Temple and its different conception

 

The word temple is a polysemous word that means different thing to different people. It was derived from the latin word “templum” meaning, a sacred place or a place of worship. In the history of temple, the first temple was built by Solomon in 957 BC and destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar II in 586 BC; while the second temple was destroy by the Romans in 70 AD. As it was said earlier that temple means different thing to different people. We can then analyses the different meaning ascribed to the word temple.

Temple could be referred to as a place of worship. The JUDAISM viewed it as synagogue which is a place of worship and communal centre of a Jewish congregation. In another way round, it could also be understood as a place of worship for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints where sacred ordinances such as marriage are executed. It could also be a meeting place where fraternal order holds their meetings and perform their rites.

Temple could also be seen as an institution or building considered as a guardian of, or reservation for a particular activity and lastly, temple could be understood to be a place where something holy or divine is thought to dwell. That is, the body of a holy person. Therefore, what temple means to one person maybe different from the meaning given to it by another person.