WG: Temple/Sanctuary¶
Overview¶
The NT temple concept involves multiple Greek words that distinguish between the sacred inner dwelling (naos), the broader temple complex (hieron), and the general "house" (oikos), along with key action words (destroy, build) and qualifiers (holy, God) that shape the theology of sacred space.
Word Group Members¶
| Strong's | Word | Transliteration | POS | Occurrences | Role in Concept | Library Entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G3485 | ναός | naos | noun | 45 | The inner sanctuary (dwelling of deity) | G3485 |
| G2411 | ἱερόν | hieron | noun | 71 (60 KJV) | The temple complex (entire precinct) | G2411 |
| G3624 | οἶκος | oikos | noun | 114 (109 KJV) | House/household (includes "house of God") | TODO(need G3624 study) |
| G2316 | θεός | theos | noun | 1000+ | Qualifier — "temple of God" | TODO(need G2316 study) |
| G40 | ἅγιος | hagios | adj | 233 | Qualifier — "holy temple" | — |
| G2647 | καταλύω | katalyo | verb | 20 (17 KJV) | Action — "destroy the temple" | G2647-katalyo.md |
| G3618 | οἰκοδομέω | oikodomeo | verb | 40 (39 KJV) | Action — "build the temple" | TODO(need G3618 study) |
Relationships¶
Semantic Distinction: naos vs. hieron vs. oikos¶
- naos — the sanctuary building itself, where God dwells; used for the veil, the inner space, and all metaphorical temple language (believers, Christ's body, heaven)
- hieron — the entire temple precinct including courts; used for teaching, commerce, walking, public activity; never used metaphorically in the NT
- oikos — general "house"; used for "house of God" in OT quotations (Matt 21:13 quoting Isa 56:7) but not for the sanctuary per se
Co-occurrence (appear in same verses)¶
| Word A | Word B | Shared Verses | Typical Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| naos | theos | 15x | "the temple of God" (1 Cor 3:16-17; Rev 11:1, 19) |
| naos | katalyo | 4x | "destroy this temple" (Matt 26:61; Mark 14:58; John 2:19) |
| naos | oikodomeo | 4x | "build it in three days" (Matt 26:61; Mark 14:58; John 2:20) |
| naos | hagios | 4x | "holy temple" (Eph 2:21; Rev) |
| katalyo | oikodomeo | 5x | Destroy/build pair in the same verse (Gospel sayings) |
| hieron | theos | 4x | Temple precinct as God's domain |
| oikos | theos | 19x | "house of God" tradition |
| hagios | theos | 51x | "Holy God" / "God's holy X" |
Usage Distribution¶
- naos never appears in the same verse as hieron — the NT consistently distinguishes them
- katalyo + oikodomeo pair appears exclusively in the "destroy/rebuild" sayings about naos, never about hieron
- oikos overlaps with hieron in temple contexts (2x) but never with naos — different register
Roles in the Concept¶
- Sacred Space (inner): naos (ναός) — the dwelling place of deity
- Sacred Space (outer): hieron (ἱερόν) — the public temple complex
- Traditional Designation: oikos (οἶκος) — "house of God" in OT-quoting contexts
- Qualifier of Holiness: hagios (ἅγιος) — marks the space as consecrated
- Possessor: theos (θεός) — identifies whose temple it is
- Destruction: katalyo (καταλύω) — dismantling the sanctuary
- Construction: oikodomeo (οἰκοδομέω) — building/rebuilding
Key Passages Where Multiple Group Words Appear Together¶
- Matthew 26:61 — "I am able to destroy (katalyo) the temple (naos) of God (theos), and to build (oikodomeo) it in three days" — 4 group words
- Mark 14:58 — "I will destroy (katalyo) this temple (naos) that is made with hands, and within three days I will build (oikodomeo) another made without hands" — 3 group words
- 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 — "ye are the temple (naos) of God (theos)...the temple (naos) of God (theos) is holy (hagios)" — 3 group words
- Ephesians 2:21 — "groweth unto an holy (hagios) temple (naos) in the Lord" — 2 group words + oikodomeo context in v.22
- Revelation 11:1-2 — "measure the temple (naos) of God (theos)...the court which is without the temple (naos)" — distinguishing inner/outer
Generated from: search_strongs.py, co-occurrence queries, strongs_translations.db Last updated: 2026-03-31