Temple Imagery in the New Testament
Comparison of Temple Imagery With the Founding of the Church
Solomon finished his inaugural prayer before the temple of Yahweh.
As soon as Solomon finished his prayer, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple. And the priests could not enter the house of the Lord, because the glory of the Lord filled the Lord's house. When all the people of Israel saw the fire come down and the glory of the Lord on the temple, they bowed down with their faces to the ground on the pavement and worshiped and gave thanks to the Lord, saying, “For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.”
2 Chronicles 7:1-3
The apostle Paul uses stone and temple imagery in multiple places.
Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple.
1 Corinthians 3:16-17
The “you” here is not singular, but plural. Paul is not saying that one person is a temple and a different person is a different temple, but that we are all parts of the temple. This is why he uses a building up metaphor in Ephesians.
So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.
Ephesians 2:19-22
Peter picks up on this as well.
As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
1 Peter 2:4-5
This brings into focus some of what God was doing in Acts 2.
When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Acts 2:1-4
The fire imagery, when compared to God’s filling the temple of Solomon with His glory, is shocking. A comparison is definitely being made.
Of course, this is a quick sketch and oversimplification of what is going on in Acts 2, but what I’m getting at here is that we, as the church, are joined together by God on the cornerstone of Jesus Christ. We are being built up, together, shaped and made into something more—something beyond ourselves.