The House of the Lord: A Catholic Biblical Theology of God's Temple Presence in the Old and New Testament

by Stephen C. Smith, Brant Pitre (Foreword by)

Overview

The House of the Lord invites readers to participate in a unique journey: a deep exploration of the Old and New Testaments that searches out and contemplates the reality of God's presence with his people, with a particular focus on investigating God's self-revelation in and through the biblical temple. The journey represents a tour de force of biblical theology, guided by author Steven Smith, a Catholic biblical scholar, seminary professor, and expert on the temple and the Holy Land. In addition to the temple, Smith observes the centrality of priesthood in both the Old and New Testaments, exploring all four Gospels like never before, through a temple lens.From Genesis onward, Smith carefully traces the biblical mystery of the temple, including the Sanctuary of Mount Eden, the tabernacle of the wilderness, the rise and fall of Solomon's Temple, Herod's Temple in Jesus's day, and the heavenly sanctuary of Revelation. Supported by a massive array of evidence and details, from sources across two millennia of biblical theology, this book will be read and read again for its value as a reference work. The House of the Lord is for anyone who seeks to understand more deeply the message of the biblical story.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780999513491
Publisher:	Franciscan University Press
Publication date:	08/23/2019
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	392
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 1.30(d)

About the Author

Steven C. Smith is associate professor of Sacred Scripture, Mount St. Mary's University

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments ix

Foreword Brant Pitre xi

Introduction: An Invitation to Temple Theology 1

Part I Temple Theology in the Old Testament

1 Eden, the Cosmological Temple: The Temple of Creation (I/III) 35

2 The Sacred Space of the Garden Sanctuary: The Temple of Creation (II/III) 50

3 "Seven" and the Temple in the Mystery of Creation: The Temple of Creation (III/III) 65

4 The Priest of Eden in All of His Glory: Temple Priesthood in the Old and New Testaments (I/IV) 77

5 Priests and Priesthood in the Patriarchal Era: Temple Priesthood in the Old and New Testaments (II/IV) 95

6 The Priesthood of the Levites: Temple Priesthood in the Old and New Testaments (III/IV) 109

7 Jesus, God's Eternal High Priest: Temple Priesthood in the Old and New Testaments (IV/IV) 121

8 The Holy Tabernacle of the Wilderness: The Presence and Transcendence of Israel's God 133

9 From the Hand of the Lord: The Temple of Solomon (I/III) 149

10 Internalizing and Universalizing God's Law: Temple Theology in the Psalms and Wisdom Literature, The Temple of Solomon (II/III) 167

11 They Burned the House of the Lord: The Destruction of the Temple of Solomon (III/III) 180

12 Rebuilding the House of the Lord: Judaism in the Period of the Second Temple 193

Part II Temple Theology in the New Testament

13 Temple, Messiah, and Kingdom: Temple Theology in the Four Gospels (I/V) 209

14 In My Father's House: Temple Theology in the Four Gospels (II/V) 241

15 Something Greater Than the Temple Is Here: Temple Theology in the Four Gospels (III/V) 259

16 The Temple of His Body: The Gospel of John, Temple Theology in the Fourth Gospel (IV/V) 287

17 Blood and Water: The Passion of the Christ, Temple Theology in the Four Gospels (V/V) 304

18 The Spirit and the Body: Temple Theology in Acts and Pauline Epistles, the New Creation 327

19 The Spirit and the Bride: Temple Theology in Hebrews and the Book of Revelation, Eternal Priest, Heavenly Temple 350

Conclusion: Heirs of the Temple, the Influence of Temple Theology upon Architecture, and Worship in the Early Church 375

Afterword: Temple Theology Today 399

Index 403

Editorial Reviews

"I read this book with joy. In the mid-twentieth century, Catholic scholars of the stature of Yves Congar and Jean Deanielou regularly produced historically informed biblical theology of the highest caliber. Catholic biblical theology explored Scripture's divine provision of historical-typological streams, through which the unity of the story of salvation comes into view. But biblical theology rapidly faded away after the Council, and this greatly weakened the ability of Catholic priests and laity to tell Scripture's story. Thus, for the new evangelization, I can't think of anything more important than the retrieval of Catholic biblical theology that Professor Smith accomplishes in this exciting and extraordinary book. A must-read for all seminarians and students of Scripture!"—Matthew Levering, James N. and Mary D. Perry Jr. Chair of Theology, Mundelein Seminary

"Biblical theology is experiencing a new wave that is finally putting the temple back where it belongs – at the front and center of our thinking. Now riding on the top of this wave comes Steven Smith and his newly released biblical theology that is at once scholarly and accessible. Protestant and Orthodox readers, no less than Catholics, will glean countless insights from its pages.""—Nicholas Perrin, Franklin S. Dyrness Chair of Biblical Studies and dean of Wharton Graduate School

"Author Steven Smith brings readers on a focused tour of the temple in both the Old and New Testaments, demonstrating throughout the centrality of this theme. His book will help readers come to a deeper understanding of God's Word and of the importance of sacrifice and priesthood in God's plan of salvation. Accessible and clear, The House of the Lord is recommended especially for those readers for whom the Old Testament can seem to be a closed book."—Stephen Ryan, OP, Dominican House of Studies

From the Publisher