Just below the Mount of Olives, close to the Church of all Nations, there is the place where Christian tradition says that Mary, the mother or Jesus was buried. The Church of all Nations is a Roman Catholic Church where it is believed that Jesus prayed before His arrest. At the bottom of the Mount of Olives is an ancient olive garden. The Mount of Olives or Mount Olivet is a mountain ridge east of and adjacent to Jerusalem's Old City. It is named for the olive groves that once covered its slopes.
Question: 'What happened on the Mount of Olives?' Answer:The Mount of Olives, sometimes referred to as “Olivet” in the KJV (2 Samuel 15:30; Acts 1:12) or “the mount facing Jerusalem” (1 Kings 11:7), is a ridge running along the east side of Jerusalem, separated from the city walls by a ravine and the Brook Kidron. The Mount of Olives was the site of many events in the Bible and will be the site of a yet-future fulfillment of prophecy.In the Old Testament, the Mount of Olives is mentioned once in relation to King David.
When David’s son Absalom wrested control of Jerusalem, David and his loyal followers fled the city via an eastern route: “David continued up the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went; his head was covered and he was barefoot. All the people with him covered their heads too and were weeping as they went up” (2 Samuel 15:30). Later, King Solomon used the Mount of Olives for idol worship: “On a hill east of Jerusalem, Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the detestable god of Moab, and for Molek the detestable god of the Ammonites” (1 Kings 11:7).
In one of Ezekiel’s visions, the prophet sees the glory of the Lord depart from Jerusalem and come to rest “above the mountain east of it” (Ezekiel 11:23).Jesus made many visits to the Mount of Olives (Luke 21:37). In fact, it was “usual” for Him to go there when in the vicinity of Jerusalem (Luke 22:39). Every time Jesus visited Lazarus and Mary and Martha, He was on the Mount of Olives, for their village of Bethany was situated on the eastern slope. The road from Bethany to Jerusalem lay over Olivet.The Bible records Jesus’ visiting the Mount of Olives three times in the last week of His earthly life, and each time something of significance happened. The first visit is what we call the. The donkey Jesus rode that day was found in the area of Bethany and Bethphage, on the east side of the Mount of Olives (Luke 19:29–30).
Then, “when he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen” (verse 37). While still on the Mount of Olives, Jesus looked at the vista in front of Him, wept over the city, and pronounced a judgment against it (verses 41–44).Jesus’ second visit was to deliver what has come to be known as the, recorded in Matthew 24:1 —25:46.
Parallel passages are found in Mark 13:1–37 and Luke 21:5–36. The content of the Olivet Discourse is Jesus’ response to His disciples’ question “When will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the close of the age?” (Matthew 24:3). Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 24—25 primarily concerns the coming destruction of Jerusalem, the future tribulation period, and the second coming of Christ at the end of the tribulation. The Discourse includes parables about those who wait for the Master’s coming—the wise and faithful servant (Matthew 24:45–51), the five wise virgins (Matthew 25:1–13), and the good servant who uses his resources wisely (Matthew 25:14–30).Jesus’ third visit during the week of was on the night He was betrayed. That evening began with the Last Supper in Jerusalem and ended in the on the Mount of Olives.
During that last Passover meal, Jesus washed His disciples’ feet and then revealed Judas as the betrayer (John 13:1–30). At the conclusion of the meal, Jesus established the New Covenant and instituted the Lord’s Supper (Matthew 26:26–29; 1 Corinthians 11:23–26).
Then He took His disciples to the Garden of Gethsemane (literally, “Garden of the Oil-press”) located on the western slope of the Mount of Olives. There Jesus prayed in agony as He contemplated the day to come. So overcome by the horror of what He was to experience in the crucifixion the following day that His sweat was “like drops of blood” (Luke 22:44) and God sent an angel from heaven to strengthen Him (Luke 22:43).After Jesus prayed, Judas Iscariot arrived with a multitude of soldiers, high priests, Pharisees, and servants to arrest Jesus.
Judas identified Jesus by the prearranged signal of a kiss, which he gave to Jesus. Trying to protect Jesus, Peter drew a sword and attacked a man named Malchus, the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear. Jesus rebuked Peter and healed the man’s ear, displaying the miraculous power of God (Luke 22:51). Nevertheless, the mob arrested Jesus and took Him to face trial, while the disciples scattered in fear for their lives.After the trials, crucifixion, and resurrection, Jesus once again stood on the Mount of Olives. During His final post-resurrection appearance, Jesus led His disciples “out to the vicinity of Bethany, and he lifted up his hands and blessed them. While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy” (Luke 24:50–52).
Acts 1:12 specifies that “the vicinity of Bethany” was indeed the Mount of Olives.Immediately following Jesus’ ascension, two angels told the disciples on the Mount of Olives that “this same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11). According to the prophet Zechariah, Jesus will return not only in the same way, but to the same place. In a prophecy related to the end times, Zechariah declares, “On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south” (Zechariah 14:4).
The very location where David wept in defeat and where Jesus was betrayed and rejected will be the place where Jesus returns in triumph over all His enemies.Recommended Resource.
The Mount of Olives (Har Hazeitim in Hebrew) in Jerusalem has been used as a Jewish cemetery for more than 3,000 years. Approximately 150,000 Jewish people are buried there including some of the greatest Jewish leaders, prophets, and rabbis of all time. Thus the Mount of Olives is by far the largest and most important Jewish cemetery in the world.The Mount of Olives is also central to Christians: several key events in the life of Jesus as related in the Gospels took place there, including the description in the Book of Acts as the place from which Jesus ascended to heaven.
Because of its association with both Jesus and Mary, the Mount has been a site of Christian worship since ancient times and is today a major site of pilgrimage for the Eastern Orthodox, Catholics and Protestants. It is home to significant sites including: Church of All Nations, Garden of Gethsemane and the Russian Orthodox Church of Maria Magdalene.But the Mount of Olives is also at the heart of the dispute for Israeli sovereignty, as well as the Jewish People’s tradition, history and our most sacred real estate.The Mount/cemetery is involved in the territorial dispute between Israel and the Muslim nations as well as the Palestinian-Arabs because Islam rejects Jewish sovereignty and Arabism rejects Zionism. So in addition to being a functioning cemetery and site of pilgrimages, the Mount of Olives is also a place where daily Palestinian-Arabs commit physical attacks, rock throwings and firebombings, terrorizing Jewish mourners and visitors, impeding burials thus forcing relatives to miss the funerals for their loved ones, and destroy gravesites. Moreover, the Palestinian Arabs have demanded that Israel withdraw from/give up control over the Mount of Olives, claiming it is part of their “occupied territory.”Some background: The Mount of Olives is one of three peaks of a mountain ridge which extends 2.2 miles just east of and adjacent to Jerusalem’s Old City including the Temple Mount, and across the Kidron Valley, in the area called the Valley of Josaphat.Mount Scopus is the northern peak at 2,710 feet, Mount of Corruption is the southern peak at 2,451 feet. The ridge acts as a watershed, and its eastern side is the beginning of the Judean Desert. It is named for the olive groves that once covered its slopes.
The southern part of the Mount was the necropolis of the ancient Judean kingdom.The Mount of Olives is mentioned in the visions of the prophets Ezekiel and Zechariah. Jewish tradition relates that the beginning of the resurrection process will take place on the Mount at the end of days. Many Jews believe that those buried on the mount will be the first to arise for everlasting life with the coming of the Messiah. The Jews of Jerusalem customarily sent soil from the Mount of Olives in bags to Jewish communities in the Diaspora, and Jews outside of Israel would spread this soil on the graves of their beloved. In sum, it has been a religious and historic shrine for Israel and the Jewish People for thousands of years.From 1948-1967, when Jordan illegally controlled eastern Jerusalem, Jewish access and the continued burial of Jews on the Mount was prohibited, despite Jordan’s explicit commitment in the Israeli-Jordanian Armistice Agreement of 1949. Moreover, the Jordanians destroyed and desecrated the cemetery, and 38,000 of its tombstones and graves were smashed and/or used for making of latrines and roadways.Since Israel reunified Jerusalem in 1967 as a result of the Six-Day War, burial ceremonies have renewed and large sections of the cemetery were rehabilitated. Israel also guarantees free access to all for religious purposes- something the Muslim-dominated Arabs did not do.In order to get a better sense of the current condition and seriousness of the situation, I posed several questions to Jeff Daube, director of the Israel Office of the Zionist Organization of America and Israel co-chairman of the International Committee for the Preservation of Har Hazeitim:1) What is the significance of the Mount of Olives historically?“The Jewish significance of the Mount of Olives (HH) cannot be overstated.
It is the greatest repository of Jewish history in the world, represented by the leaders and scholars buried in its 3,000+ year old cemetery. This would include three ancient Jewish prophets and a prophetess; numerous sages; chief rabbis of Israel; an Israeli prime minister; many Zionist builders and defenders of Israel, such as the founder of Hadassah Hospital; and illustrious Jews and countless others from around the world whose final request had been to be buried in Judaism’s holiest cemetery. Note that it sits directly across from Judaism’s holiest site over all, the Temple Mount.”2) What is its significance for Israeli sovereignty?“While residents of Jerusalem are entitled to safe and secure access in all areas of sovereign Jerusalem, depriving Jews on HH has special significance.
Despite the fact that HH had fallen behind the 1948 ceasefire line, the April 1949 Israel-Jordan Rhodes Armistice Agreement recognized its special status by stipulating, in Article VIII(2), that not only should visitors to the cemetery be accorded free access, but use of the cemetery for burial purposes should continue in force. The exact opposite happened, as we know, under the 1948-67 Jordanian occupation, which also permitted the desecrations of tens of thousands of graves.“Given the realities of HH under Jordanian occupation, HH post-1949 needs to have Israeli sovereignty asserted in order to prevent a repeat of the depredations. Moreover, from the point of view of geostrategic importance, Israeli control is needed to forestall Palestinian Arab attempts to form a north-south corridor of massive illegal construction from Ramallah to Bethlehem. With facts on the ground, which the Arabs are steadily pursuing virtually unchecked, they could severely undermine Israeli sovereignty not only in eastern Jerusalem, but extending well beyond to the Adumim bloc further east. The Jewish presence on HH, together with the adjacent City of David and Emek Tzurim National Park, constitute a natural barrier to those efforts.”3) What is the security situation: Is it being protected from Arab vandals and terrorists sufficiently?“The security situation has improved — at least as I write, though conditions as we have observed are in continual flux. There are more police, both uniformed and undercover, than in years past.
ZOA’s Israel Office has been instrumental in that process. Actually, we’ve accomplished quite a bit more, having worked with the cabinet secretary and director general in the Prime Minister’s Office on a strategy to effect greater well-being for Arab residents, and security for Jews, throughout all of eastern Jerusalem. Known as The Mandelblit Plan, this new carrot and stick approach, by means of a 300 million shekel budget addition, may be responsible for certain changes we’ve already observed.“During the summer and into September, October and early November, the situation had been especially horrific. Now, with the increased police presence, the number of attacks is down to 5-6 per day. This still is too high. Many of the attacks involve stonings, firebombings or shooting fireworks.
Kindergartens and burial processions are sometimes the targets. Luckily nobody has been killed, but Jewish visitors have been seriously injured; if not for the lucky breaks, the outcomes would have been far worse. We continue to advocate for a policy of zero tolerance.“The violence, as described, relates directly to the sovereignty issue again. The Arab agenda is: ‘If we can terrorize visitors/residents so they no longer frequent an area, we can wrest control by default. If we can wrest control, we can undermine sovereignty.’. Are Jews visiting the area safe?“That depends.
A visitor is relatively safe in the area facing the Temple Mount. If you venture to the back 2/3 areas, which we sadly call the Wild East, you should either go with your own protection (many are carrying pepper spray if not licensed guns), or with an armed escort provided by the government.”. Are graves being desecrated?“They were being badly desecrated until 2013. With the installation of 137 security cameras and a police substation, both of which we had lobbied hard for, we thought we had the desecrations under control.
There was a marked decrease in 2013 going into the first half of 2014. As eastern Jerusalem was roiling during the Gaza war, and subsequently into the Fall of 2014, we also saw a sharp uptick in smashed and defaced gravestones. Not coincidentally, the desecrations were accompanied by the toppling or burning of cameras.”4) What role does or has it been playing with regard to any “peace process” negotiations with the Palestinian Arabs?“With Israel having agreed to make Jerusalem’s disposition a subject of final status negotiations, per the Oslo Accords, it has become more difficult in the interim to assert sovereignty, and take the steps needed via the rule of law. Another example of this is the de facto permitted illegal construction of an HH mosque extension abutting the cemetery, PM Menachem Begin’s grave in particular, despite a Jerusalem municipality stop-work order. The Israel Office had been monitoring and complaining about that over a protracted period, but the situation has reached the point of being too late to oppose further.“The Holy Basin, with HH spanning its eastern rim, is especially exposed to microscopic international scrutiny. Every action, or inaction, attracts international censure and sanctions. In order to regain control and restore order, Israel must declare that since the PA is in material breach of the very same Oslo Accords — signed agreements that were witnessed by the US, EU, Russia et al — it will once again resume full assertion of sovereignty in all of Jerusalem.”5) What can American Jews do to help secure and protect it?“a) Join ZOA ISRAEL’s efforts in partnership with the ICPHH (International Committee for the Preservation of Har Hazeitim); b) Contact U.S.
Government officials to take steps if an American is killed or seriously injured. Law mandates official follow-up, including prosecution of perpetrators; c) Contact the Government of Israel to let its representatives know you are concerned about the violence, along with the desecrations and vandalism.
You might imply that increased personal security on HH would have a salutary effect on tourism; d) And contact ZOA’s office in Israel if you want to help us create a ferment of Diaspora opposition to the status quo. After all, HH is part of the entire Jewish people’s heritage.
We, in Israel, are merely your trustees.”6) Is there any pending legislation in the US, Israel, UN?“In Israel, we arranged for the translation into Hebrew of an Illinois statute on cemeteries desecration and a Florida statute on rock throwing (researched by ZOA’s Center for Law and Justice head, Susan Tuchman), and shopped both, more stringent approaches, around the Knesset. In addition, we initiated many a discussion about penalties for parents when the culprits are under age, and minimum sentencing for older culprits, to strengthen the deterrence factor.
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All was received favorably. However, government-sponsored legislation waiting in the pipeline was derailed with the disbanding of the Knesset, so we’ll have to revisit that after the elections.“We are very close to MK Miri Regev, who as chair of the Knesset Interior Committee was spearheading efforts along the lines we proposed. Her high standing within Likud pretty much assures she’ll be back in that role soon. We also are already discussing parallel legal strategies with new candidates on the scene expected to win seats in the next Knesset session.“ZOA ISRAEL has been working on the desecrations issue with U.S. Congresswoman Grace Meng (D-NY). Her Protect Cemeteries Act, which we had helped bring to the attention of Meng’s colleagues to help it pass, has applicability to this particular problem. The implications of that bill, now a law, for penalizing any country that fails to protect its cemeteries is thornily connected to the Jerusalem sovereignty question.“My office is also working with U.S.
State Department officials to get the attacks entered into relevant reports for 2014 (on Terrorism, Human Rights Practices), which we had achieved with State’s countries report on International Religious Freedom in previous years. We’re pursuing a course of getting the attacks labeled as ‘anti-Semitism,’ as well, because Christian groups on HH tend not to be victimized the way Jews are.“While not a matter of legislation, we are asking State Department’s Consul General and officials to elicit condemnations from local Arab leaders and from the PA itself, both of whose incitement is highly correlated with the violence and desecrations. Contact ZOA.org for further details on how to get involved.”Bottom line: We must all treat the Mount of Olives with the reverence and importance it deserves — strategically and religiously — or ignore it and give it up at our peril.Lee S. Bender is the co-author with Jerome Verlin of the book, Pressing Israel: Media Bias Exposed From A-Z (Pavilion Press, 2012) and is co-President of ZOA-Greater Philadelphia District. Bender co-authored a book, “Pressing Israel: Media Bias Exposed From A-Z” (Pavilion Press) with Jerome Verlin, and has been speaking about anti-Israel bias and activities to numerous schools, synagogues, churches and civic groups, and written dozens of articles published in local and national media.
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He is Co-President of the Zionist Organization of America-Greater Philadelphia District, a board member of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Philadelphia, Israel Advocacy Committee of Jewish Federation among other organizations. A former Philadelphia Assistant District Attorney, he has been in private practice as a trial attorney in Pennsylvania and New Jersey since 1995.