The Outer Court.

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By Terry Cropper

The Israel Only cult doctoring that teaches gentiles in the New Testament are the 10 Northern Tribes of Israel, that are being saved has more holes in it then Swiss cheese and here is another reason why.

During the first century King Herod had enclosed the outer court with colonnades and it was referred to as the Outer Court because the "gentiles" (non-Jews) were not permitted to enter the Temple area. They could walk within the Outer Court but they were forbidden to go any further than the outer court. In other words Greeks were not permitted to enter the Temple area.

These Temple precincts were divided into 4 courts: 1. The Court of the Women 2. The Court of the Israelites 3. The Court of the Priests 4. The Court outer (Hel). The term “Court of Gentiles” is non-existent. However the fact that there was an area on the Temple Mount to which Gentiles had access is hinted or referred to frequently in ancient writings (e.g. by Philo in Legatio ad Caium 212; by Josephus in The Jewish War II 341, V 194, VI 125, 126 and Antiquities XV 417), and is explicitly mentioned in Josephus's treaties Against Apion II 103, 104 in the following words:

Our Temple . . . was surrounded by four courts. . . Admission to the (outer court) was free to all, including Gentiles (allophuloi, alienigeni); only women in the time of their menstruation were not allowed to enter. The second court could be entered by all Jews and their wives when free from any defilement; the third by male Jews if they were clean and purified; the fourth by priests robed in their sacerdotal vestments.

The Court of the Women obtained its name, not from its appropriation to the exclusive use of women, but because they were not allowed to proceed farther, except for sacrificial purposes. Indeed, this was probably the common place for worship, the females occupying, according to Jewish tradition.

The area of the Gentiles was outside of the Temple. From here it was three feet up to the Temple level. The Court of the Women was three feet higher than the first Temple level, and now six feet higher than the outer court. The Court of the Men of Israel was ten feet higher than that of the women. The Court of the Priest was three feet higher than the Men of Israel. The Holy of Holies was eight feet above that of the Priest.

The Court of the Women being six feet over that of the outer court signified that the Jewish woman had privileges the Gentiles did not have. The Court of the Israelites was ten feet over that of the Court of the Women. This signified that all women of Israel and all Gentiles were under the authority of the Men of Israel. The Holy of Holies was eleven feet over the Court of the Men of Israel and signified that God was over all.

The Gentiles were not allowed any further into the Temple other then the Outer Court. These courts were separated by a low wall, as Josephus the Jewish historian of the first century A.D. wrote about the warning signs in Greek and Latin that were placed on the barrier wall that separated the court of the gentiles from the other courts in the Temple. Not until 1871 did archaeologists actually discover one written in Greek. Its seven line inscription reads as follows: NO FOREIGNER IS TO GO BEYOND THE BALUSTRADE AND THE PLAZA OF THE TEMPLE ZONE WHOEVER IS CAUGHT DOING SO WILL HAVE HIMSELF TO BLAME FOR HIS DEATH WHICH WILL FOLLOW.

Any Greek/gentile was, on the path to death, to pass from the outer court into the Temple area. There can be no doubt that the wall was one of those boundary which separated the Gentiles from the Temple area of which Josephus speaks. (Non-Jews) were not permitted to enter the Temple area. The outer court derived its name from the fact that Gentiles were permitted into this area provided they conducted themselves in a reverent and respectful manner.

These boundaries between the courts were important. They protected the identity of the people of God those who were called to be holy and set apart. Leviticus 20:26 And you shall be holy to Me, for I the LORD am holy, and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be Mine.

It is worthwhile to note the significance of just how serious it was to bring a "Greeks" into the temple of God. It was for this alleged crime that Paul was attacked and nearly beaten to death by an angry crowd during his last visit to Jerusalem as we read in (Acts 21:27-32 NKJV)

27 Now when the seven days were almost ended, the Jews from Asia, seeing him in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd and laid hands on him, 28 crying out, “Men of Israel, help! This is the man who teaches all men everywhere against the people, the law, and this place; and furthermore he also brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place.” 29 (For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian with him in the city, whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the temple.) 30 And all the city was disturbed; and the people ran together, seized Paul, and dragged him out of the temple; and immediately the doors were shut. 31 Now as they were seeking to kill him, news came to the commander of the garrison that all Jerusalem was in an uproar. 32 He immediately took soldiers and centurions, and ran down to them. And when they saw the commander and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul.

Since Diaspora Jews were "circumcised" per Acts 21, why would they not be allowed in the temple? That makes no sense. The charge that Paul brought "Greeks" into the temple is proof, they were not Israelites or any members from the 10 Northern Tribes of Israel.

Does it make sense to you that they would have killed Paul for bring an Israelite into the Temple? This Greek was never a member of the 10 Northern Tribes of Israel, or the scattered Israelites. He was a Greek and the Jews would have killed Paul for bring him (behind the barrier wall or Court of the gentiles into God’s holy temple).

Not only could the “diaspora” go into God’s holy temple they were also attending Jewish "synagogues" that are scattered among the nations. James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes scattered abroad, greeting" (James 1:1).

The reference speaks of a literal “diaspora”, of these twelve tribes. James knew exactly where the members of the twelve tribes of Israel are in the first century and he addressed the diaspora in his letter to them. James is not speaking to Jews that were dispersed among the gentiles and became gentiles but rather to the scattered audience of Jewish believers in Jesus of the first century. Notice that James clearly states that he was writing to the twelve tribes scattered abroad. This greeting is not used by any other writer in the New Testament in the commencement of their writing.

The contents of James' letter to the twelve tribes scattered abroad, tells us much about these twelve tribes of Israel. Instead of them all becoming wild and barbarous heathen because they were dispersed among the nations these twelve tribes of James were attending synagogues (and synagogue services were conducted on the seventh day Sabbath).

James 2:2 (NKJV) My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality. 2 For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes, 3 and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, “You sit here in a good place,” and say to the poor man, “You stand there,” or, “Sit here at my footstool,” 4 have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts? 5 Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?

The word "assembly" Greek συναγωγὴν is actually our word for "synagogue" an assembly, congregation, an official meeting place that Jews attended throughout the world.

These scattered tribes of Israel were also familiar with what the Ten Commandments stated as James mentions to them in James 2:8-12. In fact James used spiritual illustrations concerning fig and olive trees with which they were also well familiar with in James 3:12. James (who lived in the city of Jerusalem) knew where the twelve tribes of Israel were located in the first century and his letter to them shows they themselves were in constant touch with Jerusalem and the teachings of the Holy Scriptures. These twelve tribes that were scattered abroad were "Israelites" who know the law and not “gentiles”.

The key to understanding any passage of Scripture when someone from a cult like the Israel Only tries to alter scripture has always been a good grasp of the historical setting in which the scripture was originally written. This is very important because ones eternal destination hangs in the balance.

The warning inscription on the wall of the Temple to the Greeks/gentiles is important to understand. Paul later after the death of Christ mentions “the middle wall of partition that separated the Jews from the Gentiles. When Paul speaks of the middle wall of partition he is probably making an allusion to the inscription on the dividing wall for he writes. "But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ." 14 For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, (Ephesians. 2:13-14).

When Jesus saw this inscription on the Temple wall he knew that his own life would be the cost for the gentiles to go past this barrier. Out of Jew and Gentile Christ has created one new man. The end result would be the formation of a New Temple, to replace the Old Temple. The apostle Paul taught, “You are the temple of God” (I Corinthians. 3:16).

(It is also worthwhile to note that in Ezeziel's vision of a future Temple there was no such distinction, showing that the line between Jew and Gentile was erased). If we are really going to understand the Bible we must seriously and carefully study the language, history, culture and politics of the first century and not let others lead us into error and false teaching and away from the love of God for us that scripture clearly shows.