FORMATIONSAdult Bible Study

January–April 2007

Learner’s Study Guide

Look insidefor new travel journalLook insidefor new travel journal

photo: Church and Monasteryof Mary Magdalene, Jerusalem

• The Servant of the LordIsrael’s Ultimate Role Model

• The Kingdom of GodWhat God Is Doing Today

• Promises: A Journeyof DiscoveryFrom the Old Testament to the Cross

• Celebrate Life, Again!Seven Days that Changed Everything

• Our Ancestors in FaithImportant Lessons from Church History

Church of the

Holy Sepulchre

Ecce Homo Arch

• The Servant of the LordIsrael’s Ultimate Role Model

• The Kingdom of GodWhat God Is Doing Today

• Promises: A Journeyof DiscoveryFrom the Old Testament to the Cross

• Celebrate Life, Again!Seven Days that Changed Everything

• Our Ancestors in FaithImportant Lessons from Church History

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Arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane,Jesus was taken before the religiouscouncil, questioned by Pilate, transferredto Herod, returned to Pilate, and sen-

tenced to death. A coalition ofnational leadership—chief priests,governor, and king—orchestrated

this rush to judgment. The reli-gious and political

establishment wascheered by the

crowd shouting“nail him to a cross!”

The military obediently followedthe chain of command and zeal-ously carried out their orders. Jesuswas led away, carrying his cross to aplace of execution called Golgotha.

Over the centuries, “The PainfulWay” has marked Jesus’ Jerusalemjourney bearing his cross fromcondemnation to execution. The

Way of the Cross through the Old City

In the Christian calendar, fromwinter to spring each year our

spiritual journey moves fromChristmas to Easter. It is a sojournmixed with joy and sadness, antici-pation and discouragement, hopeand harsh realities. We walk fromthe cradle to the cross.

For centuries,Christian believershave made pilgrim-ages to Jerusalem to seethe sacred places associated with thelife of Jesus. One of the traditionaldevotions is to walk the Way of theCross or Way of Sorrows (in Latin,Via Dolorosa). Defined by faithmore than history, inspired byScripture, and steeped in tradition,this procession replicates Jesus’journey from the AntoniaFortress to the Church of theHoly Sepulchre.

For more than 3,000 years, Jerusalem has been the focus of attention and hope

for people of faith. Jerusalem is revered as one of the holiest places on earth by

the three great monotheistic religions—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. This

religious intersection serves both as a sacred bridge and a front line of conflict.

Formations Travel Journal by Jim Pitts

The Way of the Cross

Church of the

Holy Sepulchre

Ecce Homo ArchJerusalemThis travel journal leads us on a journey to a location related to the Bible.

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has evolved into a series of fourteen stations or points of devotion.

The first nine stations follow“the street of sorrows.” TheWay of the Cross begins nearthe Temple Mount at theAntonia Fortress. Walkingpast the Chapel ofFlagellation and theJudgment Chapel, onearrives at the Ecce HomoArch, named after Pilate’s phrase“Behold the man!” (John 19:5). Here,it is believed, is where Pilate presentedJesus to the crowd.

Next, within the Church of the Sistersof Zion is a pavement surface carvedwith “Game of the King” by Romansoldiers. This “lithostrotos” orpavement is identified as the place

Ecce Homo ArchNamed after Pilate’s phrase “Behold theman!” (John 19:5). Here, it is believed, iswhere Pilate presented Jesus to the crowd.

where Jesus was judged, mocked, andcrowned with thorns. The last five stations are located withinthe Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

The Church of the Holy Sepulchre isalso known as the Church ofResurrection. This historic churchstands over Golgotha, the place of thecrucifixion and the tomb where thebody of Christ was laid.

Constructed first in 324 in the time ofEmperor Constantine, it was destroyedby the Persians in 614. The church wasrebuilt but destroyed again in 1009.

Church of the Holy Sepulchredetail: Interior fresco.

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In 1084, the church wasrestored after theCrusader conquest ofJerusalem. Owing toyears of wars, fires,earthquakes, andneglect, the church hashad to be restored manytimes over the centuries.

The rotunda is the onlyremaining portion of the originalstructure.

Six Christian communities(Roman Catholic, GreekOrthodox, Armenian, Syrian,Coptic, and Abyssinian) currently

share administrative responsibilities fordistinct areas of the Basilica. ManyProtestants prefer the natural ambience ofthe Garden Tomb and Gordon’s Calvary,

Assisi, Italy.Franciscan crossThe cell of St.Jerome where hetranslated the Bible(Vulgate).

Dominus FlevitChapel widow with a view of the

Temple Mount and Old City.According to Christian tradi-

tion, on this site Jesuscontemplated the city of

Jerusalem andmourned its futuredestruction.Threfore, the nameof of the churchmeans "the Lordwept." - Luke19:41,44.

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located north of the DamascusGate. This second-century rock-cut tomb, adjacent to a rockquarry, represents the type of tombin which Jesus was buried.

The Way of the Cross is a livingreminder of a night of blindhatred—and a day of darkness—when Jesus was put to death. Butthe passion of Good Friday is notthe final word. The final word isEaster, in which we see the tri-umph of life and the victory ofgood over evil. Easter is the firstday celebrating resurrection,redemption, and reconciliation. Anew day is dawning because Jesusthe crucified has risen!

Church of the Holy Sepulchre

The Stations of the Cross Inspired by Scripture and enhanced by piety, theWay of Sorrows commemorates these events inthe last few days of Jesus’ life:

1. Jesus is condemned by Pontius Pilate.

2. Jesus receives his cross.

3. Jesus falls under the weight of the cross.

4. Jesus meets his mother.

5. Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus to carry the cross.

6. Veronica wipes the face of Jesus.

7. Jesus falls a second time.

8. Jesus speaks to the daughters of Jerusalem.

9. Jesus falls a third time.

10. Jesus is stripped of his garments.

11. Jesus is nailed to the cross.

12. Jesus dies on the cross.

13. Jesus is taken down from the cross.

14. Jesus is laid in the tomb.

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