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The Epistle of Barnabas
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Chapter 16: The Spiritual Temple of God.
MOREOVER: I will also tell you about the temple, how the wretched [Jews], wandering in error, did not trust in God Himself, but in the temple as the house of God. For they almost worshipped Him in the temple like the Gentiles did.
But learn how the Lord speaks when abolishing it: “Who has measured heaven with a span, and the earth with His palm? Have not I?” “Thus says the Lord, Heaven is My throne, and the earth My footstool: what kind of house will you build for Me, or what is the place of My rest?” You see that their hope is in vain.
Moreover, He again says, “Behold, those who have cast down this temple, even they shall build it up again.” It has so happened. For through their going to war, it was destroyed by their enemies; and now they, as servants of their enemies, shall rebuild it. Again, it was revealed that the city and the temple and the people of Israel were to be given up. For the Scripture says, “And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the Lord will deliver up the sheep of His pasture, and their sheep-fold and tower, to destruction.” And it has happened as the Lord had spoken.
Let us inquire, then, if there still is a temple of God. There is—where He Himself declared He would make and finish it. For it is written, “And it shall come to pass, when the week is completed, the temple of God shall be built in glory in the name of the Lord.” I find, therefore, that a temple does exist. Learn, then, how it shall be built in the name of the Lord. Before we believed in God, the habitation of our heart was corrupt and weak, like a temple made with hands.
For it was full of idolatry and was a habitation of demons through our doing things opposed to the will of God.
But it shall be built, observe, in the name of the Lord, so that the temple of the Lord may be built in glory. How? Learn as follows. Having received the forgiveness of sins, and placed our trust in the name of the Lord, we have become new creatures, formed again from the beginning.
Therefore, God truly dwells in us.
How? His word of faith; His calling of promise; the wisdom of the statutes; the commands of the doctrine; He Himself prophesying in us; He Himself dwelling in us; opening to us, who were enslaved by death, the doors of the temple, that is, the mouth; and by giving us repentance, introduced us into the incorruptible temple. He who wishes to be saved, then, looks not to man, but to Him who dwells in him and speaks in him, amazed at never having heard such words from his mouth before, nor having ever desired to hear them.
This is the spiritual temple built for the Lord.
Hear the Scriptures cited in The Epistle of Barnabas
The Epistle of Barnabas quotes or alludes to these Bible chapters more than any others. Each link opens the free audio Bible, where the chapter is read aloud alongside the text, cross-references, and what other early Christian writers said about it.
- Hear James 1 (audio Bible) — cited 3 times in this work
- Hear Psalms 22 (audio Bible) — cited 2 times in this work
- Hear Psalms 118 (audio Bible) — cited 2 times in this work
- Hear Isaiah 1 (audio Bible) — cited 2 times in this work
- Hear Daniel 7 (audio Bible) — cited 2 times in this work
- Hear John 12 (audio Bible) — cited 2 times in this work
- Hear Romans 1 (audio Bible) — cited 2 times in this work
- Hear Romans 2 (audio Bible) — cited 2 times in this work
- Hear Hebrews 9 (audio Bible) — cited 2 times in this work
- Hear Genesis 14 (audio Bible)
- Hear Genesis 22 (audio Bible)
- Hear Genesis 25 (audio Bible)