Axis of Glory : A Biblical and Theological Analysis of the Temple Motif in Scripture

In Axis of Glory , Dan Lioy conducts a biblical and theological analysis of the temple motif as a conceptual and linguistic framework for understanding Scripture. His investigation takes a fresh look at the topic, assesses a representative group of the Judeo-Christian writings through the various prisms of secondary literature, and offers a synthesis of what appears in the biblical data. The author notes that references and allusions connected with the temple motif crisscross the entire literary landscape of Scripture. An additional finding is that the presence of the shrine concept is comparable to a series of rhetorical threads that join the fabric of God’s Word and weaves together its seemingly eclectic and esoteric narratives into a richly textured, multicolored tapestry. The author concludes that the Bible’s theocentric and Christocentric emphases are heightened in their intensity and sharpened in their focus due to the temple motif making its way through the pages of the sacred text, beginning with the opening chapter of Genesis and ending with the final chapter of Revelation. TABLE OF CONTENTS Editor’s Preface ix Acknowledgments xi Chapter 1: Prologue 1 Chapter 2: The Garden of Eden as a Primordial Temple or Sacred Space for Humankind 5 Chapter 3: The Priestly Activity of God’s People in Sacred Spaces during the Early Biblical Period 17 Chapter 4: The Tabernacle and Temple as a Continuation of the Temple-Garden in Eden 33 Chapter 5: The Depictions of God’s Heavenly Temple in Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel 39 Chapter 6: The Temple Motif in the Synoptic Gospels 53 Chapter 7: The Temple Motif in the Fourth Gospel 67 Chapter 8: The Temple Motif in Acts and Hebrews 77 Chapter 9: The Temple Motif in the Writings of Paul and Peter 87 Chapter 10: The Temple Motif in the Book of Revelation 105 Chapter 11: Epilogue 135 Bibliography 137 Subject Index 165 References Index 167