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Temple Mysticism
According to Margaret Barker, temple mysticism underpins much of the Bible. Rooted in the cult of the first temple in ancient Judaism, it helps us to understand the origins of Christianity. Barker first examines biblical Isaiah, the prophet whom Jesus quoted more than any other in Scripture, and John, and then non-biblical texts.
192 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2011
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About the author
Margaret Barker
54 books69 followersThere is more than one author with this name
Margaret Barker is a British Methodist preacher and biblical scholar recognized for her pioneering contributions to the study of early Christianity. Educated in theology at the University of Cambridge, she devoted her career to exploring the roots of Christian thought through what she terms Temple Theology, an approach tracing many aspects of early Christian liturgy and doctrine back to the worship of Solomon’s Temple.
In 1998 she served as president of the Society for Old Testament Study, and in 2008 she was awarded the Lambeth Doctor of Divinity by the Archbishop of Canterbury in recognition of her scholarly achievements. Her influential works, including The Great High Priest (2003) and Temple Theology (2004), emphasize the enduring legacy of Temple worship, arguing that it shaped Christianity as deeply as Hellenistic and synagogue traditions.
Drawing on sources ranging from the Hebrew Bible and Septuagint to the Dead Sea Scrolls, Gnostic writings, and early Christian texts, Barker’s research highlights the mystical dimensions of ancient worship and their relevance for understanding early Christian belief. Her work has been both praised for originality and critiqued within mainstream scholarship, yet remains highly influential across diverse theological traditions.
Margaret Barker is a British Methodist preacher and biblical scholar recognized for her pioneering contributions to the study of early Christianity. Educated in theology at the University of Cambridge, she devoted her career to exploring the roots of Christian thought through what she terms Temple Theology, an approach tracing many aspects of early Christian liturgy and doctrine back to the worship of Solomon’s Temple.
In 1998 she served as president of the Society for Old Testament Study, and in 2008 she was awarded the Lambeth Doctor of Divinity by the Archbishop of Canterbury in recognition of her scholarly achievements. Her influential works, including The Great High Priest (2003) and Temple Theology (2004), emphasize the enduring legacy of Temple worship, arguing that it shaped Christianity as deeply as Hellenistic and synagogue traditions.
Drawing on sources ranging from the Hebrew Bible and Septuagint to the Dead Sea Scrolls, Gnostic writings, and early Christian texts, Barker’s research highlights the mystical dimensions of ancient worship and their relevance for understanding early Christian belief. Her work has been both praised for originality and critiqued within mainstream scholarship, yet remains highly influential across diverse theological traditions.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
October 24, 2021
Denna tillhör de där böckerna som lämnar en i förundran. Inte så mycket för att den är en väl genomarbetad text, med gott om originalcitat (som jag nu, eftersom jag läst många av förniceanerna, faktiskt känner igen och kan bekräfta är korrekt återgivna) utan framförallt eftersom den tolkar dessa texter på ett nytt (eller snarare gammalt) och spännande sätt.
Kort sagt, är författarens tes, att Jesus, i egenskap av Essé, förde vidare den lärdomstradition som var judendomens översteprästtradition innan den Babyloniska fångenskapen. Så långt inte speciellt kontroversiellt - de forskare jag har läst om esséerna har frekvent hävdat samma sak, eller liknande saker, även om få skulle hävda förfångenskapstraditionen som något slags oförvanskad tradition. Författaren använder i denna del av argumentet hebreisk ord-rotsmystik, och även om jag verkligen inte är en god student av denna tradition, så verkar det ytligt rimligt; koncepten som tas upp känner jag igen.
Steg två i argumentationen är kontroversiellare. Vi vet att väldigt mycket av psalmerna och profeterna är skrivet som allegori. Herre Gud, det finns dessa uttalanden om att den första bokstaven av den första versen av Genesis innehåller hela Bibeln. Bland de tänkare jag läst tidigare, tolkas detta som avsiktligt, ett slags försök att genom betraktelsen inducera läsaren i ett renare böntillstånd. Här håller författaren inte med, utan lutar sig istället på renässanstraditionen (delvis byggd på tidiga kyrkofäder) som hävdar att Pythagorismen, genom Platon, är en fungerande väg att avkoda de mystiska budskap som allegorierna lämnar oss. I så fall, skulle det snarare röra sig om ett symbolspråk alla barockhärskarkonstverken än fri spekulation, vilket visserligen passar en hierarkisk kultur bättre, men just därför måste bevisas noggrant; vilket författaren inte gör. Samtidigt är de indicier som framförs så vackra, och eleganta i de tankar som följer ur dem, att det är svårt att inte falla för dem.
Som minst är detta en bok elegant spekulation. Det är som sådan inte bara en bok för troende, utan en bok som jag önskar alla fantasy-skribenter och spelledare att läsa inför världskonstruktion, eftersom religion skapar sitt tankesätt. Som mest är den ett bidrag till att omtolka viktiga ord i Bibeln, vilket måste få återklang i ett kristet liv - skulle Adam härska över jordens alla djur, eller läka dem till Gud?
Jag rekommenderar den varmt, för till och med minimiversionen, med boken som inspirerad men heterodox spekulation, är väl värd många läsares tid.
Kort sagt, är författarens tes, att Jesus, i egenskap av Essé, förde vidare den lärdomstradition som var judendomens översteprästtradition innan den Babyloniska fångenskapen. Så långt inte speciellt kontroversiellt - de forskare jag har läst om esséerna har frekvent hävdat samma sak, eller liknande saker, även om få skulle hävda förfångenskapstraditionen som något slags oförvanskad tradition. Författaren använder i denna del av argumentet hebreisk ord-rotsmystik, och även om jag verkligen inte är en god student av denna tradition, så verkar det ytligt rimligt; koncepten som tas upp känner jag igen.
Steg två i argumentationen är kontroversiellare. Vi vet att väldigt mycket av psalmerna och profeterna är skrivet som allegori. Herre Gud, det finns dessa uttalanden om att den första bokstaven av den första versen av Genesis innehåller hela Bibeln. Bland de tänkare jag läst tidigare, tolkas detta som avsiktligt, ett slags försök att genom betraktelsen inducera läsaren i ett renare böntillstånd. Här håller författaren inte med, utan lutar sig istället på renässanstraditionen (delvis byggd på tidiga kyrkofäder) som hävdar att Pythagorismen, genom Platon, är en fungerande väg att avkoda de mystiska budskap som allegorierna lämnar oss. I så fall, skulle det snarare röra sig om ett symbolspråk alla barockhärskarkonstverken än fri spekulation, vilket visserligen passar en hierarkisk kultur bättre, men just därför måste bevisas noggrant; vilket författaren inte gör. Samtidigt är de indicier som framförs så vackra, och eleganta i de tankar som följer ur dem, att det är svårt att inte falla för dem.
Som minst är detta en bok elegant spekulation. Det är som sådan inte bara en bok för troende, utan en bok som jag önskar alla fantasy-skribenter och spelledare att läsa inför världskonstruktion, eftersom religion skapar sitt tankesätt. Som mest är den ett bidrag till att omtolka viktiga ord i Bibeln, vilket måste få återklang i ett kristet liv - skulle Adam härska över jordens alla djur, eller läka dem till Gud?
Jag rekommenderar den varmt, för till och med minimiversionen, med boken som inspirerad men heterodox spekulation, är väl värd många läsares tid.
January 14, 2012
As "mysticism" is a word means different things to different people, the first thing a reader should do is set aside their personal definition, and pay close attention to Margaret's use. She begins with Isaiah's Temple vision in Isaiah 6:1-5, and by the middle of page 2 says directly that "Seeing the LORD--temple mysticsm, was both controversial and, apparently suppressed."
The theme of seeing the LORD in a Temple context runs through the book, in concert with her enlightening unfolding of how and by whom the notion of vision was suppressed. Many of the themes and ideas are familiar from her earlier books, especially, The Great High Priest, but presented here for a more general readership.
She provides fascinating readings of Biblical texts, variants, versions, targums, pointing provided to control readings, texts either changed or corrupted, and consistent patterns that appear in many places, and thereby provide a compelling picture.
Her first chapter introduces the source texts, focusing on common themes and implications of Isaiah, a Temple Priest, and John, a temple priest, and the implications of Jesus being presented as the Great High Priest. Subsequent chapters work through themes of the One (unity) and the Many, the throne as image and reality, and the Servant figure in Isaiah and in early Christian understanding.
The theme of seeing the LORD in a Temple context runs through the book, in concert with her enlightening unfolding of how and by whom the notion of vision was suppressed. Many of the themes and ideas are familiar from her earlier books, especially, The Great High Priest, but presented here for a more general readership.
She provides fascinating readings of Biblical texts, variants, versions, targums, pointing provided to control readings, texts either changed or corrupted, and consistent patterns that appear in many places, and thereby provide a compelling picture.
Her first chapter introduces the source texts, focusing on common themes and implications of Isaiah, a Temple Priest, and John, a temple priest, and the implications of Jesus being presented as the Great High Priest. Subsequent chapters work through themes of the One (unity) and the Many, the throne as image and reality, and the Servant figure in Isaiah and in early Christian understanding.
October 9, 2021
I give this book a solid four stars for readability and for gathering together in a short work the evidence for the old Hebrew religion that was largely obscured since the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple in AD 70, except for the most part within the liturgies of the Christian Church. Subjects covered include the triumph of the God-man as high-priest and the One Who appears as a 'son of man' and is enthroned on high, the ongoing vitality of the Holy of Holies within the Temple (now without the physical presence of the Temple), and the meaning of the sacrificial cult of the Temple (spectacularly the Day of Atonement sacrifices, now only manifested by the ongoing re-presentation of the one Sacrifice of Christ). Gnostic texts are often used, and speculations presented about the personification of Wisdom in what remains of the ancient texts - speculations that are useful in rediscovering the old religion of the Hebrews before the Jewish Temple religion was developed in the centuries before Christ and certainly before the new settlement of the Jewish rabbinic religion that was developed after AD 70. Christianity reaches far beyond these, in many ways beyond even Moses, to the distant past, in order to restore the original covenant with God that mankind enjoyed, and lost through sin. And that's where Temple mysticism becomes very intriguing and the person of Christ shines forth anew as the new Adam, the man from the beginning.
December 18, 2021
Not sure if I am convinced by her argument, but this book really made me think and gave many new perspectives.
March 16, 2019
Amount of research!
When you read want to know about original sources, documentation, all sides of an argument, her writings definately provide that! Whether you agree or not, you can't say she didn't do her homework! Seeing scripture through our modern minds, leaves you wondering what did the people mean when they wrote these words, see through their eyes, and their editors eyes!
When you read want to know about original sources, documentation, all sides of an argument, her writings definately provide that! Whether you agree or not, you can't say she didn't do her homework! Seeing scripture through our modern minds, leaves you wondering what did the people mean when they wrote these words, see through their eyes, and their editors eyes!
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July 11, 2022I’m not sure I’ve been smoking enough of whatever Maggie Barker has to give commentary on this.
This is something like taking every ancient text known to man, “Christian” and otherwise, including, but not limited to, Hebrew Scripture, every translation thereof, some New Testament works, but mostly John, some apocryphal texts, gnostic texts, late church fathers, outlier rabbis, Kabbalah mysticism, a wee bit of new age and pantheism, a little old paganism, Ashera cult, and some Plato for good measure, then distilling it all into some 80 proof moonshine.
Was that facetious? A little, but not much.
I had some issues. There was a lot of question begging. Lots of orphaned assumptions. There was that scholarly tone that lets the author do these while pretending like they aren’t. And there was little-to-no discretion re: the weighing of sources.
This last one is really the main strength and weakness of the book. Barker is so, so broadly read. She’ll quote Philo to you, then something obscure from Nag Hammadi, then round third base with a nod to something interestingly translated in the vulgate, pass by something rumored to have been believed by the Qumran community, and then slide back into home with a quote by her personal favorite theologian: Origin. At the end, your head is spinning and it seems that we have definitely got it wrong all along.. unless you happen to know that all those writings are *not* contemporary, and are *not* arguing or presuming the same things. The main assumption she rides to an absurd degree is that all ancient texts pre-reformation (except, perhaps, the actual received manuscripts of the Hebrew Scriptures) are essentially of one stripe: some Mormon-gnostic hybrid. Barker seems to be merely a gnostic quasi-Mormon in Methodist clothing. Of course, she might disagree with me. Another weakness of these “scholarly” books is that the author can cloak their own opinions behind a veil of “just presenting some facts.” She leaves you with few and slim explicit conclusions.
This is not to say that I gleaned nothing, and, in fact, surprisingly, have some more digging in her works I’d like to do. How can this be? Well, Barker is interesting. Also, being that this is essentially a game of ancient source material roulette, it serves as great fodder for imaginative thought. I should also say that there was a good deal in the final chapter worth musing on.
All this is to say: this book is a trip. I would now really like to have a long discussion with the person who recommended this to me. For my part, I would recommend it to no one. (Maybe Dan Brown—if he’s low on material for a new novel.)
This is something like taking every ancient text known to man, “Christian” and otherwise, including, but not limited to, Hebrew Scripture, every translation thereof, some New Testament works, but mostly John, some apocryphal texts, gnostic texts, late church fathers, outlier rabbis, Kabbalah mysticism, a wee bit of new age and pantheism, a little old paganism, Ashera cult, and some Plato for good measure, then distilling it all into some 80 proof moonshine.
Was that facetious? A little, but not much.
I had some issues. There was a lot of question begging. Lots of orphaned assumptions. There was that scholarly tone that lets the author do these while pretending like they aren’t. And there was little-to-no discretion re: the weighing of sources.
This last one is really the main strength and weakness of the book. Barker is so, so broadly read. She’ll quote Philo to you, then something obscure from Nag Hammadi, then round third base with a nod to something interestingly translated in the vulgate, pass by something rumored to have been believed by the Qumran community, and then slide back into home with a quote by her personal favorite theologian: Origin. At the end, your head is spinning and it seems that we have definitely got it wrong all along.. unless you happen to know that all those writings are *not* contemporary, and are *not* arguing or presuming the same things. The main assumption she rides to an absurd degree is that all ancient texts pre-reformation (except, perhaps, the actual received manuscripts of the Hebrew Scriptures) are essentially of one stripe: some Mormon-gnostic hybrid. Barker seems to be merely a gnostic quasi-Mormon in Methodist clothing. Of course, she might disagree with me. Another weakness of these “scholarly” books is that the author can cloak their own opinions behind a veil of “just presenting some facts.” She leaves you with few and slim explicit conclusions.
This is not to say that I gleaned nothing, and, in fact, surprisingly, have some more digging in her works I’d like to do. How can this be? Well, Barker is interesting. Also, being that this is essentially a game of ancient source material roulette, it serves as great fodder for imaginative thought. I should also say that there was a good deal in the final chapter worth musing on.
All this is to say: this book is a trip. I would now really like to have a long discussion with the person who recommended this to me. For my part, I would recommend it to no one. (Maybe Dan Brown—if he’s low on material for a new novel.)
October 30, 2021
"There are more things in heaven and Earth, Horatio, / Than are dreamt of in your philosophy." (Hamlet, Act I-Scene 5)
One great oddity of Hamlet is that while he can utter such a challenging phrase as the above to his friend Horatio we also know that he attends school in Wittenberg, the academic center (at the time) for Protestant education, an education which sought to deemphasize all mystery in the name of "reclaiming the Gospel." As an Orthodox Christian (and a recovering Calvinist) such mystery is a necessity and the grand truth of mystery is not that it is always "hidden" but that the revelation of mystery itself paradoxically grants one insight while further exposing one's ignorance. Margaret Barker is someone I will read MUCH more of for what she offers in this volume may not be entirely "on the straight and narrow" theologically (let alone dogmatically) but it is a search for REAL answers to questions that the Orthodox Church has acknowledged liturgically. This does mean, at times, that Barker will be just as comfortable quoting from the Gospel of Thomas as she will Dionysius the Areopagite not to mention non-Masoretic renderings of OT texts. Perhaps her most important claim, and one that she quite effortlessly proves, is that the Masoretic Text was INDEED "rewritten" as to eschew all notions of Temple Theology (or at least, obscure them) since it was the Early Church which most pursued renewing and fulfilling the promise of Temple Theology. One need only to attend Divine Liturgy once to realize that the Early Church has indeed fulfilled that mission (and continues to do so). As I said, this is NOT a dogmatic theological work and I do NOT believe it should be "set against" Patristics let alone more "mainstream" theological works by the likes of non-saints such as Vladimir Lossky. However, it is quite revelatory on its own and its unflinching observations (made without polemic or excuse) are highly prized. OUTSTANDING.
One great oddity of Hamlet is that while he can utter such a challenging phrase as the above to his friend Horatio we also know that he attends school in Wittenberg, the academic center (at the time) for Protestant education, an education which sought to deemphasize all mystery in the name of "reclaiming the Gospel." As an Orthodox Christian (and a recovering Calvinist) such mystery is a necessity and the grand truth of mystery is not that it is always "hidden" but that the revelation of mystery itself paradoxically grants one insight while further exposing one's ignorance. Margaret Barker is someone I will read MUCH more of for what she offers in this volume may not be entirely "on the straight and narrow" theologically (let alone dogmatically) but it is a search for REAL answers to questions that the Orthodox Church has acknowledged liturgically. This does mean, at times, that Barker will be just as comfortable quoting from the Gospel of Thomas as she will Dionysius the Areopagite not to mention non-Masoretic renderings of OT texts. Perhaps her most important claim, and one that she quite effortlessly proves, is that the Masoretic Text was INDEED "rewritten" as to eschew all notions of Temple Theology (or at least, obscure them) since it was the Early Church which most pursued renewing and fulfilling the promise of Temple Theology. One need only to attend Divine Liturgy once to realize that the Early Church has indeed fulfilled that mission (and continues to do so). As I said, this is NOT a dogmatic theological work and I do NOT believe it should be "set against" Patristics let alone more "mainstream" theological works by the likes of non-saints such as Vladimir Lossky. However, it is quite revelatory on its own and its unflinching observations (made without polemic or excuse) are highly prized. OUTSTANDING.
September 27, 2021
I don’t think I have the credentials to truly review this book. It was recommended to me by a professor friend. It’s stunning in its breadth and impressive in its arguments. Whether or not you agree with her conclusions, there is no doubt that this is well researched and scholarly. If you are interested first temple mysticism and suspect, as I do, that Jesus’ teachings were deeply embedded in a Jewish mysticism that we don’t hear much about today, then you might enjoy this work. It is not an easy read.
May 13, 2023
How you get there matters.
While as a Latter-day Saint I'm very sympathetic to Barker's thesis that there was more in ancient Hebrew religion which tied Jesus to the prophesied Messiah, and that the original Christians had a far greater traditional of ritual mysticism than is read on the surface of the New Testament, too much of what Barker presents as "demonstrated" is more simply "asserted." Her interpretations of discrete scriptures too often follow only tenuously on the scripture just quoted.
While as a Latter-day Saint I'm very sympathetic to Barker's thesis that there was more in ancient Hebrew religion which tied Jesus to the prophesied Messiah, and that the original Christians had a far greater traditional of ritual mysticism than is read on the surface of the New Testament, too much of what Barker presents as "demonstrated" is more simply "asserted." Her interpretations of discrete scriptures too often follow only tenuously on the scripture just quoted.
February 27, 2025
The more I read, the less convinced I am. But she's having fun and so am I.
September 11, 2012
As always, this book was amazing. Barker is a genius. There is always a lot of overlap with other books as she refines her ideas, but there were a couple of really great new things here. I especially think her analysis of the Isaiah servant songs was really incredible.
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