The Cave of Machpelah

[Augustine3]

I’m going to ask a silly question…

Apparently King Herod greatly enlarged and expanded the second Temple. How was it that the building’s integrity remains intact (still standing) when it was destroyed destroyed in 70 A.D.

God bless,

 

[John7]

I’m going to ask a silly question…

Apparently King Herod greatly enlarged and expanded the second Temple. How was it that the building’s integrity remains intact (still standing) when it was destroyed destroyed in 70 A.D.

God bless,

I don’t think, last time I checked, that Herod’s temple is still standing. It was flattened by Titus and his army.

Is that what you’re asking?

 

[thistle]

I’m going to ask a silly question…

Apparently King Herod greatly enlarged and expanded the second Temple. How was it that the building’s integrity remains intact (still standing) when it was destroyed destroyed in 70 A.D.

God bless,

It is not still standing. It was destroyed.

 

[ChadS]

I believe a lot of archaeologists believe that the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem used to be part of the temple and that is the only part left standing. Other than that the destruction of the temple was thorough and complete, leaving no two stones unbothered.

ChadS

 

[Joe_Kelley]

What is standing is a mosque built on the site many centuries later.

 

[ChadS]

What is standing is a mosque built on the site many centuries later.

This might be of some interest, but a while back I saw a documentary that said that the Dome of the Rock actually isn’t built where the Temple was standing, but is outside of its compound and is at the other end of the platform. I don’t know how accurate it is, but it’s interesting nonetheless.

ChadS

 

[steve53]

The outline of the second Temple can still be seen. The lower blocks are unmistakably Herodian, with characteristic borders. If you visit Jerusalem, visit the southwest corner of the Temple, which is in the Jewish sector and has been excavated down to it’s base (Ophlas). The huge Herodian blocks can still be seen, and the jumble of blocks can also be seen that were thrown down from above when the upper reaches of the temple were destroyed by Titus’ forces in A.D. 70.
Today, where these large blocks are replaced by smaller blocks marks the extent of the destruction.

Josephus gives a description of the temple and how it was built in his works, and Hagan in “Fires of Rome” pieces together the ancient upper city of Jerusalem, including the Herodian Temple- but with no pictures.

So, in contrast to Jesus’ prediction, many base stones of the Second Temple are still in place. Needless to say, this has provided much grist for the “end of the world” types.

 

[patrick457]

I believe a lot of archaeologists believe that the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem used to be part of the temple and that is the only part left standing. Other than that the destruction of the temple was thorough and complete, leaving no two stones unbothered.

ChadS

To be more precise, the Western Wall is a remnant of the wall that surrounded the Temple’s courtyard built ca. 17 BC.

 

[steve53]

The outline of the second Temple can still be seen. The lower blocks are unmistakably Herodian, with characteristic borders. If you visit Jerusalem, visit the southwest corner of the Temple, which is in the Jewish sector and has been excavated down to it’s base (Ophlas). The huge Herodian blocks can still be seen, and the jumble of blocks can also be seen that were thrown down from above when the upper reaches of the temple were destroyed by Titus’ forces in A.D. 70.
Today, where these large blocks are replaced by smaller blocks marks the extent of the destruction.

Josephus gives a description of the temple and how it was built in his works, and Hagan in “Fires of Rome” pieces together the ancient upper city of Jerusalem, including the Herodian Temple- but with no pictures.

So, in contrast to Jesus’ prediction, many base stones of the Second Temple are still in place. Needless to say, this has provided much grist for the “end of the world” types.

In thinking about it, Jesus’ famous prediction could well have been referring to the inner courtyards.

Inside the walled plateau of the outer (first) courtyard, was another walled and elevated complex which held three more courtyards. The fourth courtyard held the Temple building, where god himself was thought to dwell, along with holding the Corban and probably offices and quarters and so forth. In front of the Temple building was an elevated 70-foot square sacrificial alter, partially in the third courtyard.

This inner complex was protected by fifty foot walls, and with limited access. Jesus preached outside of this inner sanctuary, in the outer porticos of the first courtyard, in an area called Solomon’s Portico.

The whole purpose of the walls were defensive. If the first (existing today in part) walls were breached, then the second were there for added protection. The inner sanctuary was the “keep” of the Jerusalem High Priesthood.

This inner complex was, in fact, totally destroyed down to the last block. If it was this that Jesus was pointing to when he spoke, then his prophecy came to pass.