Jesus, the Priest

So i was reading for my NT intro class and I saw something i have never thought of before.

Ok, so Herod’s temple and all of its granduer were a direct result of him being a “client” of Rome. A client’s main responsibility was to bridge the gap between the local culture and Rome. Herod refused to give his daughter to an uncircumcised ruler and was even rumored to abstain from Pork. But this was all a front to identify with the people, and win their loyalty so that they would trust him. Then he would have more leverage to assimilate them into the Roman culture. it was a kiss of betrayal.

What better example of this bridging is there than the Temple? Herod took the Jewish desire to honor their god and made and astonishing sight. But to someone devout to Yahweh, it would have been the ultimate picture of deception. To someone like Jesus, the temple represented the elevation of Roman/Hellenistic values over their covenantal values. It was outright apostasy, it was subtle assimilation.

When Jesus predicts its destruction in Mark 13:1-2, he is proclaiming his destiny as well as its ruin. He knows that his work will make the temple sacrifices obsolete. He also knows that his kingdom program and the obedience he requires is meant to the destroy what the Temple represents: mediocrity and assimilation.  But the literal temple will not be destroyed for another 40 years.

The death and resurrection of Jesus as well as the establishment of his church at Pentecost (where the people become the temple). Have already destroyed the temple. But, it will take time until the temple is actually physically destroyed. The presence of God and His indwelling spirit destroys our need for assimilation to this world. But, it may take a VERY long time for the Temple to be destroyed in a permanent way. Its an already/not yet! do you see? I almost flipped out when i saw it.

Jesus is the Great High Priest who eliminates the need for a temple. We can trust in him to relate to God. A relationship with God  to his people Israel was maintained by  annual sacrifices by the High Priest. The work has already been done. He eliminated the need for sacrifices by sacrificing himself.

In the same way, those who have trusted in Jesus have no need of the things of this world. The things that show that we used to be apart from him and a part of the world. These things are our temples. They are not acts of rebellion but rather places of mediocrity. Things we do that allow us to blend in, not stand apart. I know I have these areas and part of following Jesus is recognizing these areas and abandoning them. Take some time at the end of the day and ask yourself what your temples are. I know Jesus and I know they arent worth more than him.

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