Between and Beloved

Earlier this year I had the opportunity to tour the Holy Land with a group of friends and pastors. During this trip, we had the most amazing opportunity to experience Orthodox Christmas Eve and Epiphany on January 6, 2023, in Manger Square, Bethlehem, Palestine.

As we walked down Star Street - aptly named because it's the road Mary and Joseph would have traveled and it is lined with stars - I could feel the excitement growing. I could hear music and laughter, local delicacies being shared among our group, and people celebrating at every twist and turn of the road.

(Looking back down Star Street as we approached Manger Square)

I remember making the final turn that brought Manger Square into view. It was filled with lights, music, and so much joy. There was a humongous Christmas tree and so many people celebrating. It felt almost like a carnival with all the food and music.

(To read more about this incredible night click here)

All this magic, for Orthodox Christmas Eve on January 6th. I can only imagine what it would be like to stand in Manger Square on Christmas Eve, December 24th. I can only imagine it would probably be even busier but even more joyful.

I've never seen such festivities for Christmas. Growing up, we celebrated by going to church which was always filled with poinsettias. My favorite part was singing Silent Night by candlelight. After church, we would sometimes go "Christmas light hunting" as we drove around town looking at everyone's displays.

Our Christmases were always magical, but they were nothing like what I experienced at Manger Square in Palestine. That was a whole lot of Christmas magic fueled by people devoted to a God who loves us so much, that God decided to come to walk the earth. A God born as a helpless baby to an unconventional family living under occupation in distressing and difficult times. A God who went on to inspire others to live a life of love for all people: the poor, the outcast, the overlooked, the foreigner.

This God, who, on the final night before his death, washed the feet of his friends and his betrayer, and taught them one final lesson to "Love one another, just as I [God] have loved you" as recorded in John 13:34. This is the God we celebrate at Christmas.

But this year, the holidays feel a little different. The world is heavy. There is war in the Holy Land. There's political turmoil, it feels like everywhere. Natural disasters, human-made disasters, gun violence, war, you name it; the world is hurting.

In November 2023, the heads of the churches in Jerusalem put out a notice that in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza and the ongoing war, the Christmas celebrations in Jerusalem would be focused on the spiritual meaning of Christmas, rather than any extravagant festivities as would normally occur. Click here to read the statement.

At the beginning of December, Bethlehem decided to do the same. Down came the tree and twinkling lights that light up Manger Square. Instead of the grand festivities, the focus is on worship. Celebrating the God who is born into the rubble, who understands the pain of oppression, and who calls for justice and love for all people.

I am humbled by the decisions of the churches and I am moved by the nativity scene set up at Christmas Lutheran Church in Manger Square. Rev. Munther Isaac, pastor of Christmas Lutheran, says this about the nativity scene:

Christmas in Palestine this year. The Child under the rubble. Immanuel God is with us in our pain and suffering. God in solidarity with the oppressed. The child of Bethlehem is our hope. For the children of Gaza and all victims of wars. In Gaza today, God is under the rubble. [God] is in the operating room. If Christ were to be born today, he would be born under the rubble. We see his image in every child killed and pulled from under the rubble. In every child in incubators. Manger at Christmas Lutheran Church Bethlehem

This year, my congregation is journeying through the theme "How Does a Weary World Rejoice," created by the team at A Sanctified Art. The theme invites us to hold our weariness this Advent season while recognizing that we can also hold joy.

How does a weary world rejoice? I think we can rejoice by taking a lesson from the churches and people of Palestine. We can hold joy and celebrate the Christmas season but we must first acknowledge our weariness. By naming the hurt and pain of this season, we can begin to see joy as well.

My favorite place in the Holy Land and the first stop on this Holy Land tour-de-blog is the Basilica of the Annunciation: Mary’s House, located in Nazareth. In Jesus’ time, Nazareth was a neglected, small town, with a negative stigma around the people who lived there. This is why we hear in John 1:46a Nathaniel say “Nazareth? Can anything good come from there?” Needless to say, Nazareth was not the most popular place for the Messiah to have come from/been raised.

Pictured: The city of Nazareth behind me (view from Mount Precipice)

The story begins:

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called to the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore, the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let  it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her. - Luke 1:26-38 

This story of Mary is incredible and miraculous; but what I discovered when visiting Mary’s house for the first time in 2019 was not the grandeur of her story, but how ordinary she was. You can read about my first revelation with Mary here. In sum, even though the Basilica around her house is grand, her house is simple. It is a reminder that Mary was just like any other person, she didn’t come from wealth and she didn’t live a ritzy lifestyle.

Pictured: Basilica of the Annunciation from courtyard

Her house, like most first century dwellings in Nazareth, was a cave.  People couldn’t afford to build houses so instead they lived in caves; some natural, some carved. Mary’s house, protected inside on the first level of the Basilica, was a natural cave that has an inscription reading “Hail Mary” that dates to the first century; making it likely that this was in fact Mary’s house. 

Pictured: The first floor of the Basilica where we can find the cave that was Mary’s house as well as multiple spaces to gather for worship.

The Catholic tradition holds that the Annunciation to Mary took place in this house. To mark the significance of this place, a church was built: The Basilica of the Annunciation, and it was decorated with a variety of icons of Mary given by countries from all over the world. I have never seen a place with more images of a woman in the Bible and, these images depict a multitude of diverse cultures and representations. I could spend an entire day just looking at all the artwork and marveling in it’s beauty.

Pictured: some of the many incredible icons. If you want to look at them closer, check out this website which has all, or most, of them!

The other interesting piece about this location, is that it is known for more than just the Annunciation. In thinking about the Holy Family’s story, the Annunciation to Mary happened here at the house, then the Holy Family traveled to Bethlehem for the birth, escaped to Egypt per the Wiseman’s warning, and when they returned, they would have come back to this house in Nazareth where Jesus grew up.

Pictured: Caves outside the Basilica (Mary’s neighbors) similar to Mary’s House and other first century homes. These are also similar to the cave where Jesus would have been born.

It’s interesting to think about this house as not only the place where the Angel appeared to Mary, but also as the place where Jesus grew up; playing with the neighbors, learning to read and write, going to the Synagogue. It was also interesting to hear about the pilgrimage Jesus would have walked to get to the Temple in Jerusalem three times a year for the Holy festivals.  The journey would take two weeks with the landscape and political climate (they had to avoid Samaria), then spend one week in Jerusalem, and then spend another two weeks getting home.  This is certainly not the part of Jesus’ life we think about, nor was it something I thought of in relation to Mary’s house.

Picture above: me in my happy place

Pictured below: my wonderful husband taking as many photos as possible for me because he is the best

Continuing at the beginning of Jesus’ story, we arrive at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. This is the only church that wasn’t destroyed in the Holy Land by the Persians in the year 600 CE., which makes it the oldest church still in use today.

Pictured: The Church of the Nativity and Manger Square decked out for Orthodox Christmas Eve. There is a star over top of the Church mimicking the star that led the Magi to this spot.

“In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no place in the guest room.” - Luke 2:1-7

While we were in Bethlehem, Jonathan and I had the opportunity to go to Manger Square and the Church of the Nativity on Orthodox Christmas Eve (January 6th). We walked through the Old City of Bethlehem on the same roads Mary and Joseph would have walked and we passed through the Bethlehem Gate just as they would have done. The street, Star Street, was lined with stars and it was a truly magical and holy walk.

Pictured above: Star Street around 12:30 am so everyone was either in the church for Mass or home sleeping which is why it’s so empty

Pictured below: The Bethlehem Gate in roughly the same location today as when Mary & Joseph entered the city

When you arrive at the Church of the Nativity, you enter through the Door of Humility. Over the years, the size of the door was made smaller and smaller until it stood at the roughly four feet height you see today. This was done for a few reasons: 

Low doors were common on city gates so you could enter at night when the bigger gates were closed. This type of door was called the Eye of the Needle (which is something Jesus teaches about!)

It was made smaller for safety reasons: a small door meant that people looking to destroy the church would have a much harder time getting in.

You have to humble yourself before the birthplace of the Lord by bowing to enter

Pictured: The Door of Humility at the Church of the Nativity

However you want to look at the door, it is an iconic way to enter a church and makes you slow down and think before walking in; which is never a bad thing honestly. How often do we stop to think about what we are doing before we do it? Entering into the Church of the Nativity through the Door of Humility really makes you stop if only to ensure you don’t hit your head.

Pictured: The main sanctuary in the Church of the Nativity

This is the only place in all of the Holy Land where people believe Jesus was born. Everyone agrees that this is in fact the place. In the year 135 CE. Emperor Hadrian(?) went around asking where Jesus was born so he could build a pagan temple on the spot, this way people would worship a false god instead. When he asked the locals, everyone pointed to the location of the present-day Church of the Nativity; this tells us people were worshipping in this spot well before the year 135 CE. Therefore, the Emperor's attempt to sway people away from worshipping the one true God actually backfired and ended up confirming the birthplace of Jesus for us today, 2000 years later.

Pictured above: the stairs down into The Grotto, the cave where Jesus was born

Pictured below: looking through the cave towards the spot where Jesus was born from the back of The Grotto

Just as Mary’s House was a cave, the birthplace of Jesus was also a cave. When you go inside the Church of the Nativity, you can walk down into The Grotto. This is believed to be the original first-century cave where Jesus was born. There is a Star of Bethlehem on the floor in the location where it’s believed Jesus was born and just a ways off is a manger where it is likely Jesus was laid. The Star of Bethlehem has 14 points for the 14 generations in the genealogy of Jesus found in Matthew 1:1-17.

Pictured above: the spot believed to be where Jesus was born marked by a Bethlehem Star

Pictured below: the manger where Jesus was laid

I mentioned in the previous post the benefits of visiting the Holy Land and the way it brings the story to life, but I found even more benefits in being able to go back a second time. The first time I was so skeptical about this specific holy site. I was so hung up on the logistics of “is this really the exact spot where Mary popped out the baby Jesus?” that I missed so much of the beauty of this place. Like Mary’s house, it’s a normal cave, nothing extraordinary or grand. 

Now in that same region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for see, I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!” When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” - Luke 2:8-15

Pictured: looking out over the Shepherds Field

Just at the eastern edge of Bethlehem sits the town of Beit Sahour, which means “place of the night watchers,” and is home to the Shepherds Field. According to Jewish purity laws, this would have been the place where shepherds would tend their flocks, so it’s pretty certain that this field is where the shepherds were and the angels appeared. This area is also home to lots of caves like the ones shepherds would have lived in, and also similar to ones where Jesus was born and raised (Church of the Nativity and Basilica of the Annunciation). We had the opportunity to go into one of the caves which was much bigger than I expected.

Pictured: our group inside one half of the cave - as you can see, it’s huge

The caves were made up of two rooms, though the one we were in was sectioned into two spots for people to gather separately for worship. In the sides of the cave, you can see the mangers where the newborn lambs were laid - not unlike the one in The Grotto at the Church of the Nativity where Jesus was laid.

Pictured: mangers built into the cave walls to hold newborn lambs

One interesting note that I learned on this trip is the idea that these weren’t just any shepherds, they may have been Levitical Shepherds, charged with raising the lambs that would be used for sacrifices at the temple. According to Jewish law, all male baby lambs were immediately wrapped in swaddling clothes and placed in a manger to keep them perfect and unblemished. If this is the case, then the angel’s message of “a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger” would have been a signal that baby Jesus was to be the final sacrifice as he came into the world and was immediately treated with the same reverence as the sacrificial lambs in the Levitical Shepherds’ care. I’m not sure how I feel about this idea but it is really fascinating to me. It makes some sense for sure.

After the birth narrative, the Gospels jump forward about 30 years to when Jesus is an adult and we resume his story at the Jordan River.

At that time, Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan River so that John would baptize him. John tried to stop him and said, “I need to be baptized by you, yet you come to me?” Jesus answered, “Allow me to be baptized now. This is necessary to fulfill all righteousness.” So John agreed to baptize Jesus. When Jesus was baptized, he immediately came up out of the water. Heaven was opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God coming down like a dove and resting on him.  A voice from heaven said, “This is my Son whom I dearly love; I find happiness in him.” - Matthew 3:13-17

Pictured: looking from the Israel side of the Jordan River to the Jordan side. I was on the Jordan side in 2019 and that pier was floating in the water, not stationary on the mud. The buoys mark the border between the two countries.

At the time of Jesus, the Jordan River was much larger and a lot more dangerous to visit. Today over 90% of the river is diverted away by Israel and Jordan to be used for fertilizing fields. The river has shrunk considerably, even in the four years since I was last there. To see some photos and the reflection from 2019, check out this post.

Pictured: the walkway down to the Jordan with a wooden marker on the left showing how high the water level was in 2013. You can see just how much it has shrunk in just 10 years.

It’s hard to imagine such an important and holy place being reduced to nothing. At the rate the Jordan River is shrinking, I can imagine it will be gone within my lifetime unless something is done to stop it. While I don’t particularly want to go swimming in the murky water, it is nevertheless an important and spiritual site. I would be sad to see it completely gone forever.

Pictured above: me standing in the Jordan River

Pictured below: Jonathan playing in the Jordan River remembering his baptism

Standing in the Jordan River was quite an experience. As you can see, the water is quite murky and the step I was standing on was pretty much entirely mud. My feet were suctioned down to the bottom and getting unstuck was difficult. It’s as if the Jordan River wanted me to stay just a bit longer, reflecting on my own baptism and calling as a follower of Christ.

Following his baptism, Jesus retreated into the wilderness for 40 days. When I think about the wilderness, I often picture a place with lots of trees and grass, probably some animals but nothing too crazy. For Jesus, the wilderness was a desert of mountains, rocks, dirt, and a whole lot of sun.

Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where for forty days he was tested by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and when they were over he was famished - Luke 4:1-3

Pictured: Judean Wilderness at Wadi Qelt

We drove through the Judean wilderness in a huge tour bus going up and down the mountains filled with twists and turns, was definitely not good for my stomach. Our bus driver was amazing though and got us safely through.

This piece of the Judean wilderness is known for a few things. It is believed to be the place where the prophet Elijah went to escape from Queen Jezebel (1 Kings 19:1- 22:4). This place is also understood to be the Valley of the Shadow of Death (Psalm 23- yes it’s a real place). This is also the route pilgrims would travel from Jericho to Jerusalem - therefore we know Jesus would have walked here multiple times a year on his journey from Nazareth to Jerusalem. There is some thought that it was somewhere on this road between Jerusalem and Nazareth where Jesus got lost as a child (Luke 2:41-50), and it is also understood that Jesus was referencing this road in his parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-35)

Pictured above and below: Judean Wilderness at Wadi Qelt - as you can see, there is no shelter from the sun

The road between Jericho and Jerusalem was somewhere between 17 and 20 miles on foot and would have taken two days. It was not protected or guarded and was home to robbers who attacked travelers (as noted in the Good Samaritan story). Everyone knew this road and how dangerous it was so travelers often moved as a group for safety. Either way, the exposure to the sun and elements would be enough to unnerve me; I couldn’t imagine traveling this road six times a year (to and from Jerusalem 3x). On foot was probably less terrifying than on a tour bus, but either way, it was not a pleasant journey for anyone.

On the edge of the wilderness shadowing the city of Jericho is what is called the Mount of Temptation. This is believed to be the place where Jesus was tempted by the devil. It is also likely that Jesus may have stayed in the caves here during his time in the wilderness.

Pictured: Mount of Temptation outside of Jericho

The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become a loaf of bread.” Jesus answered him “It is written, ‘One does not live by bread alone.’” Then the devil led him up and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And the devil said to him “To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been given over to me, and I give it to anyone I please. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.” Jesus answered him, “It is written ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.” Then the devil led him to Jerusalem and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written ‘He will command his angels concerning you, to protect you,’ and ‘On their hands they will bear you up, so that you do not dash your foot against a stone.’” Jesus answered him, “It is said ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” When the devil had finished every dest, he departed from him until an opportune time. Then Jesus, in the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee, and a report about him spread through all the surrounding region. - Luke 4:4-14

There is a restaurant on the mountain where you can go to eat, but we just enjoyed some very tempting rides on a camel named Scooby.

Pictured above: Courtney on the camel in front of the Mount of Temptation Pictured below: Jonathan on the camel in front of the Mount of Temptation

Cana of Galilee is the location of Jesus’ first miracle or the first sign that Jesus was the Messiah, found in John 2:1-11. The Wedding Church at Cana sits overtop of a first-century synagogue. This has been the only synagogue discovered in Cana; therefore, this is definitely where the story of the Wedding at Cana took place.

Pictured: The Wedding Church at Cana

On the third day, there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the celebration. when the wine ran out, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They don’t have any wine.” Jesus replied, “Woman, what does that have to do with me? My time hasn’t come yet.” His mother told the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” Nearby were six stone water jars used for the Jewish cleansing ritual, each able to hold about twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water,” and they filled them to the brim. Then he told them “Now draw some from them and take it to the headwaiter,” and they did. The head waiter tasted the water that had become wine. He didn’t know where it came from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. The head waiter called to the groom and said, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and they bring out the second-rate wine only when the guests are drinking freely. You kept the good wine until now.” This was the first miraculous sign that Jesus did in Cana of Galilee. He revealed his glory and his disciples believed in him. - John 2:1-11

In the 1st century CE. weddings were a little different than what most of us know today. For starters, the guest list was somewhere between 700 and 1200 people. The entire town was invited along with all of your family, even the most distant relatives you didn’t know you were related to. Second, weddings lasted for 7 days: 6 days of celebrations with the actual ceremony/wedding on the 7th day.  Hospitality (in most cultures besides America) is a big deal. If you didn’t have enough wine for the entire 7 days of wedding celebrations, it would be seen as a huge dishonor on the family. This mentality is still true today. Our guide said that any time he invites people over, they always prepare twice as much food just in case more people show up. 

The last interesting part about first-century wedding customs is that men and women were always separated during the celebrations. What I found interesting was that our guide gave some cultural context to looking at verse 4 from the wedding story.

“Woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.” - John 2:4

As a feminist, I’ve always struggled with this text, wondering why Jesus would address his mother as “Woman;” a phrase not necessarily used to convey endearment. Our guide gave the story context by explaining: Mary left the women’s section of the party and entered the men’s section to talk to Jesus. To address Mary as “woman,” was actually the most respectful way to address his mother in front of strangers. Calling her “woman” was not rude or disrespectful, but actually quite the opposite. Since this was a wedding with hundreds of people, likely many of whom Jesus didn’t know, he addressed Mary out of respect in a culturally appropriate way.

This is one of the many great examples of why it’s important to understand the cultural context that the Bible took place. Here I was annoyed that Jesus was being cheeky to his mother when he was being quite the opposite.

While visiting the church, each of the married couples had the option to renew their vows. Having only been married two months earlier, Jonathan and I weren’t going to participate but we got roped into it anyway. So now, I can say I’ve married my love twice now.

Pictured: some of us renewing our vows. I think Dave & Alice (in the center) were the couple married the longest while Jonathan & I were the newest newlyweds on the trip.

After seeing the church we went down below to look at the ruins of the first-century synagogue. Along with lots of rocks, we were able to see a first-century stone jar like the ones mentioned in the story.

Pictured: ruins of the first-century synagogue

Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons. - John 2:6

The reason stone jars were used as opposed to clay, glass, or ceramic, is that stone is the only element that doesn’t become unclean after it is used in a sacred manner. The jars were not moved, which is good because I’m pretty sure no one could lift them.  

Pictured above: a first-century stone jar with me for size comparison

We know Jesus grew up in and then left his hometown of Nazareth because of this Bible story:

When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendance, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. Then he began to say to them, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” ... They got up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built so that they might hurl him off the cliff. But he passed through the midst of them and went on his way. - Luke 4:16-21, 29-30

This story took place at the synagogue in Nazareth and then when the people wanted to throw Jesus off the cliff, they brought him to Mount Precipice. How he got away is entirely the work of the Holy Spirit. After this encounter, Jesus began referring to Capernaum as his hometown.

Pictured: the Jezreel Valley from Mount Precipice at sunset

We went up the mountain at sunset and it was honestly the most beautiful sunset I’ve ever seen. This mountain looks out over the Jezreel Valley which is the largest, most fertile valley, and was the site of many wars in the Old Testament because of the trade route going through it (Joshua 19, and 1 Samuel 31). It is in this valley where Deborah and Jael did their thing in Judges 4 to bring down Sisera and the Canaanite army. There were more battles fought in this valley than anywhere else in the world.

To the north, you can see Mount Tabor, the site of the transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-8, Mark 9:2-8, Luke 9:28-36). This is another great spot to visit but we didn’t have time to go there on this trip; next time!

Pictured: Mount Tabor on the lefthand side of the Jezreel Valley

There is so much more to the history and geography of this place but it’s hard to get it all in one place. For starters, Samaria is located in the Valley and there you can visit Jacob’s Well which is also the site of the Woman at the Well. Since the Samaritans and the Jews did not see eye to eye, the Jewish travelers to the Holy Land couldn’t take the direct route to Jerusalem which would be across the Jezreel Valley. Instead, they had to go around Samaria to the North which made the trip take a lot longer. You can read more about all that the Jezreel Valley holds here because it’s got quite an incredible history.

For now, I’ll leave you with a cute picture of us at sunset because it really was a God Moment.

When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he withdrew to Galilee. Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali ... As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “And I will send you out to fish for people.” At once they left their nets and followed him. - Matthew 4:12-13, 18-20

Capernaum is a first century Jewish town where Jesus based his ministry in Galilee. Located on the North Shore of the Sea of Galilee, a bustling city due to major trade routes crossing here, Capernaum was the perfect place for Jesus to called home after leaving Nazareth, because there were lots of travelers who would hear about Jesus and carry the story to the rest of the country/world.

Pictured: the entrance gate into Capernaum

A lot of Jesus’ recorded ministry took place in Galilee. It is here where he called the first disciples, where he taught many people, and healed a lot of people. It’s also where he returned to after going out to other towns and regions.

Pictured: Jon looking out over the ruins of Capernaum from the Synagogue

In Capernaum there is a fourth century synagogue that is built on top of the first century synagogue where Jesus taught. I would imagine the view from the Synagogue was beautiful as it stood over top of the homes and looked towards the water. It was cool to walk around and imagine Jesus teaching right here: reading scripture and sharing divine teachings with all who came to listen.

Jesus left the synagogue and went to Simon Peter’s house. Simon’s mother-in-law was very sick. She had a high fever. They asked Jesus to do something to help her. He stood very close to her and ordered the sickness to go away. The sickness left her, and she got up and began serving them. - Luke 4:38-39

Pictured above: Peter’s House with ruins of a fifth-century church on top

Pictured below: a diagram explaining the churches built on top of the ruins of Peter’s house

Pictured: the foundation of the first and fifth century synagogues in Capernaum

The homes in Capernaum were called “Insular Homes.” What looked like individual rooms were actually entire houses. Roughly 15 “houses” were arranged around a common courtyard and the entire compound was called an “Insular.” Roughly 100 people would live in each of these insulars and you literally had to walk through each others houses to get to your own. This was somewhat of a safety protocol agains the Roman Empire because the people were more protected when grouped together.

Pictured above: ruins of insular homes in Capernaum

Pictured below: my notes trying to diagram and explain the insular houses

Knowing this about the houses, we can look at the story of Jesus healing a paralytic man with a lot more information about how and why:

One day while [Jesus] was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem were sitting nearby, and the power of the Lord was with him to heal. Just then some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a stretcher. They were trying to bring him in and lay him before Jesus, but, finding no way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down on the stretcher through the tiles into the middle of the crowd in front of Jesus. When [Jesus] saw their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven you.”... Immediately he stood up before them, took what he had been lying on, and went to his home, glorifying God - Luke 5:17-20, 25

The roof of these houses were made of reeds and mud which would make them easy to remove. If Jesus was teaching in an inner house of an insular, with hundreds of people cramming together to hear him - the only way these people would get the man to Jesus would be climbing on the roof, removing it, and lowering him down.

The Temple Mount is the most sacred place for the Jewish people. It is here, on the top of Mount Moriah where it’s believed Abraham came to sacrifice Isaac (Genesis 22: 1-19) and where Solomon built the First Temple for God to live in (1 Kings 6). It is the Jewish belief that this is where God lives. The Holy of Holies, located in the Temple, was where the High Priest could encounter God. Everywhere around the Temple was sacred because they believed it was as close as you could get to God.  The First Temple was destroyed in 586 BCE. and Herod the Great rebuilt the Second Temple, the foundation of which can still be seen today.

Pictured: the Temple Mount from the Southwest corner surrounded with first century ruins of shops and homes where Jesus likely visited (and flipped some tables? Matthew 21:12-13).

Jesus came to the Temple roughly 3x a year for Jewish festivals and to offer sacrifices. For the most part, sacrifices could only be offered at the Temple which is why it was so important to make the weeks long trek to Jerusalem. Each time, Jesus probably washed in the ritual baths, then walked up the steps or over the bridge to the Temple Mount where he would offer his sacrifice. Then he likely spent time in conversation, learning, and teaching in the Temple courtyards. The Second Temple was destroyed in ~70 CE. which influenced a lot of the disciples movements in Acts and the Epistles. 

Pictured: Looking at the Western wall. On the righthand side you can see the ramp up to the Temple Mount. To get up there you have to go through security checkpoints.

Now, the Temple Mount is home to the Dome of the Rock and Al-Aqsa Mosque as it is a holy place for Muslims. Today, Jewish people cannot go on the Temple Mount which means the closest they can get to the Holy of Holies, where they believe God to be, is the Western Wall.  Due to it’s holiness in Judaism, Islam, and Christianity, this place is one of the most fought over pieces of land, probably in the world, and the air around the Temple Mount is so tense you could cut it with a knife. 

Pictured top: the right side of the Western Wall where women can pray

Pictured below: the left side of the wall where men can pray. The lower and larger stones are the original foundation stones from Herod the Great. The upper stones were added in the rebuilding after the destruction of the Second Temple

Because of the tension in the area, we weren’t able to go to the Temple Mount for fear of being detained for a few hours. Just getting through security to the Western Wall took longer than necessary because our local guides (who were Palestinian) were held up at security and questioned longer than the rest of us. We were never in harms way, but we did modify some of our plans to minimize unnecessary delays with security.

We were able to briefly visit the Western Wall. There is a tradition at the Western Wall to write a prayer and leave it in the cracks of the wall. Every so often the prayers are collected and buried on the Mount of Olives; so the prayer I left years ago is definitely not still there. I was here in 2019 and you can read more about my reflections here. Tensions weren’t as high so we were able to go to the Temple Mount to see Dome of the Rock as well as the Southern Steps; a place Jesus definitely taught.

Pictured: some prayers stuck in the cracks of the Western Wall

Visiting this time left me feeling rather uncomfortable and troubled spiritually. The fact that I was walking up to a wall to pray for an end to walls felt ironic and contradictory. Walls are so good at dividing people, be it the people in Palestine trapped by the walls put up by the Israeli government, or the people of Mexico who are victims to the border wall the US keeps constructing. Jesus broke down these barriers, he taught us to build a longer table, not a bigger wall. 

Throughout scripture we see Jesus jump back and forth between Jerusalem and Galilee. This place, the Pools of Bethesda, is located in Jerusalem not far from the Lion’s Gate/St. Stephen’s Gate/Sheep Gate and is one of the 8 gates into the city of Jerusalem. Most of the time we read about Jesus teaching at the temple, but this is one of a few locations where Jesus performed a miracle in the city and not out in the country.

Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish festivals. Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. Here a great number of disabled people used to lie - the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?” “sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked. The day on which this took place was a sabbath. - John 5:1-9

The Pools of Bethesda were known as medicinal baths. People came there for healing but because the pools were so deep, you needed someone to help you get in and out. This is why the man Jesus healed had trouble - he had no one to help him in and out of the pool. Since Jesus healed the man on the Sabbath, the day of rest, it was one of the first strikes against Jesus that led to his ultimate death on the cross.

Pictured: the ruins of the Pools of BethesdaToday the Pools of Bethesda are mostly ruins. You can see the different levels built on top of the pools it was the site of many churches and pagan temples. Now the Pools are home to the St. Anne’s Church built in the 4th century in honor of Mary’s mother Anne (noted in the apocryphal book of James). The acoustics in the church are stunning. It’s also pretty cool to be in another church solely dedicated to a woman, and one hardly named in scripture for that matter (at least not in the scripture I grew up reading). If you’re interested in knowing more about apocryphal texts feel free to reach out - it’s a much longer conversation than I have time for here.

Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him and he began to teach them. He said: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called Children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. -Matthew 5:1-12

Pictured: Looking down the Mount of Beatitudes towards the Sea of Galilee

Just outside Capernaum on the north shore of Galilee sits the Mount of Beatitudes, the place where Jesus went to teach his famous Sermon on the Mount that takes up three chapters in the book of Matthew.  This sermon was Jesus’ way of attempting to explain his ministry and shift the people’s perspective. They thought the Messiah would come with fire and brimstone to squash the Roman Empire, but Jesus came with a message of love and a flipping of societies expectations and social order.

Scientific research has been done to prove that Jesus could have actually taught thousands of people on this mountain and the natural acoustics would have amplified his voice for them to hear. Some believe Jesus taught at the top of the mountain, per Matthew’s “he went up on a mountainside” in Matthew 5:1, but other’s believe Jesus taught towards the bottom of the mountain per Luke’s Sermon on the Plain which states “[Jesus] came down with them and stood on a level place” (Luke 6:17). Either way, Jesus taught on this mountain and that is pretty cool.

Pictured: the Church of the Beatitudes

Today, the Church of Beatitudes sits on the top of the mountain and has 8 sides representing the 8 beatitudes. It is a gorgeous place to sit and pray as you can look out over all of Galilee.

The Sea of Galilee plays a prominent role in scripture. Jesus loved to use fishing imagery in his teaching - probably because the Sea of Galilee was part of most people's lives either because it was physically right there or because a popular profession in Galilee was fishing. 

Pictured: the Sea of Galilee

Some of my favorite Sea of Galilee stories are:

Shortly before dawn, Jesus went out to them walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” “Lord if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on water, and came toward Jesus. - Matthew 14:25-29

Then [Jesus] got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” [Jesus] replied, “you of little fair, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. - Matthew 8:23-27

Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. He called out to them “Friends, haven’t you any fish?” “No” they answered. He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul in the net because of the large number of fish - John 21:4-6

While we were in the Holy Land we had the opportunity to see/walk in the Sea of Galilee at a few of the sites we stopped at, but we were also able to go on a boat ride across the Sea of Galilee! 

Pictured top: the boat we rode on

Pictured bottom: on the boat with our friends Rev. Zach Dean and Ana (Crivelli) Dean.

The boat we were on was twice the size of the one Jesus and the Disciples would have had. We did see a smaller fishing boat and our tour guide said that boat looked more like what Jesus rode in. While the Sea of Galilee is relatively calm, huge storms are known to sweep through every now and then gaining traction and wind through the Pigeon Valley.

Pictured above: a fishing boat of a similar size to what Jesus would have been in with the disciples

Pictured below: my feet in the Sea of Galilee

As is my practice any time I am traveling and near water, I walk right in (the benefit of wearing chacos!). The water was quite cold but very clear; unlike the Jordan River. As the wise words of Pocahontas remind us, “you can’t step in the same river twice, the water’s always changing, always flowing.” We know this wasn’t the same exact water that Jesus hung out in 2000 years ago, but it’s the same place. You can’t just pick up and move a body of water (not easily at least). For the most part, it looks relatively the same as it did in Jesus’ time. There’s something really powerful about that.

Tabgha, which means “spring of the seven” is located right off the north shore of the Sea of Galilee which is fed by seven springs. The church there marks the location of the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes; The Feeding of the 5000. Which, fun fact, is Jesus’ only miracle to appear in all four gospels.

Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee, and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the signs he had performed by healing the sick. - John 6:1-3

[Jesus] welcomed them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God and healed those who needed to be cured. The day was drawing to a close, and the twelve came to him and said “Send the crowd away, so that they may go into the surrounding villages and countryside to lodge and get provisions, for we are here in a deserted place.” - Luke 9:11-12

Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.” “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered. “Bring them here to me,” he said. And he directed people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples and the disciples gave them to the people. - Matthew 14:16-19

He also divided the two fish among them all. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish. The number of the men who had eaten was five thousand. - Mark 6:41b-44

For starters, let’s be clear that the text reads ”5000 men” and we know that the Bible tends to leave out the fact that there were women and children around too. Therefore, it’s been calculated that the “feeding of the 5000″ really would have been the “Feeding of 17,000 - 22,000″ when you include women and children. So yeah, this miracle is even cooler than you thought! 

Pictured: The Church of the Multiplication

The church is built on top of the place it’s believed Jesus blessed and multiplied the loaves and fish. The altar in the center of the church covers the only exposed original rock which is understood as the place Jesus would have done his thing. It was really cool to think about what the area looked like in Jesus’ time: near the Sea of Galilee, not far from the Mount of Beatitudes and Capneraum. There might have been lots of grass, certainly no marble churches or asphalt roads. At the same time, I truthfully can’t imagine what 17,000 - 22,000 people looked like. How much space did they need for all those people? How far away were the furthest groups sitting from this exact spot? Could they even see and hear Jesus to know what was going on? It’s a miracle for sure.

Pictured: the altar over top of the rock where Jesus multiplied the loaves and fish.

Jesus arrived at the Mount of Olives in preparation for the Jewish Passover and began his triumphal entry into Jerusalem down the Palm Sunday Path.

As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, saying to them “Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here shorty.’” They went and fund a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied it, some people standing there asked, “What are you doing, untying that colt?” They answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them go. When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it. Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted “Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!” ”Hosanna in the highest heaven!” - Mark 11:1-10

Pictured above: Walking down the Palm Sunday Path on the Mount of Olives

The one thing I was not prepared for when visiting the Mount of Olives, was how steep it would be. Walking down the path required you to sit back in your legs and step carefully. One wrong step or slip on the pavement and you would not only end up on your bottom, but you’d probably start sliding down the road. I feel like it would be a great place to go sledding if that were its intended purpose.

As you walk down the path you are surrounded by churches and tombs. The eastern side of the mountain has been used as a Jewish cemetery for over 3,000 years. The Jewish people believe that those buried on the Mount of Olives will be the first ones raised from the dead when the Messiah comes. I’m not going to lie, it’s rather eerie looking at all the graves. I’m not one to like cemeteries but the Holy Land is filled with them. I guess it is super significant to people of all religions to be buried as close to holy sites as possible. 

To share a terrible and funny joke told by someone on our trip but that resonates with all the cemeteries: There once was a tour group in the Holy Land and a woman’s husband died unexpectedly. The tour guide spoke with the widow and said “We can either fly your husband home for $6,000+ or for a only $1,000 he can be buried here in the Holy Land.” After thinking over her options the widow came back and said “I think I want to pay to have my husband flown home. You once buried someone here and three days later he raise from the dead. I’m not taking my chances.” (I told you it was bad, sorry not sorry)

Pictured: Jonathan and Courtney with the Old City and Temple Mount in the distance. The golden dome is known as the Dome of the Rock and sits on top of the Temple Mount today.

In Jesus’ time, there were probably far fewer tombs and lots more olive trees - they are what give the Mount of Olives its name after all. With its location so close to Jerusalem and the large groves of olive trees, it was the perfect place for people to spend the night while in town for the Jewish festivals. Walking down the mountain you can see the Temple Mount and the Old City of Jerusalem. Turning around to look up the mountain you can see the churches and all the tombs facing east.

Pictured: looking up the Mount of Olives at the Jewish cemeteries

After arriving in Jerusalem on Palm Sunday and spending a few days celebrating in Jerusalem and teaching wherever he could, Jesus and his disciples prepared to celebrate the Passover.

On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, when it was customary to sacrifice the Passover lamb, Jesus’ disciples asked him, “Where do you want us to go and make preparations for you to eat the Passover?” So he sent two of his disciples, telling them “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him. Say to the owner of the house he enters, ‘The teacher asks: where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with  my disciples?’ He will show you to a large room upstairs, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there.” The disciples left, went into the city and found things just as Jesus had told them. So they prepared the Passover. - Mark 14: 12-16

Pictured: The Cenacle, this would not have been the exact room but one like it is possibly where the Last Supper was.

The Cenacle is the traditional location of the Upper Room on Mount Zion that Jesus is referencing. No one is truly certain, but it is believed that Jesus was connected with the Essene Community who resided at this location on Mount Zion. It is further thought that this was also the location the disciples returned to after the death and resurrection of Jesus, and the place he appeared to them on Pentecost.

When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve. And while they were eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.” They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, “Surely you don’t mean me, Lord?” Jesus replied, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. The son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.” Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, “Surely you don’t mean me, Rabbi?” Jesus answered, “You have said so.” - Matthew 26:20-25

One thing that we learned while visiting this place was that the Passover meal was shared around a U-shaped table so many people could sit and see each other during the meal. Each seat at the table held significance and we talked about where each of the disciples would have been seated. Jesus was the host of the mean and to his right would be the honored guest, we think that was John. The last chair, the furthest away from the host, would be the person seen as “the least” which is thought the be Peter - the one quickest to deny and whose faith formation journey is pretty prominent in scripture.

Pictured: one of the pages of my notebook where I attempted to diagram who was sitting where.

Then on the left of the host was the most trusted person, which based on the role he had prior to the betrayal, would have been Judas. The reason for this is that two people often shared a plate and cup for the meal and you would not want to share so intimately with a stranger. Therefore, Jesus and Judas not only ate together, but they ate off of the same plate; likely they were pretty decent friends or at least Jesus really trusted Judas. These context clues make sense when Jesus we look at what Jesus says:

He who shared my bread has turned against me - John 13:18b 

Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me - Mark 14:18

The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me - Matthew 26:23

It’s interesting because understanding the culture really explains what Jesus was saying. He basically told the disciples that Judas would betray him by using context clues. Sitting around the table, they would see “ah yes, the one sharing the cup and eating with Jesus, that would be Judas.” This is not something we get from just reading the text and it’s certainly not something we get from artwork. I feel like Judas is usually depicted as off to the side, definitely not sitting next to Jesus and sharing a plate with him

While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.” When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. - Matthew 26:26-30 

At the bottom of the Palm Sunday Path and the Mount of Olives sits the Garden of Gethsemane. This is the place Jesus came after the Last Supper to sleep for the night with his disciples.

Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” - Matthew 26: 36-38

Pictured: olive trees in the Garden of Gethsemane

The garden is home to olive trees that are over 900 years old. The roots of these trees date to over 2,000 years old which means these olive trees are descended from trees that were around during Jesus’ time. This small grove of trees sits right outside the Church of All Nations but there is a larger grove across the street.

Pictured above: an olive tree with rocks spelling out the word “Peace”

Pictured below: the sanctuary in the Church of All Nations

The Church of All Nations, also known as the Church of Agony, is home to the place where it is believed Jesus went to pray in the Garden of Gethsemane. The church has purple stained glass windows that make it feel like night time in the sanctuary. It was a little crazy walking out of the church and remembering it was daytime because it really did feel like the middle of the night.

Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you keep watch with me for one hour?” He asked Peter. “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.” When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing. Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. Rise! Let us go! Here comes by betrayer!” - Matthew 26: 39-46

Pictured above: the spot where Jesus went to pray in the Garden housed now in the Church of All Nations

Pictured below: a plaque in the garden near the Olive Trees with Matthew 26:39 written out and a prayer reading “O Jesus, in deepest night and agony, you spoke these words of trust and surrender to God the Father in Gethsemane. In love and gratitude I want to say in times of fear and distress, ‘My father, I do not understand you, but I trust you’”

While he was still speaking, suddenly a crowd came, and the one called Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him, but Jesus said to him, “Judas, is it with a kiss that you are betraying the Son of Man?” When those who were around him saw what was coming, they asked, “Lord should we strike with the sword?” Then one of them struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his right ear. But Jesus said, “No more of this!” And he touched his ear and healed him. Then Jesus said to the chief priests, the officers of the temple police, an the elders who had come for him, “Have you come out with swords and clubs as though I were a rebel? When I was with you day after day in the temple, you did not lay hands on me. But this is your hour and the power of darkness!” Then they seized him and led him away, bringing him into the high priests’ house. - Luke 22:47-54