Which Gate Did Jesus Enter Jerusalem?

What is the significance of the Eastern Gate of Jerusalem?

Answer to the question The Old City of Jerusalem is encircled by a wall with eight principal gates, each of which leads into the city.The Herod’s Entrance, the Damascus Gate, the New Gate, the Jaffa Gate, the Zion Gate, the Dung Gate, the Eastern Gate, and the Lions’ Gate are the gates that are entered in a counter-clockwise direction from the northernmost gate.The Eastern Gate, which faces the Mount of Olives across the Kidron Valley and is totally locked up, is one of a kind in that it is completely closed.

In the eyes of some observers, the closure of the Eastern Gate represents the fulfilment of a biblical prophesy.The Eastern Gate of Jerusalem, commonly known as the Golden Gate or the Beautiful Gate, is located on the eastern side of the city (Acts 3:2).It is referred to as Sha’ar Harahamim, which means ″Gate of Mercy″ in Hebrew.It is the oldest gate in the Old City, having been built in the 6th or 7th century AD and is now the oldest gate in the world.As a side note, the Eastern Gate provides the most direct access to the Temple Mount—if a person were to walk through the arches of the Eastern Gate, he would be quite near to the site where the Jewish temple once stood.

As recorded in Matthew 21, when Jesus entered Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, He came through a gate that stands in the same place as the modern Eastern or Golden Gate today.Suleiman the Magnificent, a sultan of the Ottoman Empire, ordered the sealing of the Eastern Gate in AD 1540–41, and the gate has remained closed ever since.It is claimed that the closure of the Eastern Gate was necessary in order to prevent the Jewish Messiah from gaining entry into Jerusalem.According to Jewish belief, the Messiah will enter the world through the Eastern Gate when He arrives to govern the world.

Muslim Suleiman was attempting to hinder the Messiah’s intentions with sixteen feet of cement when the Messiah appeared in a dream.The Eastern Gate has been closed for about 500 years, according to historical records.The sealing of Jerusalem’s Eastern Gate has piqued the interest of many scholars of prophecy, who have taken note of what has happened.In the book of Ezekiel, there are multiple allusions to a gate that is oriented eastward.During the prophet Ezekiel’s vision of the Lord’s Glory leaving the temple by ″the entrance of the east gate of the Lord’s house,″ the glory proceeds east of the city to the Mount of Olives, which is described in Ezekiel 10:18–19.

(Ezekiel 11:23).Several chapters later, in Ezekiel 43:1–5, Ezekiel sees the brightness of the Lord return to the temple via ″the gate facing east.″ In Ezekiel 44:1–2, we learn that the gate had been closed: ″The guy took me back to the outer gate of the sanctuary, which was facing east, and it was locked.″ ‘This gate is must be kept closed,’ the Lord told me.It is not permitted to be opened, and no one is permitted to enter through it.The Lord, the God of Israel, has come through it, and the door is to be kept closed.″ To conclude, we learn that there is one individual who may enter via the eastern gate, a ″prince,″ in Ezekiel 46:12: ″When the prince gives a freewill gift to the LORD…the entrance facing east is to be opened for him….

After that, he will be allowed to leave, and after he has left, the gate will be closed.″ The book of Ezekiel contains sections that some believe to be allusions to the Lord Jesus Christ.The triumphant entry into the temple is shown in Ezekiel 43:2 and Matthew 21:1–11 as the Lord’s splendor entering the building.When Ezekiel 44:2 commands that the gate be permanently closed because the Lord has entered it, it is interpreted as a prophecy of the Muslims’ walling-up of the Eastern Gate in AD 1540, according to some scholars.As a final point, upon Christ’s second coming, the ″prince″ to whom the gate would be opened (Ezekiel 46:12) is interpreted as Christ Himself, who will come to the Mount of Olives (Zechariah 14:4) and enter Jerusalem through the newly reopened Eastern Gate.This interpretation is widely accepted, and it has sparked a great deal of dramatic conjecture about how and when the Eastern Gate will be opened.That view, on the other hand, has significant textual difficulties.

First and foremost, linking Ezekiel’s ″gate facing east″ with the Eastern Gate of the Old City of Jerusalem presents a significant challenge.Ezekiel expressly refers to the gate he saw as ″the outer gate of the sanctuary″ (Ezekiel 44:1), indicating that it is a gate of the temple court rather than a gate of the city itself.Second, the Eastern Gate of Jerusalem is not the same gate that Jesus rode through on His triumphal entry into the city on Palm Sunday.The construction of the present Eastern Gate did not begin until centuries after the death of Christ.

According to archaeologist James Fleming in 1969, the original gate that Nehemiah erected (and which may date back to the reign of Solomon) is located underground, underneath the existing gate, and dates back to the time of Solomon.
At the time of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem in AD 30, he would have entered through the lower gate (now underground).
Third, the temple that Ezekiel sees in chapters 40–47 is not the same temple that Jesus was in, and the Jerusalem that he depicts is not the same Jerusalem that we know today.
Compared to the previous two temples, the millennial temple (the third temple) measured in Ezekiel is substantially larger, and the city of Jerusalem in the millennium will have twelve gates rather than eight (Ezekiel 48:30–35).

Finally, and perhaps most crucially, the ″prince″ of Ezekiel 46 is not the Messiah as some have suggested.Rather, he serves as the overlord of Jerusalem during the millennial reign of Jesus Christ.He is not the same as Jesus, yet he serves under Jesus’ supervision.As evidence, we can see that this prince is not the Lord since he is required to make a sin offering for himself as well as for the entire nation: ″On that day, the prince is required to present a bull as a sin sacrifice for himself and for the entire nation″ (Ezekiel 45:22).Regardless of who the prince is, he is a man who has a sinful nature that must be atoned for by repentance.

For the record, the ″gate facing east″ described by Ezekiel is distinct from the Eastern Gate, which may still be seen today in the ancient wall of Jerusalem.Due to the fact that the current (sealed) gate did not exist at the time of Christ, the Lord was never permitted to pass through it.In Ezekiel 40–42, the site of the older Eastern Gate (the one through which Jesus entered) is below present-day ground level, and thus does not correspond to the exact depiction of the future temple complex provided by the prophet.It follows that the eastern gate of Ezekiel 44 will be a component of the future millennial temple complex, which we can speculate about.It has not yet been constructed.How should we interpret the appearance and disappearance of God’s brightness, as well as the closing of the eastern gate, as prophesied by Ezekiel?

As an example, in chapter 10, the prophet sees the glory of the Lord disappearing from the temple because of the heinous immorality of the people—this is the first temple, which was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BC—because of the heinous wickedness of the people.Later in the book of Ezekiel, in chapter 43, Ezekiel sees the grandeur of the temple return—this is the new and larger temple of the millennial reign.Towards the end of chapter 44, Ezekiel is informed that the eastern temple gate ″is to be kept closed because the Lord, the God of Israel, has come in through it″ (verse 2).With this in mind, the brightness of the Lord will not be extinguished from the temple during the millennium.An obstacle has been placed in the pathway leading to the previous exit (which is to the east), indicating the Lord’s ongoing presence among His people.The eastern gate will only be opened on the Sabbath and the New Moon to allow the prince to perform his priestly responsibilities (Ezekiel 46:1–2), according to the prophet.

Questions regarding the End Times can be found here.
What is the significance of Jerusalem’s Eastern Gate?
What is the significance of the Western Gate?

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Did Jesus enter Jerusalem through the sheep gate?

When Jesus arrived in Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, it is thought that he approached the Temple Mount by the Sheep Gate, which is also known as the Lion’s Gate. … It was referred to as the Sheep Gate because it was through this gate that the sacrifices for worship were transported.

What gate was the triumphal entry?

Their rituals were held there, but they were required to enter the city through the Zion Gate thereafter. 2 From the year 1738 forward, this event was observed until it was discontinued.

How many gates were there in Jerusalem at the time of Jesus?

At the period of Suleiman the Magnificent, the seven gates were as follows: Damascus Gate, Golden Gate, Herod’s Gate, Jaffa Gate, Lions’ Gate, Silwan Gate (also known as Mughrabi Gate, and today known as Dung Gate), and Zion Gate (also known as Mughrabi Gate). …List.

English	Jaffa Gate
Hebrew	Sha’ar Yafo שער יפו
Arabic	Bab al-Khalil باب الخليل
Location	Middle of western wall
Status	Open

Why did the Tabernacle gate face east?

This east entrance of the court, like the other parts of the tabernacle, was a treasure trove of symbolic meaning. According to God’s instructions, the gate to the tabernacle was always to be on the east end, with the entryway facing west when the structure was constructed. Moving westward represents a move closer to God. Going east is a metaphor for turning away from God.

How did Jesus enter Jerusalem on Palm Sunday?

The men tracked down the donkey and brought it and its foal to Jesus, where they draped their cloaks over the colt’s shoulders. While riding on the young donkey, Jesus made his triumphal entry into Jerusalem, slowly and with humility. People tossed their cloaks on the ground and placed palm branches on the road in front of him as he made his way down the route.

What was the name of Jesus donkey?

The Christian donkey, also known as the Jerusalem donkey, is a kind of donkey native to the Holy Land. The cross on the donkey’s back is usually believed to be a representation of the Crucifixion scene from the Easter tale.

Who got the donkey for Jesus?

When Matthew wrote about Palm Sunday in Matthew 21:1–7, he drew on the prophet Zechariah for inspiration: Then, when they neared Jerusalem and arrived to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus dispatched two Disciples, instructing them: ″Go to the town ahead of you, and immediately you will see a donkey tethered there with a colt by her.″

What does the donkey symbolize in the Bible?

Donkeys were shown in Biblical writings as symbols of servitude, sorrow, peace, and humility, in contrast to donkeys depicted in Grecian works. Additionally, in the Old Testament tale of Balaam’s assassination, they are related with the notion of wisdom, and in the New Testament, they are portrayed in a good light in the account of Jesus entering Jerusalem on a donkey.

Which gate is the Beautiful Gate?

Location in terms of space and time. Scholars’ attempts to agree on the identity of the gate by one of its well-known names have met with little success, despite the fact that both the upper inner gate, known as the Nicanor, and the lower outer gate, known as the Shushan, have been presented as possible candidates for identification.

What were the names of the gates of Jerusalem?

In accordance with the four directions of the compass, four large gates were built: the Jaffa Gate, the Damascus Gate, the Lion’s Gate, and the Zion Gate. These four gates served as gateways to some of Israel’s most important towns.

What are the 8 Gates of Jerusalem?

In accordance with the four directions of the compass, four large gates were built: the Jaffa Gate, the Damascus Gate, the Lion’s Gate, and the Zion Gate. These four gates served as gateways to major cities across the nation.

Where is the gate beautiful in Jerusalem?

The Gate of Mercy, located in the eastern Temple-Mount wall, is perhaps the most well-known of all the gates. The Eastern Gate, also known as the Golden Gate or the Eastern Gate, has been closed for generations and is claimed to be waiting for a miracle opening when the Messiah returns and the dead are raised from the grave.

What does the North represent in the Bible?

It is the location of God’s celestial abode on earth. The direction north represents calamity, which is symbolized by the left hand. (The name ″north″ comes from an old European language where the word ″north″ meant ″left.″) It is said in the Bible that the adversary of God’s people comes from the north and brings ruin.

Which Gate Will Jesus Use to Re-Enter Jerusalem in the Last Days?

″After that, he escorted me to the gate, namely the entrance that faces eastward: It was then that ″the sun shone on the world and the moon shone on it″ as the glory of God of Israel descended from the east, his voice like the sound of many waves, and the earth shone with his splendor.As a result, ″the glory of the Lord came into the house via the way of the gate whose outlook is toward east.″ Ezekiel 43:1–2, 4, 5–6 He will descend from Heaven during the Second Coming of Jesus Christ and vanquish the antichrist and false prophet at the Battle of Armageddon, sending them to Hell for all of eternity.In addition, he will bind Satan and cast him into the bottomless pit for a period of 1,000 years.

This 1,000-year time span corresponds to His Millennium reign on the planet, during which He will rule from the city of Jerusalem, according to the Bible.Although I am aware that there are some who would like to debate when Jesus Returns, I believe that the most important question is whether He will first meet up with His Saints (the Believers) in the clouds at the Rapture prior to the beginning of the final seven-year Tribulation time period, or whether He will snatch them up on His way down to Armageddon at the end of the Tribulation time period.I have published a lot of pieces on this subject, and if you are interested in learning more, I recommend that you go through some of my previous work.The Rapture has been updated.When will the Rapture take place — before, during, or after the Tribulation, and What will happen during the Rapture – God’s Promise While I personally believe that the Biblical evidence for a pre-Tribulation Rapture is unassailable, we will only be discussing what happens when Jesus, at His Second Coming, physically touches down on the earth at the end of the Tribulation.

Where did Jesus go in Jerusalem?

A number of biblical accounts depict Jesus descending from the Mount of Olives toward Jerusalem, including Matthew 21:1–11, Mark 11:1–11, Luke 19:28–44, and John 12:12–19. As he triumphantly approaches Jerusalem, the multitude lay their clothing on the ground to greet him. Palm Sunday is historically observed as a commemoration of the triumphal arrival.

What did Jesus do in Jerusalem?

As stated in the New Testament, Jerusalem was the city to which Jesus was brought as a child, where he was presented at the Temple (Luke 2:22) and where he participated in religious festivals (Luke 2:41). According to the canonical gospels, Jesus preached and performed miracles in Jerusalem, particularly in the Temple Courts of the Temple.

Where did Jesus enter Jerusalem?

″Jesus entered Jerusalem through the Eastern Gate, often known as the Golden Gate or the Gate of Mercy,″ according to the Bible. The Golden Gate is positioned on the eastern side of Jerusalem’s ancient city wall, earning it the nickname ″Eastern Gate″ due to its location on the eastern side of the wall. It has a stunning view of the Mount of Olives, which can be seen over the Kidron valley.

What places did Jesus visit?

According to the Gospels, Jesus traveled to a number of locations in modern-day Israel, Palestine, Egypt, and Lebanon.

Where did Jesus travel in his life?

The New Testament account of Jesus’ life relates to a variety of sites in the Holy Land, as well as a flight into Egypt, among other things. Galilee and Judea were described as the primary venues for Jesus’ mission, with activity also taking place in adjacent places such as Perea and Samaria, according to these sources.

Was Jesus born in Bethlehem or Jerusalem?

The village of Bethlehem in Judea, which is located around six miles south of Jerusalem, has long been regarded as the birthplace of Jesus Christ. After Jesus’ birth, according to the New Testament, Joseph and Mary traveled to Nazareth, which is located farther north in the country of Judea, where they remained until their deaths.

Why did Jesus stay behind in Jerusalem?

Even though an angel had taught Mary and Joseph about Jesus’ mission before he was born, they were perplexed as to why Jesus remained at the temple when they returned home. While Jesus was with His actual Father, He was meditating. Even at the age of twelve, Jesus saw that His mission was to redeem people from their sins.

Why does Jesus curse the fig tree?

To bracket and comment on his tale of the Jewish temple, Mark employs the cursing of the barren fig tree: On their trip to Jerusalem, Jesus curses a fig tree because it has no fruit; in Jerusalem, he throws out the money-changers from the temple; the next morning, the disciples discover that the fig tree has been cursed once more because it bears no fruit…

Which gate is closed in Jerusalem?

The Old City of Jerusalem is encircled by a huge wall with eight major gates, which serves as a protective barrier. The Eastern Gate, which faces the Mount of Olives, is distinctive in that it is completely closed.

Who did Jesus drive out of the temple area?

Jerusalem was jam-packed with Jews who had traveled to the city for Passover, with estimates ranging from 300,000 to 400,000 travelers. In the end, he drove them all out of the temple with a whip made of cords, along with the sheep and oxen.

What is Nazareth called today?

Nazareth is referred to be ″the Arab capital of Israel″ because of its Arab population. It has a population of 77,445 people in 2019. The majority of the population consists of Arab nationals of Israel, with 69 percent of them being Muslims and 30.9 percent being Christians. … Nazareth.

Nazareth النَّاصِرَة an-Nāṣira נָצְרַת‎ Natzrat
Area code	+972 (Israel)
Website	www.nazareth.muni.il

Where is Nazareth now?

Nazareth, Israel’s largest Arab city and one of the largest cities in northern Israel, is located in the beautiful Lower Galilee region of the country and is famous for being the city where Jesus had lived and grown up. Today, the city is the largest Arab city in Israel and one of the largest cities in northern Israel.

Where was Jesus during the lost years?

According to Christian legend, Jesus just resided in Galilee throughout that time period.

Where did Jesus do most of his teaching?

The beginning of Jesus’ career is described in the gospels as taking place in the countryside of Roman Judea, near the River Jordan.

Where did Jesus walk in Israel?

The 65-kilometer-long Jesus Trail in northern Israel is much more than a Christian pilgrimage; it serves as a warning to visitors to proceed with caution.

How far from Jerusalem did Jesus travel?

The landscape and distances involved naturally lend themselves to the Jesus Trail being walked as a series of day walks over the course of four days, with each day’s journey ranging between 13 and 19 kilometers (8 to 12 kilometers) in length.

The Bible Journey

The events in this section take place between Mark 10:46 and 11:19.The stories in Luke and Matthew are similar, although the chronological order of events differs significantly.10:46 Mark 10:46 In the spring of 30AD, Jesus and his followers make their way towards Jericho on their way to Jerusalem (see 1 on Map 11).

Map No.11 Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem.Jericho This thriving oasis on the Jordan Valley’s floor, known as Jericho (which means ‘city of palm trees,’ in Arabic), is surrounded by desert and supplied with water by a spring that never runs dry.As a result, it contains lush flora in what would normally be a dry and arid environment.In addition, excavation of the ancient tell, which is to the north of the present city, has found twenty layers of civilisation that date back thousands of years to around 9000 BC.

It is considered to be one of the world’s oldest inhabited towns.It is mentioned in the Old Testament as the city that was vanquished by the Jewish people under Joshua after their flight from Egypt (see Joshua 6:1-27).King Herod the Great erected a winter palace and gardens in this location a few years before the birth of Jesus, as well as an aqueduct to bring water into the town (see the item on Herod’s Palaces in Section 2).The city was surrounded by date palm plantations, which provided Herod with a substantial source of wealth.

Lk.19:1–10 is a passage from the Gospel of Luke.As Jesus passes through the city of Jericho, he comes face to face with Zacchaeus, a wealthy Jewish public official who works for the Roman government, collecting taxes.Due to his inability to see above the heads of the multitudes, Zacchaeus climbs up the side of a sycamore fig tree, which is a species of fig tree popular in Palestine.Jesus approaches him and is invited to spend the night in his home.

When Zacchaeus realizes what he has done, he expresses regret and vows to repay the impoverished four times the sum he has taken from them.Mark 10:46 to 52 A blind man named Bartimaeus who is begging by the side of the road because he is unable to work is healed by Jesus as they are leaving Jericho.The Gospel of Mark 11:1–7 When Jesus and his followers leave Jericho, they ascend the route to Jerusalem, passing by the Mount of Olives on their way to the Holy City (see 2 on Map 11).Before arriving to the hilltop villages of Bethphage (which means ‘place of young figs’) and Bethany (where Mary, Martha, and Lazarus dwelt), Jesus dispatches two disciples ahead of him to collect a donkey from the owner of the animal.In the direction to Jerusalem, Jesus rides down a slope from Bethany (see 3 on Map 11).

Jesus weeps over the city of Jerusalem.19:41 (Lk.19:41) As he looks down on the city of Jerusalem, Jesus sobs.As the Pharisees in the crowd express their continued resistance to Jesus’ teaching, Jesus is disappointed that they are unable to perceive what would bring harmony to the city.Following this, he goes on to foretell the siege and destruction of Jerusalem, which occurred forty years later in 70AD (see Section 21 for more information on the Romano-Jewish War).Luke 19:44 describes Roman troops robbing the Temple following the destruction of Jerusalem in 70AD (as shown on Titus’ Arch in the Forum of Rome).

The entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem The Mount of Olives, also known as Olivet, is a tiny series of four hills (the tallest of which is 2750 ft / 838m above sea level), which rises about 250 ft / 75 m above Jerusalem to the east of the Kidron Valley.The Mount of Olives is a popular tourist destination in Jerusalem (see Map 11).The name comes from the vast forest of olive trees that blanketed the area during the time of Jesus’ ministry.Visitors to the Mount of Olives now may stand on the same spot where Jesus did two thousand years ago and look out over the city of Jerusalem.

Visitors can enter the tear-shaped Chapel of Dominus Flevit (meaning ‘The Lord cried’) by walking down the slope following the path that Jesus took.
The chapel, designed by Italian architect Bertolucci in 1955 on the ruins of a 7th century chapel, is accessible only by foot.
The four stone jugs on each corner of the structure are meant to imitate ‘tear jugs,’ which were used to collect the tears of mourners during a Jewish burial.
Jerusalem’s Dominus Flevit Chapel is a must-see (Luke 19:41) The slopes of the Kidron Valley, which face the Temple, are covered by a large Jewish cemetery that dates back centuries.

Numerous Jews have requested to be buried in this location, believing that they would be the first to rise from the dead when the Messiah overcomes his adversaries on the Mount of Olives and judges them in the Valley of Jehoshaphat (also known as the Kidron Valley) (see Zechariah 14:3-5 & Joel 3:2).Viewing the Golden Gate from across the Valley of Jehoshaphat (Luke 19:41) Visitors may see the Golden Gate Bridge behind the grey onion domes of the Russian Orthodox Church of Mary Magdalene, which was built in the nineteenth century (also called the Gate of Repentence).According to Christian tradition, it was through this gate, which was constructed in the 7th century, that Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey in order to fulfill the Messianic prophecies (see Map 12).Jesus rides into town on the back of a donkey.8-11 (Mk 11:8-11) Jesus enters the Old City of Jerusalem on a donkey, which is a sign of humility, in order to fulfill the prophecies of the Old Testament concerning the Messiah – the Christ – who would come (see Zechariah 9:9).

A traditional pilgrim hymn ″God bless the One who comes in the name of the Lord!″ (Mark 11:9) is used to welcome him as he passes by as people preparing for the Passover holiday throw palm fronds on the road and sing to him in greeting (Mark 11:9).(see Psalm 118:25-26).Palm Sunday, which marks the commemoration of Jesus’ victorious entry into Jerusalem on April 2, 30AD, will be observed by Christians for the next two thousand years.Mk 11:11 is a number that represents the year 1111 in the Julian calendar.In the evening, after a quick visit to the Temple’s courtyards, Jesus and his twelve disciples spend the night in Bethany (see 4 on Map 11).Continue to the next page

Understanding Jesus’ Entrance into Jerusalem

Reading about Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem might leave you perplexed as to why He required a colt that had never been ridden before, or even why He needed a colt at all.What might also be perplexing is why the people reacted the way they did when they saw Jesus coming into Jerusalem on the colt, and why they were crying, ″Hosanna!″ when he arrived.Many sermons and studies have been presented on Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, as well as explanations to help us better comprehend what is going on and why the people reacted the way they did.

The connection to 1 Kings 1 has yet to be explained to me by any of them, despite my repeated requests.Did you know that the whole sequence of events surrounding Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem may be found in the book of 1 Kings, which features the newly-appointed King Solomon?Also, did you know that there is additional information about this incident can be found in various places throughout the Old Testament?Let’s start with Mark’s description of the situation: As they neared Jerusalem, they passed through Bethphage and Bethany, which were located on the Mount of Olives.″Go to the hamlet ahead of you,″ Jesus instructed His followers, who were despatched to the village.

Just as you go through the door, you’ll notice a colt tethered to the fence that no one has ever rode before.Bring it here when you’ve untied it.If someone asks you ‘why are you doing this,’ answer them that ″The Lord requires it and will return it to you as soon is possible.″ As a result, they went out into the street and discovered a colt chained at a doorway.As they were untying the colt, other onlookers inquired, ″What are you doing, untying that colt?″ they said.

They responded in the manner in which Jesus had instructed them, and the crowds dispersed.It was Jesus who rode the colt when the disciples brought it to him and placed their jackets over his shoulders.A large number of people gathered on the roadside as Jesus came into Jerusalem on the colt, some spreading their cloaks, others spreading branches cut from the fields.″Hosanna!″ cried out those who were in front of Jesus and those who were following Him.He who comes in the name of the Lord is to be praised!

The approaching Kingdom of our forefather David will be blessed!″Hosanna in the highest possible degree!″ When Jesus first walked inside the temple, He took a long, hard look around.However, because to the fact that it was now late, He accompanied the 12 to Bethany.So, let’s have a look at what we have here:

A colt that had never been ridden before

The fact that it’s never been ridden before doesn’t seem to make a difference.In my Bible’s notes, I found multiple passages (Numbers 19:2, Deuteronomy 21:3, 1 Samuel 5:7) that referred to the red heifer, another heifer, and cows, all of which had something to do with having no fault or blemish, never having been subjected to a yoke, etc.When you think about it, it’s actually quite intriguing because they would give it to the priest, who would then take it outside the camp and butcher it.

God’s people had been soiled by touch with the dead, and this was a cleansing process designed to purify them.However, it is distinct in that the animal was sacrificed outside the camp, rather than on the altar, as was the case with the other sacrifices.This was because the blood was a crucial cleaning component (was He cleaned by his own blood?) and could not be removed.While performing this sacrifice, the priest himself became filthy, and he needed to be cleansed, but not by following the same ritual as the others (He took on our sin).This would then result in the impurities from the defiled individual being transferred to the heifer.

Jesus was killed outside of Jerusalem, just as the heifer was slaughtered outside of the camp in order to achieve purification for the defiled; similarly, Jesus, who bore the sins and impurities of the entire human race, was killed outside of Jerusalem in order to achieve redemption through His blood for all sinners (Hebrews 9:13-14, 13:11-12)

The Crowd Responds to Jesus’ Entrance

The colt, Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, the rousing applause, and the throngs of people putting down their clothes and palm branches: these are the events of the Passion.One passage that reminded me of this was 1 Kings 1:32-48, when David instructed Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and several others to accompany him (David) and to have Solomon his son saddle his own donkey and go down to Gihon with them.Then, there will be a ceremony in which Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet will anoint him as king of Israel.

To blow the trumpet and yell ″Long live King Solomon!″ they were instructed.Once this is completed, they will accompany him to David’s throne, where they will sit and reign in his (David’s) place.As a result of Solomon’s reign, you gained a new monarch who was accompanied by the Priest and the Prophet.Jesus fulfilled all three roles: King, High Priest, and Prophet.When the crowds screamed out about Jesus and David’s Kingdom, it was clear that they were referring to Zechariah’s prophesy (Zech 9:9-17).

Once Jesus Arrived

Jesus walked inside the Temple, took a look around, and then departed since it was getting late in the day.
What’s going on?
Is it possible that he simply left?
Is there nothing else?

Only because, according to Matthew’s account, Jesus drove out those who were earning money, clashed with some of the authorities (rebuking them), and then went to Bethany, I bring this up.Luke reports that Jesus expelled everyone who dealt with money, taught there on a regular basis, and no one found anything wrong with Him.John just provided specifics, without even mentioning Jesus’ entrance into the temple (however, in Mark’s narrative, Jesus returns the following day, and that is when everything ″fell down″).

Reflection:

What kind of entrance into Jerusalem would you have arranged if you were in charge of organizing Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem?
Read Numbers 19:2-13 and make a comparison with the reading for today. When Jesus asks for the colt, how does he identify himself to the crowd? In what manner does this request serve to prove His persona?
Read 1 Kings 1:32-48 in its entirety. Additionally, compare it to today’s text. How does the way in which Jesus arrived in Jerusalem attest to His persona?
What were your thoughts and feelings as Jesus rode into your life on that colt? What additional techniques did (or does) Jesus employ to communicate with you?
Take a time to observe the reactions of others around you. Before this time, the majority of the people saw Jesus as a healer, an Elijah, or a prophet, respectively. Yet, in this place, people are seeing Jesus as something greater, perhaps even as the Messiah. However, in Mark 15, many of these same people were chanting, ″crucify him!″ (no more than 5 days later) when Jesus was crucified. What do you think is the reason for their constant swaying back and forth?
Even in this day and age, many individuals have a tendency to waver back and forth in their faith and acceptance of the Lord Jesus Christ. What do you think the reason is behind this? In your opinion, what do you believe it would take for people to come to a conclusion about Him and stick to it?

Is it possible that you are one of those persons who has faith that wavers back and forth? What is it that you need to happen in order for you to make and stick to your choice concerning Him, whatever that decision may be?

Entering Jerusalem from the East

One of the chapels on the Mount of Olives, with a view of Jerusalem, is named Dominus Flevit (″The Lord Wept″).
It celebrates an incident that is mentioned in the Gospel of Matthew.
Jesus is claimed to have rested here on his victorious approach to the city from the eastern towns of Bethany and Bethphage, according to the Gospel of Luke.
Jesus, surrounded by his followers, honored with raised palm branches, and greeted with cries of hosanna as the son of David, paused on the route to Jerusalem, looked around, and grieved as he realized the city would be destroyed (Luke 19:41-44).

On Friday, March 17, 2017, I joined 18 Notre Dame undergraduates and seven other pilgrims in attending a Holy Mass offered by Father Gary Chamberlain, CSC, Father Andrew Carl Wisdom, O.P., and Father Gregory Tatum, O.P.in the Basilica of St.John the Evangelist in Rome.

We were facing the altar when we noticed the city stretching out gloriously in front of us through a clear window.
We were facing the Temple Mount, with our view linked with Jesus’ vision.
The Temple itself was demolished by the Romans in 67 A.D., as Jesus had foretold with tears in his eyes.
The mount on which it formerly stood, which was sacred to the Jews, is now the site of the Muslim ″Dome of the Rock,″ which commemorates the location where the prophet Muhammad is claimed to have risen into heaven, according to tradition.
The golden dome of the building stood out prominently in the landscape before us.

Dominus fugit.
Dominus fugit.
According to the Gospels, Jesus was moved to tears on two separate occasions.
Sobbing with the mournful, he mourned for the loss of Lazarus, whom he adored and cherished (John 11:35).
As he approached Jerusalem, he broke down in tears, a testament to his deep affection for the city and its people.
I had completely forgotten that Jesus mourned over Jerusalem and foretold its doom while on the victorious ride that we honor on Palm Sunday.

I had completely forgotten.Thousands of people greeted him as king, putting their cloaks on the route along which a donkey and colt were transporting him.But Jesus spoke to them at the very moment of their jubilation, lamenting that ″you did not know the time of your visitation from God″ (Luke 19:44).The city called for peace (salem, shalom) would be subjected to horrendous acts of violence.Jesus’ view of the city on that particular day was also a picture of what the city will become in the future.That prophetic vision had to have continued beyond the period of the Roman destruction of Jerusalem in the first century AD, according to historical evidence.

The brutality of the Crusades, the Six Day War of 1967, current tensions and terrorism, all of this must have been predicted by Jesus himself.
Dominus fugit.
Dominus fugit.
″As he got closer to the city and saw it, he broke down and grieved″ (Luke 19:41).
Even as he sobbed, he proceeded on his journey into Jerusalem, joining his fate to that of the city and its Temple.
Jesus must have entered the city by the city’s eastern gate, known as the Golden Gate, after descending from the Mount of Olives.

The Golden Gate, which is clearly visible from the vantage point from whence we gazed out over the city, is sealed.
This fortified city, which had been closed by Muslims in A.D.
810 then restored by the Crusaders, was shut up once again by Saladin in 1187 and again by Suleiman the Magnificent in 1541.

Despite the fact that it has been shuttered for nearly 400 years, Why did Jesus come via that specific gate on the day of his triumph, when the entire city was clamoring for him to be the Messiah and the King of the Jews?In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus is described as riding into Jerusalem as its king on the backs of a donkey and a colt, in fulfillment of a prophesy (Zechariah 9:9).Another prophesy, Ezekiel’s mystical vision of the new temple, recounts the following: ″Then he led me to the gate, which was the gate that faced east.It was at that point that God’s splendor, which was coming from the east, appeared″ (Ezekiel 43:1).″The vision I saw was similar to the vision I had seen when he came to destroy the city,″ the prophet continues, and later writes that he saw the eastern gate sealed shut: ″This gate shall remain shut; it shall not be opened, and no one shall enter by it; for the LORD, the God of Israel, has entered by it.″ The eastern gate is associated with the approach of the Divine, namely with the arrival of the Messiah, according to Jewish, Christian, and Muslim beliefs.Following the Proto-Gospel of James (about A.D.

150), Christian art typically shows the Virgin Mary’s parents meeting at the Golden Gate and kissing and hugging each other, celebrating her Immaculate Conception and her Immaculate Conception.Mary is the one who will welcome the God-Man, the Incarnate Word of God, into the earth, as she is destined to be the porta coeli, or ″gate of heaven.″ She is also known as the ″Mother of God.″ She is also a sealed gate that has remained virgin throughout time, for the Lord has entered through her.Moreover, one of the earliest post-Resurrection miracles performed in the name of Jesus occurred at the Golden Gate, where a cripple who had begged at the gate was healed, and whose ″walking and jumping and praising God″ (Acts 3:8) expresses the Easter delight of the entire Church.The Lord, who is alive and has risen from the dead, is also alive in us.

Even now, he continues to teach us what is required for world peace.Standing on the Mount of Olives, looking through a window at the Dominus Flevit chapel, I was able to see and grasp a great deal more than I had previously been able to see or comprehend.At the same time, it was a beautiful and horrifying vision, at once as human as a tear or a kiss and as divine as the prophet’s vision, which foretold what has since happened and what is yet to come.The fact that Jesus once paused on a hill, looked down at the city he adored, and grieved because of it makes this double view feasible.

Sister Ann Astell is a professor in the Department of Theology at Notre Dame, where she also serves as the director of undergraduate studies.

The most mysterious gate in Jerusalem’s Old City is still puzzling researchers

When it was dark and wet outside, the American archaeologist James Fleming arrived at the Golden Gate in Jerusalem’s Old City to do research. The gate, which is shut, is unique in that it is the only one of the Old City’s gates that faces directly toward the Temple Mount. While strolling outside of the Temple Mount, near the gate – which overlooks a Muslim cemetery – Fleming was struck by a flash of light from beneath him. He was thrown into a deep pit. Subscribe to Haaretz if you want to properly understand Israel and the Palestinians. According to his subsequent writings in Biblical Archaeology Review, ″I was dazed but unhurt.″ The weak light streaming through the hole above my head forced me to lift myself up and try to concentrate my eyes. I quickly realized that I was standing in the midst of the bones of 30 to 40 human skeletons, which had been heaped together in what appeared to be a mass grave. ″Some of the bones were still linked by cartilage, indicating that they had been interred within the previous hundred years or so,″ says the researcher. Fleming assumed the bones were linked to one of the waves of violence that had swept the area in the century preceding his visit: World War I, the Arab Revolt against the British, or Israel’s 1948 War of Independence, to name a few examples. On his return the next day, he saw that the hold had been fixed previously the day before. Before departing, he took another look around and saw an ancient arch, which he assumed was related to an old gate that had stood in that area prior to the construction of the Golden Gate Bridge. Despite repeated attempts, the mystery of the skeletons remained unsolved, and the old arched structure became a source of contention among archaeologists, art historians, and historians, centered on one of the most mysterious structures in the Old City – the Golden Gate, whose names in Hebrew and Arabic, Sha’ar Harhamim and Bab al-Rahma, respectively, translate to ″gate of mercy.″ A recent dispute between the Waqf, the Muslim religious trust that controls the Temple Mount, and the Israel Police resulted in the gate and the neighboring building, both called Bab al-Rahma, being renamed Bab al-Rahma on the Temple Mount. The Waqf opened the structure for Muslim prayer about a month ago, in a move that was considered unprecedented at the time. The police detained Waqf guards and removed scores of worshippers from the Temple Mount before arranging for an order to close the monument, according to reports. Right-wing organizations and Jewish radicals working toward the reconstruction of the Temple have called on the government to shut down the structure. The administration has refused. In the meantime, Muslim worshippers reject any form of compromise, despite efforts by the governments of Israel and Jordan to achieve an accord. An underground tunnel beneath the Old City walls would demolish an early Islamic structure
in East Jerusalem, there is a hazardous gaping hole. The city is doing absolutely nothing about it.
Israel police shut down a Mother’s Day celebration in East Jerusalem on the grounds that it was financed by the Palestinian Authority

This is not the first time there has been a dilemma at this gate.
Scholars are divided on the most crucial questions surrounding this edifice, including who constructed it and why.
When?
What was the reason behind the seal?

What function did it perform during the course of time?As it turns out, the uncertainty surrounding the Golden Gate is tied to its eschatological significance in all three monotheistic religions, but notably in Judaism and Islam, which are the two most prominent.The Holy Cross is a symbol of salvation.

It is generally accepted that the gate and other ancient buildings on the Temple Mount are connected, and that it was erected by the Umayyad caliphs who built Jerusalem and the mosques on the Temple Mount around the end of the seventh century, according to the majority of academics.
Others argue that it was constructed by the Byzantine emperor Heraclius at the beginning of the 13th century, putting it even earlier in the timeline.
Arguments in support of dating the structure to the Islamic period are based on the fact that Byzantine authorities showed a great deal of interest in Jerusalem, but had little interest in the Temple Mount.
Leaving the compound in its desolation was an important part of the Byzantines’ faith, as it was a symbol of Christianity’s victory over Judaism and a testament to their faith in God.
According to Prof.

Rina Talgam of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, who specializes in Middle Eastern art from the Hellenistic period to the early Islamic period, ″the damage was proof of loss, and they had a vested interest in keeping the area barren.″ ″On the Temple Mount, there were two big periods, the Herodian period and the Umayyad period,″ she explains.
″The Umayyads have been known to deceive us in the past because they made secondary use of Byzantine components, but there is no indication of this here.″ It should be noted that the column capitals are not Byzantine; rather, they date from the early Umayyad period, which occurred in the early seventh century.″ This is also corroborated by Shulamit Gera, who published her doctoral dissertation on the gate, by archaeologist Meir Ben-Dov, and by the vast majority of Temple Mount experts, among others.
Due to the fact that the Byzantines did not construct anything on the site, and due to the likeness of the gate to other structures on the Mount, the Umayyad camp has an advantage in this debate.
A distinct and extremely intriguing view, however, is proposed by Dan Bahat, a professor of archaeology who is considered to be one of the most renowned Jerusalem researchers.
This interpretation places the gate into an important historical context.
The Golden Gate’s location on the Temple Mount seems irrational when compared to the other constructions on the site, as it is not aligned with the axis leading to the Dome of the Rock as it should be.

Bahat feels that it is implausible that anybody involved in the construction of the Temple Mount would have placed a gate at this site.But When gazing westward from the gate, on the other hand, one can see that it is aligned with another prominent structure in the Old City, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which is visible in the distance.According to Bahat, the Golden Gate was constructed by the Byzantines before the arrival of the Umayyads, in conjunction with the restoration of the Holy Cross to Jerusalem.It was in 614 when the Persians seized Jerusalem, capturing and taking the Holy Cross, which Christians believe to be the cross on which Jesus was crucified, to Persia.Emperor Heraclius led the Byzantine army to triumph against the Persians fifteen years later, successfully recapturing the cross from the Persians.Heraclius, as shown in many Christian images, was the one who restored the cross to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.>> The guardian of the Temple Mount lost control.

It is in Israel’s best interests to provide a hand |
Analysis Bahat, on the other hand, emphasizes that he did not do so immediately after the conflict finished.
″He brought it to Constantinople for the first time on October 14, 629, which is still observed as a holy day today.″ It was only in March of 630 that the cross was restored to Jerusalem.
Consequently, he had more than six months to complete the construction of this gate — he may not have finished it, but it is certain that he began work on it.″ It was vital, according to legend, to carry it in by an eastern gate, in order to retrace the path that Jesus travelled before his crucifixion and death.
As a result, the gate is oriented in relation to the church.
″The measures and embellishments are Byzantine, and the only reason it was built was because it was Byzantine,″ explains Bahat.

″It was built because it was Byzantine.″ ″It was closed throughout Muslim eras.″ ″How could that be?″ you might wonder.
In other words, what exactly was the arch Fleming saw as he plummeted into that hole?
Some say it is an earlier arch, potentially dating back to the time of the Second Temple.

Bahat believes it to be a section of the foundations for the Byzantine gate that once stood here.What was the reason behind the seal?The Umayyads may have shut it off when they constructed the entire fortress.Another idea is that the cemetery outside it prevented people from getting to it, resulting in it being closed.According to another account, the Muslim authorities desired that people approach the mosques from the west in order to bolster that section of the city.Bahat speculates that it was the consequence of Saladin’s nephew, who governed Jerusalem at the time, destroying the defenses in order to prevent any returning Crusaders from having a strong base of operations.

After a lengthy period of closure, beliefs arose about the advent of the Messiah, according to which it will reopen for Jewish worshipers who will march there from the Mount of Olives, or for Muslim worshippers who would march there from the Temple Mount, according to Muslims.According to Prof.Amikam Elad, an Islam expert, the gate played a significant part in early Islamic traditions that were related with the end of the world.The current name was given to the city around the end of the 10th century, however it is unclear whether it was given by Muslims or Jews.

Dung Gate in Jerusalem, Israel

The Dung Gate is one of the gates in the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem that was erected in the 16th century.
It is located in the southeast corner of the Old City, southwest of the Temple Mount, and is one of the oldest gates in the world.
The offensive term ″dung″ refers to the original Hebrew name for the gate, Sha’ar Ha’ashpot, which is more discrete and translates literally as ″Garbage Gate″ or ″Ash Pot Gate″ in the sense that when the First Jewish Temple was still in operation, all of the garbage and ash from sacrifices was flung out through this gate into the Valley of Hinnom to be burned, a practice that is still in practice today.
Nevertheless, it is possible that the old ″Dung Gate″ did not correspond to that which was originally constructed in the 16th century and which received its name until recently, in the 19th century.

A wicket-sized gate was built in the 16th century, and it was expanded in 1952 during Jordanian administration of the Old City, which was established in 1948 when the Arabs were driven out of their homeland.After the Israelis took control of the city in 1967, they continued to rebuild the gate.The advantage of the Dung Gate is its proximity to and ease of access to the Western Wall (the entrance to the Western Wall Plaza is directly behind the gate), as well as to the City of David (and Hezekiah’s Tunnel), as it serves as the main passage for vehicles coming out of the Old City and for buses heading to the Western Wall.

The Dung Gate is located on the western edge of the Old City, between the Western Wall and the City of David.