What is the source of the story about the melted gold in the destroyed temple in 70 AD?

score:12

Accepted answer

The Mystery of the Temple's 'Molten Metals'

Two recent apologists told the story, apparently independently, of molten gold seeping between the temple`s foundation stones during the Siege of Jerusalem in 70 CE. Both implied the source was Josephus, but neither provided references. Unfortunately, both had theological motivations for adding these details to their stories despite the lack of support.

On investigation, while much of their accounts of the destruction of the temple came from Josephus’ history – Jewish Wars 6.5.2, 6.6.1, 7.1.1, and 7.5.2 being particularly relevant – it seems the melted gold story did not. It’s possible, however, the Christian apologists were duped by a medieval forgery into thinking it did.

Pastor Ray Stedman

The earliest example of the story I can find is Ray Stedman’s 1970 sermon on Mt.24:1-3, later published in a book. Following on Jesus’ apparent prediction about the temple, that “there will not be left here one stone upon another,” Stedman told the story of the First Jewish-Roman War, suggesting his account was based on Josephus, including this:

“There were great quantities of gold and silver which had been placed in the Temple for safekeeping. This melted and ran down between the rocks and into the cracks of the stones that formed the Temple and the wall around it. When the Roman soldiers finally took the city, in their greed to obtain this gold and silver they took long bars and pried apart these massive stones. Thus, quite literally, not one stone was left standing upon another.”

For Stedman, “this remarkable fulfillment, confirmed so strongly by secular history, is convincing proof” of the authenticity of Jesus’ prophetic message, “fully and literally.” Though the story is unsubstantiated, Stedman’s telling of it is often quoted (and plagiarized).

Dr. Ernest Martin

Archeological enthusiast Ernest Martin told similar stories in his 1994 book, The Temples That Jerusalem Forgot, and in posts to his ASK website, including, ‘New Evidence for the Site of the Temple in Jerusalem.’ Martin’s controversial hypothesis was that Jerusalem’s temples were not on the Temple Mount platform (which he thought was the former Roman fortress) but on a now-destroyed foundation to the south. His argument also emphasized Jesus’ phrase, ‘not one stone left upon another’, as well as genuine (and misquoted) passages from Josephus about the “utter ruin and thorough destruction of Jerusalem.” In ‘New Evidence’ he wrote:

“Josephus explained the reason why every stone was overturned in the city (including those that made up the very foundations). The Jews were accustomed to hide their gold and other valuables in the walls of their homes. The Temple itself was also the treasury of the Jewish nation. [JW 6.5.2] When the fires consumed the whole of the Temple and City, the gold melted and descended into the cracks and crevices of the stone foundations. In order to recover this melted gold, the Tenth Legion had the Jewish captives uproot every stone of the Temple and the whole of the City. So much gold was discovered in this fashion that the price of the metal in the Roman Empire went down half of its pre-war value. [JW 6.6.1] This action of looking for gold by overturning the stones (including all foundation stones) left Jerusalem as a vast quarry of dislodged and uprooted stones in a state of unrecognized shambles.”

While the two footnoted sentences (and other bits) do comport with Josephus, the story about melted gold does not. His theory siting the temple on Ophel Mound rather than Temple Mount has not been embraced by scholars, but one can see why he’d need to emphasize the scope and greedy enthusiasm of the Roman destruction to explain the complete disappearance of the temple AND its entire foundation platform, as he imagined it.

Josippon?

An excited supporter of Martin’s theory has posted several quotes from his book online, and one offers a lead on the origin of the melted gold story (or not). Martin is quoted as writing, “In regard to the total destruction of the temple and all its outer buildings, a Hebrew version of Josephus (known as Josippon) states ...” And a few lines later: “And recall, Jewish authorities during the Middle Ages accepted this narrative of Josippon as that of Josephus, an eyewitness.” The quote continues with another version of the melted gold story.

The Jewish ‘history’ attributed to Josippon (aka Joseph ben Gorion, Yosippon, and Pseudo-Josephus) is regarded by modern scholars as a 10th century forgery (or pseudopigrapha). Though it may have preserved some early Jewish folklore, the portion in question is actually believed to be the work of Pseudo-Hegesippus, the 4th century forger. As history it’s quite unreliable.

Regardless, given Martin’s penchant for weaving together sourced and non-sourced material in the same paragraph, it’s unclear (from the available quotations) whether he intended to credit the melted gold story to the dubious Josippon. Martin's later essays retell the story without mentioning him. Perhaps Josippon said noting at all about melted gold.

So in the end we're left with a story that's either creative speculation, forged folklore, or unsubstantiated history – none of which counts as biblical scholarship. Perhaps someone with access to Martin’s book or Josippon’s ‘history’ can provide more insights in the comments.

Upvote:-2

The question isn't whether the Romans "pried apart each stone." They did. Archaeological evidence shows they did. In those days, cement was not used. So they left "not one stone standing on another." The question is, "Why did they take apart every stone so that none was left standing on another?" The gold hypothesis makes sense. It is based on Josephus' record that the Romans believed gold was hidden within the walls of the Temple. Whether gold melted from the fire or it was simply thought to be hidden is immaterial. They did tear the whole Temple apart once it burned. There was a reason they did that. The most likely reason is that they were looking for treasure.

Upvote:-1

The following is a quote from http://www.templemount.org/destruct2.html

During the long siege a terrible famine raged in the city and the bodies of the inhabitants were literally stacked like cordwood in the streets. Mothers ate their children to preserve their own strength. The toll of Jewish suffering was horrible but they would not surrender the city. Again and again they attempted to trick the Romans through guile and perfidy. When at last the walls were breached Titus tried to preserve the Temple by giving orders to his soldiers not to destroy or burn it. But the anger of the soldiers against the Jews was so intense that, maddened by the resistance they encountered, they disobeyed the order of their general and set fire to the Temple. There were great quantities of gold and silver there which had been placed in the Temple for safekeeping. This melted and ran down between the rocks and into the cracks of the stones. When the soldiers captured the Temple area, in their greed to obtain this gold and silver they took long bars and pried apart the massive stones. Thus, quite literally, not one stone was left standing upon another. The Temple itself was totally destroyed, though the wall supporting the area upon which the Temple was built was left partially intact and a portion of it remains to this day, called the Western Wall.

The site itself is interesting reading and has many different sources for research in regard to its contents. A little research on your part will lead you to the exact source for that particular statement.

If I find any other information I will put it in a comment attache

Hope this helps.

Upvote:-1

From Josephus, Wars, Book 6 Chapter 4:7 Describing the burning of the temple and the Roman's motives: "their hatred of the Jews, and a certain vehement inclination to fight them too hard for them also. Moreover, the hope of plunder induced many to go on; as having this opinion, that all the places within were full of money: and as seeing that all round about it was made of gold." So, he doesn't say it melted as described, but that is probably not an unreasonable inference. What would happen to gold in a hot fire?

Upvote:0

I have read in the past that the stones of the temple were made to be held together with molten silver or gold, much like a "butterfly" joint used in woodworking. It is also called a bow tie because it is in the shape of one. Since that part of the world was susceptible to earthquakes, silver and/or gold connections would bend and not break, thereby holding the stones together. When the Temple was burned, the connections melted giving reason for the Romans going into a frenzy to tear apart the stones. Josephus reports that Titus did his best to stop them from destroying the Temple but the lust for silver/gold was too much of a temptation and thereby fulfilling the prophecy of Jesus in Matthew 24. Has anyone else heard of this?

Upvote:0

In Josephus, Book 7, Chapter 1 at 3.13-15: It states: "But Titus ordered those whose business it was, to read the list of all that had performed great exploits in this war, (14) whom he called to him by their names, and commended them before the company, and rejoiced in them in the same manner as a man would have rejoiced in his own exploits. He also put on their heads crowns of gold and golden ornaments about their necks and gave them long spears of gold, and ensigns that were made of silver, (15) and removed every one of them to a higher rank; and besides this, HE PLENTIFULLY DISTRIBUTED AMONG THEM, OUT OF THE SPOILS, AND THE OTHER ITEMS THEY HAD TAKEN, SILVER, AND GOLD AND GARMENTS.

Based on this historical record from Josephus, Titus did remove a phenomenal amount of gold, and silver and garments out of the spoils and other items they had taken and PLENTIFULLY DISTRIBUTED AMONG THEM. Why else would they take down the temple a brick at a time. If they found hordes of gold and silver they would have loaded it up and left.
We know gold and silver melt, there were loads of it in the temple and the Jewish Temple was burned to the ground why else would a brick by brick dismantling take place? Also check out the monument in Rome known as the "Arch of Titus". The menorah itself would be priceless today.

Upvote:1

Large parts of the Holy Temple both inside and outside were covered in sheets of gold. The doors to the Temple were also heavily plated with gold. A huge gold vine/garland hung over the first doors of the Temple. When the Temple was put to fire, large amounts of gold melted and poured into the stones surrounding the area. Although there is no direct eye-witness accounts, archaeological evidence suggests the Temple was dismantled stone by stone as well as the surrounding area. Gold fever was certainly responsible for the thoroughness of the destruction.

Upvote:1

Authored by G. J. Goldberg 'Chronology of the War According to Josephus' Part 7: The Siege and Destruction of Jerusalem March 70 - September 70 URL: http://josephus.org/FlJosephus2/warChronology7Fall.html

Ray Stedman and or others may have been influenced by Josephus reference to the temple gates being set a fire whereby the silver melts and the fire enters the woodwork and spreads to the porticoes. This temple gate fire did not engulf the temple but another fire shortly afterwards did destroy the temple (against high leadership commands). Based on this event it would seem that one might logically conclude (but not accurately) that like the temple gates the temple wall gold too would melt and likewise enter the woodwork. Read full article (see url above) for this rather fascinating and detailed historical account on destruction of temple.

Reference descriptions stated below are more fully explained in article
Snippet from article... 6.233-237 Titus orders the Temple gates set on fire. "Now that Titus saw that his endeavour to spare a foreign Temple led only to the injury and slaughter of his troops," he orders the gates set on fire. The silver melts and the fire enters the woodwork and spreads to the porticoes. After a day, Titus orders the fire extinguished and a road built to the gates for the ascent of the Legions, but fires continue to burn. Two important officers of Simon's desert to the Romans.

More post

Search Posts

Related post