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Unleavened Bread - Sabbath

“Where Was Christ Crucified?”

Fred Coulter - April 19, 2003

And greetings brethren, this is the regular Sabbath during the Feast of Unleavened Bread. We want to ask the question: where was Jesus crucified? Now why would that be an important question? Well because there are some people claiming that Jesus was crucified, and it comes out of the Wyatt Archeological Research. And it claims, this man Ron Wyatt in 1978, claims that he was sight-seeing near the Damascus Gate in Jerusalem, that he found a quarry called the Calvary Escarpment. And then this account goes that he was digging there and he dug in and found a little tunnel where he had to scoot underneath to get into it and lo and behold, he came into one of the chambers below the temple area where he allegedly saw the Ark of the Covenant. And then he came back and the room was all filled with clutter and junk, and when he came back there were supposedly four angels there who had moved everything out of the way. They took him over and showed him the Ark of the Covenant, and the blood on the mercy seat, and said that this was Jesus blood. Because where Jesus was crucified was over the area where that tunnel was under the Temple Mount. So it becomes a very important question: is that true? Because some people get all excited, “Well if Jesus’ blood was really put on the Ark of the Covenant in the Holy of Holies then that proves that Jesus was the Messiah.” Well, we’ll find out. Is that true? Could that possibly have been so?

And then another report says that they analyzed the blood and they found that lo and behold, there were twenty-four chromosomes. Now we have never seen the report, and the account goes on saying this, that the only thing that God the Father contributed to the virgin Mary, so that Jesus would be born, was the “y” chromosome so He would be a male. Of course that then, we’ll just answer that question here, that then would be a ridiculous thing. Because if that were so, then who would Jesus look like? He would have to look like Mary, wouldn’t He? Except only being a male, according to that. And I give this account, kind of like a double F minus. Simply because if that were really the blood of Jesus, which we will show that it’s an impossibility that it could have been, there would be enough genetic deterioration because of just being left in the condition as it was, that you could never tell really what it was.

So let’s answer the first question that what Jesus had to receive from the Father was the full-fledged twenty-three chromosomes from the Father. Ok, when He divested Himself to become a human being, that’s what He had to bring with Him into the impregnation of the conception in the virgin Mary. And so He had to have all forty-six chromosomes, twenty-three from His mother, twenty-three from the Father, for several different reasons.

Let’s come to John 14 and let’s begin here in verse 7, and we’ll answer the question. Because if He only had twenty-three He could not have looked like His Father. John 14:7, “If ye had known Me, ye should have known My Father also: and from henceforth ye know Him, and have seen Him. Philip saith unto Him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known Me, Philip? he that hath seen Me hath seen the Father;…” (John 14:7-9). So Jesus bore the image of His Father, not the image of His mother, though He was born of the seed of woman. So we can answer that question.

Now then, where was Jesus crucified? Now I’ve got several books here. Someone gave me this book in Houston, The Coming Last Days’ Temple, and so I surveyed this on my four-hour plane trip coming home from Houston. And it has some very interesting things in it but they have it all wrong - where the temple is going to be. I also have another book here that was written by Dr. Ernest Martin, who actually did archeological excavations under the Hebrew University auspices with Dr. Professor Benjamin Mazar during the 70’s, and late 60’s and 70’s, all around the area that this Ron Wyatt is talking about. And he shows from history the true account as to where the temple really was. That means that that would tell us also where the underground caverns would be, and if Ron Wyatt dug in those areas, or whether he didn’t.

So this is going to be a very interesting Sabbath. This is going to be an interesting study. And I’ve sent along with it this print-out, which is The Temple Mount at Jerusalem. Now this was originally done by Dr. Robert Martin. No relative of Earnest Martin. And he gives a summary of the Temple Mount. So I’m going to read parts of this and you can follow along with it, and we’ll read from that. But what I want to do first, is I want to show you a geographical sketch of the temple area during Jesus day. And we’re going to see something that’s very important, and then I will show you the topographical outline as to the geographical area there. So we’ll go ahead and we will look at this particular one, which is called “Jerusalem of the Old Testament”, showing the Temple site.

Now, let’s look at the first one. This is a topographical map. And let’s start up here where the Dome of the Rock is located, because everyone claims that the Dome of the Rock is the place where the Temple stood. And we are going to show from history, and what we present here and from the scriptures, that it was not located here. So we can also say that number one, the Arabs never had it right. And the Jews have lost the knowledge of where the Temple was. And we will see, because the geographical area was changed.

Now let’s come, and we’re going from north to south, and this is called the southeast ridge. We come south, we will see that on either side here is the Valley of Kidron. Right here, and it goes all the way down. Over here to the left of that is the Mount of Olives, which will actually be on your right. To the right of that as you look at the picture, to the right of it, to the east, is the Mount of Olives. Now as we come down here I want you to note this location where the Gihon Springs are. Right here. That’s important, and that will have a great deal to do as to where the location of the Temple actually was.

Then we come down a little further and then we have what would be in here, the City of David. They say the City of David was here. See, everything has been shifted north. Now, when we come down to the bottom of this ridge, here’s what we find. We find three valleys come together. The Tyropean Valley comes down here. Kidron Valley here, and the Valley of Hinnom. And this is where Armageddon is going to be, in the Valley of Hinnom, going out this way from Jerusalem.

Now I want you to notice… Let’s come back up here, and I want you to notice as you look at the map, how steep that the sides of this ridge are. They are nearly a cliff. And that becomes very important. Now as we come down around and come over here… Let’s just come over to this side of the Tyropean Valley. You will notice that the sides go down much more gently. They are not so steep. Now what happened between the time of the building of the temple down to modern time, they gradually filled this area in and built the area, and it became known as upper Jerusalem.

Now let’s come clear across over here and let’s come up to what is known as the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. This is the alleged place where Jesus was buried. Now you will notice that the Church of the Holy Sepulchre is west of the Temple. And this becomes a very important thing. Now, if this is the location where Jesus was buried, then He had to have been crucified over here in this area. You can see, number one, that’s an awful long way away from any position over here where you may say the Temple would be. So let’s go ahead and let’s look at some scriptures concerning where Jesus was crucified, and where He was buried, and let’s look at some important scriptures for us to understand.

Now first of all let’s come to Luke 22 and let’s see where they went after they completed Jesus’ last Passover. And let’s ask the question: did they go west to where the Church of the Holy Sepulchre was, or where did they go? Now let’s come to Luke 22:39. “And He came out, and went, as He was wont [or that is, known to], to the mount of Olives;…” Now where is the Mount of Olives? It is to the east. You look at your map again and you go to the east where the Mount of Olives is and it’s in the exact opposite direction, isn’t it? Yes. “…And His disciples also followed Him.” Now where did He go on the Mount of Olives? We know that He went to a garden called Gethsemane, didn’t He? And that’s where He was arrested. So after the Passover He went out to the Mount of Olives. Now why is that an important thing? Well, Jesus frequented the Mount of Olives quite a bit with His disciples. And He taught them there. And Eusebius records that on the Mount of Olives was a big cave. And it was facing…on the eastern side of the Mount of Olives. Not the western side. You remember the western side of the Mount of Olives faces toward the eastern part of the temple. And we will see that becomes a very important thing.

Now let’s look at some scriptures concerning the Mount of Olives and why it is important. Let’s come, since we’re in the book of Luke, let’s come to Luke 19:29. And we’re going to see something else as we look at the geographical area as explained to us here in the New Testament. Ok, Luke 19:29, “And it came to pass, when He was come nigh to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount called the mount of Olives,…” So He came up from Jericho, made His way up. Descended up to Jerusalem and right near the summit of the Mount of Olives you have on the eastern side, you have Bethphage and Bethany. “…Saying, Go ye into the village over against you;…” (Luke 19:29-30). And then He went and got the colt.

Now let’s see what happens here. They got the colt. They brought it to Him. Let’s come here to verse 37. “And when He was come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount of Olives,…” So the road came up to Bethany and Bethphage, and then the road went around the top of the Mount of Olives and then down toward the Temple area. Down toward the KidronValley. And as we will see in a minute, the Kidron Valley had a double-decked bridge that went across and went into the eastern gate of the Temple. And this is where Jesus came with His triumphal entry. On “…the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen; saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest. And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto Him, Master, rebuke thy disciples. And He answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out. And when He was come near, He beheld the city,…” So from that point of view looking down, we will see that He could see the Temple area and the city. “…and [He] wept over it, saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes” (vs. 37-42). And then He prophesied that it was going to be encircled and destroyed.

Ok, let’s look at a couple of other scriptures here. Let’s come to chapter 21. Luke 21:37. “And in the day time He was teaching in the temple; and at night He went out, and abode [or that is, lodged] in the mount that is called the mount of Olives.” So during the last days of Jesus’ life, when He would go down from the Mount of Olives, He would cross over the bridge, come up the eastern gate, as we will see when we see the diagram there. He would go into the Temple and teach the people, and then He would come out and lodge at night.

Now, it’s very possible that at night He went ahead and stayed in that cave near the garden of Gethsemane. So this shows us a lot concerning the Mount of Olives, and we’ll see that will become a very key and important thing in identifying where Jesus was crucified. He could not have been crucified west of the Temple where the alleged Church of the Holy Sepulchre is. He had to be crucified east of the Temple. And there is a very important reason why it had to be there.

Now at this time, here we’ll look at some other scriptures. Here, let’s go to John 18. And so you see, when Jesus was there in Jerusalem, He was at the Mount of Olives and then He would go down and go into Jerusalem. Now John 18, and this is where He was arrested, and this becomes an important thing. One of the things that the Romans liked to do when they executed a criminal was crucify him, or execute him close to the place where he was arrested. And where was He arrested? We are going to see He was in the Garden of Gethsemane, and He was on the Mount of Olives.

Now John 18:1, “When Jesus had spoken these words, He went forth with His disciples over the brook Cedron, where was a garden, into the which He entered, and His disciples. And Judas also, which betrayed Him, knew the place [because he’d been there with Him]: for Jesus ofttimes resorted thither with His disciples” (John 18:1-2). So He was arrested right there.

Now let’s look at something which becomes really a very profound and important thing, which is this: we will see from the evidence, and we will show you that here in just a minute, but let’s read this, for this becomes a very important thing for us to understand. Let’s come to the book of Luke. No, we have to go to the… Well, we’ll come to the book of Luke. This is fine. We’ll come to Luke 23:44, then we’ll go to the book of Matthew and see exactly what happened here. This adds to it.

Luke 23:44, “And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst.” Now this becomes a very key geographical thing in identifying where Jesus was crucified. “And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, He said. Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit: and having said thus, He gave up the ghost. Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man” (Luke 23:44-47).

Now let’s look at Matthew’s account of this. Let’s come to the book of Matthew. Matthew 27, and let’s see what else occurred and why this becomes a very important thing in identifying where Jesus was crucified. Now let’s pick it up here beginning in verse 50. Matthew 27:50, “Jesus, when He had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain [two] from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent [that is they split open]; and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept [that is they were dead and buried] arose, and came out of the graves after His resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many. Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake…” (Matt. 27:50-54).

Now have you ever seen an earthquake? I have seen an earthquake. Not only felt it, but I’ve seen it. And you hear it, too. I remember one day I was driving down the street and all of a sudden my car is like this, and I thought, “Boy, I’ve got a flat tire.” So I pulled over and slowed down and the car was still doing this and every…the telephone poles were going like this, and my car was going like this. You can see the earthquake. And this was so great, they saw it. And what did they see? Alright, let’s see it.

They “…saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God” (vs. 54). So what did they see? The veil was rent in two. Now let’s look at the diagram which shows the diagram of the face of the Temple. And we will see where that veil actually was. And then I’ll read to you out of another book, by Earnest Martin, called The Secrets of Golgotha.

Now looking at this picture, this hand drawing of the Temple, what you have, you have the Temple and it faces east. Now if you look at the other map that you have you will find that facing east it faces what? It faces the Mount of Olives, does it not? Now also if you look carefully at the drawing, right up here at the top, you have what is called the stone lintel. Now you can read a little bit more of this in the last chapter of the Christian Passover book. This stone lintel weighed many, many tons because it held the veil. Now here’s the veil, which is a great hanging curtain. And here’s the description of it. I’ll just read what it says here.

“This is a general view of the Temple looking directly westward [from your eastern point looking west] into the Court of Israel, showing the circular steps leading up to the Nicanor Gate and then beyond into the grand area of the Holy Place itself. Between the two Corinthian pilasters [that is, these right here that rose up on each side] …was the enormous curtain that was suspended from a stone lintel [which is this right here] which was at least thirty feet wide [that is, the stone lintel] and weighing about thirty tons. This curtain was the one which tore from top to bottom at the time of Christ’s death on the Mount of Olives. It was perfectly feasible to view the whole of this gigantic curtain from the top of [Mount Olives] Olivet.”

Now this is a picture taken from the book, Secrets of Golgotha.

Now let’s come back to the drawing, the map of Jerusalem, Old Testament times, and I want you to look at where the Church of the Holy Sepulchre was. Clear west. Clear west. And even if the Temple were here, which it wasn’t, the Temple faced east. And if He was crucified here, there is no way that they could have seen the veil tore in two from top to bottom. The only place you could see it would be from the Mount of Olives looking west. Because the Temple…now let’s look at that again. The Temple faced east, and all the worship service and everything that took place at the Temple was facing west. And this is the front of the temple so in the back of the Temple, as we will see a little bit later on, is where the Holy of Holies was located. So in order for them to see this huge great veil torn… now it was about the thickness of the palm of a hand of a man, being about four to six inches thick. So this was no small little feat that took place. And so great was the earthquake that the judgment chamber called, “the chamber of hewn stones” where Jesus was judged, was so damaged that the Sanhedrin could no longer meet in that location. And they never met there again. The very last judgment that they had was the judgment against Jesus Christ.

Now let’s look at some other scriptures here. Now let’s look at some scriptures concerning where Jesus was buried. He was buried, as we will see, right close to where He was crucified. Now let’s pick it up here, John 19:38. “And after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him leave. He came therefore, and took the body of Jesus. And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight. Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury. Now in the place where He was crucified [right along side of it]…” So if it were at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, there would have to be a place right there where the tomb should have been, see. “Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid. There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews’ preparation day; for the sepulchre was nigh at hand” (John 19:38-42).

Let’s come to the book of Luke, Luke 23, and let’s see the parallel account here beginning in verse 50 where Jesus was buried. He was buried right close to where He was crucified. “And, behold, there was a man named Joseph, a counsellor; and he was a good man, and a just: (The same had not consented to the counsel and deed of them;) he was of Arimathaea, a city of the Jews: who also himself waited for the kingdom of God. This man went unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid in it a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid” (Luke 23:50-53).

Ok, now let’s look at Matthews’ account, and that will tell us a little bit more. Let’s come to Matthew 27 and see the same thing, and see where He was buried. Matthew 27:57, “When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus’ disciple: he went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered. And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his own new tomb,…” So this tells us that Joseph of Arimathaea owned the tomb. “…Which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed” (Matt. 27:57-60). So right near where Jesus was crucified there had to be a place where there was a tomb that was hewn out of the stone, and also there had to be a place where there was a cave where Jesus taught His disciples.

Now I’m going to read to you some excerpts from the book called Secrets Of Golgotha by Earnest Martin, which explains where Jesus was crucified. Now I’m going to begin on page 17. He says:

“It must be realized that there was no difficulty in witnessing the tearing of the Temple curtain from the Mount of Olives.”

Whereas if you were west of the Temple, you would never see it. You would never know that it was ripped. Yes, you would have felt the earthquake, you would have seen the effects of that, but you would never see the veil being rent.

“Now the Mount of Olives is a Sabbath day’s journey, or about a half-mile away from the temple.”

Now let’s also understand where was it that Jesus gave the prophecy of Matthew 24? It was on the Mount of Olives and called the Olivet prophecy. Where was it that Jesus ascended from when He left to go to heaven for the final and last time? From the Mount of Olives. Where is it that He is coming to when He returns? To the Mount of Olives. So the Mount of Olives becomes a very important thing. And as we will see if we have enough time, perhaps some of the other historical references showing that that was an important site for true Christians.

Now he describes the veil:

“This outer curtain was fifty-five cubits high, sixteen cubits wide [that is over eighty feet tall and twenty-four feet in breadth - and that’s from Josephus]. This curtain was a magnificent creation of art. Josephus was also an eyewitness and described it as a wonderfully made tapestry, woven with the finest materials. And how majestic it was. Imagine a curtain about twenty-four feet wide and as high as an eight story modern building. It’s important to realize how enormous the size of this curtain was, because one might wonder how people standing a half mile distance from it could see it tear from the top to the bottom.”

Now, we’re going to see that’s going to be a very important feature. Now then, let me read from page 35 and 36. There is a very important altar that is in connection with the Temple worship, which was on the Mount of Olives. And that had to do with this - all sin offerings including the Day of Atonement sin offerings, as well as the red heifer, had to be burned wholly outside the camp. They weren’t burnt at the altar. They were slaughtered at the altar, the blood was sprinkled at the altar, and then the sacrifice had to be carried out to what is called the Miphkad Altar. And the Miphkad Altar was located near the summit on the western side of the Mount of Olives. And that was important, because when they had the sacrifice of the red heifer, the High Priest had to be able to look directly down into the Temple area. Also, for the Day of Atonement it was very important.

Now let me read, beginning in page 34:

“This was the holiest roadway into the Temple [that is, off the Mount of Olives and up the east gate]. Indeed the whole area of the Mount of Olives in front of the eastern part of the Temple was considered the most sacred region outside the walls of Jerusalem because it faced the Holy of Holies. The Holiest was further enhanced because at the top of the Mount of Olives was a clean place where the red heifer was burnt into ashes, where the bodies of the sin offerings mentioned by the author of the book of Hebrews were burnt to ashes. From this summit area of the Mount of Olives one could look westward over the east wall of the temple, directly into the sanctuary [or that is, into the Temple area itself].”

“The eastern wall of the Temple’s enclosure was made a little lower than the other walls surrounding the Temple in order to allow a full view of the sanctuary interior, including the curtain that was hanging in front of the holy place. All the Temple walls were high [now he’s quoting from a Jewish source here, the Migdalh] save the eastern wall. Because the High Priest that burns the red heifer stands on the top of the Mount of Olives, should be able to look directly into the entrance of the sanctuary when the blood is sprinkled.”

Now this altar was considered “outside the camp”. I mean just on the edge of the outside of the camp. What you had was this - the first part of the camp of Israel was the Holy of Holies. The second part was the holy place with the altar outside there and then the court of the men to the edge of the Temple. The third camp was from the edge of the temple up to the Miphkad Altar on the Mount of Olives, and that was considered the whole Temple area. So Jesus was crucified “without the camp”, as we will see, probably very close to the Miphkad Altar, which is very significant because Jesus was a sin offering, wasn’t He?

Now it talks a little bit more about the Miphkad Altar. It says referring to it:

“It is said here in Leviticus, “without the camp”, and it is said here in Numbers 19:3, “without the camp”. Just as here in Leviticus it means outside the three camps of the priests, the Levites, and of the Israelites. And so does it mean there in Numbers, outside the three camps, just as it is there in Numbers 19:3. It means to the east of Jerusalem. So does it here mean in Leviticus 4:12, to the east of Jerusalem.”

And so this is where they were burnt. Now let’s look at a prophecy of where the altar we go to, is located. Let’s come to Hebrew 13, referring to the difference between the altar in the Temple area, and the altar to which we come to. Hebrews 13, let’s turn there. Hebrews 13:10. “We have an altar, whereof they [that is, those who worked at the temple] have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle. For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp [outside the camp at the Miphkad Altar]. Wherefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered without the gate.” Now where the Church of the Holy Sepulchre is located was within the gates of Jerusalem. This is outside the gate. Now notice verse 13, “Let us go forth therefore unto Him without the camp, bearing His reproach” (Heb. 13:10-13). Ok, so that’s quite a thing.

Now let’s look at some more things concerning what Dr. Martin wrote concerning the altar. Let me read from page 41.

“In concluding this chapter it should be mentioned that the Miphkad Altar and the sin offerings which were sacrificed on it was really a cardinal part of the temple complex that existed in the time of Jesus. This altar was not one with a ramp leading up to it [like the altar of burnt offerings], but it was described in the Mishna as a pit in which animals could be burnt to ashes. The Miphkad Altar was located outside the walls of the temple, but the roadway leading up to the altar and including the altar itself were part of the ritualistic furniture associated with the temple services. It’s important to realize because the Apostle John said that Christ was crucified near the topos [the place]. Near this place. That is, Christ indeed was crucified near the Miphkad Altar, which was part of the temple furnishing, and so forth. Thus we find that Jesus Christ was crucified in the holiest area surrounding the city of Jerusalem - it happened to be on the east side of the city near the summit of the Mount of Olives.”

Part 2

Now let’s continue on. What we’re going to do is find out where the Temple was located. We know that it was west of the Mount of Olives. The Mount of Olives stood east. And on the Mount of Olives was the Miphkad Altar where you could look directly down into the Temple area, which becomes a very important point in locating where Jesus was crucified. Now we can’t find the exact spot, but we can be close enough to it to be assured that He was crucified on the Mount of Olives. Now we’re going to look at some other diagrams, and we’re going to show concerning the Temple.

Now let’s go to the next geographical drawing, which is a line drawing showing the elevations. Here is where they believed the Temple mount was, but we’re going to see that’s not where it was. And the reason why it wasn’t there, and the reason why they assume that it is there today.

Now I want you to see the Kidron Valley going here. Notice again it shows the depths. But what do we have over here? This is the Mount of Olives. And what they would do, they would come down the Mount of Olives this way, cross over to the bridge, and we are going to see that the Temple was actually where the Gihon Spring is located. Why did they get it confused? How did that ever happen? What is the importance of the Gihon Springs? Now notice again that it shows going down this way.

Now let’s look at the next one showing the elevation, which becomes an important thing to understand. Ok, the elevation. First of all let’s begin with the dotted line on the bottom. This is the Kidron Valley. The dotted line, as it goes from south to north is the Kidron Valley during the days of David. Right now, here shows the Kidron Valley here. That’s what it is today. Now then, here is the southeast ridge, showing where the temple area was, and I’ll point that out to you. Let’s come up this way, and I want you to notice this darkened area with the big mound here, and the other darkened area right here. Then you come up and you come to the Dome of the Rock.

Now we’re going to read, in a little bit, that this is where the City of David was. And the reason that this darkened area is here, to show that both of these - this mount right here - was cut down during the days of the Hasmonian empire. That is during the days of the Maccabees. It was cut down and the dirt was used to fill in the Tyropean Valley and build upper Jerusalem. Here is where the spring of Gihon was, located directly below here. Where the Dome of the Rock is, there is no water. There is no natural water. And that becomes a profound and important marker as to where we can establish that the temple was located, and we will see it was located here. Now also this top ridge as we go here, this is the western hill. This is the western hill.

Now let’s look at one more. Here is a reconstruction of the Temple area and what it really looked like. And it’s vastly different than what is projected today. Now first of all let’s look at this. This is the Kidron Valley. We’re going to see that this buildup of rock here was a tremendous thing and a great work. We are also going to see that directly below this were the Gihon Springs, where they could have the water to cleanse the Temple, to bathe the priests, to clean the sacrifices, and everything you see.

Here is the Temple area. Now it’s not very big. The Temple area is only 600 feet by 600 feet by 600 feet. You can see the Temple as it’s facing east. I want you to also notice something that’s very important. That is the walkways on the top of the colonnades, all the way around. I’ll explain what that is for. Then when we come up the colonnades up to here we have Fort Antonia.

Now, Fort Antonia was a total of 36 acres. Right here is where the Dome of the Rock is. So we will see that the Dome of the Rock is not the location of the Temple. And the Dome of the Rock was Fort Antonia, which was the Roman fort. Each one of these towers (three of the four towers), were 50 cubits high, or about 75 feet. The southeast tower, right here, was 75 cubits high, or 105 feet high, and this gave the Romans great view into the Temple area. Now as you look at the base of Fort Antonia going down into the Valley of Kidron, you see that they had three layers of stone which were smooth stone, and they were put together with iron rings, and this was so that an enemy could not come up and dig in and attack the fort. So this was a very secure area.

Now this shows an overview of it looking down. When the troops, the Roman troops, always constantly guarded the temple. They would come down on this walkway on the top of the colonnades. This was actually 45 feet wide. It gave them almost instant access to the Temple area. And of course the Temple area was very small. Now here it shows the Temple facing east. Here would be the Temple facing west. So you can see the impossibility of Jesus being crucified near the place of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, because that was west. Now I want you to keep this in mind because we’ll talk about this a little bit later here.

Now let’s take the printout we have on The Temple Mount at Jerusalem, and this is a summary written by Robert Martin, taken from the book by Earnest Martin, The Temples that Jerusalem Forgot. Now when that’s combined with this other book, The Secrets of Golgotha, and they both cover much of the same ground - where Jesus was crucified. But this one deals on the location of the Temple. Because with all the material that we have and that we’ve seen with the maps that we have seen, that looking across from the Mount of Olives right down into the Temple area, had to be a location where Jesus was crucified.

Now let’s talk about the Temple here, and let’s talk about the things that he covers. Now this is just a six-page summary. And this is a 300 and some page book. So we’ve garnered it down to the very bare essentials, and by the way this book is now out of print, unfortunately.

Now just follow along with me. “Josephus gives a different perspective of the Temple than what is accepted by most historians today…” that we have in this book here. Which shows that it’s going to be a great, mammoth temple. No, it’s not going to be a great mammoth temple. Just no way around it. You know, all the pictures that are shown of what the Jews’ conceive the temple will be like, what they are doing is this: they are praying that God will cause an earthquake and destroy the Mosque of Omar, which is the Dome of the Rock. And then they can be allowed to build their temple there. Well, lo and behold, where are they going to get the water? Because, as we will see, we’ve got the information here, which shows the size of Fort Antonia and the size of the Temple, and so forth.

Let’s come to the second paragraph where he talks about how the Jews don’t like to accept Josephus, but he was a historian and saw these things. Second paragraph, page one: “However, Josephus was fully aware of the cardinal features of the Temple Mount: It was built directly over the subterranean Spring of Gihon,...” Not where these maps that I’ve shown you show where it was located. As we have seen, Gihon was located right under the Temple area. Where they say the Temple area was, up here where Fort Antonia was, it wasn’t there. And the reason is, is that this whole shaded area…now I told you to pay special attention to this: this big mound was actually higher than the Temple area and cut off the view of the Temple from the south looking north. In the days of Simon the Hasmonean, as recorded in the book of Josephus, they totally cut - not Josephus, but the Maccabees - they totally cut down the mound where the City of David was. So the Temple was located, then, right here. Fort Antonia is right here.

Now also, continuing now in the second paragraph, “These features [with the spring and so forth] were also witnessed by Aristeas of Egypt three hundred years before Josephus and confirmed by the Roman historian Tacitus (115 AD), who quoted eyewitnesses that were in Jerusalem before 70 AD. Josephus informs us that Mount Zion, the City of David, was the first citadel protecting the Temple Mount from the south. Later, John Hyrcanus (Maccabees) built a palace north of the Temple Mount called Baris.” Baris later became, as we will see, Fort Antonia. It was used by the “Hasmonean princes…and later, Herod the Great made it into a citadel. He renamed it Fort [or that is, Tower] Antonia, in honor of Marcus Anthony. With great effort, Herod built Fort Antonia into a large enclosed area for the Romans to garrison an entire Legion [of 10,000 troops] along with their auxiliary personnel.” It would require a separate community to be built. So we have not understood the great power and presence and force of the Roman troops and Fort Antonia in relationship to the Temple.

Now let’s continue on. “Josephus Understood the Symbolism of the Gihon Spring: Gihon Spring was the only natural spring of pure water within five miles of Jerusalem in any direction. Pure water was an indispensable requirement for the essential rituals of the Temple. Because of this spring of pure water, [it] the Temple was a microcosm of the Garden of Eden. (One of the rivers that flowed through the Garden of Eden was the river Gihon.) The water of Gihon was symbolic of the Water of Life...The Gihon Spring was about a quarter mile south from today’s Dome of the Rock.” Which was the location of Fort Antonia. Ophel, which is the second little mount here, this is Ophel right here. “Ophel and the Gihon Springs are synonymous....This information is [a vital key] crucial in determining the correct location of the Temple Mount.” So you see, you have a problem. Wherever Ron Wyatt dug was not in the place where the Temple was. And if you have ever read anything about how these various sites in Jerusalem were discovered, it was by dreams and visions. And so, likewise today, associated with where the Temple was, and associated with these things are also dreams and visions, which are just as lying today as they were then.

Now please understand this: never gauge anything on the sincerity of people in presenting their cause, because they can sincerely believe something, which is not true. However, if Ron Wyatt truly did make a video of it, and he went back to his hotel - as it is claimed, when he was in Jerusalem - and saw the video of what he had seen with of the Holy of Holies and the Ark of the Covenant, then he should have kept it so we would have known about it. But he took it back and allegedly gave it to one of the four angels that was in that subterranean place that he allegedly had excavated, which was allegedly right under the place where Jesus was crucified. But he didn’t excavate under the Mount of Olives. And the subterranean caves of the Temple were below the Temple, and not below where Jesus was crucified on the Mount of Olives.

Now let’s continue on here with the last sentence on page one. “Josephus was fully aware of the symbolism involving the Gihon Spring and the Throne or the Holy of Holies of Almighty God, which the learned men of [Jerusalem] Judaism have ignored.”

Now let’s come to the section here, “The Location of Mount Zion, Ophel, and Fort Antonia: Josephus understood that the original site of Mount Zion (it was actually a mound) was located on the southern third of the southeast ridge.” Which is the one we have been looking at all along. “This was where David had built his city, and it became known as the ‘Lower City’ of Jerusalem. The limits of David and Solomon’s Jerusalem were between Kidron Valley to the east and [the] Tyropoeon Valley to the west, with both valleys merging [coming together as we saw] at the south end of the southeast ridge.” The Tyropoeon Valley would be filled in, “...as Jerusalem grew toward the west during the time of King Uzziah. In the latter part of the second century BC, the Maccabees… [filled in]…this valley [even more extensively], and it became known as the ‘Upper City’. The Hinnim Valley was to the immediate west at the south end of the western hill adjoining the Kidron and the Tyropoeon Valleys at the foot of the southeast ridge.”

The southern third of this ridge, on this there were two mounds. “From south to north, the two mounds…” which we saw, the colored area there, “…were about four hundred yards in length.” So we’re not talking about a large area. We’re talking, a total, 1,600 feet, which then is approximately a little more than a quarter of a mile. So we’re not talking very much space here. Then it talks about how it went up and joined the area where the Fort Antonia was.

Now let’s come to page 3, “No Rock Outcropping Associated with the Temple.” See, in the Mosque of Omar, which has the Dome, in the center of it they have that outcropping of rock. And this is where Mohammed allegedly ascended to heaven. So that’s why they built it there. Are there a lot of lying spirits associated with Jerusalem? Yes indeed. Now here is the key: “There is no reference in Scripture or any secular historical source that describes a natural outcropping of rock [being] located at the highest point of the ridge or hill that was associated with the Temple Mount. This includes the sites of the Temple floor, the Holy of Holies and the Altar of Burnt Offering. The Altar of Burnt Offering was formerly used as a threshing floor.” So the top of that second mound was flat.

Now let’s see the size. Now remember how we saw how the Temple lay with that huge wall going up. Let’s come to the third paragraph in this section. “Solomon built the east wall of the Temple that reached upwards from the base on the east side of the hill. The foundation was built below the Kidron Valley floor, and the visible wall began from the bottom of the valley and extended upwards for three hundred cubits (450 feet).” So as one would stand on the Mount of Olives viewing the Temple, it was a very spectacular thing. “[Between] The top of the hill and an artificial embankment that Solomon had built along the Kidron Valley was completely filled in with rubble and large rocks known as millo. The millo filled this embankment until it reached the top of [the hill] Mount Ophel, 300 cubits - about 40 to 45 stories - above the Kidron Valley floor,...” Now if you have ever stood and looked up at a skyscraper, I mean, you get the feeling of what it really was. That’s why this was such a spectacular thing. And I think the picture that was drawn here that we showed you does not do justice to the 450 feet here. I think it should go down proportionately a whole lot more to show 450 feet.

Now, last paragraph on page 3, “Solomon built no walls on the north, west, and south sides. However, in the course of time this hilltop area was enlarged, [by] filling in some of those areas [to the north, to the west, and to the south] and enclosing the hill from its base at the floor of the Kidron Valley in the east and the Tyropoeon Valley in the west. Its southern and northern sides extended westward over the ridge between the Kidron and Tyropoeon valleys. The final foundation of the Temple was shaped like a cube, and the area on top of the Temple Mount was a perfect [cube] square platform.” And as we’ll see later, 600 feet by 600 feet. Only two football lengths wide and long. Whereas, Fort Antonia, as we will see, occupied 36 acres.

Now let’s come to “The Gihon Spring” section on page 4. “The Temple Mount had a natural spring with an unlimited supply of water coming from underneath the Holy of Holies. Scriptural references require a water source to be associated with the Temple and its function. The Gihon Spring is referred to numerous times in the book of Psalms and by the prophets. During the time of David and Solomon, Gihon Spring supplied the Siloam Pool and fed the Kidron Valley. Toward the end of the eighth century BC, King Hezekiah built a tunnel to supply underground water from the Gihon Spring to western Jerusalem (2 Chron. 32:30).” And he built it because he was expecting a siege from Sennacherib.

The next paragraph, “Before 70 AD, the Jews often used the word ‘Siloam’ to describe the whole system of the Gihon Spring - Siloam Pool, Hezekiah’s underground tunnel and the channels into the Kidron Valley. (Christians did not use the name ‘Gihon’…)” but they used the name ‘Siloam’ into modern times. “It is most significant that the pure water of Gihon Spring [from] under the Temple Mount ran near the seat of the Holy of Holies, [which is] symbolic of the seat of Almighty God’s throne. John’s description of God’s throne in Revelation shows a river of water coming out from beneath the throne:...”

So here again, we have the symbolism. Because when Moses gave the pattern for the tabernacle, God told him, “Make it after the pattern that is given you.” Then David, when he drew the plans for the Temple, these were given to him from God. So that’s why there had to be the Gihon Spring and the unlimited supply of water. How are you going to wash away all this blood? What are you going to do with it? How are you going to keep it clean so it can be clean? Because these things were supposed to be in clean areas. And how are you going to keep it in such a condition that it’s not going to just be overrun with flies? If you’ve done any slaughtering or anything, you know that the flies come just – bam - instantly. So they had to have all that water. So you can read that, Revelation 22:1. Then it shows, he gives some prophecies of the destruction of the Temple. I’ll let you read that.

Let’s come to the first paragraph after the scriptural references, “Fort Antonia’s walls...” Let’s talk about Fort Antonia. Now, when Jesus was judged in the chamber of hewn stones by the Sanhedrin, where did they take Him? They took Him up to Pilate, didn’t they? Where was Pilate? His residence was there at the northwestern end of Fort Antonia. And the judgment hall was there. Now the Jews didn’t want to enter in there because they would be unclean. And when it’s connected with the Passover, what are you really dealing with? Fort Antonia was actually Roman property. So technically and legally, if the Jews would have entered into Fort Antonia, if they would have - the Jewish priests and so forth - entered into the judgment hall, they would have been in a foreign country and they would have had to have taken the second Passover.

Now let’s talk about Fort Antonia. “Fort Antonia’s walls were 40 cubits (60 feet) high.” Now I tell you, these were intelligent people. They knew how to move stone, didn’t they? And they didn’t do it by grunting and scraping, like they’ve tried to imitate building the Pyramids. They had ways of moving stones. And I’m sure they had crane-like levers to lift the stones up and stack them up and make them fit absolutely perfectly. “Inside these walls, the buildings and grounds were built on a level platform.” That’s the area where the Dome of the Rock is. That’s why it’s all flat. And you see, the Western Wailing Wall where the Jews come to pray at the Western Wailing Wall, so-called, the most holy place in Jerusalem, they’re coming to Fort Antonia and they are still accepting Caesar as their god. Remember they said, “We have no king but Caesar” (John 19:15)? Amazing, isn’t it?

I already talked about the towers. Next paragraph, “Josephus wrote [informs us] that all of Fort Antonia was built over and around a rock outcrop at the summit of the ridge.” Today it is called the Dome of the Rock. Today, the remainder of this protruding rock is covered by a dome that was built by Abdul el-Malik, and completed in 691 AD. This dome mosque “…occupies only a very small fraction of the entire surface area of the 36 acre artificial platform that the Romans built [for Fort Antonia].” So you see, when Jesus said, “All the stones would be removed,” the Temple destroyed, everyone has wondered, “Why are those stones still there,” that they think are of the Temple area? The answer is, that was never the Temple area. That was Fort Antonia. Do you think the Romans are going to destroy their property? No. They kept their fortress there and the troops there, and they literally took every stone down. Now when you look at that and you understand the proportion of it, they took every stone down, all the way to the Kidron Valley, and they had the Jewish slaves do it.

And the way they did it, they would build huge fires; get the rock really hot. Then they would take the water from the Gihon Spring and pour on it, and, crack – crack - crack - and it would crack the rocks, and then they would make them use the iron levers and split it apart. And of course, the Romans would come along and pick out all of the melted gold. Because, see, the gold that melted and went down in the crevice of those rocks from the Temple was more than just the gold overlaying the inside of the Temple. You see, the truth is, the Temple was the bank, the” international bank” of the Jews. And all of the rich Jews put their gold in safekeeping in the Temple. What better place to put it? So they were after all that gold that melted down and ran in the cracks. And they took it down to every single stone. Not one left upon another.

Now let’s come to, “Fort Antonia and the Roman Legion: A Roman Legion had 5,000 infantry troops and with them 5,000 support personnel.” A Legion is 10,000. “[Within the 36 acre fort of Antonia] There were 277 ***(On the audio, Fred says 836, but he meant 277.) military personnel per acre within Fort Antonia.” In there they had their own temple, and in there they had everything that they needed. They could eat their unclean food in there. And that’s where the swine from over in Decapolis came from. The swine were raised on the other side of the River Jordan, and then they were slaughtered and brought over to the Romans up in Fort Antonia. So they had their swine. It would only be expected that the Roman garrison would be the most prominent feature of Jerusalem. This was to continually remind the Jews that they were expected to be subservient to their master’s supremacy. The Temple did not in any way compete with the Roman fortress of Antonia as the most prominent area in Jerusalem. The Roman authority in Jerusalem was there for all to see. The fortress was four and a half times greater than the area of the Temple Mount. It overlooked and dominated the Temple Mount. For the Roman strategy was clearly to dominate the Jews with the use of psychological warfare in order to maintain a level of fear, “…to secure [the] Jewish conformity to Roman authority.”

“The crowds that assembled...” Now here’s what is missed, “...at the Temple during the Holy Days were overseen by 2,000 Roman troops. In order to prevent disorder and riots among the Jews,...” which they were known to do. And you can read of that in Josephus. “...They were stationed on a 45-foot wide walkway built atop the four colonnades the surrounded the Temple grounds.” Three shifts of troops a day, totaling 6,000 soldiers, rotated their guard duties during the festival times. Now that’s why - remember when Paul went up to do sacrifice, and the Jews found him there? And they were ready to kill him? You notice how quickly the Roman centurion and the soldiers were there? Because when they saw this riot developing, they ran down the colonnades, ran down to the Temple grounds, because there were stairs coming down to the Temple grounds, and they reached and grabbed Paul and saved his neck. And then when Paul was on the stairs he asked the Roman centurion, “Can I speak to the crowd?” He said, “Go ahead.” So he spoke to them in Hebrew, told them what he was doing. And you can read that account there in Acts 21 and 22. And as soon as he came to the word “Gentiles,” there was a riot. And so this centurion brought him back, took him up the steps, went on the colonnades and took him up into Fort Antonia for his own safekeeping. Now you’ve got a picture of what it is like. If you look at these diagrams it will help you understand that part of the New Testament even more.

“Josephus’ Description of the Colonnades: The colonnades between the Temple and Fort Antonia were extended around the outer edge of the entire Temple Mount platform. These colonnades were roofed with the roadway 30 cubits (45 feet) wide. The colonnade roadway was the vantage point from which the Roman troops were able to guard the entrances and exits to and from the Temple as well as keep a watchful eye on the inside area of the court (with the exception of the inside of the Temple).” Josephus went on to describe it, and so forth. Let’s come to the last long sentence of that paragraph. There was a plaza of 600 feet between the walls of the Temple Mount and Fort Antonia. And that was, if you go back and look at that, I’ll just hold this up and show it to you. That’s this area right here, and that was actually the Court of the Gentiles. Right in this area. See, so when Jesus made His triumphal entry, He came down the Mount of Olives, across the bridge Kidron, up here, and came in the East Gate. So this gives us a real good bird’s-eye view, as it were, of the Temple area.

So what can we conclude from all of this? We can conclude this. Jesus was crucified on the Mount of Olives near the Miphkad Altar. And they saw down into the Temple area, and when the veil rent in two…now then, Jesus was buried in a sepulcher right near where He was crucified. Now you can follow through on that with The Harmony of the Gospels. Now then, the blood of Jesus Christ - let’s come here to John 19 again - the blood of Jesus Christ was not shed over the Ark of the Covenant, directly below the Holy of Holies in the subterranean caves. His blood was shed on the ground. Now let’s read it.

Now let’s come here to John 19:34. “But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced His side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.” So He shed His blood. Now we don’t know how high up the cross was that Jesus was crucified on. But it was high enough that there was a spear that it went up into His side. And I have shown before, going through the crucifixion of Christ, that it probably went up His side and pierced His heart so that almost all of His blood would be poured out. Then Jesus was buried, as we read, and put into the tomb. Now then, when He was resurrected, over here in chapter 20, we have covered that, when He was resurrected. Let’s just pick up one verse. John 20:17. Now this is on the Wave Sheaf Offering day. So let’s understand something here very important. Jesus was resurrected, wasn’t He? Whatever blood that He still had on Him after He was resurrected - because His body didn’t see corruption, which meant that the blood that was still with Him on His body or on His garments had not seen corruption either. Where was that taken? We will see.

“Jesus saith unto her, Touch Me not; for I am not yet ascended to My Father: but go to My brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto My Father, and your Father; and to My God, and your God” (John 20:17). So on the Wave Sheaf Offering day, when Jesus ascended…and where did He ascend from? The Mount of Olives. Whatever blood that was there, His perfect blood of His sacrifice, whatever remnant was left, that was taken to the throne of God in heaven above. Not deposited on an ark of a covenant which God was rejecting and going to destroy forty years after the death of Jesus Christ. So we can conclude, based upon the evidence in the Bible, and based upon the evidence in history, that that could not have been the blood of Jesus. He was not crucified anywhere near the place that would be necessary for any of His blood to come down on the Holy of Holies. Therefore, we can conclude that any of these things have to be another modern lying wonder to confuse people as to the truth about Jesus’ crucifixion. Later we see that Jesus came back to the earth, as we’ve already seen, and appeared to His disciples.

Now let’s come back Acts 1 and let’s look at a couple scriptures that we alluded to before. So isn’t it interesting that Jesus ascended the first time after His resurrection from the Mount of Olives, came back down, was seen forty days and forty nights of His disciples. Then when it was time for Him to ascend into heaven, where did He go? He went out to the Mount of Olives. Let’s read it. And let’s begin here in verse 3. “To whom [that is, to the apostles] also He shewed Himself alive after His passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:…” They were all assembled. Verse 4, He said wait for the promise of the Holy Spirit. Then He told them, no, that He’s not going to restore the kingdom to Israel, verse 6. Then He told them, verse 8, “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy [Spirit] Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:3-4, 6, 8, part paraphrased). And today that still continues through the writings of the apostles.

While He spoke these things they looked up and He disappeared in a cloud out of their sight, verse 9. And the angel said, “What are you doing looking up here? You go do what He said” (vs. 9-11, paraphrased).

Now notice verse 12, after he said He’s going to come in like manner, He left from the Mount of Olives; and we’ll see in a minute He’s coming back to the Mount of Olives. Verse 12, “Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath days’ journey.” So they went down the road and across the bridge and on over through the Temple area into Jerusalem. Now they may have gone back to the…remember they kept preaching from Solomon’s porch up there in the Temple area.

Now let’s come to Zechariah 14 and we’ll finish with the Mount of Olives. There’s some other things that show after 70 AD that there was a Church of God located on the Mount of Olives that Eusebius writes about, which later became a Franciscan monastery, which later is the area where they found the ossuary for the bones of Simon bar Jonah. So Peter was never buried in Rome.

Now let’s see what Zechariah 14 tells us. The day He returns, verse 4, “And His feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east,…” That’s where He was crucified. That’s where He ascended into heaven, and that’s where He’s coming back. “...And the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley;...” Boy, that’s going to do in all those armies isn’t it? “...And half of the mountain shall remove toward the north and half of it toward the south. And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains;...” (Zech. 14:4-5) and so forth.

And so that’s where Christ is going to return, to the Mount of Olives. He taught His disciples there, He lodged there, He prayed His last prayer there, He was crucified there; He ascended to heaven the first time, came back for forty days, ascended to heaven second time from the Mount of Olives, and when He returns from heaven He’s coming right to the Mount of Olives. Now is God consistent or not? Yes. So I think with that in locating where Jesus was crucified and locating the true location of the Temple we can say with full confidence that whatever Ron Wyatt found was not real.