The
Temple of God - A Study on Qudosh `eedto
by Mathew G. Daniel
I would like to quote St: Paul as our verse of meditation: Second Corinthians Chapter: 7 verse 1: “Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, Let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting Holiness in the fear of God."
My brethren, If you can recollect the conclusion of the Essence of Gethsemane, we shall see the above quotation leads us into the necessity of being purged of the canker of sins. Considering this we shall see why St. Paul say so, it is because of the first Sunday, that falls in November :
The Universal Syrian Orthodox Church, requires us to see the significance of this day, we celebrate it as
qudosh `eedto.
According to the Syrian Church calendar, If 30th or 31st of October falls as Sunday it shall be observed as Kudos Eetho, if not the very first Sunday in November shall be it.
This is the special occasion of the refinement of the Temple of God. When we think of the Temple we shall look into it in detail, it merely an edifice made of cement or some other building materials, or has it represents something else. If it is the building it is very easy to refashion it into an attractive manifestation, which shall be done by hiring some experts in the renovation engineering.
In my considered opinion, God wished to have a place constructed upon the earth for him to live among his people. See Exodus 25:8 “and let them make a Sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.”
This shan’t be of our plan and sketch, for he told Moses to make the place as per his plan. Exodus 25:9 “according to all that I shew thee after the pattern of the Tabernacle, and the pattern of all instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it.”
It is very important that he has his own pattern and plans for his Sanctuary upon the Earth.
Let’s see the details of the Temple of God. It was constructed by King Solomon, the son of King David. The books of Kings and Chronicle
1 kings 6: 1 “and it came into pass the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, in the month of Zif, which is the second month, that he began to build the house of
LORD”.
It was 60 x 20 x 30 cubits in length, width and height respectively. It is interesting to see the manpower applied to complete the work, which is stated in:
II Chronicle 2:18 : “and he set three score and ten thousand of them to be bearers of burdens, and four score thousand to be hewers in the mountain, and three thousand and six hundred overseers to set the people a work.
"
He levied thirty thousand men to Lebanon cut Cedar trees, 10,000 each in turn for one month each. (I Kings 5: 14).
It took more than seven years to complete the construction as it is seen in the first book of Kings: 6:38
In his letter that he wrote to Huram the king of Tyre, confesses that he is incapable to build a house to God, but his effort is only to offer a Sanctuary only to burn sacrifices to God.
2 Chronicle 2:6 : but who is able to build him an house, seeing the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain him? Who am I then, that I should build him an house, save only to burn sacrifice before him?
Taking this confession of Solomon the Great, I would like to switch over the Sanctuary, as it is stated by St. Paul, he in his first letter to the Corinthians, makes it clear that the real temple of god is a true Christian, in Body and Spirit. In chapter 3 verse 16-17:
Know ye not that ye are the Temple of God , and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in You? If any man defile the Temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the Temple of God is holy, which Temple ye are.
In the Apostolic Letter, St. Paul confers an identity to us other than what we are known to others. Our professional excellence, Dignity, Designation etc. are the landmarks for our incredibility in the society. But for us, we are the Temples of God.
Now think of the creativity and years that are consumed for the building which Solomon says is only an edifice for offering sacrifice.
This is not the only occasion were we are emphasized as the dwelling place of God. In the same letter, Chapter 6 verse 19 and 20 also reminds us of the preciousness of our identity. “ What? Know ye not that your body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
Here, beyond any doubts he declares that our body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost.
Every one of us knows that this priceless gift is showered upon us completely free of cost from the Heaven as we are anointed at the time of our baptism, which is the second birth or the birth in Spirit (re-born from the imperishable seed according to St. Peter ).
1 peter 1:23 “Being born again not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God which liveth and abide for ever."
Thus, we are the Temple of the Holy ghost, and what about the Son and the Father: St. John clears off this doubt in his Gospel Chapter 14 :20-21
“At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you. He that hath my commandments, and keepth them, he it is that loveth me : and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him."
Jesus in the Gospel of St. John Chapter 6 verse 56 once again makes it crystal clear how does it happen. “ He that eath my flesh, and drinkth my blood, dwelth in me and I in him.
So, by the holy communion of Eucharist after the baptism in the Church, being in the flesh itself we are transformed as the Temple of God. In his second letter to Corinthians, St. Paul once again reconfirms our incredible identity of being the Temple of God in Chapter 6 verse 15:
“and what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? For ye are the Temple of the Living god; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them, and I will be their God and they shall be my
People."
It’s fine that we are the Temples of Living God, but do you remember the warning of St. Paul
Know ye not that ye are the Temple of God , and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in You? If any man defile the Temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the Temple of God is holy, which Temple ye are.
If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy. The word emphasized here is defile. This word is taken from the root French befoul or trample. The meaning of the word defile is to make corrupt, damage or pollute something.
In biblical meaning: make a holy or sacred thing or place no longer fit for ceremonial use.
The church is the place where sacraments are carried out except the anointing of the sick.
So, we have to look at the things or actions that comes under defile in the holy Book. St. Mark in his Gospel Seventh Chapter enlists it in verses
20-23 “and he said that which cometh out of the man that defileth the man, for from within, out of the heart of men proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile the man."
My brothers and sisters, now please close your eyes for one moment and look into your own heart, and see if:
Did you see yourself > if truly you did > it is the time of Kudos Eetho, it is not the building to be renovated, for it is a place of assembly in the name of God and God has sanctified it, as he promised to King Solomon. (1 Kings 9:3) But think of your body.. is necessary that certain of the filth shall be cleansed
off?
Even after reading this if you are a hypocrite, please remember this verse by St. Mark : chapter 11 ; Verse 17 : which reads as:
“and he taught saying unto them, is it not written, my house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? But you have made it a den of
thieves"
Please don’t forget that he has a whip in his hands and he shall destroy you, for he is perfect in his word. He suffered unto death in mission of salvation to the entire mankind. He reconciled our sins against his own body and blood in the presence of his Father, from whom we were forsaken, forever. Now he lives in you and you are the Temple of God, if you can maintain this integrity as you are the flesh upon this earth, which is supposed to be destructed on the dooms day.
It is only your entity that shall be decomposed but your soul by the help of the Holy ghost who lives in you shall take you into the shore of peace and eternity. If it does not happened, see were our place shall be in the book of Revelation 20:15 : and whosover was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire..
Now I am sure you are convinced why I opened this session with the conclusion of the Last Session of Gethsemane : Let’s offer ourselves as fragrant incense to the God by the purification of the
Church. Kudos Eetho that is on the 4th of November this year. There are two questions:
1) Is the house of your Lord the house of Prayer? 2) Is it the den of thieves?
Please go through the ‘ Submission ‘ from the collection of poems entitled as ‘Songs From the Wayside’ by the famous English Poet Thompson
I'll faint no more beneath the burden
My Lord has given me to bear,
What matter if my heart is laden,
And sadness finds a refuge there?
He promised not unbroken gladness,
If we would trace His bleeding feet,
But strength to bear life's toil and sadness,
To overcome the foes we meet.
What matter if the way be narrow?
We have His loving sympathy;
Did He not tread earth's path of sorrow,
From Bethlehem to Calvary?
And are we better than the Master,
Who bore for us mortality?
Or wiser than the Heavenly Father,
Whose great love suffered this to be?
I'll trust the God, whose great compassion
Sent to Gethsemane His Son,
Who shamed forever our rebellion,
When there He prayed:—"Thy will be done
With prayers and hoping to see you in the future editions if God allows me to do
so.
