We were up early as usual.
First, we went to the Jerusalem Archaeological Park, which sits at the south end of Herod’s temple platform. It’s a marvelous site, not least for the excellent little museum or display with which the visit always begins. We walked through the ruins of the old Umayyad governor’s palace (from the early Islamic period) over to the first-century stairs that once led up onto the temple mount through the Huldah Gates. This was, with a high degree of probability, a place where Jesus and his disciples walked whenever they were in Jerusalem. We also saw what’s left of “Robinson’s arch” and one of the main streets of the first-century city.
Then we continued on to the Western Wall (or Wailing Wall). The crowds were uncharacteristically sparse, but I was delighted to see a group of Turkish Muslim women, in hijabs, at the women’s portion of the Wall, the most sacred place in the entire Jewish world. I have never, ever, seen Muslims at the Western Wall.
After lunch, we visited the Church of St. Peter in Gallicantu, the attractive modern Catholic church that marks the traditional location of Caiaphas’s palace, the place where Jesus made his appearance before the Jewish leadership just before his crucifixion. Like every decent and well-equipped private home, this one was furnished with subterranean dungeons, which are still fully intact. Jesus may have been imprisoned in one of them.
From St. Peter’s, we drove to BYU’s magnificent and magnificently-situated Jerusalem Center for Near Eastern Studies. It’s always fun to go back to this place where we once lived, which has a very unique spirit and a wonderful view.
And then we concluded with time at the Garden Tomb, adjacent to Gordon’s Calvary. I’m currently inclined to believe that Gordon’s Calvary may be the right spot. I’m convinced that the Garden Tomb isn’t. But it’s a calm, quiet, and beautiful spot, a good place to reflect on the atonement and the resurrection of Christ. They were having a special — first-time — open house for the sites in the neighborhood, and, before we left it, the Garden Tomb area (which was otherwise unusually quiet and free of crowds) began to be thronged with local Muslims who were visiting. I have never seen Muslims there before, and I was very pleased.
After dinner, we headed to the airport, where most of our people prepared to board flights, while my wife and I caught a taxi to Tel Aviv.
And thus ends another year’s tour of Israel. We’re slated to do it once more, next year. After that, we’ll see.
Posted from Tel Aviv, Israel
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