θυσιαστήριον

θυσιαστήριον, ου, τό (s. prec. entry; LXX; pseudepigr; Philo, Mos. 2, 105; Jos., Ant. 8, 88; 105; Just., D. 118, 2; gener. ‘altar’)

① a structure on which cultic observances are carried out, including esp. sacrifices, altar

ⓐ of the altar of burnt offering in the inner forecourt of the temple at Jerusalem (s. Schürer II 298f) Mt 5:23f; 23:18–20, 35; Lk 11:51; Hb 7:13; Rv 11:1; 1 Cl 41:2; B 7:9 (cp. Lev 16:7–9, 18). λειτουργεῖν τῷ θ. serve at the altar 1 Cl 32:2; παρεδρεύειν τῷ θ. (s. παρεδρεύω) 1 Cor 9:13a; συμμερίζεσθαι τῷ θ. (s. συμμερίζω) vs. 13b; κοινωνοὶ τοῦ θ. partners, sharers in the altar=closely united w. the altar (=w. God; s. 10:20) 10:18 (s. κοινωνός 1bα; but s. GJourdan, JBL 67, ’48, 122f). Mt 23:35 and therefore prob. also GJs 5:1; 7:3; 8:2; 23:1; 24:2.

ⓑ of the incense altar

α. in the temple at Jerusalem τὸ θ. τοῦ θυμιάματος (Ex 30:1, 27) Lk 1:11.

β. the heavenly altar of Rv also seems to be thought of as an incense altar: 6:9; 8:3, 5; 9:13; 14:18; 16:7. Hermas also speaks of a θ. τοῦ θεοῦ in heaven Hm 10, 3, 2f; Hs 8, 2, 5.

ⓒ of an altar gener.: the one erected by Abraham (Gen 22:9) Js 2:21; B 7:3. Pl. Ro 11:3 (3 Km 19:10).

ⓓ various other referents, esp. fig. extensions of those above

α. IRo 2:2 Ign. speaks of the altar that is ready to receive his death as a martyr.

β. Pol 4:3 the Christian widows are called a θυσιαστήριον θεοῦ, since they are to bring to God none but perfect gifts (cp. Sextus 46b, the pure heart as a θ. for God).

γ. The pass. ἔχομεν θ. ἐξ οὗ φαγεῖν οὐκ ἔχουσιν ἐξουσίαν οἱ τῇ σκηνῇ λατρεύοντες we have an altar, from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat Hb 13:10 is difficult. Scholars such as FBleek, ASeeberg and BHaensler, BZ 11, 1913, 403–9, interpret the θ. as the cross of Christ, others (e.g. THaering, Der Brief an die Hebr. 1925, 103) as the communion table. HWindisch rejects both these interpr. BWeiss and ERiggenbach^{2, 3} 1922 give up the attempt to understand it. S. also JCreed, ET 50, ’38, 13–15; JWilson, ibid. 380f; JOulton, ibid. 55, ’44, 303–5.—προσέρχεσθαι ἐν τῷ θ. λειτουργεῖν τὸ θεῖον Tit 1:9 v.l. is also to be interpr. fr. the viewpoint of Christian institutions.

② the people of God as cultic entity, sanctuary, in imagery ἐντὸς (τοῦ) θ. εἶναι be inside the sanctuary (θ. in this mng. perh. also Rv 14:18 and Procop., Aed. 1, 65; ins Ἀρχαιολογικὸν Δελτίον 12, 1927, 69), i.e. the Christian community or church, under the care and control of its constituted authorities IEph 5:2; ITr 7:2 (opp. ἐκτὸς θ.). This is in accord w. Ignatius’ emphatic assertion that there is only one θ. IMg 7:2; IPhld 4.—B. 1467. DELG s.v. 2 θύω B6. EDNT. TW.