Thank you for the biblical question, “What is the significance of the sheep gate found in Nehemiah 3:1, 3:32, and John 5:2?”
In Nehemiah 3, Governor Nehemiah records the rebuilding of the Jerusalem walls and the Gates. He lists nine gates: The Sheep Gate (3:1) , The Fish Gate (3:3), The Jeshanah Gate (3:6), The Valley Gate (3:13), The Dung Gate (3:13), The Fountain Gate (3:15), The Horse Gate (3:28), The Eastern Gate (3:29), The Inspection Gate (3:31).
As one reads the about the walls and the gates, the names of the gates represented what went into and out of the city of Jerusalem. The Sheep Gate is given that name because it was the entrance for sheep entering into the Temple compound from the sheep markets. It may have received that designation so that all livestock had to come through one gate to keep the city and Temple area cleaned. Upon entering the Temple compound, the sheep were washed cleaned before they were sacrificed on the altar.
The Dung Gate is given that specific name so that all impure things had to be taken out by that specific gate. Animal droppings or even human waste would not desecrate the Temple compound and limited their exposure in the city. It was a very practical way of keeping sanitation.
In my opinion, the significance of the gates gives indication that there existed a major city with nine gates. Furthermore those gates suggests that a temple stood in that city. One doesn’t designate a Sheep Gate and Dung Gate unless there was significant importance to it. The sheep were brought into the city not just for sale to the people but primarily for sacrifice at the Temple. One can even argue that every major city had its own temple within the Mesopotamian and Greek-Roman culture. For the nation of Israel, there was one Temple for the Southern Kingdom while the Northern Kingdom had its own temples.
Nehemiah’s arrival sought to secure the city from invaders. It was an “empty” city since the walls and gates were not rebuilt. It is important to note that the listing of Levites and priests would indicate that the Temple was partially rebuilt. The returning exiles didn’t build the Temple or the Walls/Gates but were rebuilding it.
In John 5:2, there is the reference to a Sheep Gate. King Herod began a major restoration/rebuilding of the Temple area. The name of the city gate remained the same. The significance of this citation confirms there the gates built by Nehemiah is not a imaginary or fable gate. It is a literal gate whereby Jesus and his disciples walked through the Sheep Gate. The existence of the Pool has been confirmed by archaeology, if I am not mistaken. Jesus saw the animals being brought into the city through the Sheep Gate.
As one reads the account of Jesus cleansing the Temple in Matthew 21, Jesus interrupted the selling of animals, doves, exchanged of money in the Temple courtyards. Merchants had converted the courtyard to a marketing place for worshipers to buy an animal or exchange their foreign currencies to the Jewish currency. The Sheep Gate became the backdoor for merchants to sell their goods to the worshipers.
SUMMARY: The Sheep Gate would reflect the existence of a Temple in Jerusalem whereby Nehemiah helped rebuild its walls and gates.
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