It was a massive structure, perhaps roughly the size of 20 football fields laid out in a 5x4 grid. Such a structure would demand not only a significant Priesthood, but a complex Jewish and Roman infrastructure. There would be people to service the many thousands of faithful, and people to maintain the area. This was a period of rebelliousness and constant tensions between Rome and the Jews. One can be sure that both the Roman regime and the Priesthood would have committed the forces necessary to maintain order and protect "Herod's" Temple and this single most important location in Judaism.
Interesting related sites are:
It seems to have been a pretty impressive complex. Enter Jesus who, according to Mark 11, had just come from cursing a poor *fig tree:
(*) The author of gMt apparently felt the need to explain this act of figicide. He positions it after the Temple incident rather than before, and then embellishes it with dialogue. Luke transforms the whole thing into a parable and presents it some 5 chapters before the Temple story.
Interesting related sites are:
It seems to have been a pretty impressive complex. Enter Jesus who, according to Mark 11, had just come from cursing a poor *fig tree:
- 15 And they come to Jerusalem: and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves;
- 16 And would not suffer that any man should carry [any] vessel through the temple.
- 17 And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves.
- 18 And the scribes and chief priests heard [it], and sought how they might destroy him: for they feared him, because all the people was astonished at his doctrine.
- 19 And when evening was come, he went out of the city.
(*) The author of gMt apparently felt the need to explain this act of figicide. He positions it after the Temple incident rather than before, and then embellishes it with dialogue. Luke transforms the whole thing into a parable and presents it some 5 chapters before the Temple story.