THE GARDEN TOMB

The lower picture is an alternative site to the crucifiction of Jesus the Christ. It fits the requirements of being outside the city walls and being on a well-traveled road. It was also a place that the Jews would have used for executions. They would throw a person over a cliff and even if that killed him, they would throw rocks at him.

About 300 feet from this site is a garden which contained a tomb that had only been used once, never to be used again (top picture). This site certainly looks more appropriate that the other site, but the evidence isn't as strong. In either case, Jesus Christ has risen, giving us a reasonable hope that our best days are yet ahead of us!

Our itinerary for 1-18-08 wasn't quite as demanding as the previous day, yet it took all day and it was dark by the time we returned to our hotel. We went to the location of king David's palace--it is just south of the location where Solomon would build the temple. I took a picture from the approximate place where David would have looked to see Bathsheba, but alas, there was no beautiful woman bathing on a roof top!

Next, we toured a part of king Hezekia's water-tunnel and went to where it emptied out into the upper pool of Siloam. It was on this part of the tour that we walked by the foundation of the tower spoken of in Luke 13 that fell and killed 18 people, "Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, Nay; but except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish" (Luke 13:4,5).

We also stopped at the house of Caiaphas, and walked the very steps that Jesus would have walked as he went to appear before Caiaphas.

The last place we visited that day was the garden tomb. Our group closed that day, Friday, by celebrating the Lord's Supper together in the tiny chapel in the garden. On each day of our tour there has been a time when our group worshipped and prayed together.

Grace&Peace,

Tom