Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

JUDGMENT SEAT

A raised platform (Gk. bḗma) for a public speaker (Neh. 8:4 LXX; Acts 12:21) or a judge, and by extension a tribunal or court (cf. kritḗrion). Lysias spoke from a bḗma (2 Macc. 13:26), and Pilate sat on a judgment seat mounted on a raised platform when he asked the Jews what should be done with Jesus (Matt. 27:19; John 19:13). Paul appeared before the judgment seat of Gallio in Corinth (Acts 18:12-17), and before that of Festus in Caesarea (25:6, 10, 17).

Paul twice mentions the bḗma of divine judgment. He argues that God (Rom. 14:10) and Christ (2 Cor. 5:10) occupy a judgment seat, and all will have to appear before it and give account of their lives (cf. Rev. 20:11-15). It is doubtful that Paul has two separate judgments in mind, and all three passages probably describe the same eschatological event.

In other references, divine judgment comes when God or Christ takes his “throne” (Ps. 9:7[MT 8]; Dan. 7:9; Matt. 25:31; Rev. 20:11). Since in antiquity a judge might sit on a throne placed on a raised platform, “throne” and “judgment seat” could be identical depending on the context.

Gary S. Shogren

Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

JUDGMENT SEAT

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000)