Matza & wine on the temple stairs

We walked to the temple mount,

this time the Archeological Park entrance to the south / east corner

Walking below Robinson's arch

2000 year old damage, when the Romans threw 

the stones from the temple mount in 70AD

 So much history in this place

The words on this stone indicate

the place of the blowing of the trumpet

They found it when they were sawing through it

Last teaching, Pentecost or Shavuot

The readings for Shavuot were from 

Exodus, Habakkuk, Ezekiel

voices, languages, wind, lightning

I looked and saw a windy storm approaching from the north and a huge cloud with flashing fire, glowing brightly all around with the color of gleaming amber from within the fire. 

Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the Lord descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace, and the whole mountain trembled violently. As the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and the voice of God answered him 

 When he stands up, the earth shakes;

Then at Pentecost after Jesus had left:

 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.  They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.  All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven.  When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken.  Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans?  Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language?

There were voices, wind, lightning

and God changed His address 

He lives in the community of believers

they are the new house

 As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him—  you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood

In Exodus 3000 people died in Acts 3000 people live

 The Levites did as Moses commanded, and that day about three thousand of the people died

 those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.

the connection is very strong

The disciples went out  to teach about the kingdom

and many, many believed

 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,  praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

and when you believe you become part of this community 

and you go out together and 

love God and your neigbour

that is how the kingdom is advanced

walk as Jesus walked

in humility, obedience & love

 Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person.  But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him:  Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.

we had communion on the temple stairs

 the most likely place where Pentecost "happened"

While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven.  Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy.  And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.

eat and believe that Jesus' body is broken for me

drink and believe that Jesus' blood was shed for me

Family picture

and "church " picture

Time to leave, and go into the world

make disciples and teach them

go and make disciples...

...  and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you

One last look, 

leave to serve

Last day in Jerusalem

Looking South from the Mount of Olives

without zoom

there is a little volcano shaped mountain in the middle

Here it is with zoom; Herodion

Teaching in an Eastern way means that you can see the subject

that the rabbi is teaching about

Looking down on the temple Mount 1500'x900'

Herod's temple was 3x the height of the dome of the rock

 

Salomon's colonnade was known as "the bank of Israel"

Jesus overturned the tables of the money changers

and those selling doves

who needed the dove? the poor!

They were cheating the poor

 Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves

whip= braided tzitzit in your face

 So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts

Jesu said; "I am the light of the world"

the middle candle in the candle holder is the light of the world

it lights the others

Looking at the Eastern Gate, 

the Gate that would have been open on Lamb selection day

but Jesus didn't enter it

He might have gone through the sheep gate

where the sacrifices go

Seat mates

 Taking pictures on the mount of Olives

Marc and me

We were so early that the merchants (with camel)

and other wares were just coming when we left

Next teaching spot, closer to Bethany

When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them.  While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven.  Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy.  And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.

"house of misery" or where you go when you are miserable 

place of Ascension Jesus was 40 days with his disciples

after the resurrection

40 years before 12 witnesses saw the first Caesar to be deified 

ascent to heaven

same happened to Caesar Augustus, and Tiberius

it became Roman law that if 12 witnesses would see

someone go up to have this person was a "god"

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit

interesting

Jesus said "you are my witnesses

 (to the Roman world)

That he is God!

the disciples understood this message

they didn't ask anymore after that about a political kingdom

 Follow our rabbi to our next teaching spot

A beautiful place, still on the mount of olives, but lower

 Todd teaching about Passover

an intense, tense time in Jerusalem

1.000.000 people come

Roman legion comes

Zealots are in town

More then a dozen historical stories about riots breaking out

around Passover in Jesus' time

Thudas said I am Messiah 5.000 followers

during Passover, Thudas says I will raise my hand to Anthonia

and it will fall

God will knock over the walls

4.000 get killed, Thudas and a few others get crucified

the Romans hang his scull from Anthonia as a deterrent

for the next "Messiah"

 Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written:

 “Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion;
    see, your king is coming,
    seated on a donkey’s colt.”

 At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that these things had been done to him.

 Jesus gets on a donkey and enters Jerusalem

The people say hoshanah

In full view of Antonia, waving palm branches

Romans likely get ready

Zealots think: Finally"

Thomas "let's die with him"

The Eatern gate is open but Jesus turns north

He is recognized as the "might makes right" Messiah

instead of "lamb of God" Messiah

He cries, they missed Him

 As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it

In this same area Jesus wept for Lazarus

wept in empathy

Jesus wept.
 Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!”

they did get it

the Pharisees wanted quiet

The Sadducees get a midrash "the stones will cry out"

(I will destroy you)

I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”

after Jesus dies the curtain breaks 

the tomb open

the stones did cry out

At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split  and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life.  They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people.

 a donkey, you could feed it for $1
Jerusalem can be very touristy 

Teaching about the Last Supper

Jesus washes His disciples feet, it's a teaching

  he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

4 cups-

I will bring you out (of Egypt)

I will free you (from being slaves)

I will redeem you (with an outstretched arm)

I will take you as my own (and be your God)

There is a fifth cup

- the cup of wrath

Jesus becomes suddenly , 

shockingly aware that this is the cup He has to drink

He left Gethsemane and drank down every drop, alone

Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”

He is heavily pressed in Gethsemane

 They went to a place called Gat Sh’manim; and Yeshua said to his talmidim, “Sit here while I pray.”

Gethsemane   = oil press

Jesus is so pressed he sweats blood

And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground

At the Passover meal Jesus took the third cup

the cup of redemption and instituted the Last Supper

Do this in remembrance of me

 And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”
 In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you

Josephus, the historian writes that at Passover the Kidron valley

ran red with blood from the sacrefices

The bible tells us that Jesus crossed the valley

makes you think of the blood path teaching of Arad 

There are olive trees on the mount of olives
that are about 2000 years old

Walking towards the old city,
not through the East Gate, but like Jesus

Through the sheep gate
(also called Lion & St Steven's gate)

We went for a washroom break

and while I sat on the old floor

looking down on my feet I took this picture

I love it, the hiking gear, the old floor and the journal

We went inside st.Ann church, we sang Amazing Grace
these people were singing in Dutch
"U zij de Glorie"
and we joined them to their surprise

Pool of Bethesda

 “Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.”
 Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.

So hard to get your bearings here
so much stuff build up over each other

There was a temple here for the godAsclepius
god of healing  with water movement

The apostle John writes to Asia, the first 3 miracles
he mentioned are 1 water to wine, 2 healing at Bethesda,
3 feeding of the 5.000 

In Asia the 3 main gods were Dionysus (wine)
Asclepius (healing) and Demeter (food), interesting

We walked on the the via dolarosa
the way of suffering

Todd explained the details of crucifixion
what a cruel way to die

going through these busy streets carrying the crossbeam

  Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull

  As the soldiers led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus

nailed to the cross at eye level
with feet pulled up in crouch position
suffocating but slowly, it could take 3 days
that's why Pontius Pilot is amazed to hear that Jesus died already

Pilate was surprised to hear that he was already dead. Summoning the centurion, he asked him if Jesus had already died.  When he learned from the centurion that it was so, he gave the body to Joseph.

Jesus died at the time of the evening sacrifice
God took Him

Psalm 22 alludes to all 7 "sayings of the cross"

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
    Why are you so far from saving me,
    so far from my cries of anguish?...

...  From birth I was cast on you;
    from my mother’s womb you have been my God....

...
I am poured out like water,
    and all my bones are out of joint.
My heart has turned to wax;
    it has melted within me.
My mouth is dried up like a potsherd,
    and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth;
    you lay me in the dust of death...

...
future generations will be told about the Lord. 
 They will proclaim his righteousness,
    declaring to a people yet unborn:
    He has done it!

We went to the church of the Holy sepulcher
possible crucifixion site  

a place of rejected stone
a quarry was often used for this purpose
 

Some people were kissing this slab of stone
it is supposed to be the place where Jesus body
was prepared for burial

Jesus died on Passover
was in the grave on feast of unleavened bread
and rose on the feast of first fruits
we do not serve a God of coincidences

The church is Greek Orthodox

but unfortunately not a picture of cooperation among Christians 

 Brent's sunglasses reflect the church
as usual he's chewing a piece of grass, even in Jerusalem

 part of a fragile peace is not moving this ladder

We walked to the Jewish quarter for lunch

Evening in Jerusalem

 We went out in the evening

 to the Western Wall plaza

we had some time to look around

Man & Women part

 beggar

 amazing how many kids were up late

here you see the bridge we took in the morning

to get up on temple mount

washing hands ceremoniously

we went for a tour with Nadav

first an explanation how mount Moria was prepared 

for the second temple, to make it large enough for Herod's plans

We go inside

 Looking down to "street level"

2000 years ago

Another model, it's a bit different

different angles and sizes of the courts

 we will be walking on the outside of the wall

We start where there is a giant stone

weight is estimated as 660 metric tonnes

how did it get her? nobody knows

It's as big as u bus and fits exactly

like it was made to be here

 Herodian stones, for sure

 we walk on

 stopping occasionally

Nadav explaining where we are

I think the dent in the wall is from the crusaders 

 going up

 It changes here

we're back to cistern hiking

this time in Jerusalem

Water at the point where we turn and

 walk back to where we started

 we walk around the plaza a bit more

we didn't see any of the young boys' Bar Mitzvah

but did heard the noice just before we arrived at the wall

It was much more difficult to keep track of our group

we didn't wear our packs

We went back to the hotel for our last night in Jerusalem

what a full day this has been