Jerusalem in the First Century

Since Jesus was dedicated as a baby in Jerusalem, visited Jerusalem with his parents as a child, taught in Jerusalem, was crucified in Jerusalem, and rose from the dead in Jerusalem, wouldn't it be nice to know something about Jerusalem in his day?  Since Jerusalem was the place of Holy Spirit being poured out, the place of Peter's inspirational Pentecost sermon, and the home of the early Church, wouldn't it be good to know something about the place?

Rick Pruitt with the Temple Mount in the background

 Well... this is what today was all about.  We visited the Temple Mount (controlled by Muslims) and learned much about where Jesus would have taught and about the Temple which King Herod had built (known as the 2nd Temple).  This was all destroyed by the Romans in 70 A.D. We saw and experienced the Western Wall, the closest place to the place of the Holy of Holies which the Jewish people can access.  Thousands of Jews come here to pray, many leaving prayers in the wall asking for God to help them in their need.

Our group with the Muslim Dome of the Rock in the background

Sue and John Tomlinson in front of the sealed up Eastern Gate.  

Hundreds of school children all over Jerusalem!

At entrance to the Western Wall Plaza

 We visited an Herodian village complex which has been excavated showing how the wealthy lived in the first century.  After lunch we walked the tunnel which has been made available and which runs beside the remains of the Western Wall, the remaining support wall for the Temple Complex.  Lastly, we went to the remaining southern steps of Temple -- where Jesus would have entered and taught, and where Peter would have given his Pentecost sermon.

Incredible and magnificent structures!!  All destroyed because of disobedience and ignorance of the Word of God.

An arch from the first century in the Western Wall tunnel

Sheila Sharp climbing the Western Wall

Huge stones which remain from the 70AD Roman Destruction of Jerusalem

Mary and Jack Brown in front of the Christ Church Dining Hall

Sue Tomlinson and Allison Beach

A lot of walking today.  Tired.  Tonight we shared a seder meal with a group of bishops and priests from Nigeria.  Well done and a great ending to the day.  Shalom from Jerusalem.

P.S.  Saw a great painting today.  It had some guys playing golf in Jerusalem.  The caption said: "Next year in Augusta!"

Pentecost in Jerusalem

I was glad when they said to me, "Let us go to the house of the Lord!"  Our feet have been standing within your gates, O Jerusalem!  -- from Psalm 122, one of the Songs of the Ascents.

Today we worshipped at Christ Church, Jerusalem, the oldest Anglican (Protestant actually) church in the Middle East.  David Pileggi is the rector here and gave the sermon on John 20:19f.  It was awesome and the liturgy was Pentecost-oriented and filled with Biblical Hebrew imagery.  We weren't the only visitors to Christ Church as three other bishops and an Archbishop, all from Nigeria, were present.

The Altar of Christ Church, Jerusalem which is designed like a synagogue with Hebrew inscriptions to the Messiah Jesus

Today is a free day and our group is doing various things -- hiking Hezekiah's tunnel, visiting a monastery, visiting the Western Wall, shopping, resting.  Me?  I have been reading this afternoon and found a chocolate ice-cream bar at a local street vendor!  Shalom from Jerusalem.

A Day in the Desert

We began our day by heading to Mazada, the mountain-top palace of King Herod, which is out in the middle of nowhere -- even in the first century it was in the middle of nowhere.  But wow.  Everytime I am up there I am amazed at what he built up there and how he created a place of beauty overlooking the beauty of the desert and the dead sea.  Of course we know that all that self-glorification leads eventually to destruction.  Our purpose was to look at the culture of this man who was the Roman, Jewish King and contrast that to another King who was born in Bethlehem.  We also discuss the Zealots and what happened to them on Mazada.

Jim and Jeanie Drake on top of Mazada

James Beach being illuminated in an ancient cistern on top of Mazada

Sue Tomlinson comtemplating

Mary Lou Boon and Jack Brown on top of Mazada with the Dead Sea in the background

We also made a brief appearance at En Gedi, mountain hide-out of David when he was being sought after by King Saul (see 1 Samuel 24).   There in the middle of the desert was a small waterfall which the locals were using as a swimming hole.

We also paid a brief visit to Qumran, the place where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered.  Learned a lot about John the Baptist and the Essenes.

A modern day swimming old in an ancient waterfall

Our day was completed by driving "up" to Jerusalem, and settling in at Christ Church.  Christ Church is located in the Old City and is the oldest Protestant Church in the Middle East.  Wonderful place.  Looking forward to good week here.  Shalom from Jerusalem.

Our group walking into the Old City of Jerusalem

The oldest Anglican Church in the Middle East - where we are staying

Our room at Christ Church

Water, Water, and Water --- In the HEAT

Jesus said, "Go and make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit..."


We began our day by going to the Jordan River and baptizing some folks.  Always a special time.  These folks reaffirmed their baptismal faith, and then were immersed in the River Jordan.  Cool.  Holy Spirit was strong.   Thank you Lord.

Bev Thomas being immersed in the Jordan

From there we visited the restoration of a six-century synagogue at the foot of Mount Gilboa.  You will remember Gilboa from Joshua, and it is also the place of Saul and Jonathan's death.

Beautiful mosaic floor uncovered

Then we had another swim, this time is series of three pools which come from an underground spring out of Gilboa.  I can't remember how to spell the name, but it was refreshing and a treat.  Also, amazing,  Nothing else around, and then this oasis with beautiful trees and gardens, and clear, see-through, fresh water.

We ate lunch at Bet-Shan which is the site of an archaeological dig which dates to the time of Jesus.  While Jesus probably never entered this city, it gave us a good understanding of the culture in which the first century messianic movement would have found itself.  Hot. Hot. Hot.

We ended our day driving down the "west bank" of the Jordan River to the Dead Sea.  Passed Jericho, the oldest city in the world and a sprawling oasis city in the midst of the desert.  At the Dead Sea we saw why the it is called the Dead Sea. Many in our group floated and floated.  Shalom from the dead sea.

Sheila Sharp and Allison Beach Floating in the Dead Sea

Allison trying out the skin benefits of Dead Sea mud

The Northern Kingdom

A Coney -- see Proverbs 30:27

Hear O Israel, the LORD our God is the only Lord, and you shall love the love your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength...


We begin each morning by saying the Sha'mah which every devout Jew in Jesus' day would have said and practiced.

Today we went up north to the Dan Nature Preserve, Tel Dan, and Banius.  In the Dan Nature Preserve we were able to see the head-waters of the Jordan River and the spring which flows out from under Mount Hermon.   We heard a wonderful teaching on Living Water contrasted with Bitter Water, and the importance to remaining connected to the source of Living Water - Jesus.

We saw what was left of the Caesarea Philippi (Banius).  It was in this area where Jesus asked his disciples, "Who do the crowds say that I am?"  This marked a turning point in the focus of Jesus ministry and where he ministered.

Before lunch we went a few miles above Caesarea Philippi at Nimrod, the ruins of an old fortress.  It was in this vicinity that the Transfiguration took place.

After lunch we spent the afternoon on the Golan learning about modern day Israel and the sacrifices the people of Israel have made in order to have and keep the land they are on.  Incredible views from the places we visited.

The head-waters of the Jordan River

Receiving a Biblical Teaching sitting under a canopy of trees at the main spring which comes from Mount Hermon

Here it is: the beginning of the Jordan

Water Falls in Caesarea Philippi -- Can you believe this is the Middle East?

Steve Cote enjoying the natural air conditioning coming from the cold water of the Falls

Beautiful but no touch -- thistles!

Bill Sharp and Russ Killebrew overlooking the Valley of Tears on the Golan

The Syrian-Israeli Boarder -- Syria starts where the green ends.

The group is holding up well.  We are tired tonight, but spiritually charged.  Shalom from Israel.

Where Jesus Lived and Ministered

Wow!  What a day we have had!  We spent most of our time around the north part of the Sea of Galilee visiting sites where Jesus ministered and lived.  Too much to take in at one time.

We started our morning visiting Chorazin, one of the two cities of which Jesus spoke when he said "Woe to you Chorazin, Woe to you Bethsaida, if the miracles performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago..."  Obviously, Jesus did a number of miracles there!

In the remains of the synagogue of Chorazin

Bill Sharp sitting in the Moses Seat -- was discovered at this site in Chorazin

From there we traveled a short distance up the mountain to the place where Jesus gave the sermon on the mount.  David Miller, our guide, gave a wonderful teaching on the beattitudes, and the purpose of all Scripture --- to reveal God.   There is a church built on the site to commemorate the teaching of Jesus in that place.

The ceiling of the Church of the Beautitudes

The Church of the Beatitudes 

21st Century Beatitudes ??

Next we went to a beautiful solitary garden on the east side of Tabga, and listened to a wonderful explanation of the story of Jesus healing the woman who was losing blood. You may remember that she touched his robe in desperation, and he asked the throng gathered around him who it was that touched him.  This site in somewhere in the vicinity of that event.

Just down the coast is Capernaum, the place where Jesus centered his ministry.   It was here that became his ministry headquarters and from where he would travel to and fro.  There is pretty strong evidence that the house here which commemorates Peter's home (and where Jesus would have stayed) is actually the site.  Situated on the northwest corner of the Sea of Galilee, Capernaum was a vibrant fishing village with a strong agriculture economy.  It was also near the Via Maris, the main highway which connected Europe and Africa, so there would have been numerous travelers as well.

Alton Wilson in the remains of the synagogue in Capernaum

The Sea of Galilee from Capernaum

In the afternoon we were able to view an actual fishing boat from the first century which was recovered a few years back during a drought when the lake level was very low.   We then went out on the water in a tourist version of the fishing boat, but it was none-the-less a great experience to be out on the Sea of Galilee. But the way - we got to experience how a wind can come out of nowhere.  In a matter of minutes the weather conditions went from brutal hot with no wind, to gusty winds, white caps, and big waves on the water -- blue sky, no clouds, but big wind.

Beverly Thomas on the "Jesus Boat"

The Sea of Galilee

From being on the water, we traveled to the beach which replicates the Resurrection breakfast which Jesus fixed for Peter and the disciples.  We went to the beach and heard a brief teaching on Peter's restoration.

Our group at the beach on the north shore  commemorating John 21 and the Resurrection Breakfast Jesus had with Peter and  the disciples

We ended our day by going to an overlook from way up on the Golan on the eastern side of the lake.  In a matter of minutes, we had traveled up a huge mountain and could literally see the whole Sea of Galilee!  Shalom from Israel.

Sea of Galilee from the Golan

Gentiles and Jews

Today we explored the strenuous relationship between Gentiles and Jews during the first century, the time of Jesus, and during the days of the New Testament Church.  We started our day in the ruins of the incredible seaport of Caesarea which King Herod actually created by building walls for the man-made bay.  This was the city where the Gentile Cornelius encountered God through a vision and the preaching and laying of hands by the Jewish Apostle Peter (Acts 10).  This was also the place was Paul was held in prison and took on publicly Festus (Acts 24)

From Caesarea we traveled to Mt. Carmel where Elijah took on the prophets of the false god, Baal.   We shared the story, and right there in front of our eyes, you could see the story lived out as the environment bore witness to many of the stories' detail.  From there we did a quick trip to Megiddo, the fortress city on the other side of the Valley of Jezreel (the plain of Armageddon).

Mary Lou, Fred, and Mary on Mt. Carmel with Valley of Jezreel in the background

Late today we visited Nazareth and the Church of the Annunciation which surround the ruins of Mary's home and where Jesus grew up.  The beauty of engravings on marble columns is absolutely astounding.  Most of these remained buried for centuries until recent years when archaeology has uncovered many significant items.

Church of the Annunciation

Tonight we are staying in a hotel on the Sea of Galilee.  Shalom.