The Court of the Gentiles was an outer court of the Jewish temple in Jerusalem that was open to non-Jews. It served as a place where Gentiles could come and pray and worship the God of Israel, without being required to convert to Judaism or enter the inner courts that were reserved for Jews.
The Court of the Gentiles was part of the expansion and renovation of the Second Temple completed by King Herod the Great in around 20-19 BC. The temple complex had series of courts, each more restricted in access than the last. The outermost court was the Court of the Gentiles, which surrounded the inner courts and the Temple proper.
This court was open to all people, Jews and Gentiles alike. It served as a gathering place, a place for pilgrims to come and worship from afar, as well as a marketplace where money changers and sellers of animals for sacrifice did business with visiting pilgrims. The external walls of the Temple complex, including the Royal Portico on the south side of the court, helped define the space.
The designation “court of the Gentiles” does not come directly from Scripture, but rather developed over time as a way of describing this outer area of the Temple complex. Some key biblical references help shed light on this space:
– Jesus visited the Temple Court of the Gentiles and drove out the buyers and sellers there, overturning tables and declaring “My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations” (Mark 11:17, ESV). This shows that the Court of the Gentiles was meant to accommodate more than just Jews.
– In Acts 21:27-32, a mob seized Paul in the Court of the Gentiles on the accusation that he brought Gentiles into the forbidden inner courts. This helps demonstrate that there was a clear delineation and restriction between the Court of Gentiles and the inner Jewish courts.
– The Court of Women, mentioned in passages like Luke 2:37, was the inner court beyond the Court of the Gentiles. The Court of Gentiles marked the outer boundary non-Jews could approach.
The existence of the Court of the Gentiles is significant because it demonstrated that there was a place of worship at the Jewish Temple for those outside the traditional covenant nation of Israel. Jesus declared it was meant to be a “house of prayer for all nations,” showing God’s desire for the Temple to accommodate Gentiles seeking the one true God. But it also highlighted boundaries and restrictions on who was allowed in certain areas, foreshadowing how those would break down after Christ’s coming (Ephesians 2:14).
The Court of the Gentiles no longer exists today, having been destroyed with the rest of the Temple in 70 AD at the hands of the Romans. But its legacy remains as a picture of a place of worship for both Jews and non-Jews, anticipating the coming kingdom when people from every nation will worship before the throne of God (Revelation 7:9).
The Court of the Gentiles occupied a large area within the Temple complex. Based on the best archaeological and historical information available, the Court of the Gentiles measured approximately 200 feet on each side, covering around 45 acres of land. That enormous space would have accommodated massive crowds coming to the Temple for festivals and other events.
Here is some more detail about the dimensions and layout of the Court of the Gentiles:
– The Court was enclosed by a series of colonnaded porticoes, cloisters, and gates. The eastern side featured Solomon’s Colonnade or Solomon’s Portico, a large covered structure with columns (John 10:23).
– The entire Court formed an almost perfect square about 500 cubits (~750 feet) wide in each direction. The Court occupied nearly a third of the total area of the Temple complex.
– The Royal Portico stood along the south end. It was likely a porch with four rows of Corinthian columns towering 40 cubits (~60 feet) high according to Josephus.
– The Court was open to the sky but colonnaded porches on the perimeter provided some shade and cover. These column-lined covered walkways formed a perimeter around the open-air courtyard.
– Massive gates served as entry points into the Court of the Gentiles. The largest was the Beautiful Gate on the east side, mentioned in Acts 3 in connection with Peter and John healing the crippled beggar.
– The Court was paved with stone bricks and was smooth and level, allowing for orderly gathering and mingling of crowds. The even surface and lack of obstructions granted good visibility of the Temple.
– There was no specific barrier between the Court of Gentiles and the inner courts, but warning signs in Greek and Latin prohibited entry on pain of death. A low balustrade or fence may have demarcated the boundary.
– Steps and tunnels around the perimeter granted access to the higher, more exclusive inner courts reserved for Jewish men and women. Gentiles were under no circumstances permitted to pass beyond the Court of the Gentiles.
So in summary, the Court of the Gentiles occupied a massive, portico-lined square forming the outer court of the Temple complex. This huge plaza could accommodate major crowds yet also served as a sacred gathering place for individual non-Jews coming to seek and worship Israel’s God in the Temple.
The Court of the Gentiles served several important purposes at the Temple in Jerusalem:
1. Place of worship for non-Jews
This outer court provided a place for Gentiles to come and pray to the God of the Jews. They could draw near to the presence of God at the Temple without having to convert to Judaism or enter the inner courts reserved for the priests and covenant people.
2. Entryway and gathering place
The Court marked the exterior entrance and gathering place for anyone coming to the Temple. Jews would pass through the court on their way to the inner areas. It served as a vast plaza accommodating massive crowds during festivals.
3. Marketplace and commerce
As it was open to all people, the Court of Gentiles became a major hub of commerce. Money changers and animal vendors plied their trade here to serve visiting pilgrims needing to purchase animals and other items for offerings and sacrifices. The bustling commerce filled the Court during the day.
4. Place of teaching
The porticoes and steps of the Court made it conducive for teachers to meet with disciples and the public. Sources like Josephus record that pharisees and rabbis taught regularly among the columns and walkways around the Court’s perimeter.
5. Place of exclusion
The Court marked the barrier beyond which Gentiles could not pass. Warning signs and partial barriers reminded Gentiles they entered pain of death if they accessed the inner courts. The Court made clear that full participation was limited.
6. Place of inclusion
For all its boundaries, the existence of the Court signified Gentiles had a place of worship in the Temple. God-fearing non-Jews had access to engage with and worship the God of Israel within the Temple complex, even if in a limited fashion.
So in serving these functions, the Court of the Gentiles occupied a somewhat ambiguous but important middle ground – neither fully excluding nor fully including Gentiles at the Temple. This physical space reflected tensions in how Israel at that time related to the nations around them.
The Court of the Gentiles gives us important insight into who could access the Jewish Temple and how worship was structured. Beyond just Gentiles, here is how different groups were permitted to use the various courts and areas:
– Gentiles – Allowed only in the Court of the Gentiles. Offerings could be made here but Gentiles who passed the boundary markers into the inner courts faced execution.
– Women – Allowed access into the outer court designated the Court of the Women. This sat within the Court of the Gentiles but was prohibited to unclean or uncircumcised Gentiles.
– Jewish Men – Permitted to enter from the Court of the Gentiles through the Nicanor Gate into the Court of the Israelites. This court was reserved for ritually pure Jewish men to gather for worship.
– Priests – The Levitical priests could go beyond the Court of the Israelites into the Priest’s Court. This enclosed the Temple sanctuary and altar.
– High Priest – Only the High Priest could enter the Holy of Holies on Yom Kippur to offer sacrifice and atonement for all the people as a mediator.
So access grew more exclusive moving inward from the Court of the Gentiles through the courts of the Women and Israelites into the priestly courts. The Gentile Court formed the outer boundary allowing qualified access but also maintaining a holy separation reflected in the Temple’s layout.
The growing exclusivity aimed to preserve the sanctity required for entering God’s presence in the inner courts and Holy of Holies. At the same time, the Court of the Gentiles displayed some inclusiveness toward outsiders seeking God. But full inclusion came only through faith in Christ (Ephesians 3:6).
The Court of the Gentiles provides important context for understanding key episodes mentioned in the New Testament:
Jesus Clears the Temple Courts (Mark 11:15-17)
Jesus drives out buyers and sellers doing business in the Court, overturning tables. He declares God’s house was intended as a “house of prayer for all nations.” His actions show the Court had become corrupted and sidetracked from its purpose for outsiders to connect with God.
Many Jews Believe in Jesus at the Temple (John 10:23)
Jesus encounters people at Solomon’s Colonnade lining the Court who come to believe in Him. The public teaching displays how the Court could accommodate large crowds eager to hear Jesus’ message.
Stephen’s Speech and Stoning (Acts 7)
Stephen recounts Israel’s resistance to the Holy Spirit and persecution of the prophets “coming to the Temple courts” over generations. This likely pictures prophets speaking at the Court of the Gentiles seeking to turn the people back to God. Stephen’s stoning begins at the Court, showing continuity.
Paul Seized at the Temple (Acts 21:27-33)
A mob drags Paul out of the Temple courts accusing him of bringing Gentiles past the dividing wall into inner courts. This implies some perceived violation related to the Court of the Gentiles boundaries and function.
The Court of the Gentiles was a product of King Herod’s massive rebuilding and expansion project of the Second Temple complex in Jerusalem. During this 46-year endeavor beginning around 20-19 BC, Herod expanded the Temple Mount to an enormous size and surrounded it with fortified walls and gates.
The Temple itself, and inner courtyards for priests and sacrifices remained in the center. But this huge perimeter area became the Court of the Gentiles. Here are some key details about its construction:
– Solomonic Gateway – The original Solomonic arched gateway from the First Temple era was enclosed within the expanded Royal Portico at the Court’s south side. This gave visitors a visual link to Solomon’s original Temple.
– Base Platform – Herod’s engineers built a massive retaining wall to support a huge flat paved platform extending the large gathering area of the Temple Mount. This open space became the Court of the Gentiles.
– Royal Portico – The prestigious south-side porch was decorated with four rows of Corinthian columns soaring nearly 60 feet high along a width of almost 40 feet. This granted cover along the south wall.
– Colonnades and Gates – Colonnaded porches lined the perimeter of the court. The eastern side featured the large Solomon’s Colonnade. Impressive gates like the Beautiful Gate granted entry.
– Stone Paving – The entire Court was paved over with large stone slabs during this Second Temple expansion. This created a smooth and consistent gathering space around the central sanctuaries.
– Barrier Warning – Signs along the barrier to the inner courts read “No foreigner may enter within the balustrade around the sanctuary and the enclosure. Whoever is caught will be personally responsible for his ensuing death.”
– Fortified walls – The new perimeter walls towered up to six stories tall in places, giving the Temple Mount the appearance of a fortress. The Court of Gentiles was nested securely within.
The Court of the Gentiles did not exist prior to Herod’s reconstruction. He more than doubled the size of the Temple Mount to accommodate the vastly expanded outer courts for non-Jews and visitors. This provided space for large crowds, commerce, and Gentile worshippers.
The Court of the Gentiles ceased to exist after the First Jewish-Roman War of 66-73 AD. The Temple was utterly demolished by Roman forces in 70 AD, leaving only the massive retaining walls and their trademark giant stone blocks that we see today as the Western “Wailing” Wall.
The Western Wall is a remnant of the western perimeter wall that enclosed and supported the Temple Mount platform. Many of these massive stone blocks would have formed the retaining structure upon which the Court of the Gentiles was paved.
So today at this sacred site, Jewish people come to pray before the ancient stones that framed the outer court where so many gathered in Jesus’ day. The Temple may be gone, but its memory remains etched into those monumental walls.
While the Court of the Gentiles was a product of Herod’s reconstruction, the general idea of an outer space for Gentiles worshipping at the Jerusalem Temple has much earlier precedent. Here is an overview of the history:
First Temple Era
– Gentile God-fearers were granted access to the outer courtyard areas of Solomon’s Temple, as recorded in various places (1 Kings 8:41-43). Archaeological remnants confirm Gentile areas.
– These Gentiles could worship from the outskirts. But certain boundaries were still maintained, keeping the innermost areas restricted for priests.
Second Temple Era
– After rebuilding the Temple, Ezra and Nehemiah insist on boundaries to maintain purity from Gentiles (Nehemiah 13:4-9). Still, the outer court is called “court of the guard” (Nehemiah 11:19) where Gentiles had access.
– Various degrees of separation and court divisions developed, guided by concerns of holiness and purity. By New Testament times, the Court of Gentiles clearly existed.
Solomon’s Colonnade
– A roofed eastern portico called Solomon’s Colonnade is mentioned in Acts 3:11 and John 10:23, indicating the longstanding history of the outer court’s structure.
So the general precedent of a Gentile court proceeds back even to the First Temple period. Separation and boundaries evolved in the Second Temple era leading up to Jesus, but evidence points to consistent Gentile access to the Temple periphery.
There are a few theories on the origin of the name “Court of the Gentiles”:
1. Named after Gentile worshippers it accommodated
The court was designated for non-Jewish God-fearers coming to worship at the Temple. So it became known as the place of the Gentiles.
2. Space originally allotted to Gentiles
In Solomon’s Temple, space was allotted to resident foreigners in the land. This area later became the Court of Gentiles.
3. Nearby Gentile settlement
Some scholars believe the name originated from a Gentile settlement that developed on the Mount of Olives just east of the Temple across the Kidron Valley.
4. Translation confusion
It’s possible the Hebrew name mistakenly became translated as “Court of the Gentiles” when it referred to a different outer court for Israelites or guards.
5. Shared space
Rather than a designated Gentile area, some believe the Court was shared space used by Jews and Gentiles alike. The name developed later.
So while the exact origin of the name is uncertain, most believe the Court became known as the place for Gentiles at the Temple based on the non-Jewish worshippers it accommodated and housed. The name signifies its distinct status and purpose.
The Court of the Gentiles provides a fascinating window into the structure of the Second Temple in Jerusalem and how different groups experienced access to God’s presence. This great paved courtyard formed the perimeter of the Temple Mount complex.
Its vast open spaces buzzed with pilgrims, merchants, teachers, and worshippers – both Jews and Gentiles mingling in a shared space, yet also separated from the inner courts. Jesus Himself visited this bustling Court, cleared its commerce, and declared it was meant as a house of prayer for all nations.
While the Temple itself is long gone, study of the Court of Gentiles offers insight into God’s desire for all peoples to worship Him, glimpsed imperfectly through boundaries and barriers. But in Christ, God has now granted access by faith into His presence, removing the dividing walls between Jew and Gentile forever (Ephesians 2:14). The Court foreshadowed this coming reality for all nations.