Second temple Archives - Bob on Books

Cover image of "The Trials of Jesus" by Paul Barnett

The Trials of Jesus, Paul Barnett. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. (ISBN: 9780802884336) 2024.

Summary: The historical and geopolitical context, the principle figures involved, and the succession of trials Jesus undergoes.

Between the Last Supper and the Crucifixion, authorities arrested Jesus, a series of interrogations and trials occurred, along with beatings, mockery, and flogging. But why was it such a convoluted process? For instance, the religious authorities were able to stone Stephen without any resort to Rome. But in the case of Jesus, he is interrogated by Annas and Caiaphas, tried by the Sanhedrin. Then he faces Pilate, who calls in Herod, who defers, and goes through a final trial and condemnation by Pilate. What’s going on?

Paul Barnett offers a thorough-going answer. First, he explains the history of the intertestamental period and the succession of powers over Judea and Jerusalem. We learn how Rome came to control what were once the lands of Israel as well as the Herod family, who were client rulers under Rome over all or part of the land. In turn, Barnett introduces the principle figures in the trial-the high priests, Herod Antipas, Pilate, and Jesus.

Barnett summarizes the message of Jesus and its reception with the people. Then we learn of the basis for the religious charges of blasphemy. Barnett sketches the accomplishments of Antipas, including the cities of Tiberias and Caesarea Philippi. It is significant that Jesus, especially after John’s beheading, avoids these cities in his Galilean ministry. Not only was it dangerous, but these cities reflected the Hellenized character of Antipas rule. We also learn that Pilate was a weakened ruler by the time the trial occurred, having lost his sponsor Sejanus to death and subsequent condemnation. He further provoked hostile Jewish reaction through several incidents of poor judgment, and created a rift with Antipas, ironically healed by the trial. Pilate was on thin ice with Tiberius.

Barnett proceeds to the trials, explaining the necessity of each and incorporating the material of both the synoptics and John. Barnett shows how, although reaching a verdict of blasphemy, because of the experience with John, and the appeal of Jesus, the Sanhedrin decide to turn him over to Roman authority on the charge of insurrection, that he was claiming to be a rival king. Yet Pilate sees through this, recognizing that the small band of Jesus’ followers are no guerilla force. Under pressure, recognizing that Jesus ministered in Herod’s territory, Pilate invites him in. But after the unhappy experience with John, Herod wants no part, although he is glad to finally see Jesus in person. Politically weak, and not wanting to offend the Jews further and create more unrest, Pilate condemns Jesus to death.

The final part of the book considers that after history. He highlights the vendetta the Annas held against the church, including the empowering of Saul, the executions of Stephen and James Zebedee, and James, the brother of the Lord. Yet all those who judged Jesus also pass from the scene, a passage Barnett traces. Perhaps most fascinating, Barnett elucidates the antinomy of the horrible injustice of the crucifixion, and what in God’s purposes, it accomplished through the Lamb of God. Finally, Barnett considers the early evidence for the birth of the church after the resurrection of Jesus.

Barnett does a masterful job in unpacking the convoluted succession of trials, using them as a lens through which he introduces the larger historical and geopolitical context. Through it all he reveals the innocence of Jesus. Furthermore, he draws out the wondrous good accomplished despite corrupt structures and a horrific sentence. This is a wonderful example of biblical scholarship in service to the church.

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for review.

The Temple and the Tabernacle, J. Daniel Hays. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2016.

Summary: An exploration of God’s dwelling places as described throughout the Bible from Eden to tabernacle, to the first and second temples, the question of Ezekiel’s temple, and the temple in John’s Revelation.

For many of us, reading the details of the layout and construction of the tabernacle, or the descriptions of the building of Solomon’s temple was “fly over” country. In addition, it all seems from another time, foreign to our own experiences of worship. This book was a refreshing beam of light on material I’ve neglected, that in fact is quite important to the story of not only Jewish, but Christian faith. It brought alive the significance of ‘tabernacle’ and ‘temple’ as dwelling places where God encounters and relates to his people and also the physical construction, and layout of the successive structures in Israel’s history where they hoped to encounter the living God. Not only that, the clear verbal description is accompanied by lavish illustrations printed on high quality paper, making this book a delight to handle, to look at, and to read.

Hays begins with an overview, looking at the Hebrew and Greek words used for tabernacle and temple, and noting how these all have in common the idea of a dwelling place, whether a movable tent or a royal palace. He surveys the successive places that served this role in scripture beginning with the garden temple of Genesis, following John Walton and others, noting the themes of the tree of life, a river flowing from the garden and gold and precious stones, that will turn up in later accounts. He then turns to the ark and tabernacle of the exodus, considering each object and its significance, and the overall layout of the tabernacle, emphasizing as it does the holiness of God.

Hays brings out as well as any I’ve read the ambivalence of the accounts of the temple of Solomon. He contrasts this with the tabernacle construction, noting that the tabernacle, in all its detail was built according to God’s command. Neither the temple itself, nor its construction details were commanded. Instead of voluntary and enthusiastic work by Jewish craftsmen, foreigners and conscript labor build Solomon’s temple. And while God initially shows favor upon Solomon, as Solomon disobeys God in multiplying wives, chariots, and gods, God turns from him. A sorry story indeed, for it ends in the sacking and destruction of this temple and the loss of the ark.

He then considers the post-exilic temple, and particularly Herod’s reconstruction of that temple. Great attention is focused on the latter, and Hays helped us see not only that this was indeed an incredible sight for the disciples of Jesus, but also for anyone in the Roman empire, as the greatest of the four temples Herod built, and one of the greatest construction feats of the Roman empire. He includes diagrams showing the locations where various incidents in the gospels and Acts occur. Yet in 70 AD, this structure was razed, with only portions of the foundations, notably the Western (Wailing) Wall remaining.

Yet the truth was that God never visibly showed his presence in this temple. God’s dwelling among his people was fulfilled in Christ, whose death opens the way to relationship with the Holy God, symbolized in the rent curtain in the temple. In the heavenly city of Revelation 22, there is no temple, for God and the Lamb are the temple. And the truth is the church, the people of God are a temple, a dwelling place for the Spirit of God upon earth. Thus, Hays does not think in terms of a literal fulfillment of Ezekiel’s temple, but rather sees this fulfilled in the New Jerusalem.

I thought this book was a great example of biblical theology written in service of the people of God. It is rooted in careful scholarship, yet in writing and illustration helps any thoughtful lay person grasp the wonderful truth of how it can be that a holy God dwells with his people, and how Christ fulfills what the tabernacle foreshadowed nearly a millenium and a half earlier. The careful reader will be rewarded with an enriched understanding of one of the great themes that literally runs from Genesis 1 to Revelation 22, and taking it to heart will find themselves worshiping the Holy God, who incredibly has chosen to dwell with such as us!

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.