Marko Jauhiainen, «The Measuring of the Sanctuary Reconsidered (Rev 11,1-2)», Vol. 83 (2002) 507-526
The act of measuring in Rev 11,1-2 does not portray the Church as spiritually protected but physically vulnerable, as normally thought. Not only are there lexical and interpretive difficulties with the traditional view, it is also not supported by the OT and extra-biblical evidence commonly adduced. Reading two kai/j differently and recognizing an allusion to Ezek 8:16 LXX addresses both the lexical and interpretive issues. The act of measuring is used to communicate the fact that contrary to Ezek 8–9, this time God will not abandon his earthly sanctuary, though idolatry among his people will still be judged.
and Revelation 21 is primarily due to the fact that the entity measured is/will be the eternal dwelling-place of God42.
3. The Problem with the Traditional View
Before moving on to the next section, let us take a final look at the quest for OT texts in support of the traditional reading of Rev 11. The problem many commentators have with regard to the interpretation of the act of measuring is perhaps best illustrated by quoting Briggs, who maintains that "[m]easuring in the Bible usually means (1) rebuilding or restoration; (2) destruction; (3) preservation from physical or spiritual harm; or (4) purification"43. This statement shows confusion between the verb "to measure" and the various contexts where it is being used. For example, the verb ddm occurs 52 times in the MT, and while its precise meaning in 2 Sam 8,2 may be debated and while in Ezek 43,10 it seems to have the sense "to study", the remaining 49 times it means finding the size, length, or amount of something; or has the sense "to measure out/off"44. The same applies to diametre/w and metre/w, which occur a total of 42 times in the LXX and Theodotion. Commentators may be right in sensing that protection is somehow present in Rev 11,1-2, but it appears that the search for earlier OT (or extra-biblical) passages where "[m]easuring... means... preservation from physical or spiritual harm" is not only misguided, but also unnecessary, as we shall see.
III. A proposal for a new view
1. Towards a Solution of the Lexical Problems
Let us look at Rev 11,1-2 again. The imperative "measure" is followed by four objects connected by three kai/s, followed by another imperative, "cast out". Both verbs are complemented by one or more of the four objects sandwiched between them. The commands e!kbale and mh_ au)th_n metrh/sh|j indicate that one of the three kai/s has