Todd Clippard

Topic(s): Church, Bible Study

The word translated "temple" in Acts 2:46 is from the Greek hieron, and included the entire temple complex. The construction of Herod's temple, also known as the Third Temple, was begun @ 20 B.C. and completed in A.D. 63 (just in time to be destroyed by Titus @ A.D. 70).

There were various courts within the temple. There was an outer court open to all who wished to enter. It covered about 20 acres, and the outer courts were sufficient to hold 200,000 people. This is probably where the early church met.

Within that was the court of women, open to Jewish women but closed to Gentiles. Within that was the court of Israel - open to Jewish men but not women. Within that was the court of priests, and then the sanctuary and holiest of holies.

There are a number of websites with artists' renderings and supposed schematics of this temple. I encourage you to research these for your own learning and benefit.