17 Oct 2026
On Location in Israel: The Southern Steps of Temple Mount
Today was our first full day in Jerusalem. The hustle/bustle/chaos of this amazing city is in stark contrast to the bucolic nature of The Galilee.
We started our day with a “hike” through Hezekiah’s Tunnel, that incredible engineering marvel that connects the Gihon Spring (Ancient Jerusalem’s water source) to the Pool of Siloam at the southern most reaches of the ancient city. The springs were “camouflaged” in antiquity and lay outside the city walls. In order to secure water for the city in times of need, King Hezekiah sponsored the building of a tunnel that would connect the springs to the Pool of Siloam, which lay within the city walls. Builders started at both ends of the tunnel, and miraculously, met in the middle.
The Pool served not only as a water source, but as a ritual cleansing “mikveh” for worshippers wishing to enter Temple Mount, which was located more than a quarter mile up the hill. That ancient road has been recently excavated, providing additional archaeological evidence to the veracity of the Scriptures.
At the Pool, Steve “The Rev” Allen shared a lesson on John 9, expounding upon the compare/contrast story of the blind man healed at the Pool of Siloam on the Sabbath by Yeshua and the “seeing” Pharisees, who were blind to the awesome moving of the Spirit and the redemption of a “sinner.” The story has many humorous elements, and reinforces a recurring theme in our journey that we, the faithful religious folks, are often unable to recognize (see) beyond our narrow theology and our constricting rules and regulations. It is not lost on us that the word “Siloam” can imply “to let go.” We would be prudent to “let go” of our notions of how G-d works and to whom He bestows blessings.
After ascending the Pilgrimage Road from the Pool, we found ourselves at the Southern Steps of Temple Mount. This was the main worshipper’s entrance up to the Temple platform. In Yeshua’s time, the stairs were 200 yards wide, and was a popular area for rabbis to teach and preach. The stairs were comprised of a series of wide steps that forced worshippers to slow their cadence as the ascended to G-d’s house. Scholars believe that during the pauses on those wide steps, worshippers would recite/chant/sing the 15 Psalms of Ascent (Ps. 120-134). Additionally, at the Southern Steps, dozens and dozens of baptismal “mikvehot” or baptismal fonts were discovered. Again, purification via water baptism was required before entering “The House.”
It is on these steps that I like to teach and recount the story of Pentecost that can be found in Acts 1 and 2. A close reading of the very end of Luke and of these chapters points to the strong possibility that the Southern Stairs is the location of giving of the Holy Spirit. On that day, after Peter’s rousing evangelical sermon, “about 3,000” repented and were baptized. The only logical place for so many people to hear that sermon and then be baptized would be the Southern Steps. In an interesting observation, we note that the phrase “about 3,000” occurs one other time in the Scriptures: at the end of Exodus 32 … after the “golden calf incident” G-d instructs the Levites to pass through the Israelites and to slay those who committed apostasy. That day “about 3,000” were slain. Perhaps G-d, remembering the loss to the community so many years before, decided to redeem and reconcile a like number as His relationship with His people was about to enter a new phase.
Godspeed and Shalom,
D-Wach
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