Many critical events in Jesus’ final week (before His death) took place in the Mount of Olives, Gethsemane, Caiaphas’ house, and Golgotha.
The Mount of Olives
- On the east side of the Mount of Olives was the village of Bethany and Bethpage.
- The west side was a steep slope into the Kidron Valley.
- The Garden of Gethsemane was a particular olive grove at the foot of the Mount of Olives.
- The center part of the Mount of Olives, called Olivet, rises 100 feet higher than Jerusalem (2,700 ft. above sea level). From Olivet, there’s a spectacular view overlooking Jerusalem with the Temple and the City of David easily seen.
- In ancient times, it was covered with wild olive trees and olive groves. While it is mostly developed today with streets, housing, and cemeteries, olive trees and pine trees still grow.
- There are caves all over the mount that could be used for pilgrims’ camping and lodging.
Gethsemane
- Gethsemane means “Oil Press.”
- It was a garden and enclosure that likely contained an olive press on the Western foot of Mt. of Olives.
- From Gethsemane, one looks up across the Kidron Valley and directly sees the Temple, notably the Golden Gate of the wall/Temple complex.
- When olives were processed at presses such as Gethsemane, a fiber disk was filled with olives and then pressed three times to capture various qualities/ purities of oil.
Caiaphas’ House
- Today the Church of St. Peter in Gallicantu stands over the ruins of the courtyard and estate of the High Priest’s (Caiaphas) house. “Galli-Cantu” is Latin for “rooster crows.”
- This is where Peter denied the Lord 3 times.
- This is where Jesus was taken, questioned, and held on the night of His betrayal.
- Under the church, a dungeon was discovered complete with cells, pillars to tie men up for beatings, and a deep hole that prisoners were lowered and raised by a rope.
- Jesus was mocked and abused and likely placed in “the hole” of this place.
- Possibly Peter, John, and the other apostles were flogged here (Acts 5:40-42).
Golgotha
- Golgotha means “the skull.”
- Today, it’s believed that Golgotha’s most likely site rests under the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.
- The site sat due west of the Temple and was outside the city wall in the first century.
- Jesus died on the cross, was taken down, and buried in Joseph’s new tomb in a garden nearby.