{"id":44730,"date":"2017-10-30T06:33:02","date_gmt":"2017-10-30T12:33:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/admin.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/?p=44730"},"modified":"2017-11-01T10:05:09","modified_gmt":"2017-11-01T16:05:09","slug":"last-saturday-jerusalem","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/2017\/10\/last-saturday-jerusalem.html","title":{"rendered":"Last Saturday in Jerusalem"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Nativity,<\/a>
At Bethlehem\u2019s Church of the Nativity
(Wikimedia Commons)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

On Saturday, our group arose early and headed first to the Shepherds\u2019 Fields near Bethlehem \u2014 specifically to the Franciscan area. \u00a0We went into one of the caves and ended up sharing the space with a group of German Christians. \u00a0That was especially fun for me, as we joined with them to sing several Christmas carols in German and English. \u00a0(Christmas, for me, has long had a slightly German tinge.)<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Afterwards we looked out over the fields from the ruins of an ancient Byzantine monastery.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Then we went to Bethlehem\u2019s Manger Square and its Church of the Nativity, where, unfortunately, the line to enter the actual grotto where (according to tradition) Jesus was born was the longest I\u2019ve ever seen it. \u00a0Helpfully, though, that gave me a lot of time to harangue the group. \u00a0(One of the advantages of using electronic speakers and receivers \u2014 \u201cwhisper devices,\u201d they\u2019re called among Israeli and Palestinian tour guides \u2014 is that members of the group, if they tire of hearing me, can simply shut their receivers off. \u00a0If they occasionally nod and smile and look attentive, I\u2019ll never know any better.)<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

We paid a brief visit to the grotto and tomb of the great St. Jerome, doctor of the Roman Catholic Church and translator of the Latin Biblia Vulgata<\/em>, and then headed to the \u201cTent Restaurant\u201d for a grilled lunch. \u00a0Always a popular place. \u00a0Afterwards, we went to an olive wood factory store there in Bethlehem that\u2019s owned by a cooperative of local Arab Christians.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

We finished the tour day with a visit to the Israel Museum, where we focused on the huge and fantastic outdoor model of Jerusalem as it appeared just prior to the Roman destruction of 66-70 AD; the Shrine of the Book and the Dead Sea Scrolls; and, in the main museum itself, the Pilate inscription from Caesarea Maritima, the ossuary or bone box of the Jewish high priest Caiaphas (of New Testament fame or infamy), the \u201ctrumpeter stone\u201d from Herod\u2019s Temple, and a rather chilling specimen from an ancient Roman crucifixion.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

***<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Here are a few items of relevance:<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cHerbert headed to Jordan, Israel for trade mission\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cUtah Governor Headed to Jordan, Israel for Trade Mission\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cUtah Gov. Gary Herbert meets with Jordan king during trade mission\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Governor of Utah visited the Western Wall\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cDispatches from Jordan and Israel, pt. 1: Making Utah a premier global business destination\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cDispatches from Jordan to Israel, part 2: Lowest point on earth, closest point to heaven\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cDispatches from Jordan to Israel, part 3: Welcome to Startup Nation\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Posted from New York City<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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