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orion-list Seemingly Sensationalist Temple Proposal



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Greetings Everyone,

While going through the internet looking for information on the Herodian
Temple, I came across several pages that refer to a book entitled "The
Temples That Jerusalem Forgot" by one Ernest L. Martin, Ph.D. The idea that
it proposes is that the location of the Temple was actually 1/3rd of a mile
south of the site usually accepted. It seems that the main thrust of his
argument serves one aim: to attempt to vindicate Jesus' words "not one stone
will be left upon another". (Since it is common knowledge that there are
several courses of Herodian stones in place, it would seem that Jesus is in
error.) From what I read of his argument on one webpage
(http://www.askelm.com/temple.htm, see "The Temple Mount and Fort Antonia"),
he backs his belief that the usually accepted Haram es-Sharif is in error by
quoting Josephus who reproduces three eyewitness accounts of Jerusalem's
destruction, his own, Titus, and Eleazar. These three basically give the
same information, that Jerusalem was completely destroyed down to it's
foundations. Eleazar, the Jewish commander at Masada, says that all is
destroyed except on structure, the place where the Romans camped which the
author says must be the Antonia Fortress. Thus, the author's argument is
basically that the Haram es-Sharif was the Antonia Fortress and that the
remains of the REAL Temple were completely destroyed. Also, it is not
surprising that the author talks about how work on the third temple can be
started since the TRUE location is in Israeli hands.

Has anyone heard this stuff before? To me it seems like the author just
grabs sources uncritically. It also does not fit with the archaeological
evidence I have seen. Since this is not really about the Dead Sea Scrolls,
please E-mail me off list about this one.

Anthony Becker

For private reply, e-mail to "Happydan" <happydan1@home.com>
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