By the reckoning of some historians, when it comes to the gospel accounts, we have two eyewitnesses, a scribe, and one contemporary historian who was able to collect the stories and put them in order. It makes a very comprehensive set of documents. They make our job a little more difficult, but why should it be easy?

Now, I have made this point before, but I have to make it again right here. Some people (whose elevator doesn’t go to the top floor) think that contradictions in the gospel accounts invalidate them. Ironically, rather than invalidate them, they confirm them. Let me explain. For the testimony of witnesses to be valid, that testimony must be independent of the testimony of others. The existence of inconsistencies between witness accounts are important because they establish the independence of the sources.

There are also differences that arise from the purpose of the author. Luke says up front that his purpose is to set these things in order—seemingly, chronological order. Matthew and Mark, however, may have no such intent, and they may group messages and events to make a greater point. So don’t play the fool by nitpicking. Try rather to understand what the witnesses want us to get about Jesus and his work and his message. Now, instead of consulting the scholars first, let’s consult Luke himself…

Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, […] the word of God came unto John the son of Zachariah in the wilderness. And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins; As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth; And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.

Now on to one of my favorite stories in all the Bible.

And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

I love this passage, because it underlines for me the reality of Jesus coming in the flesh. It underlines his utter dependence on Joseph and Mary. It underlines his complete vulnerability in the world. This is a really big event.

Then he said unto me, These waters issue out toward the east country, and go down into the desert, and go into the sea: which being brought forth into the sea, the waters of the sea shall be healed.

And it shall come to pass, that everything that lives, which moves, wherever the rivers shall come, shall live: and there shall be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters shall come there: for they shall be healed; and everything shall live where the river comes.

And it shall come to pass, that the fishermen shall stand upon it from En-gedi even unto En-eglaim; there shall be a place to spread forth nets; their fish shall be the same kinds as the fish of the great sea, exceedingly many.

Here is a link to a diagram of the way Israel is divided.

The future division of the land.

Here is one person's visualization. But the odd thing about this is the straight line borders from west to east. This seems doubtful given the geography.

You son of man, show the house to the house of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities: and let them measure the pattern.

And if they are ashamed of all that they have done, show them the form of the house, and its plan, and its exits, and its entrances, and all its design, and all its ordinances, and all its forms, and all its laws: and write it in their sight, that they may keep its whole design, and all its ordinances, and do them.

This is the law of the house; Upon the top of the mountain the whole area round about shall be most holy. Behold, this is the law of the house.

First, I asked for suggestions on a Bible that translates the dimensions of the Temple for helping the reader visualize things. One suggestion is The Good News Bible. Another is the New Living Translation. There are probably more you can find at Bible Gateway.com.

Here is a site that has a visual rendition of what the Temple might look like. It is down the page.

In the visions of God he brought me into the land of Israel, and set me upon a very high mountain, by which was a structure like a city on the south. And he brought me there, and, behold, there was a man, whose appearance was like the appearance of bronze, with a line of flax in his hand, and a measuring rod; and he stood in the gate.

And the man said unto me, Son of man, behold with your eyes, and hear with your ears, and set your heart upon all that I shall show you; for to the intent that I might show them unto you are you brought here: declare all that you see to the house of Israel.

There is a wealth of material on the Internet about Ezekiel's temple, and it remains something of an enigma.

R.J. Anderson lists four main questions which we can think about as we make our way through these passages, and they are as good a place to start as any:

1. Is the temple and its worship literal, or figurative?
2. Do these things take place at a time now past, or at some point in the future?
3. If the time is future, does it involve the millennial kingdom of Christ on earth, or the heavenly state?
4. In any case, what is the purpose of the sacrifices described?