Through the Eyes of Jesus: A Tour of Biblical Sites in Israel

Much of this material comes from The New Christian Traveler’s Guide to the Holy Land by Charles Dyer and Gregory Hatteberg

Bethlehem “House (bet) of Bread (lechem)”, a small village just to the east of the main road through the hill country of Judah. The village received enough rainfall to support agriculture, but it was also close enough to the Judean Wilderness to encourage the raising of sheep and goats.

Bethlehem Patriarchal Period (Genesis 35:16-20; 48:7) – Site of tomb of Rachel (wife of Jacob and mother of men who would start twelve tribes of Israel). Period of Judges (Ruth) – Story of Ruth and Boaz took place here during the barley and wheat harvest. (Ruth and Boaz are David’s great-grandparents)

Bethlehem United Kingdom (1 Samuel 16:1-13; 17:12) – Birthplace of David, Samuel anoints David as king of Israel. Divided Kingdom (Micah 5:2) – Micah prophesied that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem Life of Christ (Matt 2:1-18; Luke 2:1-20) – Jesus born here; shepherds and wise men visit infant Jesus; Herod has all boys under two put to death.

Bethlehem Church of the Nativity

Bethlehem The Church of the Nativity is the oldest Church in Israel (325 AD) Star marking the traditional site on which Jesus was born in the Grotto (Cave) of the Nativity

Nazareth A small village on a ridge overlooking the Jezreel Valley; never mentioned in the Old Testament Childhood home of Jesus (Matthew 2:21-23; Luke 1:26-33; 2:1-7, 41-52) First recorded sermon preached here; residents responded by trying to kill him; later performed few miracles here because of persistent unbelief of the people (Luke 4:16-30; Mark 6:1-6)

Nazareth Church of the Annunciation

Madonna and Child at Church of Annunciation

JAPAN SCOTLAND SOUTH KOREA

Madonna and Child at Church of Annunciation CHINA

Madonna and Child at Church of Annunciation

Capernaum An important town at time of Christ because: – Located on Sea of Galilee and so had access to fishing – Straddled the International Highway, which went from Mesopotamia (modern day Iraq; ancient Assyria and Babylon) to Egypt, at one of its narrowest points, and thus had control of trade through this narrow point. Matthew (Levi) was a tax collector based in Capernaum, collecting tolls from merchants (Matthew 9:9-13; Mark 2:14) After rejected at Nazareth, Jesus made his home at Capernaum, hometown of Peter; probably stayed at Peter’s house.

Capernaum Taught at synagogue of Capernaum, delivered man from an unclean spirit, and healed many people including Peter’s mother-in-law (Mark 1:21-34; Luke 4:31-41; see also Matt 8:16-17; 9:1-8, 18-38; 12:22-45; Mark 2:1-12; 3:20-22; 5:22-43; Luke 5:17-26; 8:40-56; 11:14-26; John 4:46-54) Healed the servant of the Roman centurion (officer over 100 soldiers) who helped fund the construction of the Capernaum synagogue (Matt 8:5-13; Luke 7:1-10) More of Christ’s recorded miracles occurred in Capernaum than any other city, but Capernaum did not believe (Matt 11:23-24)

Capernaum Synagogue

Peter’s House in Capernaum

Caesarea Philippi Originally called Banias/Panias; when Herod Philip (son of Herod the Great) became leader over the area to the east of the Sea of Galilee, he made Caesarea Philippi his capital. Marks the northernmost limit of Christ’s ministry. Peter made his confession of Christ’s deity to Jesus’ question, “Who do people say the son of Man is?” (Matt 16:13-16; Mark 8:27-30; Luke 9:18-21)

Caesarea Philippi Artist’s Reconstruction of what Caesarea Philippi would have looked like at the time of Christ.

Mount of Beatitudes Church of the Mount of the Beatitudes Jesus preached his Sermon on the Mount here (Matt 5-7)

Mount of Beatitudes View of the Sea of Galilee from the Mount of Beatitudes

Bethshean/Scythopolis Conquest of Canaan: Bethshean given to the tribe of Manasseh, but they were unable to drive out the Canaanites because of their iron chariots (Josh 17:16) United Kingdom: After defeating Saul and his sons on Mount Gilboa, the Philistines hanged their bodies on the walls of Bethshean. Life of Christ: renamed Scythopolis, it was one of the chief cities of the Decapolis, a league of ten cities sharing Greek culture and government. Best-preserved Roman site in Israel.

Bethshean/Scythopolis

Jerusalem Modern day Jerusalem is divided into two sections: the Old City and the New City. The Old City, with the Old City enclosed by walls, rebuilt by Suleiman I (emperor of the Ottoman Turks) between The Old City is further divided into four quarters: Muslim, Christian, Jewish, and Armenian.

Four Quarters of Jerusalem

Pool of Bethesda Site of Jesus healing a paralyzed man (John 5:2-9).

Pool of Siloam Jesus healed a blind man and then told him to wash his eyes in the Pool of Siloam. After he washed them, he returned home with his sight. (John 9:1-12)

Western Wall Only surviving portion of the Temple Mount from the time of Christ.

Western Wall Jews pray here regularly, placing prayers on pieces of paper in the wall.

Temple Mount Dome of the Rock Al-Aqsa Mosque Western Wall

Mount of Olives/ Garden of Gethsemane Named for the olive groves that used to cover it, the Mount of Olives is a mountain ridge east of, and adjacent to, Jerusalem’s Old City. The southern part of the Mount is a massive Jewish cemetery, contained approximately 150,000 graves, over 3000 years. United Kingdom: this is the route David fled to escape his son Absalom (2 Sam 15:30-37) Solomon built pagan shrines for many wives here.

Mount of Olives/ Garden of Gethsemane Ezekiel witnessed the glory of the Lord leave Solomon’s temple and Jerusalem by way of the Mount of Olives (11:22-23), and described the glory of the Lord returning from the east (over the Mount of Olives) to enter a new temple (43:1-5). Zechariah described a day when the Lord’s feet would stand on the Mount of Olives and the mountain would be split in two (14:3-5)

Mount of Olives/ Garden of Gethsemane Jesus rode down from the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem on a donkey on Palm Sunday (five days before his crucifixion) (Matt 21:1-11). He wept for Jerusalem here (Luke 19:41-44) and described the prophetic future of Jerusalem to His disciples here (Matt 24-25: the “Olivet Discourse”). Jesus prayed at the Garden of Gethsemane (“oil press), a garden on the Mount of Olives, and was arrested here (Matt 26:36). Following his resurrection, Jesus ascended to heaven from the Mount of Olives (Luke 24:50-53; Acts 1:9-12)

Mount of Olives

Garden of Gethsemane

Upper Room Traditional site for the Last Supper, this site was likely originally a Jewish synagogue, and may have been the site of a Jewish Christian church. The current structure was built in the th centuries, but underneath is an ancient synagogue. Most Jewish synagogues were pointed towards the Temple. But this synagogue is pointed directly towards the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, leading archaeologist, Bargil Pixner, to conclude this was a Jewish Christian synagogue.

Upper Room Later, this site was used as the “Church of the Apostles”, constructed by Jewish Christians who returned to Jerusalem following the destruction of the city during the Second Jewish Revolt in AD 135 (Eusebius, Demonstratio Evangetica 3:5). Epiphanius, a Christian bishop at the end of the fourth century AD, stated that this church was built on the site of the Upper Room, by the second bishop of Jerusalem, Simon, a cousin of Jesus. For more, see the article “Church of the Apostles Found on Mt. Zion” by Bargil Pixner at

Upper Room

Via Dolorosa The traditional path which Jesus took when he carried his cross, the Via Dolorosa (“Way of Sorrows”) contains fourteen “stations” or places where something significant happen (either from the Bible or church tradition).

Fourteen Stations of the Via Dolorosa

Via Dolorosa The traditional path which Jesus took when he carried his cross, the Via Dolorosa (“Way of Sorrows”) contains fourteen “stations” or places where something significant happen (either from the Bible or church tradition). Station 1: Jesus is condemned to death by Pilate Station 2: Jesus takes up the cross Station 3: Jesus falls beneath the weight of the cross for the first time.

Via Dolorosa Station 4: Jesus meets his mother Mary Station 5: Simon of Cyrene is ordered to help carry the cross Station 6: Veronica wipes away Jesus’ blood and sweat, and her handkerchief reveals an impression of his face Station 7: Jesus falls a second time Station 8: Jesus consoles the women of Jerusalem Station 9: Jesus falls a third time

Via Dolorosa (Note: Stations are within the Church of the Holy Sepulcher) Station 10: Jesus is stripped of his clothes Station 11: Jesus is nailed to the cross Station 12: Jesus dies Station 13: Jesus is taken down from the cross and wrapped in burial cloths Station 14: Jesus is buried

Church of the Holy Sepulcher The location of the tomb of Jesus is disputed. The traditional site, identified by Helena (mother of the emperor Constantine), is where the Church of the Holy Sepulcher was built. This is the same site for the crucifixion of Jesus; John 19:41 states: “at the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid.” Originally at this site was a temple to Aphrodite, constructed by the Roman emperor Hadrian. It currently lies within the walls of Jerusalem. Hebrews 13:12 states that Jesus was crucified outside the wall, so if this is the correct site, the current walls must have been expanded later in history to enclose this site within the walls. However, no archaeological evidence of such walls has ever been discovered.

Church of the Holy Sepulcher Outside View Tomb of Christ

Church of the Holy Sepulcher Tomb of Christ – Inside View

Church of the Holy Sepulcher Golgotha – Site of Crucifixion – Note the rock under the glass.

Garden Tomb In 1842, an alternate site was proposed, with a rocky escarpment that looks like a skull; Jesus was crucified at Golgotha, which means “the place of the skull” (Matt 27:33).

Next Week Next Week will be our last week: a survey of Israel’s history from the destruction of the Temple in AD 70 to today