“Therefore, remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh—who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands—that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ” (Ephesians 2:11-13).
Diana’s temple in Ephesus is listed among the seven wonders of the ancient world. Constructed primarily of marble, its 127 60-foot columns and 400-foot-long terrace were impressive and expensive materials. The ancient author Antipater of Sidon is reported to have declared, “Apart from Olympus, the sun never looked on anything so grand.”
Massive, earthly temples are constructed using the same basic materials—strong timber, beautiful stone, precious metal, and massive amounts of hard physical labor. Here then is one of several ways in which the temple Jesus built is unique and vastly superior to any other.
Jesus did not use inanimate objects which can be measured and hewn to exact specifications. He took living beings with complete freedom to exercise their free wills and brought them together into a holy temple in the Lord.
He took such mismatched materials as Gentiles (who were aliens to the commonwealth of Israel, strangers from the covenants of promise made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, having no hope, and without God in this world) and Jews (who enjoyed all these spiritual blessings the Gentiles did not) and made them into the household of God.
To do this, He had to eliminate the middle wall of separation—the Law of Moses—which divided them. This He did by abolishing in His flesh the law of commandments contained in ordinances.
Only Jesus has built a temple using voluntary, living humans as His construction materials.
