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was equipped with a most carefully planned sanitation scheme that was centuries ahead
of Eastern systems. At Jerusalem, he built a palace, in the prętorium of which the
Saviour was questioned by Pontius Pilate, and finally, he also rebuilt the Temple of
Jerusalem in a style whose magnificence baffles description.
Herod had a passion for personal glory, and he was mortified to realize that the Jews
still hated him as an Edomite usurper. Rabbi Baba, whose life had been spared, but
whose eyes had been put out (see pages 1 to 5 of this Volume), is said by the Talmud to
have suggested to Herod the rebuilding of the Temple as a means of expiating his many
crimes. The Jews raised endless objections, however, to the proposal, "Where was the
necessary wealth?" Herod pointed to his apparently inexhaustible treasury. "Would it
not be sacrilege to pull down that venerated structure?" Herod point out that it was fast
crumbling with decay. "What guarantee was there that he could build another?" Herod
pledged himself that nothing should be touched of the ancient Temple, until everything
was ready for the erection of the new. "Would it not be sacrilege to let Gentiles enter the
Court of the Priests, or to touch the stone and timber of the Holy of Holies?" Herod
undertook to train a thousand priests, and ten thousand Jewish artisans. All objections
were overborne and the work commenced.
After eight years' work, the old Temple had been taken down, and for another
eighteen months, the trained priests worked at the erection of the Holy Place. Herod was
most careful to pay regard to the scruples of the Pharisees, and, though the building of the
Temple had emptied his treasury, he never once set foot within the forbidden precincts.
In the Royal Portico were four rows of Corinthians columns, 162 in number, 27 feet
high, and so thick that it took three men with outstretched arms to encircle them. One of
the marble slabs bearing the Greek inscription that prohibited the Gentile from access
(the "middle wall of partition" of Eph. 2:) was found in recent years in Jerusalem. The
Gate of Nicavor was of Corinthian Brass, and was approached by fifteen semi-circular
steps, while in the Great Court was the "Hall of Squares" where the Sanhedrin met. Over
another gate was a golden vine, each cluster of grapes being as high as a man. Within
hung the veil, which was "rent in twain" at the crucifixion.
The Rabbis speak of the wonders of this building with exaggerated praised:
"Whoever has not seen the Temple in the perfection of its architecture has never seen
a beautiful structure in all the world. With what materials did Herod erect the building?
Rava said with alabaster and marble; some say with alabaster, stibium and marble; one
row receding, another slightly projecting. Herod thought of covering the whole with
gold, but the Rabbis advised him to leave it as it was, as it resembled the waves of the
sea" (Succah f. 5: 1: 2).
No wonder the disciples said, "See what manner of stones and what buildings are
here!" (Mark 13: 1). Its gilded pinnacles and lustrous Pentelic marble made it look like a
mountain of snow tinged at the summit with the gold of dawn. It has been described as
longer and higher than York Minster, standing on a solid mass of masonry almost equal
in height to the tallest of our church spires. We can well understand the astonishment