Comments on: Our Temples aren’t Biblical, or Are They?

By: Jacob

Jacob — Mon, 17 Jul 2006 06:07:06 +0000

I was just catching up with the comments on this thread. When I re-read my own comment I was surprised how grumpy it was, I must have been in a bad mood that day…sorry for my dour tone.

Anyway, I do agree with Don that we sometimes try to find direct parallels to everything without becoming comfortable with the differences between ancient and modern temples.

As to the cherubim on the veil of the ancient temple (Ex 26:31), I always understood that to represent the cherubim guarding the way of the tree of life:

So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life. (Gen 3:24).

On the topic of Nephi’s temple, I had an institute teacher who interpreted the very famous 2 Ne 31:17-20 as Nephi’s commentary on the temple. His stait and narrow path was the path through the temple. Nephi mentions:

“baptism by water” — laver
“remission of your sins by fire” — altar of sacrifice
“having a perfect brightness of hope” — candlestick
“feasting upon the word of Christ” — shewbread
“thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life” — tree of life in the holy of holies
“ye must pray always, and not faint” (2 Ne 32:9) — altar of incense

By: BrianJ

BrianJ — Sun, 16 Jul 2006 23:13:16 +0000

How do Nephi’s temples fit into this? They are barely even mentioned in the Book of Mormon, so I think any answer would be speculative. Nevertheless, Nephi says that he builds the temple like Solomon’s, but are the ordinances the same? After all, Nephi is non-Levite and non-Judah, and we see dramatic differences in the Old Testament between the Shilohists and the Aaronids. Do the Nephite ceremonies change after Christ’s visit?

In other words: Do we have three very different kinds of worship in temples:ancient Israel, Nephite, and latter-day?

By: Kurt

Kurt — Sun, 16 Jul 2006 05:16:53 +0000

Don, with respect to the molten sea being a baptisty, I have asked different Rabbis what their take is on it (e.g., “Is the molten sea a mikvah?”) and I have gotten three different types of responses: No way; Maybe; Nobody really knows. So, that one isnt all that far fetched.

By: don

don — Sun, 16 Jul 2006 03:06:57 +0000

Jim, I appreciate your sensitivity to sacred things. I’m not trying to make light of those sacred things. I am under covenant not to reveal the signs and tokens. I feel it is appropriate to discuss the symbolism, the items described in the scriptures and other elements if done carefully and with proper reverence….hopefully we are doing that.

By: Starfoxy

Starfoxy — Sun, 16 Jul 2006 01:15:08 +0000

In regards to the current Temple Veil being different than the ancient Temple Veil, a major event occurred that changed the Veil entirely. After Christ died the Veil was rent, which symbollically means that passage into God's presence was now possible thanks to Christ's atonement. But it also meant that the Temple Veil was now approachable by the common person, and that conversing and passage through the Temple veil was now possible for everyone. The rending of the Veil mentioned in the scriptures applies to the Temple veil as well as the Veil into Heaven.

By: Clark Goble

Clark Goble — Sat, 15 Jul 2006 23:43:51 +0000

Interesting, to me at least, most of the most significant parallels between modern temples and the ancient world can be found in Merkebah literature. Often the best parallels are found not in Solomon’s temple but the heavenly temple the prophet visits in his heavenly ascent.

By: Jim Cobabe

Jim Cobabe — Sat, 15 Jul 2006 22:05:40 +0000

I am acutely uncomfortable with the tone of such discussions on the internet. Though I see a need for an open forum, I feel caught between serious reverence for sacred ordinances administered in the House of the Lord. If I was at all susceptible to being offended myself, some of the comments here would have crossed the line of appropriate respect.

Please, keep in mind when discussing such things that they are most sacred to many of us.

By: Jack

Jack — Sat, 15 Jul 2006 21:01:04 +0000

Whoops! I don’t know how I inserted that Post-script in the middle of my comment. Oh well, y’all know it’s supposed to go at the end.

By: Jack

Jack — Sat, 15 Jul 2006 20:59:20 +0000

It’s a fun topic, Don.

I agree that we may strain ourselves to find similarities. In fact, I think we (collectively as LDS) have the unfortunate tendency to proof-text the scriptures to death on certain topics.

PS. It was my alter ego that spelled “altar” a-l-t-e-r in my previous comment.

But even so, it seems to me that the scriptures are repleat with strong common threads of narrative. Such narratives as the “exodus pattern” (which is reflected in the temple narrative) are IMO unmistakable. The “cycle of pride” is another one. And there are many others, of course.

Your GD class is in for a treat!

By: don

don — Sat, 15 Jul 2006 20:23:24 +0000

By the way, thanks for your comments, they have given me a great perspective for part of my Gospel doctrine lesson this week.