Jerusalem, Day One

Lyda on the Camel!

We started even earlier this morning with all of us on the bus at 7:15 a.m. The payoff was that we were among the first pilgrims out and about. It was a short bus ride to the Mount of Olives where we heard a reading from Psalm 122 and Hannah spoke about pilgrims coming into Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives. From our elevated perspective she was able to point out many of the places in the old city that are important in the Gospels, many of which we eventually visited or will visit tomorrow. This overlook, just below the famous Seven Arches Hotel, sits uphill from the Jewish cemetery. Jews, Muslims, and Christians placed cemeteries either on the Mount of Olives or the hill rising to the Temple Mount because all three faiths believe there will be a resurrection of the dead that will be centered on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.when Messiah comes, or as Christians believe. Proximity to the Temple Mount is a good thing when the resurrection occurs.

I read Matthew 21:12 and commented on the Triumphal Entry and how Jesus's actions were provocative, announcing his Kingdom by actions, reinforcing his words. Yet, his Kingdom comes not by violence, but through suffering, servanthood, and sacrifice. After our prayer we walked right back up to the road (we had been on a lower observation area) and the camel wrangler was waiting. As you see in the picture, Lydia bravely rode the camel! A couple of others rode it, also, including Peggy Kessler.

Part way down the hillside sits the Dominus Flevit Church (Dominus Flevit is Latin for "The Lord wept). On the grounds of the church we examined an ancient burial cave which contains several ossuaries in which the bones of the dead were gathered a year after burial and placed in these boxes. In front of the church is a gathering area where Bob read from Luke 19 and Matthew 23, two perspectives of Jesus' lament over the city of Jerusalem. The church there was designed by Antonio Barluzzi, the same Italian architect who designed the church in the Shepherds' Fields. The small church is notable for the four sculptures of tear drop bottles on the corners of the roof.

We made our way further down the Mount of Olives until we arrived at the church grounds dedicated to the memory of Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane. We were ushered into a private garden and were able to enjoy our Sunday worship service. Hannah spoke briefly about the meaning of "Gethsemane." It refers to the place where oil is pressed. She shared that the production of olive oil is accomplished by applying pressure on baskets containing olives, the oil is used for lamps that produce light. Similarly, Jesus was placed under great pressure in the Garden and the result is Light for the world. Bob then read from Luke 22:39-53 and shared a homily on the suffering and trials of Jesus. Because Jesus has suffered, we know that in our trials and sufferings we are never alone and we can, like Jesus, lean on the love of our Heavenly Father. We took time to each spend some meditative time spread out in this quiet and peaceful place away from the hustle and bustle of the traffic and crowds of fellow pilgrims.

All of this travel, by the way, was made by foot. We walked across the narrow street to the main Gethsemane grounds and entered the Church of the Agony, also known as the Church of All Nations. This church was designed by... you got it! Antonio Barluzzi! The modern church was erected on top of the site of an earlier church that encompassed the stone it is believed Jesus prayed on the night he was betrayed. A gathering of Roman Catholic pilgrims was celebrating the Mass when we arrived. Some of our group quietly sat in the pews, others walked around and observed the beautiful mosaics. At the end of the Mass several of our group made their way up to the stone.

We traveled to Herodium Park, a recently opened national park containing the remains of a large complex including a fortified palace. It was built by Herod the Great, the Jewish puppet king of the Roman empire in power at the time of the birth of Jesus. He was responsible for the murder of the Innocents in Bethlehem. Herodium was just one of Herod's building projects, but it is perhaps the most ambitious. After it was built, he decided to place his burial site there, and he built that on top of some other features of the complex, including the Roman-style theater. We toured the site, including the theater, bath house, and the cisterns used for collecting rainwater. Herodium had a life after Herod as a fortification for Jewish rebels against Rome during the Bar Kochba Revolt, much like the Jews who retreated to Masada. Also on the site are the ruins of a Byzantine Christian monastery and chapel in use from the 4th to 7th centuries. Hannah did a wonderful job of explaining what we were seeing and Bob gave some background on the history of Herod. After his death, his kingdom was split between his three sons. One was deposed by the Romans and replaced by a Roman governor with whom we are very familiar: Pontius Pilate. Without the unfortunate and reckless actions of Herod and his son's, Pilate would never have been appointed governor and Jesus most likely would have been executed by Jewish rulers. In that case, he would not have been crucified and the cross would never have become the symbol of salvation. It's amazing what Providence has brought about.

Lydia and me on the Teaching Steps

We ate lunch at a restaurant/store in Jerusalem and then headed to the Old City. Ismael, our driver, dropped us off near the Dung Gate and we entered the Davidson Center, part of The Jerusalem Archaeological Park. Since my last visit in 2000, much work has been done. Archaeologists fully excavated down to the first century street level on the southern end of the western wall of the Temple Mount and also the southern wall. Previously, on the western side, were piles of stones the Romans threw off the Temple mount during the destruction of the Temple in 70 A.D. We viewed many of the remains with Hannah providing informative and entertaining commentary along the way. At the "teaching steps" on the south side of the Mount, which were steps into the main entrance for pilgrims, we sat and Nancy Fritzshe read from the Psalm 24. Bob then read Acts 2 because this is where scholars believe thousands of new converts were baptized in the ritual cleansing baths on the day of Pentecost. This is a very special place because it is one of the places we can say with certainty that Jesus walked right here 2,000 years ago.

At the Western Wall

We ended our day at the Western Wall. This lower wall of the Temple Mount is the most holy place for Jews. Because the site is controlled by Orthodox Jews, men and women visit the wall separately. Many of us walked down to the wall and prayed, then we made our way back out the Dung Gate for the short ride back to our hotel. Another end to another beautiful day in the Land of the Bible.

 

 

Comments

[Lisa Hatfield]

Chris and Lydia and all the Kentucky group = thanks for sharing this journey with us. I have some photos to share with you (including Peggy on the camel!) and hope we will get that account for sharing set up soon.

What an amazing experience. Words fail to explain!