On a mountain in Galilee the risen Jesus gave His disciples their great commission (Mt 28'^). The circumstances suggest some height familiar to all, not far from the scenes of the Galilaean ministry, commanding a wide prospect. Certain identifica- tion is, of course, impossible, but these conditions are Avell fulfilled by Jebel Kandn, a bold head- land projecting southward from the great bulk of Naphtali. The spacious view ranges from Carmel and the Mediterranean to the eastern ridges of Bashan, and from snowy Hermon to the dim mountains guarding the Dead Sea. In the great hollow below sleep the blue waters of Galilee, the white-sailed fishing boats recalling imperishable memories.
In hours of devotion Jesus seemed to long for the solitude and stillness to be found only on lonely heights by night (Mt W\ Mk 6«, Lk G'^ 9-«, Jn 6^'). From a mountain at last He passed into the invisible (Lk 24-5", Ac l"- ^% See also art. Hill.
Literatitre.— G. A. Smith, HGHL, p. 47fiE. ; W. M. Ramsav, Education of Christ, cf. ExpT xiv. [1903] p. 194.
W. EWING.
MOUNT OF OLIVES (t6 6pos tQu eXac^v, Mt 211 243 2630, Mk 133 i^m^ lj^ iy3" 223», Jn 8' ; and TO 6pos TO Ka\oijfi€vov e\ai(2iv, Lk lO"-'" 213"). — One of the universally accepted holy sites around Jeru- salem. It is to-day known- as Jebel et-Tur (the mountain of the elevation or tower) by the Moslems, and as Jebel ez-Zeitun (the mount of olives) by native Christians and, indeed, also by Moslems. By the Jews, besides the above men- tioned, the name ' mountain of light ' has also been given, from the fact that here used to be kindled the first beacon-fire to signalize through the land the appearance of each new moon.
The mount due east of Jerusalem forms the culminating height of a range which, separating itself from the central plateau near the village of Shaphat, runs for two miles, first S. and then S.W., and terminates beyond the village of Silivan at the Wady en-Nur. The beginning of the range has very generally been accepted as the Scopus (pro.spect) of Josephus, and the part running S. NV. — Batn el-Hawa — considerably loAver than the part east of the city and not higher than the Temple area itself, has by many been identified as the Mount of Offence. Although these have been described by some authorities as parts of the Mount of Olives, there seems no real reason for including them in the description, and to do so is confusing.
The natural boundaries of Olivet are to-day well defined by two ancient roads. To the N. a very ancient highway to Jericho, after traversing a deep bay * in the range, which from the city side seems to separate the range into two, crosses a low neck cutting off the northern part, now crowned by the house of Sir John Grey Hill, from the
* This open valley, in which to-day are many olives and also at least one ancient olive press, is an attractive site for Gethse- mane (which see), though it must be admitted that tradition is all against it.
MOUNT OF OLIVES
MOUNT OF OLIVES
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southern loftier mass — the true Mount of Olives. To the S. the road which runs to Bethany forms a convenient if somewliat arbitrary division, cutting off Olivet from the so-called ' Mount of Ottence ' and from other spurs to the south. To the W. the boundary is sufficiently plainly marked off by the deep valley of the Kidron, -while to the E. there are indications (see'Lk 19-» 2^^"; cf. Ac 1^-) for including within the limits the projecting spur on which Bethany stands. Probably the limits were never defined geographically, but the whole area was distinguished, as it is to some extent to-day, by its thick plantations of olives, tigs, and palms, — hence the names Bethphage (house of hgs) and Bethany (house of dates). This fertility, though no doubt most constantly observed by the city dwellers, to whom the beautiful slopes, then as they do to-day, would appeal most refreshinglj' as viewed from the dirty, squalid streets, must also have held out to the tired and thirsty travellers, ascending the dry and dusty wilderness from the Jordan to the city, an enchanting prospect of cool- ness and refreshment. For this alone it would appear only reasonable to include the sites of the villages on the eastern side, with their abundant gardens, as an essential part of the jNIount. There can be little doubt that in the days of Christ the liill was thickly spread with verdure over parts which to-daj- are given iip to churches, hovels, and extensive cemeteries.
Viewing the mountain thus, two principal sum- mits and two subsidiarj- spurs may be described. The N. summit is that known as Kareni es-Sayi/iicl (the vineyard of the hunter), and also as the Viri Galilcei ; it reaches a height of 2723 feet above the ^Mediterranean, and is separated from the S. mass by a narrow neck of land traversed to-day by the new carriage road. As far back as 530 this hill is spoken of as Galilee, and in the Acts of Pilate (about 350) a mountain near Jerusalem called 'Galilee' is mentioned. It is said to have first received its name TaKCKaia because the Galila?ans attending the feasts used to encamp there, or as Saiwulf (1102) says, it 'was called Galilee because the Apostles, who were called Galilteans, f requentl j^ visited there. ' * The S. siimmit, of practically equal height, is the traditional ]Mount of the Ascension, and has for some years been distin- guished by a lofty tower erected by the Russians. Here, too, Constantino erected his Church of the Ascension in 316 on tlie site where now stands its successor (erected 1834-5) of the same name. Here also is the Church of the Creed and the Paternoster Church, the latter a modern building on the site of one of that name destroj-ed long ago. Scattered over the summit is a modern iloslem village — Kcfr et-Tur — which combines with the noisy con- duct of its rapacious inhabitants in spoiling the quiet beauty and holy associations of this sacred spot.