Israel Speaks
When he had received the drink, Jesus said, "It is finished."
With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. -John 19:30
For most of humanity the biggest event in history was the crucifixion
of Jesus.
The death on the cross and resurrection have made Jerusalem
an important city for Christians throughout centuries.
Numerous pilgrims come to Jerusalem to see with their own eyes
the place where our Lord died and was buried.
All the four gospels of the New Testament describe these events.
The site which was first associated with these events is located in the
old city of Jerusalem in the Christian quarter and is called -
the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.
Archaeologist Nir Ortal has been a guide in Jerusalem for over 10 years.
The Romans used to crucify criminals outside the city.
The Church of the Holy Sepulcher, however, is now located inside
the city walls.
Although it is a Christian church, the opening of its door has already
for hundreds of years been the task of the Mouslims.
Throughout the centuries different denominations have had
countless arguments about the premises of the church.
These disputes often led to violence and sometimes even to
international conflicts.
In the 1850's the Turkish authorities divided the church between
the different groups. This status quo division is effective even today.
Last year the church attracted some 1,5 million visitors
the majority of which were Orthodox and Catholics.
All Christians have not accepted the Church of the Holy Sepulcher
as the real site of Jesus' crucifixion and burial.
Around 150 years ago some Protestants started considering a hill resembling
a scull located slightly outside of today's city walls a more suitable
place for Golgatha.
Closeby there is also an ancient burial cave.
The site was renovated to a green garden and named the Garden Tomb.
It has become a very popular visiting site for Christian Protestants.
Philip Ben Shmuel is a Jew who believes in Jesus who was born
and grew up in Jerusalem.
He guides visitors in the Garden Tomb.
At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden,
and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid.
Because it was the Jewish day of Prepa- ration and since the tomb was nearby,
they laid Jesus there. -John 19:41-42
Archaeological findings prove that there was a garden already long ago
which could comply with the description of the evangelist John.
The most important reason why the Garden Tomb could very well be
Jesus' burial site is the burial cave carved in a rock there.
It resembles the descriptions of the Gospels, even though archaeologists
date it to an earlier period.
As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe
sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. "Don’t be alarmed,"
he said. "You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified.
He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him."
-Mark 16:5-6
But it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus,
who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light
through the gospel. -2. Tim. 1:10
Silja Bar-David, a Finn, has lived in Israel for almost 30 years.
We asked her what she thinks about these holy sites of Jerusalem.
We all have some kind of an opinion about Jerusalem
and some kind of expectations when we come here.
It is also said that all Christians, Jews and Mouslims in the world
have some kind of a personal connection to Jerusalem.
This does not necessarily comply with the city's current situation
or even with its history.
We often have perceptions of a Higher Jerusalem, -
some mystic, heavenly city, mentio- ned e.g. in the book of Revelation.
After my first visit to the church of the Holy Sepulcher I was shocked.
Everything was so strange and confusing and it did not correlate
with my perception of reverence.
In that sense, the Garden Tomb of the Protestants and its atmosphere
was much more familiar and touched me much more.
For decades I avoided these traditional Christian holy sites.
When I started to get to know Jerusa- lem better, I had to come back here.
I learned that the first burial church was called Anastasis -
The church of the Resurrection. This gave me a different perspective.
I also saw some places there which resembled the originals, -
for example, an old abandonded stone quarry where tombs were being dug.
I also understood that history had misused the burial church.
The events of history have made it into the confusing structure
that it is today.
I also started observing the pilgrims as individuals.
I asked myself, if I have the right to judge their motives
or spiritual state.
These people come from different cultures and they express their faith
differently than I do.
Man sees the outside, but God sees the heart.
The question about where the original place of Jesus crucifixion and
burial was, is not important at all.
Some early Christian pilgrim wrote in his travel notes: -
"Our love for our Lord Jesus cannot be measured in miles."
In other words, it's not important whether the original site is
one mile or kilometre here or there.
The most important is that we have come here out of our love to Christ.
Caesar Constantine is said to have built the Resurrection Church
as a substitute for the destroyed Jewish Temple -
to be a new pilgrimage site.
In the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem holiness was undefiled.
Only priests could enter the actual tabernacle.
Only the high priest was allowed to enter the Holy of Holies once a year
The pilgrims were only allowed to enter the Temple courtyards.
Perhaps the journey was the most important part.
This can speak to us, the modern pilgrims, -
that the journey to the holy sites could be a journey to ourselves.
The most important is what happens on the inside of us.
It's not so much if we can touch some originally holy place, -
but that Holiness could touch us.
Blessed are those whose strength is in you, whose hearts are set
on pilgrimage. - Psalm 84:5
Translation: Sonja Mattayev