Porticoes, also known as colonnades or covered walkways, are architectural features found in various ancient structures, including those mentioned in the Bible. These structures typically consist of a roof supported by columns, providing shelter and a place for gathering. In biblical times, porticoes were significant both architecturally and socially, serving as places for teaching, discussion, and community interaction.

Biblical References

One of the most notable references to a portico in the Bible is Solomon's Colonnade, also known as Solomon's Portico. This structure was part of the Temple complex in Jerusalem and is mentioned in the New Testament. In the Book of Acts, it is recorded that the early Christians gathered there regularly. Acts 3:11 states, "While the man clung to Peter and John, all the people were astonished and ran to them in the place called Solomon’s Colonnade." This location was significant for the early church as a place of teaching and miracles performed by the apostles.

Another reference is found in John 10:23, where it is mentioned that Jesus walked in Solomon's Colonnade during the Feast of Dedication: "And Jesus was walking in the temple courts in Solomon’s Colonnade." This indicates that the portico was a place where Jesus taught and interacted with the people, highlighting its importance as a setting for His ministry.

Historical and Cultural Context

Porticoes were common in ancient Near Eastern and Greco-Roman architecture, serving both functional and aesthetic purposes. In the context of the Jerusalem Temple, Solomon's Portico was likely a later addition, possibly constructed during the Herodian expansion of the Temple Mount. It provided a sheltered area for worshippers and visitors to gather, protected from the elements.

The use of porticoes in the Temple complex reflects the broader architectural practices of the time, where such structures were used in public buildings, marketplaces, and private homes. They facilitated social interaction and were often places where teachers and philosophers would engage with their audiences.

Theological Significance

From a theological perspective, porticoes in the Bible symbolize places of teaching, revelation, and divine encounter. The gatherings of the early church in Solomon's Colonnade underscore the continuity between Jewish worship practices and the emerging Christian faith. The apostles' use of this space for teaching and performing miracles signifies the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies and the establishment of the New Covenant through Jesus Christ.

Moreover, Jesus' presence in Solomon's Colonnade during the Feast of Dedication, also known as Hanukkah, highlights His role as the Light of the World and the fulfillment of the Temple's purpose. The portico, therefore, serves as a backdrop for significant theological events and teachings in the New Testament narrative.

Conclusion

Porticoes in the Bible, particularly Solomon's Colonnade, are more than mere architectural features; they are integral to the narrative of the early church and the ministry of Jesus. They provide insight into the cultural and religious practices of the time and underscore the continuity and fulfillment of God's promises through Christ.(n.) Plural of Portico.4745. stoa -- a portico
... and talk. Word Origin a prim. word Definition a portico NASB Word Usage
portico (3), porticoes (1). porch, colonnade. Probably from ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4745.htm - 6k

Let He who is Without Sin among You
... The scene is represented as taking place in one of the great cloisters or porticoes
which surrounded the Temple courts, and which like the Forum of Rome, and ...
/.../newton/the life of jesus christ for the young/let he who is without.htm

Concerning Silas and on what Account it was that King Agrippa was ...
... cities with large presents in money; with building them baths and theatres besides;
nay, in some of those places he erected temples, and porticoes in others ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 7 concerning silas and.htm

One Argument which Has Been Much Relied Upon but not More than Its ...
... Joseph. de. Bell. lib. vc5, sect.8. "Antonia was situated at the angle
of the western and northern porticoes of the outer temple. ...
/.../paley/evidences of christianity/chapter vi one argument which.htm

The Description of Jerusalem.
... There were besides many porticoes, one beyond another, round about, and in each
of those porticoes curious pillars; yet were all the courts that were exposed ...
/.../chapter 4 the description of.htm

If, with the Object of Convicting the Rivals and Persecutors of ...
... But I call thee not as when, fashioned in schools, trained in libraries,
fed in Attic academies and porticoes, thou belchest wisdom. ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/tertullian/the souls testimony/chapter i if with the.htm

Port of Spain
... Under cool porticoes and through tall doorways are seen dark 'stores,' filled with
all manner of good things from Britain or from the United States. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/at last/chapter iv port of spain.htm

How Vain, Then -- Nay, How Desperate -- is the Reasoning of ...
... of the theatre are we bent on lewdness, outside the course on arrogance, and outside
the amphitheatre on cruelty, because outside the porticoes, the tiers and ...
/.../tertullian/the shows or de spectaculis/chapter xx how vain then.htm

Inevitable Nemesis
... Nave, tribunes, galleries, porticoes, were filled, till there was no standing-room"
not so much by worshippers as by multitudes eager for new and powerful ...
/.../chapter xxviii inevitable nemesis.htm

Constantinople
... The chariot drove under a triumphal arch, and on all sides were porticoes
filled with the choicest works of ancient Greek statuary. ...
/.../chapter xvii constantinople.htm

Antiphonal Hymns against the Arians Introduced by John. The ...
... [1594] They previously assembled by night in the public porticoes, and were divided
into bands, so that they sang antiphonally, for they had composed certain ...
/.../chapter viii antiphonal hymns against the.htm

Porticoes (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (n.) Plural of Portico. Multi-Version Concordance
Porticoes (1 Occurrence). John 5:2 and there is in Jerusalem ...
/p/porticoes.htm - 6k

Portico (37 Occurrences)

/p/portico.htm - 19k

Pediment (1 Occurrence)
... in classical architecture, the triangular space forming the gable of a simple roof;
hence, a similar form used as a decoration over porticoes, doors, windows ...
/p/pediment.htm - 7k

Athens (5 Occurrences)
... The roofs of the houses were flat. In and around the Agora were many porticoes
stoai. In the Stoa Poecile ("Painted Portico"), whose ...
/a/athens.htm - 15k

Side (4225 Occurrences)
... Within the walls the more important of the remains are three theaters near the harbors,
and streets with covered porticoes leading from the city gate to the ...
/s/side.htm - 10k

Portion (227 Occurrences)

/p/portion.htm - 41k

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Porticoes: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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