Mount of Temptation, Jericho

This blog is a continuation of the recent entry on the Tour of Israel in late May to early June 2014 (Read here). 

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The mountain range situated barely 5Km northwest of Jericho was believed to be the mountain where Jesus was taken to after his baptism by John the Baptist. Matthew 4: 1-11 record the story of the fasting of Jesus for 40 days and nights and he was tempted by the devil on the mountain. By tradition, it was believed that on this mountain, the devil showed the kingdoms of the world to Jesus and pleaded for Jesus' homage in exchange for the kingdoms of this world. The story ended with the devil fleeing after his scheme failed.

The peak of the Mount of Temptation at 350m above sea level looks high and majestic because the plain where Jericho occupies is 250m below sea level. Jericho, with an annual rainfall of between150mm and 400mm (2,000mm for KK, Sabah), it is no wonder we have not heard of flood in this part of the world even it is way below the sea level. 

At the foot of the Mount of Temptation, we could make out from a distance row of buildings perched high on the barren, rugged and steep slope of the mountain. Unfortunately, our touch-and-go short visit to this pilgrimage site did not allow time for a visit to these old structures. These buildings belonging to the Greek Orthodox Monastery of Temptation were built in 1895. The chapel in the Monastery is built around a cave with a stone believed to be where Jesus once sat during his fasting. It was said that the Monastery complex is now inhabited by just three monks.

The cable car station is seen on the right while the barely visible Monastery of Temptation is toward the left.

In the past, visitors needed to trek 60 mins to 90 mins to reach the Monastery. Since 1998, visitors can reach the site within minutes via cable cars. 

The Monastery built precariously on the hill slope.

A narrow path between the inner building edge and the steep hill side.

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On our way to the Mount of Temptation, our tour bus passed through Jericho, a city made famous by the story of the fall and destruction of Jericho when under siege by Joshua for seven days (Joshua 6: 1-27). The utter destruction is chilling and frightening - "And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, young and old, and ox, and sheep, and ass, with the edge of the sword."

Jericho was rebuilt. Someone named Hiel of Bethel in Ahab's time rebuilt Jericho (1 Kings 16:34). 

In Jericho, we were not let to see any ruins or new re-built structures. Instead, our bus stopped by a Sycamore tree and spent a couple of minutes to look at it. In the end, it is a tree that is the selling point of Jericho - the Sycamore tree is the most tangible thing to remind visitors of the significance of Jericho.  It reminds the pilgrims the salvation story of a man named Zacchaeus, a short wealthy man working as a tax collector. Story goes that even though he was a hated man because of his corrupt life style, he was saved in the end.

A sycamore tree at Jericho.

River Jordan

This blog is a continuation of the recent entry on the Tour of Israel in late May to early June 2014 (Read here). 

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Literally, any place mentioned in the Bible can be a potential pilgrimage site. The chances will be higher if a location has historical connection to Jesus ministry when God became man and walked on earth.

The Old Testament has numerous references about River Jordan. A prominent incident is found in Joshua 3:11, "Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth is crossing over ahead of you into the Jordan".

Countless of faithful come to River Jordan annually either from the side of Jordan or the side of Israel to visit the Baptismal site or to have a dip in River Jordan. They are here to remember the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist before his earthly ministry. Some come to have baptism at River Jordan.

At the time of our visit to the traditional Baptismal Site on the side of Israel in late May 2014, the river water looked murky and muddy and likely polluted as well. Yet it didn't deter pilgrims from having the baptism in River Jordan and submerging their whole bodies into the water. The water at the Baptismal site did not look deep. Many stood on the river bed and the water level reached only to the waist level.

To some Christians, River Jordan is sacred just like River Ganges is to the Hindu. No amount of persuasion will stop them from taking that step of faith and plunging into River Jordan. They came from different corners of the world to follow the footstep of Jesus Christ. 

The territorial boundary is demarcated by a net in the middle of the river.

The river bank of the Jordanian territory is barely ten meters away. Yet this narrow waterway has some heart wrenching stories to tell (Read this). It's a story best described as "It's so near yet so far!".

A Palestinian woman who lives in the West Bank of Israelite territory has family members in Jordan. She has not been able to visit Jordan because she has not been issued any travel document by the Israelite government. Whenever she wanted to see her family members, she would come to the river bank, looked across the river and waved at her loved ones on the opposite bank. In June 2021, she was finally issued ID card and she could then travel to Jordan to be reunited with her family for the first time after 24 years!

Church of Nativity, Bethlehem

This blog is a continuation of the recent entry on the Tour of Israel in late May to early June 2014 (Read here). 

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After the visit to the Shepherd's Field (Read here), we continued to the Church of Nativity in Bethleham.

To enter the Church of Nativity, everyone needs to stoop low in order to clear the 1.2 m high main entrance door. At a glance, there is clear profile around this door opening that the original entrance was at least twice its current height. Story has it that in around 1500 AD during the time of Ottoman Empire, the entrance door was deliberately made smaller to prevent looters from driving their carts on donkeys and horses inside to carry off their booty. Conveniently, this door is now called the Gate of Humility, a reminder to all visitors to bow low before entering the place where God humbled himself to become man.

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Courtesy of Time Graphic by Ed Gabel.

At the time of our visit on 31 May 2014, the Basilica was undergoing major restoration after it was listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2012. The restoration involved the roof, walls and mosaics.

Old floor mosaics.

A staircase in the Basilica leads down to the Grotto of Nativity. At the Grotto of Nativity, a silver star marks the spot where it is believed Jesus was born (Photos with courtesy from websites).

On the day of our visit, the queue to the Grotto of Nativity was massive. We decided to forego our attempt to see the spot.

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Today, St. Catherine Church adjacent to the Basilica continues to welcome both locals and visitors. Annual Christmas service in this Church is normally telecast live around the world.

Statute of St. Jerome in the courtyard and statute of St. Catherine at the roof of the Church.

St. Catherine Church has a magnificent interior. At the nave, there is a prominent stained glass which depicts the scene of nativity.

A staircase next to the nave leads down to a complex network of caves and rock-cut chambers. We reached the grotto of St. Jerome. Jerome, an ascetic also known as Eusebius Hieronymus stayed in a cave beneath the Church to translate the Bible from Hebrew and Greek into Latin. He started the translation in 386 AD and spent the next 30 years doing it. His translation known as vulgate remained an authoritative version used by the Catholics until the 20th century.

Grotto of St. Jerome.

It is said that at the grotto of the Holy Innocents, remains of children under two years ordered killed by King Herod at the time of Jesus birth are buried.

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At the Franciscan Courtyard.

Bethlehem, the City of David

This blog is a continuation of the recent entry on the Tour of Israel in late May to early June 2014 (Read here). 

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Our Day 5 tour on 31 May 2014 started with departure from our hotel in Jerusalem. Our bus took us to the Shepherd's Field after passing through Bethlehem.

Bethleham was probably a little known settlement until Prophet Micah uttered a prophesy around 700 BC foretelling that a ruler would come out of this small place to rule Israel (Micah 5:2). By late first century AD, the influx of pilgrims to Bethlehem permanently linked this place as the earthly birth place of Jesus.

Our very first encounter with Bethlehem was in an excavated site in the Field of Boaz. We were brought to see an ancient olive oil press unearthed from an old settlement. Boaz is the husband of Ruth, a Moabite woman who is the great grandmother of King David. 

King David who spent his childhood as a shepherd boy is believed to have shepherded his sheep around fields in Bethlehem. Appropriately, Bethlehem is also being referred to as the City of David.

A typical field we saw.

Ancient olive oil press.

Olive oil is closely associated with Jewish daily lives. Besides cooking, lighting of oil lamps, specially prepared olive oil is also used in the anointing of many religious items. 

"Make this into a sacred anointing oil, a fragrant blend, the work of a perfumer, it will be the sacred anointing oil......." Exodus 30: 25-28.

Souvenirs shops are aplenty in Boaz Field.

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Many came to see old caves which were once the safe havens for shepherds and sheep. Some have been converted to little chapels for worship and meditation.

The blackened cave lining is attributed to generations of smoke exposure by cooking and heating using fire wood by the cave occupants.

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Bethlehem is just 10Km south of Jerusalem and is under the jurisdiction of Palestinian self-rule West Bank. Despite the dwindling Christian population, it remains a favorite Christian pilgrimage site.

A small Chapel now occupies the spot traditionally believed to be where the angels appeared to the shepherds to announce the birth of Jesus in Shepherd's Field. This is the Roman Catholic Shepherd's Field Chapel also known as Igreja dos Pastores which was built in 1953. Beautiful murals depicting the nativity and the annunciation of Jesus birth adorn the inner walls.

The skylight under the circular dome is unique and is said to represent a bright Star.

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Nicholas Blincoe in his book, entitled "Bethlehem" sums up the Town:

Bethlehem has developed its own culture, somewhat in a bubble. It is a bit posh, quite Christian, and filled with impossible-seeming contradictions. It is insular yet international, educated and open yet capable of the worst small-town snobbery. It is a town of shopkeepers, natural conservatives, yet it sympathizes with the populism and anti-elitism of the radical left. The city has embraced the nationalist struggle, while keeping aloof from the political mainstream, favoring smaller parties like the Popular Front of for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and Communists rather than Fatah.