Caiaphas’ House

In the location of the high priest Caiaphas’ house, the trial of Jesus came to life for me.

There are 3 levels to the house. On the upper level is a church. On the middle level is a church (separate from the upper level). On the bottom there is a cistern that was turned into a holding place / prison / scourging room. You could clearly see where someone would be chained to the wall and given the 40 minus 1 scourging. After that they would be brought to the (even lower) cistern where they would be kept in isolation. On a full moon the area would be lit, but otherwise it would be nearly completely dark.

I could imagine Jesus being in the place after his scourging and once again being alone with the Father. It was an unexpectedly somber moment and we sang a hymn together in that place.

Surely Christ could have delivered Himself from the torment and pain at any moment of the trial, but chose the cross, and thus delivered me instead.