DBB 6.12.2018: Jerusalem Diary part 2

The tower also offers some of the best views of Jerusalem:

The tower to the left is the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer. The gold dome in the foreground is the Church of St. John. The gold dome on the right is the Dome of the Rock mosque. In the background is the Mount of Olives which includes the Garden of Gethsemane.

This is the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. It contains the site of the crucifixion (most definitely the place where Jesus died) and his tomb (maybe it is, maybe it’s not). The reason why we can’t be so sure of the latter is because the area is littered with similar tombs and the early Christians never marked it out. I don’t believe this was an oversight. I believe they took the angel seriously: ‘He is not here; he is risen.’

The entrance to Holy Sepulchre—you’ll never find it on your own. And once you’re in, be sure to take note of how you got in. Highlight of the day was helping a group of Asian Christians find their way out.

Why so difficult? See below:

This is the empty tomb. You would never know it, but underneath all of that there really is a grave. I would have taken a photo of Calvary, but it too is so covered up that it’s not discernible.

Although not historically accurate, I much prefer a visit to ‘the Garden Tomb’ where one can hear the gospel and actually see what it all might have looked like in Jesus’ day.

I closed out my day with a visit to St. George’s Cathedral (the Anglican cathedral in Jerusalem):

It is built in the style of an English cathedral and this congregation is primarily ex-pat and Palestinian. Its architecture (and much of its theology) stands in contrast to Christ Church, the older Anglican church in town.

Tomorrow I leave Jerusalem to meet up with an expedition group in Tel Aviv and then on to Haifa. I’m hoping we can stop at Caesarea Maritina where Paul made his defense before Felix and Festus before being sent to Rome (Acts 24-26). So, there may not be much to report tomorrow unless lunch is really good.

 – Andrew