most holy place) although the term itself merely means “the back room.” It does not specifically mean “sanctuary.” Remains of the temple of the goddess Artemis in ancient Jerash (in modern Jordan) When referring to the temple, the New Testament frequently uses the Greek words hieron or naos. These were words that were commonly used throughout the Greek-speaking world for pagan temples, and they carried nuances of the residence of the gods and the place where sacrifices