the Sanctuary, as well as behind it, 30 feet to spare, which were occupied by side

buildings three stories high, each containing five rooms, while that at the back had

eight. These side-buildings, however, were lower than the Sanctuary itself, over which

also super-structures had been reared. A gabled cedar roof, with golden spikes on it,

and surrounded by an elegant balustrade, surmounted the whole.

The entrance to the 'Porch,' which was curiously roofed, was covered by a splendid veil.

Right and left were depositories for the sacrificial knives. Within the 'Porch' a number of

'dedicated' gifts were kept, such as the golden candelabra of the proselyte queen of

Adiabene, two golden crowns presented by the Maccabees, etc. Here were also two

tables --one of marble, on which they deposited the new shewbread; the other of gold,

on which they laid the old as it was removed from the Holy Place. Two -leaved doors,18

with gold plating, and covered by a rich Babylonian curtain of the four colours of the

Temple ('fine linen, blue, scarlet, and purple'), formed the entrance into the Holy Place.

Above it hung that symbol of Israel (Psa 80:8; Jer 2:21, Eze 19:10; Joel 1:7) a gigantic

vine of pure gold, and made of votive offerings--each cluster the height of a man. In the

Holy Place were, to the south, the golden candlestick; to the north, the table of

shewbread; and beyond them the altar of incense, near the entrance to the Most Holy.

The latter was now quite empty, a large stone, on which the high-priest sprinkled the

blood on the Day of Atonement, occupying the place where the ark with the mercy-seat

had stood. A wooden partition separated the Most Holy from the Holy Place; and over

the door hung the veil which was 'rent in twain from the top to the bottom' when the way

into the holiest of all was opened on Golgotha (Matt 27:51). 19

Such was the Temple as restored by Herod--a work which occupied forty-six years to

its completion. Yet, though the Rabbis never weary praising its splendour, not with one

word do any of those who were contemporary indicate that its restoration was carried

out by Herod the Great. So memorable an event in their history is passed over with the

most absolute silence. What a complete answer does this afford to the objection

sometimes raised from the silence of Josephus about the person and mission of Jesus!

With what reverence the Rabbis guarded their Temple will be described in the sequel.

The readers of the New Testament know how readily any supposed infringement of its

sanctity led to summary popular vengeance. To the disciples of Jesus it seemed difficult

to realise that such utter ruin as their Master foretold could so soon come over that

beautiful and glorious house. It was the evening of the day in which He had predicted

the utter desolation of Jerusalem. All that day He had taught in the Temple, and what He

had said, not only there, but when, on beholding the city, He wept over it, seems to

have filled their minds alike with awe and with doubt. And now He, with His disciples,

had 'departed from the Temple.' Once more they lingered in sweet retirement 'on the

Mount of Olives' (Matt 24:1,3). 'The purple light on the mountains of Moab was fast

fading out. Across the city the sinking sun cast a rich glow over the pillared cloisters of

the Temple, and over the silent courts as they rose terrace upon terrace. From where

they stood they could see over the closed Beautiful Gate, and right to the entrance to

the Holy Place, which now glittered with gold; while the eastern walls and the deep

valley below were thrown into a solemn shadow, creeping, as the orb sunk lower, further

and further towards the summit of Olivet, irradiated with one parting gleam of roseate

light, after all below was sunk in obscurity' (Bartlett, Jerusalem Revisited, p. 115).