Temple, into which the priests might only enter after washing their hands and feet; and,

lastly, the Most Holy Place, into which the high-priest alone was allowed to go, and that

only once a year.

From these views of the sanctity of the place, it will readily be understood how

sufficient outward reverence should have been expected of all who entered upon the

Temple Mount. The Rabbis here also lay down certain rules, of which some are such as

a sense of propriety would naturally suggest, while others strangely remind us of the

words of our Saviour. Thus no one was to come to it except for strictly religious

purposes, and neither to make the Temple Mount a place of thoroughfare, nor use it to

shorten the road. Ordinarily the worshippers were to enter by the right and to withdraw

by the left, avoiding both the direction and the gate by which they had come. But

mourners and those under ecclesiastical discipline were to do the reverse, so as to meet

the stream of worshippers, who might address to them either words of sympathy ('He

who dwelleth in this house grant thee comfort!'), or else of admonition ('He who dwelleth

in this house put it into thy mind to give heed to those who would restore thee again!').

As already stated, it was expressly prohibited to sit down in the Court of the Priests, an

exception being only made in favour of princes of the house of David, probably to

vindicate their consistency, as such instances were recorded in the past history of

Israel. Alike the ministering priests and the worshippers were to walk backwards when

leaving the immediate neighbourhood where the holy service was performed, and at the

gate of Nicanor each one was to stand with his head bent. It need scarcely be said that

reverence in gesture and deportment was enjoined while on the Temple Mount. But

even when at a distance from Jerusalem and the Temple, its direction was to be noted,

so as to avoid in every -day life anything that might seem incongruous with the

reverence due to the place of which God had said, 'Mine eyes and mine heart shall be

there perpetually' (1 Kings 9:3). Probably from a similar feeling of reverence, it was

ordered, that when once a week the sanctuary was thoroughly cleaned, any repairs

found needful should be executed if possible by priests or else by Levites, or at least by

Israelites, and only in case of extreme necessity by workmen not Levitically 'clean.'

Other Rabbinical ordinances, however, are not so easily explained, unless on the ground

of the avoidance of every occupation and undertaking other than worship. Thus 'no

man might go on the Temple Mount with his staff,' as if on business or pleasure; nor yet

'with shoes on his feet'--sandals only being allowed; nor 'with the dust upon his feet';

nor 'with his scrip,' nor 'with money tied to him in his purse.' Whatever he might wish to

contribute either to the Temple, or for offerings, or for the poor must be carried by each

'in his hand,' possibly to indicate that the money about him was exclusively for an

immediate sacred purpose. It was probably for similar reasons that Jesus transferred

these very ordinances to the disciples when engaged in the service of the real Temple.

The direction, 'Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses, nor scrip for

your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves,' must mean, Go out in the

same spirit and manner as you would to the Temple services, and fear not--'for the

workman is worthy of his meat' (Matt 10:9,10). In other words: Let this new Temple

service be your only thought, undertaking and care.

But, guard it as they might, it was impossible wholly to preserve the sanctuary from

profanation. For wilful, conscious, high-handed profanity, whether in reference to the

Temple or to God, the law does not appear to have provided any atonement or offering.

To this the Epistle to the Hebrews alludes in the we ll-known passage, so often