What Really Happened at Jericho?

We checked out of our hotel at the Sea of Galilee today. We are headed for Jerusalem. But first we backtracked a little to the Mount of Beatitudes. We had stopped here a few days ago but they were closed for lunch. The Sermon on the Mount is just too central to our faith for us to miss the place where people believe that Jesus spoke these words. There is really no way to know where Jesus preached. Matthew says it happened on a mount. Luke says it happened on a plain. This is a mount located above Capernaum. It seems as good a place as any. Besides it is lush up here and the view is beautiful.

There is a Catholic Church built here on the hill. It was built around 1936, commissioned by Mussolini. Incongruous, huh? 

The church is eight-sided representing the eight Beatitudes.

What is special about this place is not the church but that you could imagine yourself here, at the foot of Jesus, listening to him speak.When we were done soaking up the beauty of this place we headed for Jericho, the oldest inhabited city and the lowest city. There are lower spots but no one thought to build a city there. However, here in Jericho is the Elisha Spring. Where there is water in an arid land people will gather.

When we got out of the car it was like a blast from a furnace. We headed to the gate to pay our admission. Guides are free. While Bob doesn't have the official tags he is our guide so someone always asks if Bob is free. At the Jericho gate the man at the gate said, "Yes. I know this man." Then he and Bob greeted each other.

The Jericho archeological site is without trees. We hiked up the hill to a shaded cover while Bob explained the site. Then we ventured out into the sun. Of course, archeologists are curious about the walls based on the story of Joshua bringing down the walls with trumpet blasts and shouts. They have found three walls. This is the tower of the oldest wall--9,000 BC.

They have also found walls dated to 3,000 BC and 1,000 BC. Nothing that corresponds to the time of Joshua.

By now I was way overheated. I seem to run very hot. We headed into the Mount of Temptation Restaurant and Gift Shop. It is called that because tradition claims that high on the mountain above us Jesus was tempted by Satan after his baptism. There is a monastery there built into the rocks. You can take a cable car up to the monastery. 

Inside I got something cold to drink and started to cool off a bit. We were headed for the car when a man ran out from the restaurant. He obviously knew Bob.  He took his hand and pulled Bob back inside while motioning for us to follow. He served us all fried cheese with honey. It was delicious. Bob is well-loved in Jericho and we are the beneficiaries. 

Then we learned that the gift shop sells Hebron Glass. We will not get to Hebron so we went to look at it. It is beautiful. We all ended up buying some.

Now to Jerusalem. As we were leaving Jericho, Bob mentioned that we were passing the tree that is referred to as the Zaccheus Tree.  It is a sycamore fig tree and very large. Some say it is over 2,000 years old.  I don't know if that is possible but I still wanted a photo. 

In Jerusalem we are staying at the Gloria Hotel which is inside the Old City, right inside the Jaffa Gate. When we arrived in Jerusalem Bob called the hotel and gave them the license plate number of our rental car. When we drove up to the gate we were let in.

We went to find dinner but this is Sunday and the last day of Ramadan. Every place we checked is closed. So we decided to go back to the hotel for dinner but they don't open until later. So we used this time to visit the Church of the Holy Seplechure. Generations of Christians believe that at this location Jesus was both crucified and buried. Three denominations share the property--Greek Orthodox, Armenian Apostolic and Roman Catholic. The Coptic Orthodox, Syriac Orthodox and Ethiopian Orthodox all have a presence there as well.

We arrived at 5 p.m. during an Armenian service. The service moves from space to space and so we couldn't go upstairs or downstairs. The line to visit the tomb was really long. The advantage of staying inside the city wall means we can easily come back later. We left to eat dinner and then returned after the crowd had dissipated.

This time we were allowed to climb the steep spiral staircase to Calvary. There is a large rock incorporated into the building that is said to be Golgotha. You can kneel under the altar and there is a hole in which you can stick your hand to touch Calvary. I can't kneel but Zandra, Laurie and Stephanie all had the experience.

Next we headed to the basement to visit the Chapel of Helena, Constantine's mother. Another level down allows you see stones that have been there since the time of Hadrian.

Back to the main floor we circled around the tomb, which is housed inside an ornate structure. The line was much shorter and so we jumped in line. There are two rooms inside. In the first room there is a rock under glass that is said to be part of the stone that was rolled in front of Jesus' tomb.

You have to bend way down to get in the second room. In it is the slab that Jesus' body would have been placed on after death. No photos are allowed inside the tomb, when we had all had our time inside the tomb we headed back the way we came in. By the entrance is the slab they say Jesus' body was placed on after death for anointing.

The Greek Orthodox priest was letting us know it was about time to lock the doors. We headed back to our hotel.