Topical Bible: Jerusalem: Stairs

◄ Jerusalem: Stairs ►

Jump to: Nave's • Greek • Library • Subtopics • Terms

Topical Encyclopedia

In the biblical context, the city of Jerusalem holds significant historical and spiritual importance, and its architecture, including its stairs, is often mentioned in Scripture. The stairs of Jerusalem are not only physical structures but also carry symbolic meanings in various biblical narratives.

Historical and Architectural Context

Jerusalem, as the center of Jewish worship and the location of the Temple, was a city built on hills, necessitating the use of stairs to navigate its terrain. The stairs in Jerusalem would have been integral to daily life, facilitating movement between different parts of the city, including the ascent to the Temple Mount. The architecture of the city, including its stairs, reflects the practical needs of its inhabitants as well as the spiritual journey of those who came to worship.

Biblical References

One of the notable references to stairs in Jerusalem is found in the account of Nehemiah, who led the rebuilding of the city's walls after the Babylonian exile. Nehemiah 3:15 mentions the "stairs that go down from the City of David," highlighting the connection between different parts of the city and the importance of these structures in the restoration efforts.

In the New Testament, the stairs of Jerusalem are mentioned in the context of the Apostle Paul's arrest. Acts 21:35-40 describes how Paul was brought to the barracks and had to be carried by soldiers because of the violence of the mob. As he reached the stairs, Paul asked for permission to speak to the people, using the elevated position to address the crowd. This incident underscores the strategic and symbolic use of stairs as a place of proclamation and defense.

Symbolic Significance

Stairs in Jerusalem also carry symbolic meanings in Scripture. They often represent the ascent to a higher spiritual state or the journey towards God. The Psalms of Ascent (Psalms 120-134) are traditionally associated with the pilgrimage to Jerusalem, where worshippers would ascend the steps to the Temple, reflecting a spiritual journey of drawing closer to God.

The imagery of stairs can also be seen in Jacob's dream of a ladder reaching to heaven (Genesis 28:12), which, while not directly related to Jerusalem, echoes the theme of connection between the earthly and the divine—a theme central to the city of Jerusalem itself.

Cultural and Religious Impact

The stairs of Jerusalem, both literal and metaphorical, have had a lasting impact on Jewish and Christian thought. They serve as a reminder of the city's role as a place of worship, pilgrimage, and divine encounter. The physical act of ascending stairs to the Temple is mirrored in the spiritual ascent of believers seeking communion with God.

In summary, the stairs of Jerusalem are more than mere architectural features; they are woven into the fabric of biblical history and theology, symbolizing the journey towards holiness and the pursuit of a deeper relationship with the Creator.

Nave's Topical Index

Nehemiah 3:15
But the gate of the fountain repaired Shallun the son of Colhozeh, the ruler of part of Mizpah; he built it, and covered it, and set up the doors thereof, the locks thereof, and the bars thereof, and the wall of the pool of Siloah by the king's garden, and to the stairs that go down from the city of David.
Nave's Topical Index

Greek

304. anabathmos -- a going up, an ascent
... a step, a flight of steps Definition: a step, a flight of steps; the well-known
stairs leading up from the temple to the tower of Antonia at Jerusalem. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/304.htm - 6k

Library

That Whereas the City of Jerusalem had Been Five Times Taken ...
... ch.8. sect.5;] or else those steps or stairs we now use were invented ... were at a
considerable distance from Jordan, and much too remote from Jerusalem to join ...
/.../chapter 10 that whereas the.htm

Paul's Epistles; his Collection for the Poor Saints at Jerusalem ...
... Gentiles;" and as all the deputies selected to accompany him to Jerusalem seem to ...
much misapprehension, the apostle was permitted to stand on the stairs of the ...
/.../killen/the ancient church/chapter ix pauls epistles his.htm

In Jerusalem when Herod Reigned
... When the Maccabee Jonathan finally cleared Jerusalem of the Syrian garrison that
lay ... itself, [536] which was also connected with it by colonnades and stairs. ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter i in jerusalem when.htm

The Holy City; Or, the New Jerusalem:
... THE HOLY CITY; OR, THE NEW JERUSALEM. ... In our Lord's days there was union among his
disciples, as there must be under his personal reign in the New Jerusalem. ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/the holy city or the.htm

Overcoming Great Difficulties
... the people drew lots that one out of every ten should live in Jerusalem, the sacred ...
At the Fountain Gate they went straight up the stairs of the City of David ...
/.../sherman/the childrens bible/overcoming great difficulties.htm

Rome Protects Paul
... was a strange scene"below, the howling zealots; above, on the stairs, the Christian ...
of the trance, whether it was in his first visit to Jerusalem after his ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture the acts/rome protects paul.htm

Those for whom Christ Prayed --"Sanctify Them. "
... He had said, "Tarry in Jerusalem until" His arrival, and they conscientiously met
in an ... thus in long line the one hundred and twenty file up the stairs to the ...
/.../rees/the heart-cry of jesus/chapter iii those for whom.htm

Paul in the Temple
... to kill him, tidings came unto the chief captain of the band, that all Jerusalem
was in ... And when he came upon the stairs, so it was, that he was borne of the ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture the acts/paul in the temple.htm

Next Day among his Letters were Two of Value in the History of ...
... At a railed opening they came to other stairs, and, descending, entered a passage,
dark ... a door swung and again he was on the pavements of Jerusalem, and, far ...
//christianbookshelf.org/bacheller/vergilius/chapter 15 next day among.htm

As the Foam Upon Water
... with her eyes and her hands and her lips she led him toward the stairs. ... The Jerusalem
Laodice locked upon now was infinitely more afflicted than the one she ...
//christianbookshelf.org/miller/the city of delight/chapter xx as the foam.htm