Israel Adventure - Day 8

Today started with a bagel, cream cheese and cappuccino.  What else? When in Jerusalem do as the community does. And my mother taught us to love bagels.

After breakfast Stephen and I took the bus to Hebrew University. The bus gave us a great ride through town. (Steve has never been here before). I pointed out German Community, the Old City, The Government Center (roads to Knesset and the Israel Museum), We passed through an Orthodox neighborhood, and then did a roundabout at the Bus and Light Rail station. From that point the bus went up hill to the top of Mount Scopus. (2710 feet).

We entered the university from the bus terminal. We went through security, and looked for information. We ended up at the Library, where the security guard could not help us, but a librarian was just entering. She gave us an orientation, took us to the Synagogue and look out point of the University.  The view was OUTSTANDING!! We could see everything with a 200+ degree view.

From the viewpoint of all Jerusalem we walked across the campus of the University to see the Biblical gardens on the east side of the campus. The gardens contain sections of plants from every area of Israel, which are all well labeled. As we walked through the gardens we came across a graveyard from the first century. The hillside was catacombed with tombs containing ossuaries (Boxes where bones are kept after the body decomposes). One of the graves belonged to Nicanor of Alexandria. Nicanor was the donor of the bronze doors of the Court of the Women in the second temple.

We continued through the gardens to the northern side where there is a vantage point in the Yitzak Rabin building looking north and east. We could see the Jordan River, Jericho, Mizpah, and Anathoth (where Jeremiah was born).

From the gardens we went to the Archeological Museum which was amazing. We saw painted walls from Dura-Europo, and findings from many other sites in Israel.

Following our exploration of Hebrew University we descended the hill through Tabatznik National Park Israel, which is part of the University. We had great views of the Dome of the Rock, and thought about what the area looked like to Jesus as he and the Disciples may have taken this path to the Temple.

We continued to descend into Emek Tzurim National Park, which contains “the king’s highway.” It also contains the Temple Sifting Project. In 1996 the Muslims illegally dug an entrance for Al-Aqsa Mosque, removing over 900 dump truck loads of soil. Although Archeologists cannot determine levels where artifacts are found, many treasures are found by people who help sift through debris to find remains of ages past from Temple Mount. We found nails, pottery, mosaic tiles, bones, glass and other items.

From our dig we descended, then ascended to the walled city of Jerusalem. We entered Herod's Gate and got lost. We wandered through the Muslim Quarter. We made it to the entrance of the Western Wall, but there was a long line to get in, so we backtracked. We paid a child 10 shillings to take us to the Jaffa gate, but he took us to the Damascus gate. I then pulled out my map, and we found the Jaffa Gate, crossed the highway and walked home. We were very tired

I ate a dinner of Mina Chicken Noodle Soup with Chelsea and Sarah and then went to bed.

Courses of Priests & Retirement age

I find as I talk to people many do not understand the organization or the purpose of the Temple in Jerusalem.  We want to relate the Temple to something familiar in our world, to the church.  But the Temple was not the church. The Temple was the place of prayer and sacrifice.

In our world there are many churches and many denominations.  In the world of Jesus’ time there was one … and only one Temple.  The Temple was located in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah.  The Temple was the most important institution in Jewish life, instituted by God in the days of Moses, and built first by Solomon, and rebuilt by Zarubabel and then by King Herod.  While there were many synagogues, there was one … and only one Temple.

In our world we go to church on Sunday, or as the Jews refer to Sunday, the first day of the week.  We attend church on Sunday to worship God and to remember that Jesus arose from the grave on the first day of the week.  The Jews go to Synagogue on the seventh day (Sabbath).  They go to the Temple when needed.  The scripture specifically instructs, “Three times a year all your men must appear before the LORD your God at the place he will choose: at the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the Festival of Weeks and the Festival of Tabernacles. No one should appear before the LORD empty-handed:” (Dt 16:16)  The Jews also go to the Temple to make a desired or required sacrifice (See Leviticus 1-7).  Some would go regularly for prayer.

In our world we sing hymns and worship, and the same could be done in the Temple.  There was not a real song leader or time of singing, however, some of the priests who were musicians would stand between the Court of Israel and the Court of the Women to sins Psalms to the people.  There were prescribed Psalms people sang as they ascended to the Temple, prescribed daily psalms sung by the priests, and other psalms people would sing in worship.

In our world we hear a pastor or a priest give a sermon.  In the Temple there was no sermon, that is not what the Temple was about.  The Temple was a place of sacrifice.  People would come, and give their offerings to the priest.  They could not enter the Holy Place, only the priests could enter.  The people stayed outside.  The people prayed.  They heard music if the priests were singing.  Occasionally there were men, such as Peter, who came to the Temple courtyard and preached.  But it was a sideline activity.  The main purpose of the Temple was to give offerings to God and to pray.

In our world the pastor is called by the church or sent through the denomination.  In the days of Jesus there were no denominations.  We read of the Saducees, they served the Temple.  We read of the Pharisees, they were lawyers, and worshipped in the Synagogues.  The Essenes were a monastic group who lived in their own communities.  And there were the Jewish people who connected with the Temple (because the law of Moses ordered this), and the Synagogue, which was a community of faith near their home.

In our world pastors can and do move.  In the times of Jesus the Priesthood was by birth.  Men were not called to go to a church, they were born into their place of service.  Father passed on to son the traditions of the faith and the practice of the priesthood.  Men served between the ages of 25 and 50.  After 50, men retired and would mentor younger priests.

Through Advent Journeys you will visit a world which is very different that our world.  The world of Jesus is worth reading about and studying, for in so doing you understand Jesus, the people around him and the New Testament in a much fuller way.

Life in the Temple: The Mishnah

One of the sources I used as background information in my book entitled Advent Journeys is the Mishnah, a Jewish volume which has been called various things including Oral Tradition.  The Mishnah indeed contains some of the oral tradition of the teachers of Jewish law, but these collected writings also contain some writings intended to keep the Jewish tradition alive after the Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans.

History records that the Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed and rendered uninhabitable by Titus in 70 AD.  At that time the Jews including priests and the sanhedrin were expelled from the city.  Jerusalem lay in ruins until about 130 AD when Hadrian decided to rebuild the city.  In the process it became a Roman city called Aelia Capitolina.  THe Jewish Bar Kokhba revolt also occurred during this time period.

I am sure that after the destruction of the Temple on Tisha B'Av there were hopes that worship would be restored within seventy years as it was after the Temple fell to Nebuchadnezzar on the same day.  Hopes remained alive until Hadrian completed Aelia Capitolina with a temple to Jupiter on the site of the altar.  At that time members of the Sanhedrin realized all Jewish practices and tradition would be forgotten if not written down.  Rabbi Judah the Prince is credited with finalizing the writing of the Mishnah.

The Mishnah is actually six books of collected writings organized into what is sometimes called tractates.  These tractates are called and contain the following: Zera'im (Seeds) dealing with prayer; Mo'ed (Festival), pertaining to the Sabbath and the Festivals; Nashim (Women) concerning marriage and divorce; Nezikin (Damages) about civil and criminal law; Kodashim (Holy things), including sacrifices, the Temple, and dietary law; Tohorot (Purities) contains laws of purity and impurity.

Of great interest is that the Mishnah, written approximately 150 AD, contains relevant Jewish tradition and culture from the time of Jesus and the New Testament.  The Mishnah contains details of the construction of the Temple, the daily activities of the Priests, and much more.

It is interesting to note at this point that our faith and practices are fragile.  They will only endure for a generation if we fail to pass them on to our children.  A journal (such as this blog and my books) can hold the information and our passions for many generations.  The Advent project which produced both Advent Journeys  and Advent traditions for my family was intended to do both.

Psalms of Ascent, Going to Jerusalem

During the first week, in our new book Advent Journeys, we walk with Zechariah the priest.  Zechariah was the husband of Elizabeth and the father of John the Baptist as recorded in Luke 1 of the New Testament.  In the introduction we learn Zechariah was a priest of the order of Abijah and he and his wife were without children.

As I wrote the chapter on Zechariah, the first thing I noted was that he was of the order of Abijah.  Abijah is one of twenty-four orders of the Levitical priesthood of Israel.  These divisions of priests first organized by King David are called Mishmarot & Ma'amadot.  In the times of Jesus each division of priests would serve five weeks per year (three weeks of harvest festivals where all Priests were to serve and two other weeks served in a rotation of divisions). {more on this tomorrow}

We are told that Zechariah and Elizabeth are advanced in age and can not have children.  This bears similarity to the stories of Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebecca, Jacob and Rachel, and Elkanah and Hannah.  According to the Torah Zechariah was advanced in age, but he was still serving in the Temple.  This means he must have been about fifty years of age (Numbers 8:25).  And as all of the other aged parents, Zechariah was a man who was faithful to God.

Because Zechariah was faithful to God, it can be read between the lines that he enjoyed his week of service in the Temple.  I tried to capture this joy as I wrote the first week of journals for Zechariah in the book Advent Journeys.  On his way to the Temple for his work duty Zechariah would have recited (or sung) the Psalms of Ascent: Psalms 120-134.  These Psalms, as I read them, captured a sense of things which impacted the life of Zechariah.  I placed one or two Psalms of Ascent as a scripture reading each day during the first week of Advent. The journal of Zechariah will often reflect something in these Psalms.

In our twenty-first century world I hope we, as believers, can reflect the joy Zechariah felt as he approached the Temple.  I hope this joy is evident as we attend worship service each week, and also in our daily lives as a reflection of our love for the Lord.

Finding Jesus of the First Century

   I was destined to be different.  I could not help it, for you see I was born into a Jewish home.  And while Heinrich Heine said, "The Jews are like everybody else only more so," we all know this is not exactly true.  While I was raised in a home of faith I was always taught to question and examine the beliefs of my people in order to fully understand each concept.  In this way I learned my faith.

   One point in my faith which escaped me was how to know 100% for sure that my name was written in the book of life.  I learned a process of seeking to be right with man and with God, but still, assurance was lacking.  Christian friends tried to tell me of how Jesus died for my sins, but I pushed them away ... until ... I read Psalm 22.  Within the words of this Psalm I saw Jesus on the cross in my scriptures.  Then I understood His sacrificial death and resurrection were the assurance of forgiveness and acceptance by God that I sought.

   At the age of 17 I condemned myself to really be different: I joined (and remained in) the Baptist church.  It should be fairly obvious that Reform Jews and Southern Baptists are both different.  And while on the surface I created an image to seem like a Southern Baptist, I continued to follow in the pattern developed in me since childhood: question and examine to fully understand each concept.

   It is not that I lived two lives, I simply learned to fit into the culture of the people with whom I lived, whether Jewish or Baptist, or Floridian, or Midwestern, or Western or Southern.  Even when I go on mission assignments, I seek to relate to people according to their preferred style so as not to create barriers.  I listen a lot (in order to learn), and seek to communicate so people can understand.

   In matters of faith I sought to put together the parts of my old faith and my new faith.  I learned from the people I was around, so I could share in a relevant way as a Baptist, and understand both Old and New Testament against the background of my Jewish heritage.  I met many people along the way who sought to break out of their faith by destroying all they had learned in order to come to something new.  I continued in my faith, never really finding a reason to destroy the faith because it worked for me.  Both Jewish and Baptist where they agree and disagree, I continued to question and examine and learn.

   In the process of my learning I checked a book out of the library called the Mishnah.  This volume could be called a preservation of Jewish tradition from the times in which Jesus lived.  The book contains quotes of the Rabbis and detailed instructions for carrying out the rituals and traditions of the Jews. 

   I began to explore, for my faith is a twenty-first century faith, and their faith was a first century faith.  Some things from both parts of my faith practices I took for granted, like dreidels and latkes at Chanukah did not exist in the first century; neither did yarmulkes, or the hymns in the Baptist hymn book.  I saw in the pages of the Mishnah details I had never seen about the faith of Jesus.  I was fascinated.

   Through reading about the practices of the Levites in the Temple and the Pharisees in the Synagogues I began to enter the world where Jesus lived.  Jesus was Jewish, and the foundation of the Christian faith.  To Him they were not different, but the same.  Jesus came to provide the path of salvation and to lead us to become closer to God.  The words of our New Testament had their origins in the first century faith of Jesus.  As I questioned and examined the words of the New Testament against the culture traditions in which Jesus lived they became even more real.

   I write books to help people understand the world of the first century, and the faith of Jesus.  I want Jesus to become alive for people so they can share in the reality of His love.