Temple to Church

I was reading my daughter's school online newsletter when the following post caught my attention: the priest at her school was going to give a presentation called "Temple to Church." Father Jason would talk at a Catholic Church about how our modern day church is connected to the one built by the Jews 2,000 years ago.

I made the mistake of leaving the house without a pen. As I've shifted to using a rather tiny purse that necessitates being cleaned out often, I must have purged the pen. I tried listening, but I knew I could not remember everything he was saying. What I do remember is as he talked about the Second Temple in Jerusalem that only a few months ago I was standing there. As he talked about the Temple of the Dome, I stood there. It came to life, even more than possible with the model he brought with him.

I did finally remember my phone comes with a notes feature. As I am a lousy texter, and as the phone tried to translate into what it thinks I was trying to say, I still tried to take notes.

What made me sit up straighter and take notes was when Father Jason talked about Jesus's path to his rabbinical studies. Others knew this, but I didn't. In order for Jesus to best learn, he needed a smicha, or a expert in Judaic law to educate him to the right level.

I also never appreciated that even though Jesus became the ultimate Jewish leader, he was not born into the tribe that would allow him to become a leading Rabbi.

For those of you much more versed in Judaism and early Christianity than I am, what I learned that night would seem very basic, but for me it was eye opening. In order to enter the inner sanctum you had to be of the tribe of Levy. Jesus was from the tribe of Judah. Banned from birth to become a top leader, yet prophesied for generations to become the ultimate leader of Christianity.

Much of what Father Jason talked about was along the same path.

He showed us the above model. There is a gathering space in the front where the women gathered. The sacraments were proclaimed on the steps. Psalms (songs of the church) were sung. There are many psalms, and there is always at least one applicable to the current situation (please don't ask me to cite examples, many are much better versed in psalms than I will ever be). Meanwhile temple readings are read and songs are being sung. The same as Christian worship is today.

The offertory is sacrificed on the steps by the patriarch of the family. The priest receives it and hands it to someone lower. Though the form of the sacrifice has changed, the ritual is the same in the Catholic church. The priest blesses the bread and wine, and passes it to the deacons or those serving communion (this is not how it is done at our small WiNK worship services, but I have seen it done at large Catholic masses). 

Father Jason told a charming story about a young child who told him we are all grapes. Grapes? He asked? The boy explained we are all grapes because in order to become a good wine, we must be a good mix. Wine made from the same type of grape is not nearly as rich and full as wine made from a mixture of types of grapes.

To continue ... on the side are four small tables. Altars of preparation by assistant priest. Up high main altar of sacrifice.

The priest would be covered in animal blood. The book of Leviticus only requires hands to be clean. The rabbi would say a prayer that is still said today. Often silently. References peace of God. If priest not pure, the expectation is God will kill him on sight.

The traditional path to becoming a rabbi is all Jewish boys must take a test at age 6 and pass it. The test is to recite scripture the exact way their father taught them, not necessarily the way written in the Torah. The way Joseph the carpenter taught Jesus, his little boy. 

Jesus passed. 

At age 12 he (and the Jewish boys who reached this stage) had to pass a more rigorous test. 

Jesus passed. 

From age 12 to 30 he followed a rabbi. They Walked in a line attached by a rope. Walked in rank order. First got dust of rabbi and so far. Blessing to give those who reject message and walk away. Hassidic jews follow this tradition still.

Then he followed a leader until he was 30. This explains the gap in Jesus's life that never quite made sense to this Presbyterian. One moment he is in the Temple boldly proclaiming he is the Messiah. Then he disappears until the wedding in Cana where he turns water into wine. He was away from home and learning everything he could about Judaism.

This is why bible studies are a great idea -- it opens you up to learning not just the words, but the historical context.

Back to the temple. The kahuna is second courtyard of temple. 3 entry points. Priest enter in center. All other action takes place inside.

The Temple of the mount (pause to reflect on last summer's trip) is the Holy of Holies. Giant room with a giant seamless curtain that is several stories tall. In front of it the sacrifice of bread and wine —only one. Only those from the tribe of Levy may enter. Jesus from tribe of Judah. He could never enter. 40 years Talmud says the curtain was torn.

To this day older tabernacles has curtain on outside you have to enter.

Father Jason talked about the Yom Kippur parallels between what happened in the inner sanctum in the high temple and Jesus's ministry.

For five days the high priest secures himself in the high temple. The night before Yom Kippur the high priest is not allowed to sleep. There are twelve priests assigned to keep him awake. When Jesus went to the Garden of Gethsemane prior to his arrest, Jesus's 12 disciples fell asleep while he stayed away. As if he was taking on the role of the high priest.

The parallels continue. 

Jesus stays up all night sweating blood looking like short haired red heifer. Grabbed and condemned to death. Taking on role if shirt haired red heifer to be offered on the altar as a sacrifice.

Father Jason explained there is a "hand action" with the red heifer that is still in liturgy today. I've never seen this done in the Presbyterian liturgy. He said the high priest faces west towards Gethsemane when being condemned. Facing where ultimate sacrifice will take place.

The parallels continue.

The normal path for those 12-year olds chosen to become rabbis is for the priest to say "Follow me." This is what Jesus tells the disciples. His disciples are those chosen not to follow the priest, rejects if you will. They each had dreamed of being chosen, and of the proudness they would have brought their families had they been chosen. John was only 14 when Jesus asked him to join his group. He is always depicted in art without a beard because of his youth. John went on to write the Gospel in 95AD. Early popes referenced knowing him, but he was not chosen to become a pope.

The last interesting note is that the Talmud has every detail recorded about how to conduct worship. Red and black ink...one for what to say the other for directions. I didn't realize this. I've heard of the Talmud, but I've never seen one. Catholics have a book that explains details of worship. Presbyterians have the Book of Worship, but it seems looser than both the Jewish and Catholic traditions -- more of a guideline (though some parts are more spelled out than others). 

We ended there. I bumped into Theresa, or she kindly bumped into me moving her chair to sit with me when I arrived late. The room was filled with a lot of Catholics mostly older than me. When I was in my 20s I was used to being the youngest in a room. I just thought by the time I turned 50 people younger than me would be attending these types of cultural events. There are some, but not enough to sustain them. 

Either that or I'll have to develop some new interests.