ISRAEL PHOTOS III  -- A COLLECTION OF PHOTOS FROM ISRAEL 

WITH DESCRIPTIONS OF SCENES AND SITES PERTINENT TO THE STUDY OF CHRISTIANITY

BETHESDA POOLS


Photo of a Crusader Chapel built between the North and South Pools with Healing Pools to the East.

Inside St. Stephen's Gate of Jerusalem (Lion's Gate) is St. Ann Church. On the property of the church are the ruins of the pools of Bethesda that were described in the Gospel According to John where Jesus healed a paralytic who was 38 years old.

Archaeologists uncovered the main pool (Southern Pool) identified by some as the location of the healing, yet more importantly they uncovered a series of medicinal baths at the east end of the complex indicating the place was associated with healing The medicinal pools and baths were built from 150 BC to 70 AD according to the tourist pamphlet given at the entrance. These were likely used as mikvehs (small cleansing pools) for Jewish ritual purification. The small pools were to the east of the main pools. There were two large rectangular pools identified as the north and south pools separated by an island in between. This area was probably the location of the five porticoes.

Bethesda may be from Hebrew meaning "House of Mercy"; listed as Beth Hasa or Beth Hesed by various authors. Bethzatha is Greek for the hill in the NE section of the city that is thought to have been outside the second city wall (outermost wall of Jerusalem) in existence during the time of Jesus ministry to Jerusalem. The location of this wall was described by the Roman historian Flavius Josephus.

Bethesda was near the Sheep Gate and area outside the wall in an area known as the "New City" that was later enclosed by the third wall.  This area is near the modern gate of the old city called St. Stephen's Gate by Christians.  This gate faces the Mt. of Olives.

SOUTHERN POOL AT BETHESDA


Southern pool of Bethesda at St. Anne Church Jerusalem (Sept. 2003)

There were two main pools at Bethesda. There is a northern pool and a southern pool with an island in the middle. There were five porticoes. The pool was in use from 150 BC to 70 AD. A Byzantine patriarch renovated the area of the pool during the 5th century AD. Either the southern, northern, or a "healing pool" also on the property is the probabe site of Jesus healing the paralytic.

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

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Israel Photos VI
Israel Photos V -- Spring 2011
Israel Photos IV -- Pilgrimage

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