First-Time Expectations Travelling to Israel

The Uniqueness of Israel

Israel ... Land of the Bible ... Land of Faith ... The Holy Land is revered throughout recorded history as the cradle of monotheistic religion. For a person of faith whose beliefs are rooted in the Bible, there is no place on earth like the Holy Land. In this narrow strip of land lies the source of religious belief of much of mankind.

The Holy Land's distinctiveness lies in its strategic geographical position. Situated on a small land bridge connecting Africa and Asia, Israel serves as the only passage between the two continents. Anyone aiming to dominate the ancient, strategic trade routes or conquer the known world needed to seize and govern Israel. Consequently, this region has frequently been a battleground, with successive waves of conquerors invading it. Israel has witnessed more wars and events than any other nation on the planet.

God positioned Israel in its unique location to influence the world and be on “Center Stage” so all of creation would know that He alone is God.

Tempering the Expectations

For nearly 2,000 years, Christian visitors from all over the world have come to the Holy Land, the land of their spiritual heritage. With Bible in hand, they have walked the places Jesus walked and prayed in the places He preached, prayed, and performed miracles. For Christians, Israel is a place like no other. It provides them a one-of-a-kind opportunity to experience the land of the Bible, to deepen their faith, and to be spiritually transformed for a lifetime.

However, some visitors to Israel are often surprised and even repulsed by what they witness at certain holy sites. Many holy sites feature monuments, churches, or basilicas with a distinctly Catholic, Arabic, or Middle Eastern Orthodox (e.g. Greek Orthodox) style which are vastly different from what some visitors are accustomed to seeing, or what they expected to find. In addition, it is likely a visitor will encounter other people visiting the Holy Land from different countries who are worshipping and kissing some of the adornments on these sites.

Because of these possible adverse reactions, it is best to prepare oneself with some background and history about how these sacred sites have been preserved so that the sightseeing experience can be as enjoyable as possible.

A Brief History

In 70 AD, the Roman general Titus led a siege of Jerusalem that destroyed the city and the Second Temple. After its destruction, Jerusalem, for the most part, lay in ruins for the next 60 years. Hadrian (Publius Aelius Hadrianus) became the Roman emperor in AD 117. In AD 130, Hadrian visited Judea on his way to Egypt and announced his decision to erase the Jewish identity and religion in the region and make Jerusalem an idolatrous Roman city in his own honor.

Ultimately, Hadrian changed the orientation of Jerusalem, renamed it Aelia Capitolina, and restricted Jewish access to the city. Around 132 AD, there was a final Jewish revolt called the Bar Kokhba led by Simon bar Kosiba (later known as Bar Kokhba). This Jewish uprising was eventually put down by the Romans in 135 AD, killing more than a half million Jews during the revolt. In the past, conflicting accounts in ancient sources have led scholars to debate whether Aelia Capitolina’s foundation was a cause or a consequence of the Bar Kokhba revolt. However, the discovery of Aelia Capitolina coins struck before the revolt, found in a building abandoned prior to the uprising and in coin hoards from Bar Kokhba refuge caves, has provided strong archaeological evidence that the city's foundation preceded the revolt.

Hadrian desecrated the presumed places of the crucifixion and resurrection, the birthplace of Christ, and many other significant Holy Land sites. Hadrian built a large temple dedicated to Jupiter on the Temple Mount. He raised up a blasphemous memorial to his own deification in the form of an equestrian statue which he placed over the former location of the Jewish temple’s Holy of Holies. Over a rock-cut tomb presumed to be that of Christ, Hadrian built a temple of Venus (Aphrodite), an ancient goddess of sexual love and beauty. At the same time, he ordered a grove dedicated to the pagan god Adonis to be planted around the cave of Bethlehem. Hadrian enjoyed participating in orgies at idolatrous festivals and was deeply involved in witchcraft and occult ceremonies.

Eventually, in 313 AD, a major change happened in the Roman Empire when Emperor Constantine legalized Christianity. Later, Constantine’s mother, Helena, made a trip to the Holy Land to build churches over the areas surrounding the main events of Christ’s life. She built the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, the Church of the Ascension (now Pater Noster Church) on the Mount of Olives, the Church of the Annunciation in Nazareth, the Basilica in the Garden of Gethsemane, and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Constantine had the temples Hadrian erected to Jupiter and Venus demolished to make way for the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. There were others (Armenians, Russians, Greeks, etc.) as well that came to the Holy Land to build churches, monuments, and basilicas on various holy sites.

Present State of Sacred Sites

It would be wonderful if the Holy Land was the same as it was 2,000 years ago when Christ walked its paths, or 4,000 years ago when Abraham traversed its hillsides and valleys, but there have been many changes that have taken place during this time span. It’s hard for us to understand, but 4,000 or even 2,000 years is a long time! Because of its strategic location in the world, no other country has had as many kingdoms occupy it, or as many battles fought on its soil, as Israel. This, along with time, has led to many changes in Israel and its holy sites.

The good news is that many of the biblical sites are in their natural state and appear much the same as they did when the events that happened there occurred. Other sites have had monuments, churches, or basilicas built near, or on them and are not exactly as they appeared when the events that occurred there happened.  Also, many sites have had many events happen in one spot over thousands of years, so it would be impossible to have each event preserved just the way it happened.

Many of these monuments, churches, or basilicas will have a Catholic, Arabic, or Mid-Eastern style and a visitor might disagree with the religious backgrounds of some of these sites. But if it hadn't been for those who preserved the biblical sites, they likely would have had other buildings, roads, and infrastructure built over them and been lost to the world forever. Many of these early pilgrims felt the same awe and emotion that we feel when we see the Holy Land and we certainly can’t fault them for this.

Because of all the adornments and construction over the centuries, it's hard to imagine how some of these places would have looked in their original setting. However, the years of activity and tradition at these holy sites give greater weight to their authenticity. And while we might disagree with the decorations and atmosphere of these places, we should appreciate and admire all the devotion and sacrifice made to preserve them.

Pinpointing the Location of Sacred Sites

The Impulse for Pilgrimage

The yearning to walk in holy places and touch ancient stones is familiar to every pilgrim. While we can pray and meditate anywhere, the sense of God’s presence is often perceived as stronger in a place that is hallowed by centuries of devotion to the memory of a holy event. The spiritual and emotional experience of being in such a place enriches our prayer life and brings Bible readings alive with a new appreciation.

But many of the sacred sites in the Holy Land no longer exist in their original form. Structures have been erected, levelled by invading armies, rebuilt and destroyed again and again. Evidence from archaeology, history and ancient documents is often fragmentary or ambiguous. And the constant spurious claims of the discovery of Noah’s Ark, the Ark of the Covenant, the Tower of Babel and the “Lost Tomb of Jesus” only serve to make one skeptical.

When it comes to pinpointing sacred Biblical sites in the Holy Land, sometimes the most certain thing about the historical location is the uncertainty. So how can anyone be confident that Christian sites being shown to pilgrims are authentic? Or is that important? Before considering the final question, let's consider the factors which help to establish the authenticity of Biblical sites.

The Early Jewish-Christian Community

There is a theory that following Jesus’ ascension to Heaven, a group of “Jewish Christians” remained in Jerusalem and Galilee and perpetuated memories of the meaningful locations. This theory asserts that prominent among that group were some of Jesus’ own relatives. For example, James the Just, described by St Paul as “the Lord’s brother” (Galatians 1:19), was the first bishop of Jerusalem. It would be natural for these relatives to be deeply attached to the precise places associated with a member of their own family. In a similar fashion, the shepherds near Bethlehem would have retained clear recollections of the birth of Jesus in a cave and would have told their children and grandchildren of how the angel had given them the news.

So the theory claims that before any of the books of the New Testament had been written, Christian life and worship was organized around these holy places. This conjecture seems to be supported by St. John Chrysostom, archbishop of Constantinople, in AD 370, who wrote, “Since that birth, men come from the ends of the earth to see the manger.”

Accuracy of Oral History

The theory that early "Jewish Christians" perpetuated the location of sacred sites is contingent on the precision of oral history. The locations of events like the Annunciation, Crucifixion, and Resurrection would need to be clearly passed down by the early Jewish-Christians from one generation to the next.

British historian Ernle Bradford, in his book Paul the Traveller (Barnes and Noble, 1974), has observed:

A form of shorthand was also practiced in the early Christian centuries. Eusebius of Caesarea, the pioneer Church historian, reported that the Christian scholar Origen, who died in AD 254, allowed his lectures to be recorded by shorthand writers.

Around AD 330 Eusebius compiled his Onomasticon, an alphabetical list of Old and New Testament place names with descriptions of their history and geography. He also recorded that as early as the middle of the second century St Melito of Sardis in Asia Minor had visited the places “where the Scriptures had been preached and fulfilled.”

Using Pagan Shrines as Markers

As previously mentioned, in three crucial places, the pagan emperor Hadrian ensured that the location of holy sites was not lost.

In AD 135 Hadrian rebuilt Jerusalem. He constructed a platform over the hill of Calvary and the Tomb of Jesus, erecting a statue of Jupiter over one and a temple to Venus over the other. At the same time he ordered a grove dedicated to the pagan god Adonis to be planted around the cave of Bethlehem.

Ironically, Hadrian’s attempts to replace Christian worship at these sites helped to preserve their identity for future generations to uncover. When the emperor Constantine gave his support to Christianity nearly 200 years later, the sites were easily located for the huge churches he had built over them. Constantine was actually the first person to explicitly use the term “holy places.”

Using Archaeology as Evidence

Early archaeological work in the Holy Land was done in the 19th century by theologians seeking to identify biblical sites. It is said they worked “with a Bible in one hand and a trowel in the other.” By the end of the 20th century, professional archaeologists had unearthed evidence confirming the location of more than half of the approximately 475 place names mentioned in the Bible.

Archaeologists categorize evidence into the Old and New Testaments.

The New Testament has strong historical corroboration, particularly regarding its locations, Roman officials, and public figures.

• Specific Rulers: The Pilate Stone discovered in Caesarea explicitly names Pontius Pilate, the Roman prefect who ordered the crucifixion of Jesus.

  
  

• Public Officials: The Gallio Inscription found in Greece dates to AD 52 and corroborates the Apostle Paul's trial in Corinth before Proconsul Gallio.

  
  

• Historical Locations: Excavations in Jerusalem have identified the Pool of Siloam and the Pool of Bethesda, both of which are prominent in the Gospels as sites of Jesus's miracles.

  
  

Evidence for the Old Testament varies by period. Later periods are well documented in secular historical records, while earlier stories (such as the Exodus) lack direct archaeological consensus.

• The House of David: The Tel Dan Stele, an inscribed stone monument from the 9th century BC erected by an Aramean king, contains the phrase "House of David." It is the earliest non-biblical reference to the Davidic dynasty.

  
  

• The Mesha Stele: A 9th-century BC stone monument created by the Moabite king, which describes a war with Israel that is also independently recorded in the Bible (2 Kings 3)

  
  

• The Hittite Empire: The Hittites were heavily referenced in the Old Testament but were once dismissed by secular historians as a myth. Excavations at Boğazkale (ancient Hattusa) in Turkey uncovered their capital, validating their existence.

  
  

• Biblical Kings & Sieges: Secular Assyrian and Babylonian records explicitly name and detail interactions with several Israelite and Judean kings, including Ahab, Jehu, Hezekiah, and Manasseh. The Sennacherib Prism specifically details the Assyrian siege of Jerusalem and King Hezekiah's tribute.

  
  

Beyond physical artifacts, archaeology has provided critical evidence for the faithful transmission of the biblical text itself. The Dead Sea Scrolls, found in caves near Qumran, date from the 3rd century BC to the 1st century AD. They contain fragments of nearly every Old Testament book, confirming that biblical texts were preserved with incredible accuracy over thousands of years.

While archaeology can verify that ancient kingdoms existed and events took place in specific places, scholars emphasize that it cannot categorically "prove" supernatural events or the theological claims of the text. Furthermore, while some sites like Jericho show clear signs of ancient habitation, the exact timeline and scale of broader biblical events—such as the conquest of Canaan or the Exodus—remain debated among modern historians.

General Areas Versus the Limits of Specific Event Verification

Archaeologists frequently use the Bible as a spatial guide, identifying regions, cities, and geographic landmarks. However, pinpointing specific, miraculous, or short-term historical events is notoriously difficult, as ancient texts are often subject to later interpretation or lack direct physical corroboration.

The Bible contains a vast repository of geographical and topographical knowledge. Mountains, valleys, and perennial water sources (like the Jordan River or the Dead Sea) are permanent fixtures. The Bible frequently mentions real kingdoms, trade routes, and cities (e.g., Jerusalem, Megiddo, Hazor, Jericho) that archaeologists have successfully located and excavated. Artifacts unearth daily realities (milling tools, pottery, ancient households) that contextualize the daily lives of ancient Israelites.

Where the discipline hits roadblocks is translating text into indisputable physical proof for specific events. For example, finding a ruined city wall does not automatically prove it was destroyed by Joshua at the exact time claimed by the text, as dating and destruction layers are heavily debated by scholars. 

The scholarly community is divided. Maximalists argue that the biblical text contains solid historical truth unless proven wrong, while minimalists treat the text as literature and require independent, non-biblical proof before accepting an event as historical fact.

While specific events (such as the parting of the Red Sea) leave virtually no physical archaeological footprint, there are instances where text and event align through epigraphy (ancient writing) and localized digs. The Pool of Siloam is a good example. Discovered during drainage repairs in 2004, the 1st-century pool dates to the time of Jesus and aligns directly with the narrative in the Gospel of John regarding the healing of the blind man.

The Constantine Revolution

There is scant evidence (archaeological or otherwise) that Christians expressed any interest in or veneration for historically sacred sites before the fourth century. And though we can applaud Constantine and his mother Helena for their restoration and preservation work in the Holy Land, Helena likely relied on locals and the bishop of Jerusalem for location identification. It is possible that some of the locations were invented whether out of refusal to admit ignorance, or the desire to delight their distinguished guest.

Following the “Constantine revolution,” a sort of local patriotism seems to have emerged in Christian Jerusalem. Attempts to locate holy places and to adjust them to the narrative of the Gospel began with the bishops of Jerusalem Macarius and Cyrill in the mid-fourth century. It was during their officiation that the main holy sites in Jerusalem were developed, followed by the surrounding areas such as Bethlehem and Galilee. Around 300 A.D., Eusebius of Caesarea compiled the “Onomasticon” – a list of the places mentioned in the Bible (both Old and New Testaments). It is likely that lists of the sacred places in the Holy Land drew inspiration from this work that the faithful later treated like a Lonely Planet travel guide. Its inspiration may be traced on the Madaba Map (late sixth century) where the Greek citation beside the places on the map were taken from this work. The bottom line is that, apparently, proper Christian pilgrimage only developed after the identification of holy sites in the early fourth century, and whether their identification is accurate is a matter of faith.

Today, there are four locations (all of them at or near the western foot of the Mount of Olives) officially claimed by different groups to be the Garden of Gethsemane, the place where Jesus prayed on the night He was betrayed. The site of Jesus' crucifixion and the Tomb of Jesus are traditionally located in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre; however, Gordon’s Calvary (Skull Hill) and the adjacent Garden Tomb is an alternative site considered by some Protestant Christians to be authentic, while others claim that all the above are incorrect. Similar disputes exist for the exact birthplace of Christ, the tomb of King David, and just about every other Biblical site you can name.

Is 'The Exact Spot' Necessary?

The inability to authenticate some of the important sites of the New Testament invites the question: Does it matter?

Saint Jerome (c.347-420), a Dalmatian-born priest and scholar who lived in the Holy Land for more than 36 years and is best known for his translation of the Bible from Hebrew and Greek into Latin, declared: “We cannot tie down to one small portion of the earth Him whom heaven itself is unable to contain.”

A comparison could be made with the date of Christmas. Few Western Christians would quibble over celebrating Christ’s birth on December 25, even though nobody knows exactly when He was born. And Eastern Christians celebrate Christmas in January.

The Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land gets around the difficulty of an unverified location by referring to keeping the “memory” of the event. In some cases the “memory” has moved when a site has become inaccessible.

Rather than becoming distracted by the question “Is this the exact spot?”, it is better to focus on what happened. In the end, it’s not the precise location or the present appearance that really matters – it’s the event the site commemorates! What matters to Christians is the belief that God the Father sent his Son on earth for the salvation of the human race.

Closing Thoughts

Generally, Americans show a lot of interest in foreign historic sites due to a fascination with ancient civilizations, iconic architecture, and human history. These destinations offer a unique connection to the past, allowing visitors to explore sites that have shaped world cultures and provide insight into diverse historical periods and peoples.

While in the Holy Land, a visitor will see things as old as 6,000 years! Since the United States as a nation was founded in 1776, many U.S. historical sites are significantly "younger" compared to the thousands of years of history found in other countries. So, Americans travelling abroad to see the historic and sacred sites should be prepared for significant cultural differences.

It’s important to note that we, from a modern mindset, have different views and tastes regarding building styles. Because to us, something 200-400 years old might seem ancient, we need to realize that seeing something 1,500 years old has an entirely different architectural look and sense to it than what we’re accustomed to seeing.

Concerning the present appearance of sacred sites, consider the following:

• Entering these churches, monuments, and basilicas to see these holy sites doesn’t mean we are in any way embracing and/or accepting their religious beliefs.

  
  

• While the style, religious background, and adornments might not be suitable to our taste, the motives of those who preserved these sites seem to be noble and honorable. As you see these sites, you will understand why these early pilgrims wanted to preserve them.

Concerning the location of sacred sites, it is best for a visitor to view them with an outlook like: “Although I can’t always identify precisely where an event occurred, I’m in the vicinity of it and can use the visual cues to remember, honor, and celebrate these great events that happened!”

Hopefully, this information is helpful and will allow Christian visitors to get the most out of their Holy Land experience.