Early Judaism- A Comprehensive Overview

dispersed people of God would be gathered to their home (e.g., Isa. 11:10-

16; Ezek. 37:15-28), and that longing comes to expression in some of the lit-

erature written when the Second Temple stood, although the vast majority

of Diaspora Jews remained where they were.

The Temple

One phenomenon related to and underscoring the centrality of the land of

Israel, one that exercised a strong attraction for Jews everywhere, was the

Temple in Jerusalem. Other Jewish temples existed — one at Elephantine

in Egypt and later one in Leontopolis, also in Egypt — but the sanctuary in

Jerusalem held a special place. Ezra 6:13-18 dates the completion and dedi-

cation of the Second Temple to the sixth year of King Darius (515b.c.e.);

that building complex (with repairs) apparently lasted until 20b.c.e.when

King Herod began completely rebuilding it on a grander scale (see fig. 65).

Herod’s temple was to be destroyed with the city of Jerusalem in 70c.e.

If the Second Temple followed the structural plan of Solomon’s temple

(see 1 Kings 6:2-6), the building itself would have had three rooms — the

nave or vestibule, the Holy Place, and the Holy of Holies — along with sev-

eral altars. These would have been set within at least two large courts and

would have been surrounded by other structures required for the person-

nel and materials of sacrificial worship and other sanctuary-related activi-

ties. The Herodian temple area (see Josephus,Ant.15.391-420;Ag. Ap.

2.102-4) included four courts with ever greater degrees of holiness: one ac-

cessible to all, including non-Jews, one for all Jews including women, one

for Jewish men, and one for priests only (see figs. 66-67). At various places

there were marble columns and porticoes with steps and walls between en-

closures. Only the high priest, on the Day of Atonement, could enter the

Holy of Holies, the innermost room of the Temple itself.

Because of the central place occupied by the Temple in Jerusalem, the

priests who served there exercised important functions in society, and

some of them became its leading officials. According to the scriptural ge-

nealogies and laws, all qualified males of the tribe of Levi were clergy, but

only the members of this tribe stemming from Aaron’s line were priests

(Num. 8:5-26; see also Exod. 28:1-3; 29:1-37). The Levites performed other

duties at the sanctuary and served the priests, the sons of Aaron (Num.

18:1-7; 4:46-49). At the head of the body of priests stood the high priest,

who, in the early centuries of the Second Temple period, came from the

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Judaism in the Land of Israel

EERDMANS -- Early Judaism (Collins and Harlow) final text
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