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Acts 17:24 and Acts 17:25 - contradictions to the rule?

t3gah

t3gah

Well-Known Member
In the New Testament, the writer of Acts 17:24 states that God does not dwell in temples. But the very beginning of a temple is the tabernacle that God had men make so he, God, could dwell with the priests or anointed ones. What of 17:25 then?

If the scripture in the New Testament is factual, then the scripture in the Old Testament account with Moses and the tabernacle must be a lie. IF not that, then the writer of the Acts 17:24 never knew the scripture in the five books of Moses, or he forgot, or he intentionally lied in order to sway his audience. But there are many unanswered questions then.

If God doesn't reside in temples, why go to church, temple, kingdom hall and follow the lead of the examples set out in the bible of those who did go to synagogues? Did Jesus lie when he said he would rebuild the temple? Why bother rebuilding it, if God will not dwell there when worshipers are gathered there? What about the prophecy that states that the Messiah will rebuild the temple as well?

Is all that was said above contradictions or exceptions to the rule? And what of the destruction and rebuilding of each temple at such a great cost?! So parishioners could hide out from the people outside where God was because God does not dwell in handmade temples.
 
No*s

No*s

Captain Obvious
I feel they aren't contradictory. There are numerous things in Scripture that are contradictory, but this isn't one of them.

God doesn't dwell in a place like us, because God is uncontained. Does that mean He doesn't have a special presence in a place? I would say it says nothing of the sort. God was present in a special way on Mt. Sinai. He was present in a special way in the Ark and the Temple. He was incarnated in Christ. He is present in the Eucharist, and in the relics. Lastly, He dwells in His people.

In all these instances, though, God is present. In this sense, He dwells there. However, in none of these is God contained by said items, in which case He does not dwell there. Words are such crude instruments when we talk about God :).
 
Scuba Pete

Scuba Pete

Le plongeur avec attitude...
God moved... he no longer lives in man made edifices.

I Corinthians 3:16 Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you?

But being part physical, it is often hard for us to realise that Christianity is all about the spiritual; it's all about our heart.
 
john313

john313

warrior-poet
God is everywhere. Acts 17:24-25 saying God does not dwell in temples is either a lie presented by Paul of Tarsus(who even admits to taking people in by deceit) or a later modification or translation error. i believe when Jesus said he would rebuild the temple in 3 days he was referring to healing his body after he was removed from the cross. It took 3 days for his body to heal.
 
t3gah

t3gah

Well-Known Member
No*s said:
I feel they aren't contradictory. There are numerous things in Scripture that are contradictory, but this isn't one of them.

God doesn't dwell in a place like us, because God is uncontained. Does that mean He doesn't have a special presence in a place? I would say it says nothing of the sort. God was present in a special way on Mt. Sinai. He was present in a special way in the Ark and the Temple. He was incarnated in Christ. He is present in the Eucharist, and in the relics. Lastly, He dwells in His people.

In all these instances, though, God is present. In this sense, He dwells there. However, in none of these is God contained by said items, in which case He does not dwell there. Words are such crude instruments when we talk about God :).
Click to expand...
What of the statement in Acts 17:25 that God doesn't need anything from man?

  1. tabernacle construction
  2. ark of the covenant construction
  3. temple construction
  4. worship
And Acts 17:24 state that God doesn't dwell in temples so He being inside of us is not relevant as the body is not the temple being mentioned in that passage.
 
N

Natural Submission

Active Member
MagickIsFun said:
maybe he goes inside when it rains. If he didn't, he would catch a cold. Then what do we say when he sneezes?
Click to expand...

"no human being can tame the tongue -- a restless evil, full of deadly poison" -James 3:8
 
M

may

Well-Known Member
In the first century of our Common Era, Athens, Greece, was a prominent center of learning. Among the Athenians, however, there were many different schools of thought, such as the Epicureans and the Stoics, each with its own idea about the gods. Based on these various ideas, many deities were venerated, and different ways of worship developed. As a result, the city was full of man-made idols and temples.—Acts 17:16.


​


In about the year 50 C.E., the Christian apostle Paul visited Athens and presented to the Athenians a totally different point of view. He told them: "The God that made the world and all the things in it, being, as this One is, Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in handmade temples, neither is he attended to by human hands as if he needed anything, because he himself gives to all persons life and breath and all things."—Acts 17:24, 25.​

In other words, Paul was telling the Athenians that the true God, who "made the world and all the things in it," is not a fabrication of man’s imagination, nor is he served by ways that man might devise.

 
t3gah

t3gah

Well-Known Member
Natural Submission said:
These have all been constructed for us, God is in no need of anything.
Click to expand...
The first two from my list were built with the plans and details supplied from God himself. Apparently God needed man in that case since God is the one that asked for the two things, the ark of the covenant and the tabernacle to be built besides the utensils, lamp stands, tables and bowls that were also included in the request.

So yes they were constructed for us at the request of God and wil God's construction details followed to the letter.

So the verse Acts 17:25 is incorrect. Saul (Paul) is/was mistaken and spoke too rashly.
 
No*s

No*s

Captain Obvious
t3gah said:
What of the statement in Acts 17:25 that God doesn't need anything from man?

  1. tabernacle construction
  2. ark of the covenant construction
  3. temple construction
  4. worship
And Acts 17:24 state that God doesn't dwell in temples so He being inside of us is not relevant as the body is not the temple being mentioned in that passage.
Click to expand...

I'm sorry T3 I missed this way back when.

Why would the construction of the Temple and so on mean that God is contained in it? Perhaps they are constructed so that the worship given to God can be beneficial to us. These acts don't mean that God needs something from us :).
 
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