Source: Margaret Barker, Temple Mysticism: An Introduction (London: SPCK, 2011), 97–132.
This podcast delves into temple mysticism in ancient Israel, arguing that the divine throne within the Jerusalem Temple was the central focus and a source of profound theological concepts. It explores how this tradition, centered on the enthroned LORD and associated with cherubim, Wisdom, and a heavenly Lady, influenced later religious developments, including early Christianity. We think that temple mystics experienced visions revealing the structure of creation as archetypal forms or engravings emanating from the throne, and that rituals enacted in the Temple mirrored these heavenly realities, aiming at atonement and restoring cosmic harmony. Ultimately, the ancient sources suggests that figures like the Davidic king and later Jesus were understood within this mystical framework as those who could access the throne, embody divine attributes, and restore a lost connection between the human and the divine.
1. The Divine Throne and Cherubim: The central focus of temple mysticism was the divine throne, which in Solomon's temple was described as a 'golden chariot of the cherubim' located in the holy of holies. While the exact appearance of these cherubim is unknown, comparisons are drawn to thrones from Phoenicia and Canaan that featured two animals with human faces and wings forming the arms. However, the cherubim in Solomon's temple had outstretched wings that spanned the entire holy of holies. The prophet Ezekiel's vision described a more complex throne with four cherubim, each with four wings, supporting an 'awesome crystal' firmament upon which sat a sapphire throne. The relationship between two or four cherubim and their connection to the 'living creatures' mentioned by Ezekiel and John in Revelation remains an unresolved question.
The title 'enthroned on the cherubim' was a designation for the LORD, used in prayers and psalms even before the construction of the temple, suggesting its importance in early Israelite worship. The LORD was described as appearing between the cherubim over the ark of the covenant to speak with Moses. The throne and its association with the cherubim were fundamental to Israel's worship from the earliest periods.
2. Birth from Above/Becoming the Divine Son: Temple mysticism included the concept of those who sat on the throne experiencing a rebirth and living a heavenly life, becoming like angels and sons of God. This idea is linked to Psalm 110, a key text for understanding this 'birth from above'. The psalm describes the LORD inviting another, referred to as 'my Lord' and likely the Davidic king, to sit at his right hand, sharing the throne. This enthronement was seen as a form of divine sonship and resurrection, a process by which the human king became a manifestation of Yahweh, the LORD.
The anointing with 'dew', understood in temple practice as a sacrament of resurrection, played a role in this process. The Chronicler's account of Solomon's coronation suggests that the king became the LORD upon his enthronement, highlighting the union of the divine and human. This concept of a human figure becoming divine upon enthronement is echoed in early Christian hymns, which speak of Jesus receiving the Name (Yahweh) and being worshipped by all creation after his exaltation. Jesus' baptism is interpreted in the source as a potential 'throne experience', a moment of consecration and resurrection in the temple mystic sense, where he was proclaimed the Son of God.
3. The Lady/Wisdom Figure: The source proposes the existence of a feminine divine figure, often associated with the throne and identified with Wisdom. There are suggestions that the throne itself may have been symbolically linked to a great goddess figure, similar to the Egyptian goddess Isis. Ezekiel's vision of the chariot throne leaving Jerusalem is interpreted as the departure of a female figure upon whom the glory of the LORD was enthroned.
Philo's interpretation of the cherubim as representing 'full knowledge and much science' and the two aspects/powers of the LORD (creative and royal) connects the throne with the idea of wisdom being poured out. This feminine figure is further explored through the gnostic figure of Barbelo, described as the first to come forth from the Father, the womb of everything, and associated with Wisdom texts from the Old Testament. The concept of the Lady as the throne of Wisdom appears in Christian traditions, from Syrian homilies to Byzantine hymns and Western iconography, suggesting an early and widespread understanding.
4. The Forms/Engravings: Temple mysticism included the idea of pre-existent patterns or 'Forms' that served as the blueprint for creation, located within the holy of holies. Ezekiel's use of the terms demut (likeness) and mar'eh (appearance) is interpreted as describing these invisible realities and their manifestations in his vision. This concept bears similarities to Plato's theory of Forms, suggesting a potential link or shared origin. These Forms were understood to exist beyond space and time, accessible to the mind rather than the senses, much like the hidden reality of the holy of holies.
The Qumran texts and later Jewish traditions speak of 'engravings' within the holy of holies, representing the divine plan for creation, including both physical objects and laws for human behavior. These engravings were seen as preceding the physical creation. In some traditions, these engraved names on the throne were believed to become the angels involved in creation. The X-shaped structure described by Plato as the 'soul' of the world is also linked to a seal of proportion or pattern associated with a high priest in Ezekiel and the divine Name, further suggesting a connection between temple mysticism and later philosophical ideas.
5. Knowledge and the Angelic Realm: The acquisition of divine knowledge was a central aspect of temple mysticism. Enoch's ascent to the throne and his reception of divine knowledge about the creation and the future, often revealed by an 'angel of peace', exemplifies this. This knowledge included the secrets of the natural world, the orbits of celestial bodies, and the underlying order of creation based on a great oath and principles of righteousness and proportion.
Angels were understood to play a crucial role in mediating divine knowledge and in the functioning of the natural world. They were seen as the invisible principles or 'laws of nature'. Lists of angel names found at Qumran, formed by combining 'el' (God) with the name of natural phenomena, illustrate this connection. The ultimate aim for the temple mystic was to understand the unity of God and creation, a mystery that could transform one's perception of the world, making it seem like standing before the throne of glory. This knowledge was sometimes associated with 'measurements' (middoth) that defined the order and proportion of the created world, symbolized by the measurements of the temple itself.