T
he sheer size of the Temple and its enclosure overwhelmed Jesus. Struggling with overloaded emotions, he wanted to explore, but did he dare? Suppose he got lost in this monstrous place? “Have you ever seen such a place?” He shouted to his friend, Eben.
One year older than Jesus, this was Eben’s second Passover. He assumed the attitude of an experienced participant, “You haven’t seen anything yet. Wait until you get inside. There are doors so large that ten grown-ups standing on each other’s shoulders could not reach the top.” Jesus did not doubt it.
“Why so large?”
“Well,” said Eben with authority, “You have to have large doors to let God in.” Jesus looked at the his friend marveling at his obvious stupidity.
“God doesn’t live here!” he declared.
“Does, too!” Eben shot back.
“Rabbi Abjo-ram said that ‘God does not live in a place built with hands.’”
“I don’t care,” Eben couldn’t think of a rabbi to quote, “My father told me that God lives behind the great veil, in the Holy of Holies.”
Jesus persisted, “I don’t see how the God who created the whole world and the stars and stuff could live . . .” The argument escalated as they passed through the gate into the courtyard.
