Israel, Day 6 -Saturday, February 11, 2012

Israel, Day 6 -Saturday, February 11, 2012

On the bus at 8 to go to the Mount of Olives to start our tour. First stop was the Ascension Chapel originally built by Constantine's mother, Helena, in the 4th century.  Next was Pater Noster where Jesus is said to have taught his disciples the Lord's Prayer.  The prayer is beautifully presented in hundreds of languages in the courtyard and there is a grotto in the  place where Jesus is said to have taught.

We then began the Palm Sunday route - from the Mount of Olives to the Old City.  First stop was the necropolis.  The three monotheistic religions all believe in resurrection, so all three have cemeteries outside the city gates.  In the words of our tour guide, it will be quite the traffic jam!  There are more than 900,000 buried  in the Jewish cemetery, including Menachem Begin.

Next stop was Dominus Flevit Chapel where Jesus stopped to weep over Jerusalem.  Just a little further down the mountain is the Garden of Gethsemane.  There is a beautiful chapel in the garden and some of the olive trees are more than 2,000 years old.

At the bottom of the mountain at the beginning of the Kidron Valley is the Tomb of Mary, a beautiful Greek Orthodox chapel. Also in the valley are the Pillar of Absalom and the Tomb of Zechariah.

We then proceeded down the valley to Gahanna, the field where Judas killed himself following his betrayal.  The Pool of Siloam, where Jesus healed the paralytic who could not get into the waters, is literally just around the corner from Gahanna.  One of the other names for Gahanna is the Field of Blood. It is called that because the Temple of Mordech, the god of the Canaanites is just up the hill.  As Abram began to move into the land, the Canaanites were already there.  The physical location helps explain one of the more troubling Biblical stories.  The Temple of Mordech  is literally across the street from Mt Moriah where Abram was ready to sacrifice Issac.  Sacrifice of the first born was part of the ritual of Mordech.  Maybe this is a story to teach the difference between YHWH and the next door god!

We then went to the Palestinian city of Bethlehem, only about a 15 minute drive on sahbbot Saturday from Jerusalem.  After lunch and some time to shop we toured Shepherd's Field and the Church of the Nativity, home to Greek Orthodox, Armenian, and Roman Catholic congregations.  The turf wars here are unbelievable!

Back to the hotel for dinner, catch up on photos and blogs.

Tomorrow is worship with a Protestant congregation here in Jerusalem then time at the Church of the Holy Sepluchre and then time at the  Western Wall.

Kevin Phipps,  Sent from my iPad

Israel, Day 5 - Friday, Feb 10, 2012

Israel, Day 5 - Friday, Feb 10, 2012

Up early to see a cloudy sunrise over the Sea of Galilee.  after breakfast  we left other kibbutz at 0800 and headed toward Nazareth.  There was quite a bit of rain around.  On the way Ezra, our tour guide, suggested we stop by Zippori.  Our hosts agreed so we visited the National Park at this important archeological site.  The city was much larger than Nazareth in the first century and legend tells us it was where Mary's parents lived.  It was also an important place for education, so conjecture is that Jesus may have studied here.  Fascinating ruins with amazing mosaic work.

Next stop was Cana where Jesus performed his first miracle of turning water to wine.  It was also the home of Nathaniel.

Next stop Nazareth, now a city of approximately 170,000 people - one third Muslim, one third Jewish, and one third Christian.  We visited the Church of the Synagogue where Jesus read from the scroll of Isaiah to begin his ministry, the Church of the Annunciation, and Joseph's workshop.

Stopped for lunch on the way to Jerusalem.  Ran into a contingent of Methodists from Michigan and we have some Methodists from Michigan with us so it was old home week half way around the world!

It's nearly a two hour drive from Nazareth to Jerusalem so there were many of us sleeping rather soundly.  As we began to make our approach to the city the anthem The Holy City was played over the PA.  Just as we rounded a  corner to get our first view of the city the chorus began for the first time, "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, lift up your gates and sing, Haosanna in the Hiqhest, Hosanna to your King!" There may have been some dry eyes on the bus, but they weren't mine!

We stopped by Mt Scopus and the Mt of Olives to get our first view of the city.  We then checked into the King Solomon Hotel, our center of operations for the rest of the trip.  

I came up to the room after dinner  to work on blogs and pictures.  My roommate woke me up 3 hours later and told me it was time to go to bed!

Kevin Phipps,  Sent from my iPad

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Kevin Phipps,  Sent from my iPad

Israel, Day 4

Israel, Day 4

Up at 0515 and down to the Sea of Galilee to watch the sunrise.  Great breakfast at our kibbutz.  

Walked to our first stop, a museum where a first century boat discovered under many layers of mud is displayed.  Then on to a boat to sail on the Sea of Galilee.  to say it is a moving experience is cheapening it!

Next stop was the Mount of the Beatitudes.  The Fransiscans have a chapel on the sight where Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount.  The acoustics are amazing.  It was not a difficult exercise to picture 30,000 people on that hillside or to imagine Jesus being able to deliver the sermon so they could all hear.  An amazing place to re-read those chapters from Matthew.

Next stop was Korazim, one of the cities Jesus proclaims 'woe' to.  Archeologists have discovered a ritual bath, a tri-clennium table (a stone u-shaped table that will seat up to 16), and a synagogue with the only first century 'Moses seat' discovered.

Next to St Peter's Restaurant near Capernaum for St Peter's fish

After lunch to the ruins of the city of Bethsaida, the home of Andrew, Bartholomew, and Peter.  Next stop was the city of Tagbah where one of the miraculous feedings is said to have occurred.

Next stop was Capernaum where Peter's mother-in-law was healed.  A church is built over the sight.  We also were at the ruins of the first century synagogue and looked at several carvings and learned about the origins of the six pointed star.

Our final stop of the day was the Yardenit on the Jordan River where several in our group renewed their baptisms.  I didn't, but have two bottles of water from the Jordan to bring back for baptisms at home!

Tomorrow is the Dead Sea and then on to the Mount of Olives and 7 days in Jerusalem.

Kevin Phipps,  Sent from my iPad