Mount to Tomb
There’s so much beauty, seeing the Old City from the Mount of Olives. We got to do just that. This post is going to to be photo heavy, so enjoy one of my favorite day excursions I had my whole Zealous career. I’ll share the most impactful moments for me on this day last October.
Mount of Olives
“And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.” Zechariah 14:4
Walking where Jesus walked. Praying where Jesus prayed. Wondering what He thought of Jerusalem now, with all of the cranes and neighborhoods, tall buildings changing the outlook’s skyline. The Golden Gate filled with bricks, to try to prevent His return. Standing on the mountain that Zechariah says will split down the middle when His feet plant here.
Yes, by this point, we had been all around Israel. Capernaum, on the Kinneret, Caesarea Philippi, all over Jerusalem and in the Old City. On the Temple Mount where the 2nd Temple once stood. But Jesus spent quite a bit of time on this mountain. And on this day, I walked and stood where Jesus stood and walked for the last time as He entered Jerusalem. That was so incredibly, beautifully humbling.
Dominus Flevit
“And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.” Luke 19:41-42
This is my favorite photo that I had taken of my team. It was such a powerful moment.
We stopped at a church courtyard on our way down. The building itself is known as the Dominus Flevit, which means, “The Lord Wept.” We took some time here. We had time to be quiet. Because there is a church on this outlook, it’s the assumed location of the Luke 19:41 verse. I think about this moment a lot still.
To make it personal, I am a crier. And it brings a comfort to my soul knowing that Jesus cried, too. And there’s this whole church dedicated to that moment, shaped to be reminiscent of a tear. And it’s beautiful. The big front window looks out towards the Temple Mount.
Tom spoke here about how they hired women to fill jars or bottles with their tears at this time. That it was a symbol of your holiness or standing, however many tears could be collected on the deceased person’s behalf. He also talked about how every sort of tear has a different purpose and chemical release. How tears are actually removing toxins from your body, or helping you heal.
I’m a crier.
I feel like if I had one, I could fill a tear bottle.
So to look out at this city and know now what they did not know. To know the King walked among them. And to know that He still died for us all. That He was still so incredibly faithful to Israel, and all the world. I understand why Jesus wept. I understand the tiniest fragment of why He wept.
Near my apartment, there’s a lookout where I can see the Mount of Olives and the Old City. And I remember this day, those 10 minutes I got to sit and just think about what Jesus was going into. What He was sacrificing for us.
Loving Jerusalem, the city, has been difficult for me. It’s constant noise, and people, and smells, and yelling, and spitting, and car horns. It’s difficult for me to always remember that these are are signs that Jerusalem is alive. I’ve been so challenged to love that about this place. And remembering that moment of looking out, and the gravity it carried, is what challenges me. God gives my heart the strength, the joy, and the grace. Because this is the city that God loves. And I am blessed, every day, to live here.
Gethsemane
Olive trees in the garden.
“Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I go over there and pray.” And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.” And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.” And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. So, leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words again. Then he came to the disciples and said to them, “Sleep and take your rest later on. See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.” Matthew 26:36-44
We continued to walk down the path to the Garden of Gethsemane. With each step, while we were all having so much fun together, my heart grew heavy in my chest. I was walking down a road I knew I was going to come back from. Jesus knew with every step, it was one less. And while I know it was worth it to Him, we hear how He grieved His life. He didn’t want to die.
I don’t want to be a disciple that falls asleep. I wish I could say, “I’d be awake with Jesus in the garden!”, but the truth is, I fall asleep every night during my prayers.
I also feel conviction by the question addressed to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour?”
I can’t imagine being Peter during anything that follows shortly after this moment. Being woken up by Jesus a third time, to immediately watch him get taken into custody, and watching Jesus, the Son of God, allow this for Himself?
Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?” Matthew 26:53-54
The House of Caiaphas
I don’t really have many photos from this point in the day. We went from the garden, to the church known as St. Peter in Gallicantu (gallicantu meaning “cock’s crow”, as this is the place Peter denied Jesus 3 times), just outside of the Old City walls. This is where scholars and historians believe Jesus was brought before Caiaphas, the high priest. This was also a heavy place to be, when you think about what happened here. Jesus was brought before a council, and ordered to death on the charge of blasphemy.
Like I have already mentioned, this is also the place where Peter denied Jesus 3 times to save his own life as he witnessed Jesus’ trial. I stood in that courtyard. I stood where Peter realized, by the 3rd crow, how he had failed his Lord. I stood in the courtyard where he wept bitterly as he left. I can’t imagine that crushing heartbreak. He must have believed that he was no longer to be among the disciples, that with his denial he was no longer fit for the ministry he had so courageously and willingly followed for years. It humbled me to put myself in his shoes.
Because Matthew 27:1 says, “When morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death,” they believe that Jesus was placed in the cistern that is at the site of the house of Caiaphas. We went down there. Some of us sat on the floor. Tom and Lukas read passages from scripture. There were tears, and prayer, and worship, as we sat in a cold, hard stone pit. What a low experience for the Lion of Judah, for the King, the Son of God. To sit for a night in such a place, for my sins. And what a meek and humble Savior to do so.
We did of course, after this, walk the Via Dolorosa, which is supposedly the path that Christ walked with the cross. We grabbed a meal, enjoyed lighthearted time together before continuing on to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, where many people believe Jesus was crucified and buried.
To complete our day, we had a private tour with someone from Christ Church, which is a church right inside of the Jaffa Gate. You’ll likely hear me talk about their Prayer Garden and little cafe at some point in the future. All in all, we thanked God on our way home, for a saviour so good and kind to us, to go through all of the humiliation, grief and agony willingly, to save us. It’s an honor and a blessing to be here today because He calls us Loved, Called, and Kept, Beloved, and so much more.
I remember that when I got home, I kept thinking about Peter. Since that day on the Kinneret, on the Sea of Galilee, I felt so drawn to him. He was just so, so human. He was bold at times, angry at others, and he denied Christ. But he’s still Loved. Chosen. Wanted.
Because after Jesus rose again, He fulfilled His promise to His disciples, saying in Matthew 26:32, “But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.” And He did! I’ll end with this reunion section of verses, specifically because we see that Jesus did not forget Peter for his denial, but met him again where he had first met him before. On the shores of the Galillee.
“After this Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias, and he revealed himself in this way. Simon Peter, Thomas (called the Twin), Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together. Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.
Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, “Children, do you have any fish?” They answered him, “No.” He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, because of the quantity of fish. That disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea. The other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, but about a hundred yards off.
When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire in place, with fish laid out on it, and bread. Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.” So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, 153 of them. And although there were so many, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish. This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.” John 21:1-14
Thank you so much for reading!
-Mads
