the Messiah and the Temple

2 Samuel 7
13 He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son.

There's an interesting connection between the Messiah and the Temple that seems to have been present among the Jews in Jesus' day. There are some standard passages from the Hebrew Scriptures that we know influenced common messianic expectation, such as Psalm 2. But one that I read about in studying Matthew 16 is this passage from 2 Samuel 7.

The story is of David's desire to build God a permanent house in Jerusalem. You may remember that through Nathan God said no, but your son will. And that word from God through the prophet included the promise of an eternal kingdom and the son/father relationship.

We probably have a reflection of this in Jesus' trial when the only accusation witnesses make against him is that he said he would rebuild the Temple in three days. In that very context, in the next verse we hear the high priest ask Jesus, "Are you the Messiah, the Son of the living God?" Jesus does not deny it, and then gives further messianic affirmation - "But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven." (Matthew 26:59-64)

“If the Nathan prophecy is given an eschatalogical interpretation, the building of the house of God is a messianic duty. Conversely, anyone who sets up to be a builder of the temple is indirectly claiming to be the Messiah and the Son of God. It is now clear why the high priest, when an examination of the witnesses to Jesus’ statement about the temple is at a deadlock, puts the direct question as to messianic claim and forces Jesus’ confession.” (in Matthew 8-18, vol. 2, Davies and Alison)

So when Jesus (and Matthew who records the event) connects his being the Messiah, the Son of the living God, with being the builder of a new ekklesia, a new assembly of God's gathered, called-out people, he is being faithful to their tradition.

Further, this gives some clarity to Jesus' statement in John 2 which is the background for the false witnesses testimony with regard to him saying he would destroy the Temple and rebuild it in three days. When he said in John 2:19, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up" (which John tells us concerned the temple of his body), he was making a messianic claim. He was the son of David. God was his father. The throne of his kingdom would be established forever. And he would build for his father a house in which to dwell...

19 you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit. (Eph. 2)

Thanks be to God.