A Story of Tracking Jesus in the Holy Land

I.               Introduction

We have now been twice to what I refer to as the Holy Land. As I have written elsewhere, I often refer to the whole area between the Mediterranean Sea on the West and the Arabian Desert on the East, from Syria south to Egypt, this way so as to avoid using the emotion-laden words such as Israel, Palestine, the West Bank, Gaza, ‘occupied territories’ etc.

So, what does one do when one has been to The Holy Land? Just chalk it up to experience? One more item off the ‘bucket list’?

As a Christian in particular, what else is there to going to The Holy Land? As anyone familiar with my blogs knows, I have written a fair bit about this already. I believe one has a duty to share of what one is privileged to experience and learn in this area. What I have written has been as much about the current situation there as about what one saw or experienced as a tourist, or even pilgrim, if I might use that term. I and the groups my wife and I have been with to Israel and Palestine, even Jordan this year, have not often referred to ourselves as pilgrims. We have spoken of ourselves as on a learning tour – learning of the past and the present. My understanding of what a pilgrim does is somewhat different than what we have done. I believe they tend to focus more exclusively on sites of religious-historical significance from a more devotional and pietistic bent. We did some of that, and in so doing heard a lot of stories.

In some ways, I think one can draw a parallel between what one does on these tours or pilgrimages with what one does in bible study. We know that to better understand God’s Word we need to try and learn what it said to those for whom it was first written.  This is somewhat analogous to seeing sites of religious significance and learning about them in their historical context. However, we often also want to see what the Bible is saying to us today. I compare that with looking at the current situation and events taking place in and around the biblically historical sites.  What call to action derives from that?

You might also have noted I am calling this ‘a’ story of Jesus. As you know, there are many stories of Jesus, beginning, for most of us, with the 4 Gospels and other New Testament references in the Bible. The Koran talks about Jesus. There are a number of extra-canonical writings about Jesus – ‘gospels’ and letters that did not make it into the canon, or church-approved Bible. And, of course, as for stories about one’s experience with Jesus in The Holy Land today – there will be as many stories as residents, tourists, learners and pilgrims. What follows is what I read, saw, heard and experienced on these two trips. I will also try to relate the biblical situation as we understand it to today’s realities.

Another reason for calling this just ‘a’ story is that it is not even an attempt to be comprehensive. It really only deals generally with some aspects of events that transpired in conjunction with places we visited on our tours. There are many stories of the acts of our Lord that give no location as to where they took place. There are other places associated with more than one story, and I have not included all the stories, e.g. Jericho – there is the story of healing a blind man, Bartimeaus, there, and the story of Zaccheus. Only an old sycamore is still called Zaccheus’ tree, but everyone knows that is not even the ‘original,’ but only something like a 400-yr-old successor(?). There is nothing remembered to connect with where the restoration of physical sight occurred; one could say Zaccheus had his spiritual sight restored.

Finally, as a believer, a follower of Jesus, my hope would be that reading this as a Christian would draw us closer to the God-man Jesus we call our Lord and Savior. And for those who might read this who are not believers, I would pray that what I write might just help direct you in the direction of belief. This is what brings about reconciliation with the God who created us and whom we have all become estranged from because of our own helpless willfulness. This is what can give us true peace and joy, not just superficial earthly happiness.

So, as I complete the following 'chapters,' they will be posted - hopefully with photos [mine].