.
Ionathan the brother, and ſucceſſor of Judas Maccabeus in his command, proved to be ſo in favour with Alexander the ſucceſſor of Demetrius, and Demetrius againe the ſucceſſor of Alexander, and Antiochus that ſucceeded him, that though there were now and then ſome ſtirrings among them, yet the Temple, which is our ſcene that we are upon, did ſuffer little alteration or prejudice all his time; no more did it in the times of Simon his brother and ſucceſſor: nay he in his firſt yeare, obtaines the peoples liberties, diſmantles the Antiochian garriſon in Jeruſalem, purifies the place, and appoints that day for a yearely rejoycing, and reſtores the land to intire peace and proſperity.
Hyrcanus the ſonne and ſucceſſor of Simon being ſtraitly beſieged in Jeruſalem by Antiochus; at the feaſt of Tabernacles deſires a ceſſation for the time and ſolemnity of the feaſt: which he not onelyonly obtaineth but many and coſtly ſacrifices alſo from Antiochus: which noblenes cauſeth Hyrcanus to ſeeke for an agreement, and ſo the ſiege is raiſed: He is reported to have heard a voice in the Temple whileſt he was offering incenſe there, which told of the victory of his ſonnes who were then in battell with Antiochus Cyzicenus, and when he came out he told ſo much to the people. Ioſephus ſticks not to ſtyle him a King, Prieſt and Prophet: or at leaſt he ſpeaketh but little ſhort of ſo much when he ſaith[q]Id. ib. lib. 13. cap. 18. that God vouchſafed him the three greateſt honours, the rule of the nation, the honour of the High-prieſthood, and prophecie. He caſt off the Syrian yoke and homage.
Alexander his ſonne proves an unhappy ſcourge to his owne nation, ſo much ſcorned and deſpiſed by them, that at the feaſt of Tabernacles they pelted him with their pomecitrons, whereupon he ſlayes 6000 of them and troubles the land with a ſix yeares civill warre. He railed in the Court of the Prieſts, that none but the Prieſts might come in there for feare of the peoples diſturbance.
Ariſtobulus and Hyrcanus the ſonnes of this Alexander quarrell about the rule, and call in forraine aide, as firſt Aretas King of Arabia, who beſiegeth Ariſtobulus in the Temple: and then Pompey who cometh in, taketh the city, and temple, bringeth the nation under the Romane yoke, from under which it never delivered its neck, till city and Temple by that power was raked up in aſhes.
SECT. III The ſtate of the Temple under the Romanes.
SO ſad were the beginnings of the Temple under the Roman power, that an omen might have been taken from them, what would become of it, ere this nation had done with it. Pompey coming up to Ieruſalem had the gates ſhut againſt him, ſo that he preſently begirt it with a ſiege:[a]Dion. Caſſ. lib. 36. But the taking of the City coſt him not much labour (ſaith Dion Caſſius) for he was let in by the party of Hyrcanus: But the Temple which Ariſtobulus party had poſſeſſed coſt him ſome worke. It was ſeated on a high pitch, and fenced with a wall of its o…en. And if the defendants had guarded it all daies alike, it had not been taken: but they intermitting to ſtand upon their defence on Saturdayes (being their Sabbath) on which dayes they do no worke, the Romanes had opportunity on that day to batter the wall. And when they had diſcovered this cuſtome of the beſieged, they did no great matter all the weeke long, till Saturday came againe, and then they ſet upon them againe; and ſo at the laſt the Jewes not reſiſting were ſurprized and ſubdued. Great ſlaughter was made upon the Romanes entrance, of to the number of 12000 Iewes as[b]Joſ. Ant. l. 14. c. 8. Ioſephus reckoneth; and yet even whileſt the Conquerour was killing as faſt as he could, the Prieſts at the Altar went on in the ſervice as inſenſibly and fearleſly, by the ſame Authors relation, as if there had been no ſuch danger and deſtruction at all, till the ſword came to their owne ſides: Pompey being thus victor, he and divers other with him, went into the Temple even into the moſt holy place, and ſaw all its glory and riches, and yet was ſparing of offering any violence to it, but cauſed the place to be purged and the ſervice to be ſet afoot againe.
But what Pompey had ſpared, Craſſus ere long ſeized upon, plundering the Temple of exceeding much wealth, as he went on his expedition into Parthia. [c]Id. ibid. cap. 12.That Parthian war was undertaken by him, as Dion tells us, more upon his covetouſneſſe then upon any other warrantable or honourable ground, and he ſped accordingly, coming to a miſerable end anſwerable to ſuch principles and beginnings.
In the beginning of the reigne of Herod (which was not very long after) the City and Temple was againe beſieged and taken by him and Soſius, and the Temple in danger againe to be rifled, but prevented by Herod as much as he could: and now Antigonus the ſonne of Ariſtobulus the laſt of Aſmonean Rulers is cut off by Antony.
Herod in the eighteenth yeare of his Reigne, beginneth to repaire the Temple, taking it downe to the very foundations, and raiſing it againe in larger dimenſions then it had been of before, and in that forme and ſtructure that hath been obſerved and ſurveyed in the foregoing diſcourſe.
About ſome nine or ten yeares after the finiſhing of it, the Lord came to his owne Temple, even the Meſſenger of the Covenant whom they deſired, Mal. 3.1. being preſented there by his Mother at forty dayes old, and owned by Simeon and Anna, Luke 2. Twelve yeares after that, hee is at the Temple againe, ſet among the Doctours of one of the Sanhedrins, either in one of their Conſiſtories or in their Midraſh, and ſheweth his divine wiſdome to admiration: It is needleſſe to ſpeake of the occurrences that befell in the Temple, about Chriſt and his Apoſtles, as his being on a Pinacle of it in his temptations, his whipping out buyers and ſellers at his firſt and laſt Paſſeover, his conſtant frequenting the place whenſoever he was at Jeruſalem, and his foretelling the deſtruction of it as hee ſate upon Mount Olivet in the face of it, a little before his death: The Apoſtles reſorting thither to the publicke ſervice, and to take opportunity of preaching in the concourſe there, their healing a Creeple there, and converting thouſands: Pauls apprehenſion there upon miſpriſion of his defiling it by bringing in of Gentiles, and other particulars which are at large related by the Evangeliſts, that it is but unneceſſary labour to inſiſt upon them, ſince any Reader may fetch them thence.
As for the paſſages there, that are not mentioned in the Scripture, but by Joſephus and others, as Pilates imbeedlling the holy Treaſures of the Temple upon an aquaeduct, Petronius his going about to bring in Caligulaes Image thither, a tumult cauſed there by the baſe irreverence of a Romane ſouldier, Agrippa's Sacrifices there, and Anathemata, Vitellius his favour to it and the people, a baſe affront and abuſe put upon the place by the Samaritanes, the horrid confuſions there in the time of the ſeditious, the ſlaughter of one Zacharias in it, and at the laſt the firing of it by the Romanes, and the utter ruine of it and the City, they would require a larger diſcourſe, then one chapter or paragraph will afford, it may be they will come to bee proſecuted to the full in another Treatiſe, and therefore I ſhall but onelyonly name them here.
FINIS.
End of the text · John Lightfoot, The Temple in the Days of our Savior Described (1650)