On this particular cool morning we left the city with which we’re becoming quite familiar in search of higher adventure—or maybe just a different landscape to study for a bit. First stop: Sataf, the location of some research into ancient Israelite agricultural systems. We hiked down the stepped terraces and along the rocks to the remains of yet another civilization. After exploring the natural springs and the water pools, I was taken aback by the ingenuity of the ancients for constructing such a water system. The water flowed from the spring in small channels down to the next step, where it could flow into the fields. It seems like these people understood their land and were intelligent enough to come up with processes that use the natural resources for their benefit.
The next stop on our trip to the biblical desert was Beth Shemesh. We climbed the tel and were able to see the story of Samson laid out before us. I think I’m starting to see how these Bible stories play out and make sense.
In similar fashion, our next site was Azekah, and as we climbed to the top, Dr. Wright was pointing out some of the cities on the horizon. We rested under a tree and heard the story of David and Goliath fighting in the hill country. While it’s still a strange story to me (why would the king send scrawny David to fight on behalf of all his people?), it was a wonderful to have a mental image of the landscape that played a role. Scholars apparently disagree about the exact location of the valley where David fought Goliath, but we were able to see one of these valleys.
Our last stop for the day: Ashkelon, apparently quite the happening city in its day. Situated right along the coast of the Mediterranean and close to the Imperial Highway, this city was at the high point of trade. Even though we Messiah College students didn’t recognize the Wheaton professor in charge of the dig, it was still an interesting, close-to-home visit. It’s hard to think that if our original trip had actually happened, we might have been working at a similar dig site with Dr. Gordon Brubacher somewhere near Galilee. I’m glad that the situations have brought us here to JUC, though. Seeing and understanding the land of the Bible will be so much more helpful after we return home than understanding archaeological terms and processes.
Then: swimming in the Mediterranean Sea! How exciting—and refreshing!
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Saturday, May 26, 2007
benjamin field study
sites visited: Jericho, Temptation Restaurant (haha, near the site of the Mount of Temptation), tell Jericho, Tomb of Samuel the Prophet (a mosque, used only for the great views of the surrounding land), tell Gezer
The Benjamin field study—an inclusive view of the land of Benjamin, beginning with Jericho (the back door to Jerusalem) and ending with Gezer (the front door to Jerusalem). It’s impressive to me how these lands are beginning to come alive. Christa and I were talking about the church’s typical reading of the Old Testament geography and how they often skip over the various cities or regions mentioned. Even I fell into this trap when I took Old Testament Literature with Dr. Brensinger last January. It was a compact 3-week course, during which we read through the entire Old Testament, and I remember skipping over plenty of passages which simply listed names of cities or a king’s provincial improvements, simply because they didn’t have any “relevancy.” But now I’m looking forward to returning home and reading through the history of Israel again—with my Bible in one hand and my maps in the other—just to see what I missed.
And for being a pacifist (or at the very least connected to the Anabaptist tradition), I’m also a little bit fascinated by the war strategies of the land. Determining which cities to fortify in order to guard against an attack from an enemy is something I’ve never put much thought into. (But then again, I’ve lived in a very safe neighborhood in the United States all my life.) Therefore, seeing the land laid out (and in such short quarters) before me, it’s easy to understand the biblical kings’ military decisions.
Hiking to Jericho this morning certainly gave me a new perspective on traveling in the “land between.” I guess I have always taken modern transportation for granted, especially on hot, sunny days. The biblical characters must have been in great physical shape from walking the long, hot, dry roads from city to city so frequently. During our mini-lecture after the hike, I was watching three or four Bedouin boys running up from their home to our large group of American tourists. I noticed that one of the boys wasn’t even wearing shoes, yet he was running and jumping all over the rough rocky terrain. Everybody has told me that your body gets used to this kind of climate and lifestyle, so I suppose Jesus and Paul and all the other travelers were accustomed to these long journeys. The hike itself was great—mostly downhill and with gorgeous views on either side. However, the rock face was steep, and the path was narrow, so the possibility of falling was always a real one (especially with my clumsy nature).
I had a hard time focusing during the lecture in the shade at the bottom of the wadi. When I am surrounded by such majestic views, I am often overwhelmed by God’s creative nature. And God’s creation really is my wonder-point; that is, what amazes me every time. I see so much of God’s power and creativity in nature, and when I’m somewhere new (such as the bottom of an Israeli wadi), it takes me so long to drink it all in. Unfortunately, this time, I didn’t have hours to stare off into the horizon or explore around little rock formations; instead, I was trying to focus on a lecture about these great valleys. Perhaps I was successful—tomorrow at 1:30 p.m., we shall see….
Friday, May 25, 2007
new testament jerusalem walk
sites visited: broad wall (hezekiah's extension), temple (only the wall, of course), western wall (again), Muslim marketplace strets, via dolorosa for a bit, Ecce Homo arch, Lion's gate, pool of Bethesda and St. Anne's church.
This morning, our walk of the Old City focused mainly on New Testament sites, but also included one Old Testament site: Hezekiah’s extension. I don’t remember much from this site; it was the very first thing we visited, right after 8 o’clock. However, we did pass through some nice (?) Jewish residential areas, where Dr. Wright explained that many Jews were probably still sleeping—it was (kinda) the beginning of their Sabbath (which began tonight at sundown). We saw a few groups of small children headed to school, walking the streets in pairs or alone.
At the Pool of Bethesda, which we visited last on our 4-hour tour, I was excited to hear the deeper explanation of its corresponding biblical event. What always intrigues me about biblical stories is the “why?” behind the characters’ actions, so I love hearing the sociological, logical, archeological, geological, etc. explanations for various events. We were working from the text in John 5: a lame man was waiting to get in the pool, which was said to have healing powers. At this point, the man had been rejected by his family, faith, and community for 38 years—all due to the fact that his lameness had been caused by his (or his parents’) sin. As Dr. Wright explained, perhaps this man was beginning to check out other options for healing, one of which included sitting under rushing waters that were attributed to the worship of a healing god. (I forget the name of the god by this point in the evening.) I mean, I can understand the man’s sense of hopelessness and helplessness—it’s the compassion in me, I guess. I feel like this is what the church does to doubters, social outcasts, pregnant teens, and various other “sinners”—casting them out without attempting to understand them. Ultimately these people lose hope, sick and tired of the stares and patronizing tones from church members, and eventually they begin to seek other truth. This is why I’m so grateful for (and passionate about) the opportunity to participate in the reconciliation of the world—because Jesus didn’t leave the man, but instead approached him and healed him! [Perhaps this is the result of my specific lens of service and Jesus’ radical social subversive-ness, but I love to consider passages like this.]
A (fairly) big impression from today: the space to express gratitude. While we were waiting for another group to finish their tour at St. Anne’s Church (allegedly the site of Mary’s parents’ home—Anne, and her husband, whose name sounded very Jewish and I forget), we were sitting at the back of the church, quiet. I took this time to pray, and I finally felt grateful for this opportunity to study in Israel. I mean, I know in my head that I am deeply grateful, but I hadn’t yet felt that sense of gratitude deep in my bones. A calm also rushed over me—a peace, strength to continue the day. I was telling Ruthie later that that moment in St. Anne’s was the first time I felt I had the space for prayer since we’ve arrived. The experience—while not at what I consider a major location—was unexpected. But Sarah told us that our “spiritual insights” (her words, not mine) would come unexpectedly and at random sites, as had her own memorable impressions, I’m sure.
This morning, our walk of the Old City focused mainly on New Testament sites, but also included one Old Testament site: Hezekiah’s extension. I don’t remember much from this site; it was the very first thing we visited, right after 8 o’clock. However, we did pass through some nice (?) Jewish residential areas, where Dr. Wright explained that many Jews were probably still sleeping—it was (kinda) the beginning of their Sabbath (which began tonight at sundown). We saw a few groups of small children headed to school, walking the streets in pairs or alone.
At the Pool of Bethesda, which we visited last on our 4-hour tour, I was excited to hear the deeper explanation of its corresponding biblical event. What always intrigues me about biblical stories is the “why?” behind the characters’ actions, so I love hearing the sociological, logical, archeological, geological, etc. explanations for various events. We were working from the text in John 5: a lame man was waiting to get in the pool, which was said to have healing powers. At this point, the man had been rejected by his family, faith, and community for 38 years—all due to the fact that his lameness had been caused by his (or his parents’) sin. As Dr. Wright explained, perhaps this man was beginning to check out other options for healing, one of which included sitting under rushing waters that were attributed to the worship of a healing god. (I forget the name of the god by this point in the evening.) I mean, I can understand the man’s sense of hopelessness and helplessness—it’s the compassion in me, I guess. I feel like this is what the church does to doubters, social outcasts, pregnant teens, and various other “sinners”—casting them out without attempting to understand them. Ultimately these people lose hope, sick and tired of the stares and patronizing tones from church members, and eventually they begin to seek other truth. This is why I’m so grateful for (and passionate about) the opportunity to participate in the reconciliation of the world—because Jesus didn’t leave the man, but instead approached him and healed him! [Perhaps this is the result of my specific lens of service and Jesus’ radical social subversive-ness, but I love to consider passages like this.]
A (fairly) big impression from today: the space to express gratitude. While we were waiting for another group to finish their tour at St. Anne’s Church (allegedly the site of Mary’s parents’ home—Anne, and her husband, whose name sounded very Jewish and I forget), we were sitting at the back of the church, quiet. I took this time to pray, and I finally felt grateful for this opportunity to study in Israel. I mean, I know in my head that I am deeply grateful, but I hadn’t yet felt that sense of gratitude deep in my bones. A calm also rushed over me—a peace, strength to continue the day. I was telling Ruthie later that that moment in St. Anne’s was the first time I felt I had the space for prayer since we’ve arrived. The experience—while not at what I consider a major location—was unexpected. But Sarah told us that our “spiritual insights” (her words, not mine) would come unexpectedly and at random sites, as had her own memorable impressions, I’m sure.
old testament jerusalem walk
sites visited: city of david, warren's shaft, hezekiah's tunnel, pool of siloam
This afternoon, our walk of Old Testament sites in the Old City focused mainly on the east hill section of the City of David. From a point overlooking the valley and the site of the City of David, one of our fellow students read Psalm 121 (“I lift my eyes to the hills, where does my help come from?...). Let me tell you, it was entirely exciting to read that psalm in the geographical context where it was originally written.
I don’t know much about the City of David or of David’s feats (only the most basic knowledge—I’ve spent so long studying the New Testament this past semester that I almost forgot about the Old!). However, I deeply appreciate the opportunity to visualize the area while I’m studying here. My mom will quickly tell you that I am a visual learner, and when I can see things, I am able to remember so much more. When I come across these texts and sites in the future, I will be sure to check my maps, photos, and journal to see what I can remember and apply to the situation.
I’m also starting to realize the gargantuan architectural feats of the ancient city. Consider for example Hezekiah’s tunnel. Just like the construction Egyptian pyramids, I can’t imagine the labor involved in hacking out the bedrock to create a 1600-foot-long tunnel—in the dark, no less! The thought of laborers moving and cutting large stones and boulders to build palaces, the Temple, homes, etc. boggles my mind. (Sidenote: walking Hezekiah’s tunnel was such a fun experience! At first, I didn’t want to walk the 30 minutes hunched over in the dark, wet, and narrow tunnel, but all of a sudden, we came upon the entrance, and I didn’t have much of a choice. I guess you could call it a bonding experience for the group—we were stuck in a dark tunnel together, and eventually the people behind me began to sing.)
I think something began to sink in while we were sitting at the Pool of Siloam. While waiting for others to depart the site, I realized that I was sitting on the steps of a 2000-year-old pool. And not only that—but this was the site where Jesus told some blind man to wash and he was healed! Recalling these mental images has already been helpful for me to interpret and understand Old Testament and New Testament stories.
This afternoon, our walk of Old Testament sites in the Old City focused mainly on the east hill section of the City of David. From a point overlooking the valley and the site of the City of David, one of our fellow students read Psalm 121 (“I lift my eyes to the hills, where does my help come from?...). Let me tell you, it was entirely exciting to read that psalm in the geographical context where it was originally written.
I don’t know much about the City of David or of David’s feats (only the most basic knowledge—I’ve spent so long studying the New Testament this past semester that I almost forgot about the Old!). However, I deeply appreciate the opportunity to visualize the area while I’m studying here. My mom will quickly tell you that I am a visual learner, and when I can see things, I am able to remember so much more. When I come across these texts and sites in the future, I will be sure to check my maps, photos, and journal to see what I can remember and apply to the situation.
I’m also starting to realize the gargantuan architectural feats of the ancient city. Consider for example Hezekiah’s tunnel. Just like the construction Egyptian pyramids, I can’t imagine the labor involved in hacking out the bedrock to create a 1600-foot-long tunnel—in the dark, no less! The thought of laborers moving and cutting large stones and boulders to build palaces, the Temple, homes, etc. boggles my mind. (Sidenote: walking Hezekiah’s tunnel was such a fun experience! At first, I didn’t want to walk the 30 minutes hunched over in the dark, wet, and narrow tunnel, but all of a sudden, we came upon the entrance, and I didn’t have much of a choice. I guess you could call it a bonding experience for the group—we were stuck in a dark tunnel together, and eventually the people behind me began to sing.)
I think something began to sink in while we were sitting at the Pool of Siloam. While waiting for others to depart the site, I realized that I was sitting on the steps of a 2000-year-old pool. And not only that—but this was the site where Jesus told some blind man to wash and he was healed! Recalling these mental images has already been helpful for me to interpret and understand Old Testament and New Testament stories.
Jerusalem approaches field study
sites included: mount of olives, dominus flevit chapel (where jesus wept over the city), garden of gethsemane, "absalom's" tomb, herodium, threshing floor (think ruth), bethlehem, church of the nativity (where tradition holds that jesus was born), U.N. hill
After a day of traveling around the city in a bus on our very first excursion from campus, I made a list of my first impressions of Jerusalem:
1.) very hilly. It seems like we’re always walking up and down, up and down…. Even the steps to our dorm rooms are steep and 4 floors high.
2.) very small scale. When marking my maps of Israel, I failed to take into consideration the scale. Now, however, I realize that everything is much closer than it appears. Bethlehem is only 15 minutes away!
3.) dirty. I observed lots of garbage in the streets. This surprises me. I’m not sure if it’s from tourists or from the locals, but either way, I guess I just expected people to take better care of Jerusalem—the crux of so many holy sites.
4.) large tourist base. I also saw lots of vendors catering to large tourist buses (but I guess this is to be expected in every large city). Maybe I was slightly disappointed.
5.) so so so much history. And everything is built on top of the last piece of history, which makes things difficult sometimes.
My very first geographical lesson here involved learning about the two types of land—the Cenomanian and the Senonian sections. I was entirely surprised to see the vast difference between the two and the qualities of each. I guess I had never really imagined that such a significant variance of landscape could exist in the space of only a few miles. But, I suppose I should begin to expect that here, where the landscape changes so rapidly.
I am also enjoying how Dr. Wright explains that there is “deeper geographical meaning” behind many biblical passages. For instance, this morning we discussed Psalm 23, and how David (the author) was a farm boy from Bethlehem (within sight of Jerusalem). When David wrote about green pastures and still waters (v. 2 and 3), he hadn’t actually experienced either of these comforts. Instead, David lived close to the Senonian ridge—the wilderness, where nothing grows and the land is very dry. I think these readings of the biblical texts might challenge me a little. Is it significant that David has no familiarity with green pastures or still waters? Do many evangelical Christians quote this psalm ignorantly, without understanding the background? I don’t know.
I think I’m still trying to figure out what all this means spiritually—in how I read the Scriptures and apply these principles today. (And especially in the ministry field, how I teach about the Scriptures to others.) At the religious sites, I just feel like a silly tourist, taking my pictures as if I were at any old museum. But these sites are important to my faith, and cognitively, I know this. But in my heart, I feel like it’s a different story; none of the significance of the biblical sites has hit me yet. I think I need more time to reflect and process what I’m learning, even though Dr. Wright tells us that it will take only 3 weeks to pack in all this information, but a lifetime to unpack it.
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