How Well Do You Know Your Bible? Patterns & Themes

Review of Last Lesson

Matthew 26:57–67 ESV

57 Then those who had seized Jesus led him to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders had gathered. 58 And Peter was following him at a distance, as far as the courtyard of the high priest, and going inside he sat with the guards to see the end. 59 Now the chief priests and the whole council were seeking false testimony against Jesus that they might put him to death, 60 but they found none, though many false witnesses came forward. At last two came forward 61 and said, “This man said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to rebuild it in three days.’ ” 62 And the high priest stood up and said, “Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?” 63 But Jesus remained silent. And the high priest said to him, “I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.” 64 Jesus said to him, “You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.” 65 Then the high priest tore his robes and said, “He has uttered blasphemy. What further witnesses do we need? You have now heard his blasphemy. 66 What is your judgment?” They answered, “He deserves death.” 67 Then they spit in his face and struck him. And some slapped him,

Jesus claims to be God

Jesus references to Daniel 7:13 & Psalms 110:1 to substantiate his claim

He have to interpreting the bible on its own terms which means understanding the ancient near east context.

What is a Temple?

A temple is a building dedicated to religious worship where a deity is understood to be specially present. More broadly, it functions as a structure perceived to be the dwelling place of a god, serving as a location for worship activities

Beyond physical structures, the term extends metaphorically. A temple can denote a place where divine presence specially resides, including the church understood as a collective body. This reflects how the concept bridges architectural, theological, and spiritual dimensions—functioning simultaneously as a concrete building, a sacred space marked by God’s presence, and a symbol of spiritual reality.

A Temple is where Heaven & Earth Meet

Ezekiel 28:13–14 ESV

13 You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering, sardius, topaz, and diamond, beryl, onyx, and jasper, sapphire, emerald, and carbuncle; and crafted in gold were your settings and your engravings. On the day that you were created they were prepared. 14 You were an anointed guardian cherub. I placed you; you were on the holy mountain of God; in the midst of the stones of fire you walked.

Faithlife Study Bible Cosmic Garden and Mountain Imagery in the Old Testament

People in the ancient Near East believed that the gods lived in lush gardens or mountains, as both settings reflected luxury and remoteness—qualities associated with the gods. Gardens and mountains also contrasted with typical living conditions. Most people in the ancient Near East lived in arid climates and relied on what they grew or gathered for food. But, in their view, gardens—where the gods lived—had an abundance of water and a wide range of fresh vegetation for food, shade, and beauty.

Both the tabernacle and the temple preserved the garden and mountain imagery. If God dwelled in the holy of holies, the area outside the holy of holies represented the garden of Eden. The curtains of this internal structure were decorated with cherubim (Exod 26:1; compare Exod 25:17–22), as was the veil separating the holy of holies (most holy place) from the rest of the holy place (Exod 26:31). The cherubim guarded the way to the divine presence as they did in Eden (Gen 3:24). Outside the veil stood the golden lampstand—the menorah—which represented the tree of life (see Exod 25:31–40). The lampstand—composed of a central shaft or “trunk” with six branches on either side—resembled a tree, and was covered with almond blossoms, a symbol of life and its renewal (see Jer 1:11–12; 31:26–27; Psa 127:1; Prov 8:34; compare Eccl 12:5). The temple in Jerusalem also had numerous carvings of lush plant life and cherubim (1 Kgs 7).

Jacob’s Ladder

Genesis 28:10–22 ESV

10 Jacob left Beersheba and went toward Haran. 11 And he came to a certain place and stayed there that night, because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of the place, he put it under his head and lay down in that place to sleep. 12 And he dreamed, and behold, there was a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven. And behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it! 13 And behold, the Lord stood above it and said, “I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac. The land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring. 14 Your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south, and in you and your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed. 15 Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” 16 Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.” 17 And he was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.” 18 So early in the morning Jacob took the stone that he had put under his head and set it up for a pillar and poured oil on the top of it. 19 He called the name of that place Bethel, but the name of the city was Luz at the first. 20 Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and clothing to wear, 21 so that I come again to my father’s house in peace, then the Lord shall be my God, 22 and this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, shall be God’s house. And of all that you give me I will give a full tenth to you.”

Faithlife Study Bible Chapter 28

a ladder This word, which occurs only here in the ot, derives from either the Hebrew verb salal (meaning “to heap up”) or the Akkadian word simmiltu, which is used for a stairway of steps. The description that its top reached to heaven echoes the description of the Tower of Babel, which was a ziggurat (see note on

Faithlife Study Bible Chapter 28

angels of God were ascending That divine beings used the ladder shows that the staircase marked an entryway to the divine realm (see v. 17). The imagery also suggests that angels regularly visit earth to do God’s work.

Jesus is the True Ladder

John 1:43–51 ESV

43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” 46 Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” 47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” 48 Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” 49 Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” 50 Jesus answered him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” 51 And he said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

The ESV Study Bible Chapter 1

See heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending

Jesus the True Temple

John 2:19–21 ESV

19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” 20 The Jews then said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?” 21 But he was speaking about the temple of his body.

How the Temple Language Applies to us?

1 Corinthians 6:15–20 ESV

15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! 16 Or do you not know that he who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, “The two will become one flesh.” 17 But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. 18 Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. 19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

1 Corinthians 3:16 ESV

16 Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?

The ESV Study Bible Chapter 6

6:19 temple of the Holy Spirit within you. The Spirit of the Lord lives within individual Christians (v. 17), making each Christian’s body a temple just as the church, corporately conceived, is also a temple where God’s Spirit dwells (3:16). You are not your own. As with other gifts from God (4:2, 7), Christians are to exercise responsible stewardship over their bodies.

Questions

How does the imagery of Jacob's ladder relate to Jesus’ claim as the 'true ladder' to heaven?

How does the concept of the temple evolve from the Old Testament to the New Testament, especially in relation to Jesus?

How can understanding our bodies as temples of the Holy Spirit change our daily actions and decisions?