VII. Around all these buildings and courts, with Her´od's temple, but not with Sol´o-mon's, was the Court of the Gen´tiles, an irregular quadrangle of about 1,000 feet on each side (north 990, east 1,000, south 960, west 1,060). The wall on the east was surmounted by a double row of columns, and called Sol´o-mon's Porch (John 10. 23; Acts 3. 12). The "Beautiful Gate" was from the Court of the Gen´tiles to the eastern side of the Court of the Women (Acts 3. 1), through which the people passed on their way to the public worship. The narrow corridor extending entirely around the Court of the Women and the Court of Is´ra-el was called "Chel"—that is, the sacred inclosure—and no one except an Is´ra-el-ite was permitted to enter it. The Court of the Gen´tiles was not regarded by the Jews as sacred, since foreigners were allowed within it, and in its area had grown up a market for the sale of animals for sacrifice and tables for the exchanging of foreign money. Twice this court was purged of these desecrations by Je´sus (John 2. 13-17; Matt. 21. 12, 13).
The principal access to the temple in the time of Christ was a bridge over the Ty-ro´pœ-on valley from Mount Zi´on. Of this bridge a fragment of one arch still remains, known as "Rob´in-son's Arch."
The immediate surroundings of the temple, in the New Testament period, were the following: 1. On the north stood the Castle or Tower of An-to´ni-a, erected by the Ro´mans for the control of the temple area. 2. On the east was the valley of the Kid´ron. 3. On the south and west lay the curving valley of the Ty-ro´pœ-on.
Blackboard Outline
| I. | Thr. Tem. 1. Sol. 970-587. 2. Zer. 534. 3. Her. B. C. 20. A. D. 70. |
| II. | Situa. Vall. Kid. Tyr. Hin. Mts. Mor. Oph. Zi. |
| III. | Hou. Lor. 1. Por. 30x15. 2. H. P. 30x60. 3. H. H. 30x30. 4. Chamb. |
| IV. | Cou. Pri. 200x275. Alt. Lav. "Sea." |
| V. | Cou. Isr. 240x320. |
| VI. | Cou. Wom. 200x200. "Treas." Rooms. |
| VII. | Cou. Gen. 1,000. "Chel." Market. Bridge. |
Hints to the Teacher and the Class
Let each pupil in turn draw on the blackboard one of the departments or courts of the temple, state its dimensions, and explain its uses.
Let a pupil recite the history of each temple.
Let one pupil state in what parts of the temple Je´sus walked and taught, and another events in the life of Saint Paul connected with the temple.
Review Questions