Temple of Presence

The Christological Fulfillment of Ezekiel 40–48 in Revelation 21:1—22:5

Robinson

• Publisher: Wipf and Stock
• Year: 2019
• ISBN:
  9781532664434
• Topic: Théologie et religion
• Subtopic: Études bibliques

In Revelation 21-22, John offered a resplendent portrayal of a new Jerusalem without a temple, in which he seemed to reference the final chapters of Ezekiel. The puzzling issue for interpreters is why John chose to utilize Ezekiel's temple vision if he wanted to dispense with the temple. Andrea Robinson delves into the complex relationship between these two visions of heaven and earth, examining parallels between Revelation21-22 and Ezekiel 40-48. In the process, Robinson also explores a variety of apocalyptic works from the Second Temple period to determine the tenor of thought in regard to the concepts of the temple and the messiah in John's day. Ultimately, she helps readers understand how John utilizes Ezekiel's imagery to portray Jesus Christ as the eschatological temple--the place where heaven and earth unite. By uncovering how original hearers would have understood John's visions, Robinson's insightful study helps modern readers appropriate the same hope of a glorious future with the Messiah.

1.

Introduction

Prior to Christ, the Jerusalem Temple was the primary means by which God fulfilled his covenant promise to dwell in the midst of his people.1 When the First Temple was destroyed, “Both the power of Israel’s God and the certainty of Israel’s election were called into question.”2 By way of response, the prophets envisioned a new and better temple that could not be destroyed by human means. The inception of an eschatological temple was expected to usher in an age of peace and prosperity. James McCaffrey asserted, “the blessings of salvation reserved for the eschatological age are also inseparably linked with the Jerusalem Temple as the gathering-place of the nations.”3

However, New Testament (NT) believers view Christ as the fulfillment God’s Old Testament (OT) soteriological promises. John4 himself may have employed a “redemptive-historical” approach as he communicated his eschatological outlook.5 Throughout the course of the Apocalypse, John reinterpreted OT texts in the light of Christ and his mission. By the time readers reach the latter chapters of Revelation, they are well prepared to read John’s message in close interaction with OT passages that have been anticipated throughout.6

In Revelation 21–22, John offered a striking portrayal of a new Jerusalem without a temple, in which he seemed to reference the final chapters of Ezekiel. The puzzling issue for interpreters is why John chose to utilize Ezekiel’s temple vision if he desired to dispense with the temple. David Mathewson proposed, “by alluding to Ezekiel’s vision of a restored temple, John envisions the entire city as the locus of divine glory as the fulfillment of the new covenant promise of God dwelling with his people (cf. Rev 21.3; Ezek 37.26–27).”7 Further, the new temple of Jesus’ body becomes the place where humanity can approach God’s presence as Jesus bridges the chasm between heaven and earth.8

The purpose of the current research is to evaluate the relationship between Ezekiel’s temple (Ezek 40–48) and John’s vision of a new heaven and earth (Rev 21:1—22:5). Structural and lexical parallels between the two passages seem to indicate that some type of connection exists. Is Ezekiel’s temple consummated in John’s eschatological city? If so, why is the city lacking the central feature of Ezekiel’s vision—a temple? The guiding thesis is that John presents Jesus Christ as the fulfillment of Ezekiel’s temple vision.

Methodology

The following research will consist of a systematic examination of intertextual parallels between Ezekiel 40–48 and Revelation 21:1—22:5. First, an overview of scholarly perspectives on Ezekiel’s temple vision will be presented in order to determine the timeless theological core of the vision. Second, a diachronic examination of Second Temple period literature will be performed to determine the tenor of thought in regard to temple and messiah during the period in which Revelation was written. For practical purposes, the sources will be delimited to the following: (1) Works likely predating Revelation include Tobit, 1–2 Enoch, Sibylline Oracle 3, the Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs, Jubilees, 2 Ezekiel, and the Qumran Sectarian documents. (2) Sources roughly contemporaneous with the time frame in which Revelation was composed include the Similitudes of 1 Enoch, Sibylline Oracles 1–2, 4–5, 4 Ezra (2 Esdras), 1–3 Baruch, the Apocalypse of Abraham, Pseudo-Philo, and the Ezekiel Targum. Although the Mishnah was compiled after the book of Revelation, the volume reflects traditions of the previous four centuries. Additionally, tractate Middoth, in which a temple plan is outlined, was composed soon after the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple, placing the document in the same time frame as Revelation. Therefore, the Mishnah will be included in the analysis. The intent for the diachronic analysis is to determine whether a conceptual framework existed for John to draw upon in his portrayal of Ezekiel’s temple in a nonliteral manner.

Third, the relationship between Ezekiel 40–48 and Revelation 21–22 will be examined synchronically, with both micro-level and macro-level analyses. At the macro level, structural and topical parallels will be examined to establish a broad framework for the relationship between the two books. At the micro level, lexical and semantic parallels will be examined.9 Verses that exhibit close conceptual affinities then will be identified. Finally, the relative certainty and contextual function of each reference will be determined using categories proposed by G. K. Beale.

While schemas for the categorization of intertextual references abound, Beale’s classifications are utilized because he has undertaken one of the most comprehensive studies of the use of the O...