Tuesday May 28th Part 2

Dear Family and Friends,

Second try writing about part 2

I forgot to save my work so I will begin again. Lesson learned –SAVE First and often!

Following the Pools of Bethesda, we moved on to the Antonia Fortress, built by Herod in 55 BC and named for Mark Anthony. It was the military barracks to protect Herod’s temple next door. This was possibly the site of the brutal beating of Jesus before going to the cross as Pilate would have sent Jesus to the soldiers at the baracks. Romans crucifixion included the practice of severe beatings to weaken the condemned to offer little resistance to the final act of crucifixion. The chapel in this area depicts the crown of thorns placed on his head.

In the lower level of the Fortress was the ancient tunnels that brought the water supply into Jerusalem. Herod built arches over this area to not disturbed its purpose and to provide a firm foundation for his fortress.It is possible to go down into this area under the city.

From the Fortress, Jesus was taken out of the city for crucifixion. Today in Jerusalem you can walk the streets of the Via Dolorosa. This route has changed over the centuries as pilgrims have been prevented to going into certain sections of the city. One feature that struct me was how crowded these narrow streets became when the stores were opened and the crowds appeared. See the second group of photos below.

The Via Dolorosa leads to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. This is the traditional site of the crucifixion and burial of Jesus. This site has set aside places of worship for six groups, Greek Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Syrian, Armenian, Coptic, and Ethiopian religious orders.

However the road from the Antonia Fortress also leads to the site of the Garden Tomb, an area discovered in the 19th Century which many Christians believe fits the Biblical description of Golgotha, the place of the skull (John 19:17), it was outside of the city walls, it was a public location on a major road, (a requirement for a Roman execution) and that contained a garden, and an empty tomb. Romans wanted all executions to be as public as possible to discourage others. Today it is a quiet place for worship and meditation.

This was the site of our communion service. A perfect conclusion to our pilgrimage in the Holy Land of Israel. Bill reminded us of the journey as we walked the steps of Jesus and his disciples and that on our journey we have come to better know the real Jesus. As we took communion we were reminded of His sacrifice for us in His death and the joy of His resurrection.

This concludes our group pilgrimage into the Israel and the Bible. It will take time to fully process what we have seen and experienced. I have a better picture of times and locations of Christ’s ministry from this trip. Even the Psalms of David are more powerful when read with this land as a background. The call of service is very strong as I remember to words of Jesus at the Sea of Galilee to “Feed and tend my sheep!”

I thank you, my readers, for going on this journey with me. I thank Milligan for allowing Bill, Edwina, Gary and Tammy to be our leaders on this trip and for their thoughtful preparation for our Journey. To my fellow pilgrims, I am so glad that you were part of my journey. I pray that our paths will meet again soon. I am thankful for your friendship.

I have only one more day to report, Wednesday, our free day. Several of us went to the Israel Museum across town. I’ll report on that in my next journal entry.

Ellen