Jacob's Well, 1868 - Image by Frank M. Good, London.
Jacob's Well, where Jesus met with a woman of Samaria, is located at Shechem, 2km east of Nablus. Mt Gerizim appears in the background. This image was sold by Francis Frith, having been taken during Good's 1868 tour of the Holy Land. As previously mentioned, Good's Holy Land slides werer later sold to George Washington Wilson of Aberdeen who then sold them under his "GWW" trademark. (GWW Series).
"So he came to a city of Samaria called Sychar, near the field that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Jacob's well was there, and so Jesus, wearied as he was with his journey, sat down beside the well.... There came a woman of Samaria to draw water.... The Samaritan woman said to him, "How is it that you, a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria?" For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans. Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, "Give me a drink", you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.... Jesus said to her, "Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst; the water that I shall give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." The woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw." "[John 4:5-15]
Arab men riding donkeys on the road between Jerusalem and Jericho. This road, passing through the 'Judean Desert', has a constant ascent of 3,000 feet over 18 miles. Perhaps speaking from experience, Jesus told the parable of a man robbed and beaten on this road.Both a Priest and a Levite passed him by but a Samaritan chose to stop and assist the injured man.
"A man was going down from Jerusasem to Jericho, and fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him, and departed, leaving him half dead.... But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was; and when he saw him, he had compassion, and went to him and bound his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; then set him on his beast and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And the next day he took out two denarii and gave it the to the innkeeper, saying, 'Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back'. 'Which of these three, do you think proved neighbour to the man who fell among the robbers?' he said. 'The one who showed mercy on him'. And Jesus said to him, 'Go and do likewise' " [Luke10:29-37]
An Arab woman carrying an earthenware water vessel on her head.
Ruins at Capernaum on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee.
Capernaum is mentioned in the New Testament as being the home of the apostles Peter, Andrew, James and John. In Matthew the town was reported to have been the home of Jesus himself and according to Luke, Jesus taught in the synagogue on the Sabbath. In the Gospel of Matthew, Capernaum is also referred to as "his own city".
"And getting into a boat he crossed over and came to his own city." [Matthew 9:1]
"Now when he heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee; and leaving Nazareth he went and dwelt in Capernaum...." [Matthew 4:12-13]
"And he went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee. And he was teaching them on the sabbath; and they were astonished at his teaching, for his word was<authority." [Luke 4:31-32]
Ancient ruins in Samaria within the hill country of Ephraim.
The New Testament records that the miraculous healing of the ten lepers took place on the border of Samaria and Galilee. (GWW Slide)
"On the way to Jerusalem he was passing along between Samaria and Galilee. And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance and lifted up their voices and said "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us." When he saw them he said to them, "Go and show yourselves to the priests." And as they went they were cleansed. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice and he fell on his face at Jesus' feet giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan." [Luke 17:11-16]
Lepers sitting together on a roadside by the Valley of Gihon, Jerusalem, possibly begging money or food from passers by. Note the windmill on the hillside which also appears in the image of the Valley of Gihon on Page One.
"When he came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him; and behold, a leper came to him and knelt before him, saying, "Lord, if you will, you can make me clean." And he stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, "I will; be clean." And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. And Jesus said to him, "See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a proof to the people." " [Matthew 8:1-3]
Tiberias by the Sea of Galilee
Tiberias was built c. AD18-22 by Herod Antipas (the son of Herod the Great) on the site of the destroyed village of Rakkat, becoming the capital of his tetrachy of Galilee and Perea. It was named in honor of Antipas' patron, the Roman Emperor Tiberias. Although the largest and most important city of the region and lying less that 16km from Capernaum along the shore of Lake Galilee, there is no evidence that Jesus ever visited it during his public ministry. This was undoubtedly due to the predominately Greek spirit of the city. (GWW slide)
Tiberias by the Sea of Galilee
Another view of Tiberias, and looking out across the Sea of Galilee. Tiberias is only mentioned once in the Bible, relating to an incident which took place by the Sea of Galilee just after his feeding of the five thousand with five barley loaves and two fish. Thereafter Jesus withdrew into the hills rather than be taken by force to be made King.
"However, boats from Tiberias came near the place where they ate the bread after the Lord had given thanks. So when the people saw that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum seeking Jesus." [John 6:23-24]
A Group of Bedouins
Beduoins, being desert-dwelling nomadic Arab pastoralists, were to be found not only in the Holy Land but throughout most of the desert belt extending from the Atlantic coast of the Sahara and the Western Desert, Sinai and Negev to the Arabian Desert. (GWW slide)An Arab Cart
An Arab man with his wooden wheeled cart. Note the dry, arid appearance of the countryside.
The Mount of Olives
The Mount of Olives lies close to the Garden of Gethsemane and Jerusalem. (GWW slide)
Jesus is said to have spent a good deal of time on the mount, teaching and prophesying to his disciples, returning after each day to rest, and also coming there on the night of his betrayal.
"And every day he was teaching in the temple, but at night he went out and lodged on the mount called Olivet." Luke 21:37
Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives
The Russian Orthodox Church of St Mary Magdalene with its seven golden cupolas appears on the Mount of Olives in foreground with the wall of the old city and Jerusalem spread out on the hillside in the distance.
