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The Symbolic Relationship Between the Temple and Jesus-- The Temple was very important to the religious life of the Jews because (1) it was a sign of God's presence among His people; (2) it was a sign that God had chosen them, the Jews, to be the preservers of His message among the nations; (3) it was the place where sacrifices to God were offered to atone for sins; and (4) it was an outward symbol of the religion that united the Hebrew nation. (32:2) During His ministry, Christ correlated His own significance to that of the Temple. In this way He indicated that He now represented that for which the Temple in Jerusalem had formerly stood: (32:3) Jesus answered and said to them, 'Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.' Then the Jews said, 'It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?' But He was speaking of the temple of His body.(John 2:19-22) (32:4) Moreover, the Temple sacrifices prescribed in the Old Testament were abrogated by the ministry of Christ, for He now acted as High Priest,
(32:5)
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