Day 6

This was the day for the Via Delarosa  which is the traditional path Jesus took through the old city, from his sentencing before pilot – to the place of execution.

We started at the Pools of Bethesda, these huge pools were excavated and you could look down into the area where people would once go to receive healing.   Jesus famously healed a lame man here, but interestingly it was without having him go into the pool.  He asked the man, “Do you want to get well” – great question for all of us.  Do we really want to be healed of our brokenness, thats a thought for another day.

Via Delarosa

The first impression I had about the VDR was that it was essential a street scene.  In other words the value of the experience was understanding that Jesus was hurried along these streets to his death.  The particular marked places were, in my mind, somewhat suspect.  Some more clearly the spot where something happened than others, but the overall importance is to see that the streets of the old city would have been crowded with merchants and citizens just like it was as we marched the path.

We started in a convent that commemorates the courtyard where Jesus was condemned.  The huge paving stones were likely moved here from another location but very likely would have been the stones Jesus would have stood upon during his “Trial” before Pilate.  In one of the stones was an engraved gambling game, and remnants of items used for the “King for a day” game they played with Jesus.  The romans were used to executing pretenders to the throan  so they had this game down pat.  I was fortunate to be able to read Isaiah 53 – The suffering servant passage before we started our Journey.   This passage was one that basically formed the foundation for my conversion.  700 years before Jesus, the prophet writes these lines about the suffering servant.

The Suffering and Glory of the Servant

52:13 See, my servant will act wisely ^[b] ;
he will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted. 14 Just as there were many who were appalled at him ^[c]—
his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man
and his form marred beyond human likeness—

15 so will he sprinkle many nations, ^[d]
and kings will shut their mouths because of him.
For what they were not told, they will see,
and what they have not heard, they will understand.

53:1 Who has believed our message
and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?

2 He grew up before him like a tender shoot,
and like a root out of dry ground.
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.

3 He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.
Like one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

4 Surely he took up our infirmities
and carried our sorrows,
yet we considered him stricken by God,
smitten by him, and afflicted.

5 But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,
and by his wounds we are healed.

6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to his own way;
and the LORD has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.

7 He was oppressed and afflicted,
yet he did not open his mouth;
he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
and as a sheep before her shearers is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.

8 By oppression ^[a] and judgment he was taken away.
And who can speak of his descendants?
For he was cut off from the land of the living;
for the transgression of my people he was stricken. ^[b]

9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked,
and with the rich in his death,
though he had done no violence,
nor was any deceit in his mouth.

10 Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer,
and though the LORD makes ^[c] his life a guilt offering,
he will see his offspring and prolong his days,
and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand.

11 After the suffering of his soul,
he will see the light of life ^[d] and be satisfied ^[e] ;
by his knowledge ^[f] my righteous servant will justify many,
and he will bear their iniquities.

12 Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, ^[g]
and he will divide the spoils with the strong, ^[h]
because he poured out his life unto death,
and was numbered with the transgressors.
For he bore the sin of many,
and made intercession for the transgressors.

After this, we traversed the city streets stopping at several stations.  The Simon of “Libya” station commemorated where Jesus fell and Simon was required to take up his cross and carry it.  Interestingly it was at a sharp turn in the road so this one seems to make some sense to me.

Entering the Church of the Holy Seplechur, the traditional spot of Calvary, we first met up with some Ethiopian Christians in their part of the church.  One of the priests read from their holy language bible (Geds i think was the language).  It was very cool, these folks trace their heritage back to the Queen of Sheba’s visit to Solomon, and they have a huge mural commemorating that event.

After that we went into the Church proper.  It was very very crowded and we stood in line for quite a while.  We finally got to the top of the line and saw the Bedrock of “Calvary” from an enclosed glass case.  I was kind of disappointed because there is so much religiosity surrounding everything its hard to picture what it was really like.  I took some time to pray never the less across from the rock on which Jesus might have died.  The most interesting thing was to ponder the reality that near this place the three important sacrificial events of the Jewish/Christian faith happened.  Abraham agrees to sacrifice his only son Isaac, but is spared at the last moment foreshadowing God’s willingness to sacrifice his own son.  The temple sacrifices that were instituted as a means of forgiveness for the people’s sins.  And the sacrifice of Jesus, his shed blood as the final covering over the sins of all humanity, and salvation for all of those who will accept him as their Lord and Saviour.  Pretty Profound stuff.

There is also a section very close to the hill, where the Tomb of Jesus (Joseph of Arimithia’s tomb) is traditionally located.  Again its covered with a huge religious structure, part of it sticks out and you can see something that looks like a modern tomb encasing.  I just dont picture this as the tomb talked about in the scriptures.  Tommorow we see the Garden Tomb – another possible location for the execution and tomb….maybe it will look more like what I imagine.  One thing I didnt realize is that the tomb was very close to the execution site….I just hadn’t ever read it that way.  One of those things you just gloss over if your not careful reading the texts.  Oh we also saw Joseph of A’s tomb which looked more like a tomb, and there were Russians everywhere – only place we encountered Russians lol.

Caiphas’ House (Peter of Gallilleecan

This place was amazing.  It was the house of the high priest who stood against Jesus.  It is across a valley from the Mount of Olives where Jesus was arrested, and down the road from the Temple steps where Jesus would have taught a strong and offensive message about the religious leaders.  After the Garden prayer when Judas betrayed Jesus, this is where they would have taken him until the morning trial with Pilat – Herod  – Pilat.  There were places were people would have been tied up to be flogged. You can see the rope holes and hand “Ledges”  its profound.  The apostles would also have been held here and flogged here (acts 5).  There is a huge cistern which was used for a jail.  People were lowered down into it and could not get out.  There is a gaurd post and all the tools of a holding cell.  Also leading away from the house are the steps Jesus would have taken to go to Pilate the next morning.  It was shocking to sit at the bottom of those steps and imagine Jesus and the Apostles walking down them headed, in Jesus case, to his trial and death.  I sat there for a long time and took it all in.  It is also the place where Peter betrayed Jesus and heard the rooster crow.   This place took my breath away.  I had never heard of it, and yet it was possible the most profound thing we saw all day.  I could just imagine it all happening before my eyes and it really got to me.  The two places I got really emotional were coming down the Mount of Olives, and here.  This should be a mandatory stop on everyones trip to the holy land…we just got lucky and had some extra time for it.