COURT OF THE. Josephus says there was, in the court of the
temple, a wall, or balustrade, breast-high, with pillars at particular
distances, and inscriptions on them in Greek and Latin, importing that
strangers were forbidden from entering farther; here their offerings
were received, and sacrifices were offered for them, they standing at
the barrier; but they were not allowed to approach to the altar. Pompey,
nevertheless, went even into the sanctuary, but behaved with strict
decorum; and the next day he commanded the temple to be purified, and
the customary sacrifices to be offered. A little before the last
rebellion of the Jews, some mutineers would have persuaded the priests
to accept no victim not presented by a Jew; and obliged them to reject
those which were offered by command of the emperor, for the Roman
people. The wisest in vain remonstrated with them on the danger this
would bring on their country; urged that their ancestors had never
rejected the presents of Gentiles; and that the temple was mostly
adorned with the offerings of such people; at the same time, the most
learned priests, who had spent their whole lives in the study of the
law, testified that their forefathers had always received the sacrifices
of strangers.
From the above particulars, we learn the meaning of what the Apostle
Paul calls “the middle wall of partition,” between Jews and Gentiles
broken down by the Gospel.
temple, a wall, or balustrade, breast-high, with pillars at particular
distances, and inscriptions on them in Greek and Latin, importing that
strangers were forbidden from entering farther; here their offerings
were received, and sacrifices were offered for them, they standing at
the barrier; but they were not allowed to approach to the altar. Pompey,
nevertheless, went even into the sanctuary, but behaved with strict
decorum; and the next day he commanded the temple to be purified, and
the customary sacrifices to be offered. A little before the last
rebellion of the Jews, some mutineers would have persuaded the priests
to accept no victim not presented by a Jew; and obliged them to reject
those which were offered by command of the emperor, for the Roman
people. The wisest in vain remonstrated with them on the danger this
would bring on their country; urged that their ancestors had never
rejected the presents of Gentiles; and that the temple was mostly
adorned with the offerings of such people; at the same time, the most
learned priests, who had spent their whole lives in the study of the
law, testified that their forefathers had always received the sacrifices
of strangers.
From the above particulars, we learn the meaning of what the Apostle
Paul calls “the middle wall of partition,” between Jews and Gentiles
broken down by the Gospel.