1ST
T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
April, 1941
MODERN JERUSALEM VIEWED FROM THE AIR. Photograph used through the courtesy of the Biblical Research Society, Los Angeles.
RUINS AT SAMARIA. Photograph by
Adelbert Bartlett.
S TRANGE to say, one of the least- worked fields of Biblical archae ology is that of the Gospels. Paul’s life and work in his missionary journeys have been rather well checked by the archaeologist, but the scenes of life and work of our Saviour are still waiting for much archaeological research. Jerusalem Unexplored As for the Jerusalem of Christ’s day, it is little known. Not even the north ern wall of the city has been definitely located, and thus the whole problem of the location of Calvary still awaits ac curate study. The northern wail of Jerusalem which was destroyed by Ti tus (A. D. 70) has been found, and it *Professor of Semitics and Biblical Archaeo logy, Pittsburgh-Xenia Seminary, Waiting By JAMES L KELSO* Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Palestine
is so much farther north than scholars .had expected to find it that it now seems likely (although not yet certain) that the northern wall of the city of Jesus’ day was not located where for mer scholars had conjectured. Thus one of the most important problems in Jerusalem research is to dig for this northern wall of Christ’s day. Only a small section of the retaining walls of the Temple area in the great building program of Herod is now in sight. Furthermore, within the Temple area itself Mohammedan fanaticism prevents any digging to search for the foundation of the Temple itself and its adjacent structures. Within the Tem ple area, only a section of the rock of Oman’s threshing floor shows above ground, and it is a holy place to the
Mohammedan. Most scholars think that the altar of burnt offerings was located at this point. Only a few items on the exterior of the Temple area remain, such as the ruins of the bridge from the western side of the Temple area over to the western hill — and across this bridge Jesus doubtless walked. North of it is one of the gates of the old Temple. At the northwestern comer of the Temple area and incorporated into present-day buildings, are the ruins of the Castle Antonia, the great fortress which de fended the Temple area. A part of its [Continued on Page 151}
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