Hieron (2413) (holy, hallowed, consecrated from hieros [only in 1Co 9:13, 2Ti 3:15] [2413] = sacred, consecrated or belonging to or connected with the gods) referred to the building set apart and dedicated to the worship and service of the gods. In the NT hieron was used to designate the entire complex of temple at Jerusalem. Hieron is the all-inclusive word signifying the entire sacred enclosure, with its porticos, courts, and other subordinate buildings. Naos referred to the temple proper, including the inner sanctuary, composed of the outer room, the Holy of Holies and the innermost Holy Place. When our Lord taught in the temple, He taught in the hieron, in one of the temple porches. He expelled the money-changers from the hieron, the court of the Gentiles. When the veil of the temple was rent at the time of the death of our Lord (Mt 27:52), it was the veil of the naos, the curtain separating the Holy of Holies from the Holy Place. When Zacharias entered the temple to burn incense (Lk 1:9), he entered the naos, the Holy Place where the altar of incense stood while the multitude were in prayer outside he people were “without,” in the hieron (Lk 1:10). Jesus used naos in a figurative to refer to His body as a temple (Jn 2:19, 20, 21). Paul extends this meaning to the individual believer's body as the dwelling place or inner sanctuary of the Holy Spirit (1Co 6:19), the inner sanctuary of the Holy Spirit. Hieron - 72x in 67v - Matt 4:5; 12.5-Matt.12.50" class="scriptRef">12:5f; 21:12, 46" class="scriptRef">14f, 3" class="scriptRef">23; 24:1; 26:55; Mark 11:11, 15f, 27; 12:35; 13:1, 3; 14:49; Luke 2:27, 37, 46; 4:9; 8.10" class="scriptRef">18:10; 19:45, 47; 20.1" class="scriptRef">20:1; 21:5, 37f; 22:52f; 24:53; John 2:14f; 5:14; 7:14, 28; 8:2, 20, 59; 10:23; 11:56; 18:20; Acts 2:46; 3:1, 2, 3, 8, 10; 4:1; 5:20, 21, 24, 25, 42; 19:27; 21:26ff; 22:17; 24:6, 12, 18; 25:8; 26:21. NAS = sacred (1), temple (70). Hieron - 5x in the Septuagint (LXX) -1Chr 9:27, 29:4, 2Chr 6:13, Ezek 28:18, 45:19. Naos - 45x in 39v - 17" class="scriptRef">17" class="scriptRef">Mt 23:16, 17, 21, 35; 26:61; 27:5, 40, 51; Mk 14:58; 15:29, 38; Lk 1:9, 21, 22; 23:45; 19-John.2.21" class="scriptRef">Jn 2:19, 20, 21; Acts 17:24; 19:24; 1Cor 3:16, 17; 6:19; 2Cor 6:16; Ep 2:21; 2Th 2:4; Re 3:12; 7:15; 11:1, 2, 19; 14:15, 17; 15:5, 6, 8; 16:1, 17; 21:22. NAS = shrines(1), temple(42), temple sanctuary(1), temples(1). Naos - 60x in the Septuagint (LXX)- 1Sa 1:9; 3:3; 4.22" class="scriptRef">22.7" class="scriptRef">2Sa 22:7; 1Kgs 6:3, 5, 17" class="scriptRef">17, 33, 36; 21" class="scriptRef">7:21, 50; 18.16" class="scriptRef">2Kgs 18:16; 23.4" class="scriptRef">23:4; 24:13; 1Chr 28:11; 2Chr 3:17; 4:7f, 22; 8:12; 15" class="scriptRef">15.8" class="scriptRef">15:8; 26:16, 19; 27:2; 29:7, 17; 36:7; Ezra 5:14; 6:5; Ps 5:7; 11:4; 18:6; 27:4; 28:2; 29:9; 45:15; 48:9; 65:4; 68:29; 79:1; 138:2; 144:12; Isa 66:6; Jer 7:4; 24:1; 30:18; Ezek 8:16; 41:1, 4, 15, 21, 23, 25; Da 4:29; 5:2, 3; Joel 3:5; Amos 8:3; Jonah 2:4, 7; Hab 2:20; Hag 2:9, 15, 18; Zech 8:9; Mal 3:1 Guzik... A temple is a place sacred to God, and pure from immorality. If it is true we are filled with (Ed: What fills you controls, either wine or the Spirit in Eph 5:18-note) the Spirit, it must influence our sexual behavior. And if we commit sexual immorality as Christians, we are polluting God’s temple. Earlier, in 1Corinthians 3:16, Paul had said the church as a whole was the temple of the Holy Spirit. Now, he says the same is true, in a spiritual sense, of individual Christians. A T Robertson comments that... Our spirits dwell in our bodies and the Holy Spirit dwells in our spirits. Some of the Gnostics split hairs between the sins of the body and fellowship with God in the spirit. Paul will have none of this subterfuge. One’s body is the very shrine for the Holy Spirit. In Corinth was the temple to Aphrodite in which fornication was regarded as consecration instead of desecration. Prostitutes were there as "priestesses" of Aphrodite, to help men "worship" the goddess by fornication! Utley Christianity replaces the physical temple of the Jews with the spiritual temple of Christ’s physical body (cf. Jn 2:21) as His corporate body, the church (cf. 1Co 10:16, 17; 11:29; 12:12–27). (Paul's Letters to a Troubled Church: I and II Corinthians) Imagery of the Temple - Since sacred concepts of boundaries, holiness and God’s presence undergird the identity of the people of God, the temple often symbolizes God’s people. (Dictionary of Biblical Imagery: InterVarsity Press) The Temple of God in the OT was a place wholly dedicated to God and His glory and nothing defiled was allowed to come within. Nadab and Abihu the sons of Eleazar offered strange fire before the Lord and He took their life killed them (Lev 10:1,2, 3). Ryrie comments that... Nadab and Abihu apparently used coals of fire that were not taken from the bronze altar as prescribed (see Lv 6:12, 13; 16:12). It seems, too, that they offered incense other than at the morning or evening sacrifice (cf. Ex 30:7, 8). Some feel that they were drunk because a prohibition against drinking immediately follows their punishment (Lv 10:9). The temple of the Holy Spirit must be kept holy (Lv 11:44, 1Pe 1:14-note, 1Pe 1:15, 16-note, 1Pe 1:17-note). In a sense when believers indulge in immoral behavior they are "offering strange fire", and it is only because of the mercy of God they are not consumed like Nadab and Abihu! Our bodies must be kept as His whose they are, that we might be always ready for His use. Paul conveys a similar thought to young Timothy writing that... Therefore, if a man (or woman) cleanses himself (herself) from these things, (Note: "Things" = Italicized = added by the translators. In context "things" appears to refer to false teachers and false teachings. This passage thus parallels 1Cor 6:18-20 in calling for separation from that which is defiling, profaning, degrading, etc. [cp "Flee immorality!"] Why? Paul goes on to explain...) he will be a vessel (Think of your body, God's Temple, also as God's "vessel" or instrument - see Ro 6:12, 13-note) for honor (of worth or merit), sanctified (set apart), useful (easy to make use of) to the Master, prepared (perfect tense = has been made ready and is still in a condition of readiness like the Minute Men militia - farmers who were ready to engage in active combat with the enemy in a "minute's" notice! Are you "ever ready" to glorify God?) for every good work (Good works are "God works", Spirit initiated and Spirit enabled, so that only One can properly receive the glory!). (2Ti 2:21-note) Beloved, if you repeatedly fail to cleanse yourself and to flee from the abomination of fornication, do not be surprised if the Lord does not use you (Think - "useful to the Master") for His glory! As D L Moody once said A holy life will make the deepest impression. Lighthouses blow no horns, they just shine. Spurgeon... “Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost?” Does this not make a man outstanding? Have you never stood in awe of your own self? Have you thought enough about how this poor body is sanctified, dedicated, and elevated into a sacred condition by being set apart as a temple of the Holy Ghost?...God Himself then dwells in you. The Spirit of Him who raised Christ from the dead is in you. You life is hidden with Christ in God and the Spirit seals you, anoints you, and abides in you. By the Spirit, we have access to the Father. By the Spirit, we perceive our adoption and learn to cry, “Abba, Father.” By the Spirit, we are made partakers of the divine nature and have communion with the threefold, holy Lord. Dwelling Places of God - In the Garden of Eden, God walked with Adam and Eve (cp Ge 3:8) and then man (Enoch, Noah) walked with God (Ge 5:22, 24; 6:9). Then God desired to dwell with him (Ex 25:8, 29:45, cp 1Ki 6:12, 13). His glory came to the tabernacle (Ex. 40:34), but when Israel sinned, the glory departed (1Sa 4:21, 22). The glory dwelt in the temple (1Ki 8:10,11), but then departed again because of the sins of the people (Ezek 11:22,23 - see related study on the Glory of the LORD: Past, Present, Future). God's promise to Israel was that He would dwell in their midst (Zech 2:10 partially fulfilled in Jn 1:14, but the complete fulfillment including Zec 2:11, 12 awaiting His glorious return to take His throne in Jerusalem, Mt 25:31, Rev 20:4-note, Zech 8:21, 14:16, 17, Isa 2:3-note). The glory came in the person of Jesus Christ (Jn 1:14) but His own rejected Him (Jn 1:11). Today He dwells now in believers individually (1Co 6:19, 20-note) and the church collectively (1Co 3:16, Ep 2:20, 21, 22-note). In the Millennium Jehovah will reveal Himself as Jehovah Shammah - The LORD is There (Ezek 48:35) taking His throne in the earthly city of Jerusalem. And finally one wonderful day God’s glory will be revealed in the New Heaven and the New Earth and the perfect city, a heavenly Jerusalem, where His people will dwell forever (Rev. 21:3-note, Re 21:22-note). "Copy and paste the address below into your web browser in order to go to the original page which will allow you to access live links related to the material on this page - these links include Scriptures (which can be read in context), Scripture pop-ups on mouse over, and a variety of related resources such as Bible dictionary articles, commentaries, sermon notes and theological journal articles related to the topic under discussion." http://www.preceptaustin.org/1corinthians_619_commentary.htm#h