ISRAEL PHOTOS III -- A COLLECTION OF PHOTOS FROM ISRAELWITH DESCRIPTIONS OF SCENES AND SITES PERTINENT TO THE STUDY OF CHRISTIANITY |
Mt. Hermon from Hula Swamp Nature Preserve - April 2005
Mount Hermon is the tallest mountain in Israel at over 9200 feet in elevation. On the left side of the snow capped mountain are the foothills near Caesarea Philippi. After feeding the 4,000 Jesus was teaching in the villages near Caesarea Philippi at the foot of Mount Hermon:
Photos of the Region of Caesarea Philippi
Mark 8:27 (WEB) Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, "Who do people say I am?" 28 They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets." 29 "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" Peter answered, "You are the Christ" 30 Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him.
Mark 9:2 (WEB) After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John, and brought them up onto a high mountain privately by themselves, and he was changed into another form in front of them. 3 His clothing became glistening, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them. 4 Elijah and Moses appeared to them, and they were talking with Jesus. 5 Peter answered Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let’s make three tents: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 6 For he didn’t know what to say, for they were very afraid. 7 A cloud came, overshadowing them, and a voice came out of the cloud, “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him."
After Jesus, Peter, James, and John descended from the mountain:
Matt. 17:14 (WEB) When they came to the multitude, a man came to him, kneeling down to him, saying, 15 “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is epileptic, and suffers grievously; for he often falls into the fire, and often into the water. 16 So I brought him to your disciples, and they could not cure him.” 17 Jesus answered, “Faithless and perverse generation! How long will I be with you? How long will I bear with you? Bring him here to me.” 18 Jesus rebuked him, the demon went out of him, and the boy was cured from that hour. 19 Then the disciples came to Jesus privately, and said, “Why weren’t we able to cast it out?” 20 He said to them, “Because of your unbelief. For most certainly I tell you, if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you will tell this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. 21 But this kind doesn’t go out except by prayer and fasting.”
Compare Jesus' statement about faith to that of Cicero who lived in the first century B.C.:
"And therefore we may follow the Stoics, who diligently investigate the etymology of words; and we may accept their
statement that "good faith" is so called because what is promised is "made good," from Cicero, De Officiis, Book I.
Both Matthew and Mark agreed Jesus was in the villages of the region of Philip's capitol city Caesarea Philippi (at the base of Mt. Hermon) before the transfiguration and after the transfiguration they went back to Galilee. Luke described that Jesus went with his disciples to the mount of transfiguration after the feeding of the five thousand. In John 6:4 the feeding of the five thousand happened close to the time of the Passover and in John 6:10 there was plenty of grass in that place.
From the summit of Mt. Hermon one might see the Mediterranean Sea.
Library of Congress Photo Collection
This photo is a view from the summit, early 20th century; with the Mediterranean Sea near Tyre in view. Supposedly the Old Testament prophet Elijah stayed with a widow of Zerapheth during a famine. Zarapheth was the next major town south of Tyre. Jesus went to Tyre and was begged by a Syro-Phoenician woman to heal her daughter (Mark 7:24-30). People from Tyre and Sidon were going to Jesus in Galilee as they heard reports of him (Mark 3:8). Sidon is in Lebonan 25 miles north of Tyre.
There is an ancient Catholic tradition indicating the Mount of Transfiguration is Mt. Tabor. This was passed on to us from Jerome.
Mt.Tabor near Nazareth -- January 2006
Parable of the Mustard Seed
A Mustard Field Along Highway 87-North Shore of Galilee
Mustard Seeds in the Palm of a Hand
Mustard Flowers
Giant Mustard
Upper Most Seats of the Synagogue
The Fig Tree
Mt of Olives Fig Tree, April 12-13, 2005
Fig and Pomegranite Trees Below Siloam in Jerusalem
Sycomore Fig Tree
The Good Shepherd
The Parable of the Sheep and the Goats
Goat Herder
Camels
Ritual Cleansing
Shechem
The Olive Harvest of Samaria
Mt. Ebal
Olive Tree
Pearl of Great Price
A First Century Synagogue at Gamala
Overview of Gamala
Modern Galilee Fishing Boats
Kursi
Caves and/or Tombs
Steep Slope Near Kursi
Hippos
Feeding the 5,000
On the Mountain
Walking on Water
Ramot-Tzelon area
Mt. Hermon
The Pools of Bethesda in Jerusalem
Healing Pools
Crusader Chapel and St. Ann Church
Pool of Siloam in Jerusalem
Hezekiah's Tunnel
Overlook to Siloam
Tower of Siloam
A Watch Tower in a Vineyard/Olive Grove
Grape Vines at Beth Horan
Towers
Mt. Precipice
South Face
Summit
Over the edge
Measuring Line
View of Nazareth from near Megiddo
Nazareth
The Basilica of the Annunciation
Capernaum
Healing a Paralytic in Capernaum
Bethsaida
Waterskins and Wineskins
The Fish and the Coin
Barbel
A Denarius
Casting Out a Demon
The Road to Jericho
Old Roman Road
Wilderness Above Jericho
Old Jericho
Western Wall
Gethsemane and the Cave of Gethsemane
Church of the Holy Sepulcher
Rolling Stone Tombs - Jerusalem
Other Rolling Stone Tombs
Tiberias
Solar Power in Israel
Salt of the earth
Chorazin
OTHER WEB SITES BY DAVID HALL:
Israel Photos VI
Israel Photos V -- Spring 2011
Israel Photos IV -- Pilgrimage
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