Well, we knew this would happen regularly during our stay in Israel and, sure enough, it already has. A new and in my opinion, convincing theory about the location of the infamous place "called the Pavement, and in Hebrew, Gabbatha" (John 19:13) has surfaced. Shimon Gibson, an archaeologist, believes this pavement is located just outside the Old City wall about midway between Jaffa Gate and the southern end of the west side of the Old City wall.
Scholars are pretty much agreed that the Via Dolorossa, traversed by literally millions of tourists and pilgrims since its inception in the 18th century, is not historically accurate. There is a consensus that Pilate would have taken up
residence in Herod's Palace which was located south of David's citadel and covered much of what is called today the Armenian Quarter. This photograph is looking south along the line of the Turkish wall built by Suleiman the Magnificent in the 16th century. By the way, the road in the right center of the picture leads to the campus of JUC. Notice the Armenian Quarter parking lot just inside the wall. Herod's courtyard would have covered that area (and more).
What Gibson has done, however, is posit a credible location for the actual Gabbatha or Pavement. Earlier in his excavations under Magen Broshi during the 1970's, Gibson had helped uncover a portion of the courtyard of Herod's Palace. Here is a photograph of a model of Jerusalem during the time of Jesus showing Herod's splendid palace and grounds. Note the two building complexes. The one on the left (or north) probably consisted of service buildings, and the one on the right (south) served as a barracks. This is where Pilate stayed when he was in Jerusalem.
Scholars are pretty much agreed that the Via Dolorossa, traversed by literally millions of tourists and pilgrims since its inception in the 18th century, is not historically accurate. There is a consensus that Pilate would have taken up
residence in Herod's Palace which was located south of David's citadel and covered much of what is called today the Armenian Quarter. This photograph is looking south along the line of the Turkish wall built by Suleiman the Magnificent in the 16th century. By the way, the road in the right center of the picture leads to the campus of JUC. Notice the Armenian Quarter parking lot just inside the wall. Herod's courtyard would have covered that area (and more).
What Gibson has done, however, is posit a credible location for the actual Gabbatha or Pavement. Earlier in his excavations under Magen Broshi during the 1970's, Gibson had helped uncover a portion of the courtyard of Herod's Palace. Here is a photograph of a model of Jerusalem during the time of Jesus showing Herod's splendid palace and grounds. Note the two building complexes. The one on the left (or north) probably consisted of service buildings, and the one on the right (south) served as a barracks. This is where Pilate stayed when he was in Jerusalem.So much has been generally agreed upon. What Gibson now maintains is that he has identified the steps leading up to a gate granting access to the courtyard area of Herod's palace, a gate Josephus (a first century Jewish historian) called "the Essene Gate." I'm not convinced about this being the Essene Gate, but what I do find compelling is his claim that the steps and gate area are where the "judgment seat" (John 19:13) was located and where Pilate uttered the famous words, 'Behold the man "(John 19:5) and where he finally handed Jesus over to the religious authorities to be crucified (John 19:16).
Seen here is a photograph of the Turkish wall viewed from the west. On the other side of the wall is the Armenian Quarter parking lot shown earlier. Notice that right at the base of the wall is an outcropping of stone and in the foreground one sees what appears to be steps leading up to that outcropping.
Shown here is a pho
tograph I took this past week of Joyce standing on one of those steps on the outcropping. It would appear that they originally led up to a gate admitting one to Herod's courtyard. Notice how the Turkish wall rests on top of the earlier Herodian era stones, a not uncommon thing in this most uncommon city.
Seen here is a photograph of the Turkish wall viewed from the west. On the other side of the wall is the Armenian Quarter parking lot shown earlier. Notice that right at the base of the wall is an outcropping of stone and in the foreground one sees what appears to be steps leading up to that outcropping.
Shown here is a pho
tograph I took this past week of Joyce standing on one of those steps on the outcropping. It would appear that they originally led up to a gate admitting one to Herod's courtyard. Notice how the Turkish wall rests on top of the earlier Herodian era stones, a not uncommon thing in this most uncommon city.Seen below is Gibson's reconstruction of what the steps and gate area might have looked like with Jesus seen standing at the top and visible to the crowds below. The area would easily accommodate hundreds of spectators. If this reconstruction is correct, Joyce is standing very close to the place where Jesus stood condemned!
In the words of the old hymn: "Bearing shame and scoffing rude, In my place condemned he stood; Sealed my pardon with his blood. Hallelujah! What a Savior!"
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