The Road to Jerusalem
The roads leading to Jerusalem through the Judea Wilderness traverse some barren, desolate, and rugged areas. This path following a wadi is one such trail. Seeing this path can help us understand the parable Jesus told of a man who went down to Jericho and was beaten by robbers (Luke 10:30).
This photograph can also help us picture Jesus' final walk from Jericho, where he healed Bartimaeus (Mark 10:46-52) and visited Zacchaeus,to Jerusalem, along a path that like this one.
Jesus had been tempted in this wilderness before (Matt. 4:1-11). It must have been a difficult walk for him, knowing that a horrible death lay ahead of him, and that, if he chose to, he could easily escape into the safety of the wilderness nearby. His pain and despair probably deepened at the sound of his disciples arguing about who would be number one when they reached Jerusalem. We should be eternally grateful when we realize that Jesus made that hot, difficult journey because of his great love for us.
