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NASB | Acts 3:2 And a man who had been lame from his mother's womb was being carried along, whom they used to set down every day at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, in order to beg alms of those who were entering the temple. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Acts 3:2 and a man who had been unable to walk from birth was being carried along, whom they used to set down every day at that gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, so that he could beg alms from those entering the temple. |
Bible Question:
"Gate of the temple which is called Beautiful" Does anyone know why this gate is called "Beautiful"? |
Bible Answer: Ric, I have a commentary by an old Baptist of the 1700's that I treasure above all my commentaries--Exposition of the Old and New Testaments, by John Gill. Here's what he said about that gate. I hope it helps. "which is called beautiful"; which some think was the gate Shushan, which was the eastern gate of the mountain of the house, or the outmost wall, and was so called, because Shushan, the metropolis of Persia, was pourtrayed upon it , which made it look very beautiful. The reason commonly given by the Jewish commentators why this was done, is this; when the Jews returned from captivity, the king of Persia commanded that they should make a figure of the palace of Shushan upon one of the gates of the temple, that they might fear the king, and not rebel against him; and accordingly they drew one upon the eastern gate: but some say, that the children of the captivity did this (upon their return) that they might remember the wonder of Purim, (their deliverance from Haman,) which was done in Shushan; moreover, it might be so called from the word Shushan, which signifies joy and gladness: but this does not bid so fair to be the gate here meant, since it was lower than all the rest; for as the eastern wall was lower than the rest of the walls, that when the high priest burnt the red heifer on the top of Mount Olivet, he might see the gate of the temple at the time of the sprinkling of the blood; so the gate itself was four cubits lower than the others, and therefore could not look so grand and beautiful as the rest. Indeed, concerning this eastern gate of the mountain of the house, it is said , that "in the time when the sanctuary stood, when they prayed on the mountain of the house, they went in by the way of the eastern gate." And as this was now the hour of prayer, and the people were going to the temple to pray, whose entrance was at the east gate; here it might be thought, in all probability, was laid the lame man: though it seems rather to be the eastern gate of the court of the women, which was made of Corinthian brass, and looked brighter than gold itself; of which Josephus thus speaks: "nine of the gates were covered all over with gold and silver, likewise the side posts and lintels; but there was one, without the temple, of Corinthian brass, which in dignity greatly exceeded the silver and golden ones." And since at this gate was the greatest frequency of persons, both men and women entering here; it is most likely, that here lay the lame man a begging: this is thought, by some, to be the higher gate of the house of the Lord; said to be built by Jotham, the son of Uzziah, king of Judah, "2Ki 15:35" upon which text, a Jewish commentator of great note has this remark, "observe it is said of Jotham, that he built it, because he made a building on it, "more glorious and great" than it had been:" and this is also called the new gate of the house of the Lord, "Jer 26:10" and which both the Targum and Kimchi on the place say is the eastern gate. God bless you and yours. |
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Ric | ||
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Ric |