Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” . . . But He was speaking of the temple of His body. John 2:19-21
God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. Acts 17:24
Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Rom. 16:5
You are the temple of the living God. 2 Cor. 6:16
The Word, prohibiting all sacrifices and the building of temples, indicates that the Almighty is not contained in anything. Clement of Alexandria (c. 195, E), 2.462
We refuse to build lifeless temples to the Giver of all life. . . . Our bodies are the temple of God. If anyone defiles the temple of God by lust or sin, he will himself be destroyed for acting impiously towards the true temple. Of all the temples spoken of in this sense, the best and most excellent was the pure and holy body of our Savior Jesus Christ. . . . He said to them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it again. This He said of the temple of His body.”. . . When they reproach us for not deeming it necessary to worship the divine Being by raising lifeless temples, we set before them our temples. Origen (c. 248, E), 4.646
You say that we build no temples to [the gods] and do not worship their images. . . . Well, what greater honor or dignity could we ascribe to them than that we put them in the same position as the Head and Lord of the universe! . . . Do we honor Him with shrines and by building temples? Arnobius (c. 305, E), 6.507
Some were swift to slaughter [the Christians]. For example, there was a certain individual in Phrygia who burned a whole assembly of Christians, together with their place of meeting. Lactantius (c. 304-313, W), 7.147
[Emperor Daia] secretly procured addresses from different cities, requesting that no Christian church be built within their walls. . . . The function of those [Roman] officers was to make daily sacrifices to all of their gods and . . . to prevent Christians from erecting churches. Lactantius (c. 304–313, W), 7.315
While it was yet hardly light, the [Roman] prefect, together with chief commanders . . . came to the church in Nicomedia. The gates having been forced open, they searched everywhere for an image of the Divinity. The books of the Holy Scriptures were found, and they were committed to the flames. The utensils and furniture of the church were abandoned to pillage. Lactantius (c. 320, W), 7.305
Constantius . . . permitted the demolition of churches, which are mere walls and capable of being built up again. However, he preserved entire that true temple of God, which is the human body. Lactantius (c. 320, W), 7.306
Moreover, with respect to the Christians, we formerly gave certain orders concerning the places set aside for their religious assemblies. However, now we resolve that all persons who have purchased such places, either from our treasurer, or from anyone else, must restore them to the Christians, without money demanded or price claimed. . . . All those places are, by your intervention, to be immediately restored to the Christians. And it appears that, in addition to the places set aside for religious worship, the Christians possessed other places (which belonged to the society in general, not to individuals). These we include in the aforesaid regulations. Lactantius (c. 320, E), 7.320, quoting from the Edict of Milan
Let the building be long, with its head to the east, with its vestries on both sides at the east end—so it will be like a ship. Apostolic Constitutions (compiled c. 390, E), 7.421.