Thursday, November 5, 2009

MOUNT OF PRECIPICE OR HAR KEDUMIM (397M), NAZARETH. Tradition has it that here an angry mob tried to throw down Jesus off a cliff (Luke 4:16-30).

"16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. 17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, 18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. 20 And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21 And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears. 22 And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph's son? 23 And he said unto them, Ye will surely say unto me this proverb, Physician, hBoldeal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in thy country. 24 And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country. 25 But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land; 26 But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow. 27 And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian. 28 And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, 29 And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong. 30 But he passing through the midst of them went his way," (Luke 4:16-30).

The Mount of Precipice is also called the Mount of the Leap of the Lord, Mount of Precipitation, Mount Qafzeh, or Mount Kedumim. The 397 m tall mountain has one of the most beautiful observation point to view the Jezreel Valley. The official name of the mountain is Har Kedumim due to the the pre-historic Kedumim cave discovered at its base. Human remains of 90,000 years old have been uncovered from this cave. Legends attribute that his cave was opened up as a hiding place for Virgin Mary, or for Jesus, as he was about to be pushed from the mountain top. Christian presence in the mount has been reported from at least 8th century AD. On the western side of the mount, remains of a Byzantine convent (5th Cent AD) is still visible. During Pope Benedictus XVIth Israel visit in May, 2009 , he gave a holy mass near this mountain which was attended by 40,000 people.

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