How and Where it Happened . . .

The Passion of Jesus the Christ

according to Tradition and Biblical Archaeology

Posted by Northern Kentucky's Community Bible Study

Gethsemane: Church of All Nations (above left) is built on the site of the Garden of Gethsemane. It contains the "Rock of Agony" (above right), the traditional place where Jesus prayed with such intensity that he sweat drops of blood (Luke 22:44). It was here that Judas identified Jesus to the temple police with a kiss (artwork, below left). Below center and left: Ancient Olive tree in Gethsemane, reported to be descended from a tree which whs there at the time of Jesus, and a nearby grove illustrating how the grove may have looked when Jesus prayed there.

Jesus' Religious Trials: St. Peter Gallicantu Church (above left) is built on the traditional site of Caiaphas' estate, where Jesus' religious trials occurred. The dungeons beneath the church (above right) may have been where Jesus was mocked and beaten by his guards (Luke 22:63).

Jesus' Roman Trials: Early Friday morning, the Jewish leaders took Jesus to Governor Pilate in the Fortress Antonio. Pilate washed his hands (Matt 27:24) in water from this cistern (above left), the only part of the fortress left today. A piece of pavement from the fortress (above right), shows a game which may have been related to the way the soldiers mocked Jesus (Matt 27:28-29, John 19:5). A model of the fortress (below left) shows how it might have looked. Jesus was flogged here (artist sketch copyright James C Martin, used with permission, below right).

Left: Model of Herod's Palace in Jerusalem (Holyland Hotel Model, Jerusalem). Pilate sent Jesus here, hoping Herod Antipas would take this problem off his hands, but Herod sent Jesus back to Pilate. Center: Sketch of a crucifixion, based on archaeological information (copyright James C Martin, used with permission). Right: Nail through heel bone of crucified man recently discovered in archaeological dig.

Calvary: Jesus was crucified on the hill of Calvary at a rock quarry just outside the city gate of Jerusalem as it existed ~30AD. Photo on left shows the location -- at the corner of the wall -- in Jerusalem Model (Holyland Hotel, Jerusalem); sketch on the right (copyright James C Martin, used with permission) shows a close-up; note 3 crosses just above the tree line.

Church of the Holy Sepulcher was built over the traditional location of Calvary. Left: church as it stands today. Right: model of the first church, built in the 4th century church by Emperor Constantine's mother Helena (demonstrating that this site has been revered as Calvary at least sinceat least the 4th century).

Calvary. Left: chapel in Church of the Holy Sepulcher where (traditionally) Jesus was crucified. Note rock of Calvary beneath glass in bottom of picture. Right: rock quarry beneath Church of the Holy Sepulcher, illustrating that the church is probably the authentic location of Jesus' crucifixion.

The Holy Sepulcher. Left: entrance to Jesus' traditional tomb in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Center: traditional site where Jesus' body was laid. Right: other 1st century tombs found beneath Church of the Holy Sepulcher.

Gordon's Calvary. Left: site for Calvary proposed in the 19th century by British General Charles Gordon because the hill is shaped like a skull topographically, and caves make it looks like a skull (cf Luke 23:33). Right: rolling stone tomb near Gordon's Calvary.