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16 The Mount of Olives in YEHOVAH God’s Plan

Historical Evidence

Church records reveal that the early church knew that the Mount of Olives was the site of
Yeshua’s crucifixion and resurrection. Eusebius (264-340 A.D.) corroborated historical records,
penned some 100 years before his time, that made this claim. And, in his commentary on Isaiah,
Eusebius makes the statement that the new Zion -- which he called the Mount of Olives -- was the
place where Yeshua the Messiah was crucified and resurrected -- see Holy City, Holy Places by
P.W.L. Walker, pages 301-305.

In fact, the Mount of Olives was the only place the early Church considered to be holy. The
summit of the mount (its highest point) became known as Inbomon. This word was clearly derived
from the Greek en bommo -- meaning “high place” or “altar.” The crucifixion site is located very
close to this place on the Mount of Olives.

The Early Christians saw great significance in the fact that the Messiah was crucified, bur-
ied and resurrected from the dead near the summit of the Mount of Olives. They also saw clear indi-
cations of these facts in the prophecies of Isaiah, Micah and Ezekiel, and gave clear and concise
statements (showing YEHOVAH God’s signs) that the Mount of Olives was to become a new
Mount Zion for the world.

Before the time of Emperor Constantine, Christian pilgrims from all over the known world
congregated by a cave-crypt near the site of the crucifixion. They recognized this crypt as the tomb
where the Messiah was buried and resurrected. Because of its significance to the early Christians,
the Eleona Church was erected on top of this cave-crypt some 300 years after the Messiah’s death.

Then, following its destruction by the Neo-Persians (614 A.D.), a chapel was rebuilt during
the Middle Ages. Also, according to tradition, this site marks the spot where the Messiah taught his
disciples the so-called “Lord’s Prayer.” In commemoration, a church was built in 1868 and named
Pater Noster -- Latin for “Our Father.”

Alternate Sites

All the evidence we have seen supports the Mount of Olives as the actual site of the Mes-
siah’s crucifixion and resurrection. However, Catholic and Protestant traditions point to other sites
-- the Church of the Holy Sepulcher and Gordon’s Tomb respectively. Let us, then, undertake a
comparative analysis of the Biblical, historical and archaeological evidence to assess the veracity of
these competing claims for the true site of the Messiah’s death and resurrection.

For the purpose of this exercise, we should be aware that the sites of the crucifixion and
burial are in close proximity to each other -- based upon the Biblical record (John 19:41).

1/. The Church of the Holy Sepulcher.

In 326 A.D., the site of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher was “picked” by the Roman Em-
peror Constantine “the Great” as the place where Yeshua the Messiah was crucified. This selection
was based on visions and dreams the emperor had experienced.

The Berean Voice March-April 2003