First Excursion into the Old City
Our day was a mixture of the New and the Old. First, the New. Our travels today took us to the Israel Museum, across the street from the Knesset, Israel’s Parliament building. The museum is home to a model of First Century Jerusalem that covers a little over a half acre. It also hosts the Shrine of the Book, home of the Dead Sea Scrolls and Biblical texts.
First, Nir used the model from various vantage points to explain what we had seen of the current city from up on the Mount of Olives. He showed us the Temple complex, the southern steps used to go up into the Temple area, the original City of David, location of the gates and walls to the city, and the poor housing areas and area where the rich and priestly families lived. He also noted the Antonio Fortress, traditional site of Jesus’ trial before Pilate. And he also pointed out the quarry, located outside the walls of that day, where Jesus would have been crucified. Today that location is at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, inside the walls.
We then entered the Shrine of the Book to view the Dead Sea Scrolls, including a complete text of the book of Isaiah. Looking at scrolls, original copies of the text of the Hebrew Bible in its original language is amazing. The top of the building is shaped like the lid of one of the jars in which the Dead Sea Scrolls were found.
Nir then took us on a short half-hour tour of some of the rest of the museum, showing us original pieces we had seen or will see on our journeys. This includes the piece of the wall from Dan that talks about the “house of David.” It also included the inscription about Pilate we saw in Caesarea; and a piece of the wall from the temple area where the priests blew the trumpets for Shabbat or the festivals. Many other amazing items were seen as well. (See some of the pictures)
We then headed to the Old City for our first exposure. We started at the House of Caiaphas were Jesus was interrogated by the High Priest and Sanhedrin following His arrest. We went down into the cistern used as a jail and Bob read Psalm 88 for us. It’s words reflect what could have been on Jesus’ mind that night. It was moving. Outside, we saw before us the geography of how the events unfolded; the first century road used for Peter’s fleeing after denying Jesus and for the procession to take Jesus to Pilate.
We went to the Upper Room above the tomb of David, where Jesus had the Last Supper with the disciples, visited them after His resurrection and where Pentecost occurred. Two highlights were to see a tree representing us as Christians being “grafted in” to the covenant promises of God and to sing in this place of wonderful acoustics.
Lunch was in the area of the Jewish Quarter as we entered the city through the Zion Gate. We shopped in the Jewish Quarter and Muslim Bazaar and then made our way to the Jaffa Gate through the Christian Quarter. Nir pointed out the Citadel of David, place of Herod’s Palace. He also explained the eye of the needle in the Jaffa Gate door. An early end to our day prepared for a venture back into the Old City tonight.
Here are some pictures:
First, Nir used the model from various vantage points to explain what we had seen of the current city from up on the Mount of Olives. He showed us the Temple complex, the southern steps used to go up into the Temple area, the original City of David, location of the gates and walls to the city, and the poor housing areas and area where the rich and priestly families lived. He also noted the Antonio Fortress, traditional site of Jesus’ trial before Pilate. And he also pointed out the quarry, located outside the walls of that day, where Jesus would have been crucified. Today that location is at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, inside the walls.
We then entered the Shrine of the Book to view the Dead Sea Scrolls, including a complete text of the book of Isaiah. Looking at scrolls, original copies of the text of the Hebrew Bible in its original language is amazing. The top of the building is shaped like the lid of one of the jars in which the Dead Sea Scrolls were found.
Nir then took us on a short half-hour tour of some of the rest of the museum, showing us original pieces we had seen or will see on our journeys. This includes the piece of the wall from Dan that talks about the “house of David.” It also included the inscription about Pilate we saw in Caesarea; and a piece of the wall from the temple area where the priests blew the trumpets for Shabbat or the festivals. Many other amazing items were seen as well. (See some of the pictures)
We then headed to the Old City for our first exposure. We started at the House of Caiaphas were Jesus was interrogated by the High Priest and Sanhedrin following His arrest. We went down into the cistern used as a jail and Bob read Psalm 88 for us. It’s words reflect what could have been on Jesus’ mind that night. It was moving. Outside, we saw before us the geography of how the events unfolded; the first century road used for Peter’s fleeing after denying Jesus and for the procession to take Jesus to Pilate.
We went to the Upper Room above the tomb of David, where Jesus had the Last Supper with the disciples, visited them after His resurrection and where Pentecost occurred. Two highlights were to see a tree representing us as Christians being “grafted in” to the covenant promises of God and to sing in this place of wonderful acoustics.
Lunch was in the area of the Jewish Quarter as we entered the city through the Zion Gate. We shopped in the Jewish Quarter and Muslim Bazaar and then made our way to the Jaffa Gate through the Christian Quarter. Nir pointed out the Citadel of David, place of Herod’s Palace. He also explained the eye of the needle in the Jaffa Gate door. An early end to our day prepared for a venture back into the Old City tonight.
Here are some pictures:
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