Jerusalem City Walk

Today was the second part of the Jerusalem city walk. We visited a museum called "The Burnt House," where archaeological remains were found from a house that was burnt during the destruction of the second temple. We watched a movie that helped bring to life the whole political situation leading up to the destruction of the temple. It showed the way the Zealots started banding together and fighting against the Romans and the spread of Hellenism. This went against Jewish law, because they were using violent means. This culminated in the Romans burning the temple, and parts of the city. The burning of the temple would have been so detrimental to the Jewish people because it was so much a part of their religious and cultural identity. This act was a culmination of the Romans imposing Hellenism (Greek ways of life), over and against Jewish religion, philosophy, values, etc. It's such a dramatic story when you think about it!

After this, we went back to the first century stairs and street outside of the temple mount. We looked at the highest corner of the temple, which is where Jesus was tempted by the devil: "The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 'If you are the Son of God,' he said, 'throw yourself down from here...' Jesus answered, 'It is said, 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test'" (Luke 4:9-12). They found an engraving on a stone of a trumpeter at this corner, and the trumpeter would have been at the highest point of the temple. So they feel pretty confident in this assumption.

Dr. Wright believes that the first century stairs, which led up to the entrance of the temple, would have been where people were baptized at Pentecost. First everyone is in a house when the Holy Spirit is poured out and a crowd of "God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven" in Jerusalem gather together (Acts 2:5). After Peter preaches, they ask him how they should respond. Peter tells them to, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off--for all whom the Lord our God will call" (Acts 2:38-39). Then it says "about three thousand were added to their number that day" (Acts 2:41). Dr. Wright pointed out that 3,000 people wouldn't be baptized in this one house. Instead, they would have been baptized where baptisms took place: on these stairs outside of the temple mount. There are remains of baptizing pools in this location.

It's been interesting to take the archaeological evidence and correlate it with the scripture. A lot of things are a lot more obvious or practical when you are actually here. Dr. Wright said to always look at the evidence of the land and culture, and then draw your interpretations.

After all this, we came back and some of us went out to buy Shabbat bread! Shabbat bread is amazing. It has a sugary glaze over it sprinkled with sesame seeds. We bought four because we each wanted our own, and then successfully ate ONE between the four us. Oops. Apparently our eyes were bigger than our stomachs.