Before entering Jerusalem Jesus and his disciples camped out on the Mount of Olives which is a small elevated area directly across from Jerusalem. The mountain or hill is still covered with olive groves today, short stocky trees with narrow green leaves. Between the Mount of Olives and Jerusalem is the Kidron Valley. The Mount of Olives also contains many graves of important and famous Jewish rabbi's and leaders and Jewish pilgrims continue to visit the Mount today as a place of pilgrimage.
The gospels tell us that Jesus spent the final days teaching in the Jerusalem Temple. Jesus spent most of his time up in the Galilee area teaching, preaching, and healing. However, at the end of his life he made his way down to Jerusalem which is in the south. He spent the last week of his life in the heart of the religious and culture center of the Jewish people.
Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day does not catch you unexpectedly, like a trap. For it will come upon all who live on the face of the whole earth. Be alert at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.’
Every day he was teaching in the temple, and at night he would go out and spend the night on the Mount of Olives, as it was called. And all the people would get up early in the morning to listen to him in the temple. (Luke 21)
For more information about the Mount of Olives and the Garden of Gethsemane click here
