The Last Week pt. 1

Finals were over, our bags were mostly packed, it was a week full of "lasts". On Monday and Tuesday were our last two field trips where we walked through the last week of Christ's life.

There were so many powerful moments these two days. I really tried to take it all in and embrace each site, scripture, testimony and hymn. We were walking on holy ground. And as we had been roaming the streets of Jerusalem for the past 3 1/2 months, this time seemed different. It took on a completely different tone as we contemplated the acts of our Savior in these last moments of his life. For 8 or 9 hours each day, we were truly remembering Him always. He was our main focus. The culmination of the entire semester and our conversion therein rested in these two days.

I know my Savior lives. I know he atoned for our sins. I know that he taught in this beautiful place among people that he loved and I know that his promises are sure. He lived a perfect life and his example inspires me to become more like him. I cannot express my gratitude for the opportunity that I have had to be here this semester and learn of him in the place where it all happened. 

BETHANY

To begin, we'll start with something a little more secular. This is the separation wall. It was put in place right after the Second Intifada around 2003. After the wall was built, the number of terrorist attacks and suicide bombings decreased by 80%. It was definitely a solemn event to be there. Someone pointed out that there is now an entire generation of Palestinians who have never met Israelis and vice versa. 

Bethany is where Mary and Martha and Lazarus lived. Its really on a 5 min drive but it took us 30 min because we had to go around the wall.

There were three important events that happened in Bethany.

MEETING MARTHA AND MARY

Luke 10:38-42

38 ¶ Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.

39 And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word.

40 But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone?  bid her therefore that she help me.

41 And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:

42 But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

 RAISING LAZARUS FROM THE DEAD

John 11:17-57

32 Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.

33 When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled,

34 And said, Where have ye laid him?  They said unto him, Lord, come and see.

35 Jesus wept.

36 Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him!

37 And some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died?

38 Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave.  It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it.

39 Jesus said, Take ye away the stone.  Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days.

40 Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?

41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid.  And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.

42 And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.

43 And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.

44 And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin.  Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.

45 Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him.

49 And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all,

50 Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.

51 And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation;

52 And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad.

53 Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death.

I love the significance of the shortest verse of scripture Jesus wept. He has felt it all. Even when he knows it's going to be better in just a min, he mourns with us and then fixes it. He sees what we don't see but we are never alone.

ANOINTING SAVIOR'S FEET

John 12:1-11

1 THEN Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead.

2 There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him.

3 Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.

4 Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, which should betray him,

5 Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?

6 This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.

7 Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this.

8 For the poor always ye have with you; but me ye have not always.

9 Much people of the Jews therefore knew that he was there: and they came not for Jesus' sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the dead.

10 ¶ But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death;

11 Because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus.

This was the miracle that surpassed ALL miracles. And it was the tipping point where the Pharisees and Sadducees sought to take his life. 

BETHPHAGE

The significance of this place is the start of the Triumphal Entry. I'm putting all the scriptures in here because that's what made these field trips so meaningful. Reading of the Savior's words and the events that happened in his life in the place that it happened.

Matthew 21:1-11

1 AND when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples,

2 Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me.

3 And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them.

4 All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying,

5 Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass.

6 And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them,

7 And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon.

8 And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way.

9 And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.

10 And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this?

11 And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee.

PATER NOSTER CHURCH

This site is associated with the Savior teaching His apostles during his last week. These teachings are the ones about the Second Coming and the parables of the 10 virgins and talents. It is also associated with his ascension. It was later associated with the giving of the Lord's Prayer so like other sites that we saw throughout the semester, they had that written in several languages around the church. 

Pater Noster means "Our Father" in Latin. What we learned here is that the Savior taught in grottos on his way to and from Jerusalem. Also, the focus of his teachings in these chapters is that we can prepare for the future by becoming like Him. One of the ways we can do this is by serving others.

DOMINUS FLEVIT

This church commemorates the incident when the Lord wept over Jerusalem in Luke 13:34-35.

34 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not!

35 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate: and verily I say unto you, Ye shall not see me, until the time come when ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

If we keep coming back to Him, He will redeem us.

This church has a beautiful view of the old city. You could've seen the temple from here. It was His Father's house and the people were defiling it. It broke His heart. And before He made His triumphal entry, He wept.

UPPER ROOM

There was something so sacred about being in these buildings and reminding ourselves of the events that took place. Here we talked about the last supper. We actually had our own Upper Room experience at the Jerusalem Center which helped us to remember more about it. That night Christ and the apostles ate in a triclinium which looks like this.

Christ would be at the center of the table. And when it says that John leaned on Christ's bosom, it would only make sense that he was on his left so he leaned back for Christ to talk to him. Not only did they have a Passover feast, Christ washed their feet, a sign a true servant. You can review what he taught in John 13-17. But this is where he teaches about LOVE. He prepares the apostles for the time soon coming when he will not be with them. He institutes the sacrament so that they will aways remember Him. It seemed appropriate to sing As I Have Loved You.