Genesis

According to 2 Chronicles 3:1, Solomon built the first temple on Mount Moriah. As we noted in the previous post, some people confuse Mount Moriah with the mountain where Isaac was bound. As we noted, there is zero scriptural support to conclude that Isaac was bound at the site of the future temple. This conflation has led some people to assert that Jesus was sacrificed on Mount Moriah. 

It is true that His crucifixion was near Mount Moriah, but we can be sure it didn’t take place on Mount Moriah. If the crucifixion were on Mount Moriah His cross would have been on the Temple Mount. The New Testament is clear that His crucifixion happened outside the city (Jn 19:20, Heb 13:12). Since the Temple Mount (aka Mount Moriah) was inside the city walls, we can be confident the sacrifice of Jesus didn’t happen there. Besides this, it would have been unthinkable to the Jews to conduct a crucifixion in the sacred temple precincts.

The Temple Mount in Jerusalem is a very special place to both Jews and Christians. It was the location of Solomon’s Temple and the site where the temple was rebuilt after the Jews returned from exile in Babylon. According to Jewish tradition, this is also the place where Abraham bound Isaac. 

7 and if he rescued righteous Lot, greatly distressed by the sensual conduct of the wicked 8 (for as that righteous man lived among them day after day, he was tormenting his righteous soul over their lawless deeds that he saw and heard); (2 Pet. 2:7–8 ESV)

Three times in two verses Peter says that Lot was righteous. Yet, if the only commentary we had on Lot’s life came from Genesis, I doubt that we’d describe him as a righteous man. His “accomplishments” include:

• Choosing to live in what was probably the most wicked place on Earth (Gen 13:12)
• He sat in Sodom’s gate (Gen 19:1) which suggests he had status in a city full of extreme sinners (Gen 13:13).
• He offered his virgin daughters to a mob of rapists in an effort to protect his angelic guests (Gen 19:8).
• He became drunk to the point of passing out after which his daughters fathered children by him (Gen 19:30-35).