Echo reporter's Holy Land trip led by ‘The Jesus Dynasty’ historian

Realistically, however, you probably don’t want to go at Christmas time because although Israel is a history buff’s heaven the heaving crowds of tourists that await you at every turn are hell.

I know, as I have recently returned from a 10-day tour of the Holy Land with famous historian, Professor James Tabor. Trying to find a moment’s peace when you’re being constantly elbowed out the way, was something I had expected, although it didn’t mean it was any the less grating at times – especially in 90-degree heat.

Nevertheless, it was all worth it to be in such cerebral company. If you’ve ever switched on the History or the Discovery Channel and a documentary about the bible or Jesus has cropped up, the chances are Dr Tabor is in it.

As a leading biblical scholar and recently retired professor at the University of North Carolina, Dr Tabor has written a number of books including the bestseller, The Jesus Dynasty. He has also appeared in and produced TV and film documentaries with Emmy-award winning historian Simcha Jacobovici- known more widely as The Naked Archaeologist. (As an unexpected treat we got to meet Simcha when he came to our hotel on the first night of our tour to meet with Professor Tabor).

So being a fan of Dr Tabor and his work, sometimes deemed to be controversial, I jumped at the chance be part of the tour, which also saw another notable historian, Ross Nicols (author of The Moses Scroll) taking a coach-full of mainly American history enthusiasts, except me and an Australian, all-over Israel.

Our itinerary was packed enough to wear out Indiana Jones. We drove all the way up to the Golan Heights on the border with Syria, down to the West Bank, stopping at Nazareth, The River Jordon, the Galilee, Tiberius, Qumran- where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered - before sleeping in the desert and, of course, visiting Jerusalem.

The Garden Tomb in Jerusalem (Image: Newsquest)

By ‘walking the ancient paths’ our tour goal was to track the historical Jesus – not the ‘religious Jesus’ which is better left to church groups – stopping along the way at some of Dr Tabor’s many archaeological excavations over the years.

As I had predicted I fell in love with the vibrant city of Jerusalem with its narrow-cobbled streets and extraordinary ancient buildings. Being with Dr Tabor, who was on his 72nd trip to Israel, meant we were able to experience sights and sounds that most tour groups just wouldn’t get to see. We learned about how extensively the city had changed since the first time Dr Tabor came to Jerusalem in 1962 as a teenager – a trip that changed his life forever and thrust him onto the path of biblical academia.

Among the places off the beaten track that we visited included Pontius Pilate’s Judgement Seat. Located just outside the western wall of the Old City, this is where the infamous Roman governor, is said to have condemned Jesus to death.

Before we even stepped off the coach Professor Tabor implored us not to lark about with the evil- looking thorns that grow beside the stone ruins. Many believe this is evidence that Christ was indeed given a crown of thorns before his execution because yes they genuinely do grow here!

But the warning was born out of a very real drama. Some years ago, one of Dr Tabor’s young research students decided to fashion himself a thorn crown as a joke – with disastrous results.

“We had to take him to hospital, he couldn’t get the crown off his head. It was terrible, he was in so much pain,” recounted Dr Tabor, shaking his head. “Please don’t anyone do that here.”

The professor had a paternal stance when it came to us, his tour subjects. Another warning he gave us was not to pretend to ‘fall off’ the Mount of Precipice, located just outside of Nazareth. This is the supposed site where Jesus was thrown off a cliff edge by villagers, annoyed at his claims to be the Messiah.

Biblical landscape - the desert near the Masada fortress (Image: Newsquest)

Two millennia later and it has not only become a magnet for Christian believers but a hotspot for selfie-seekers attempting to get pictures ‘falling off’ the mountain. Yes, you guessed it, Dr Tabor once had a student who did this and suffice to say, it didn’t end well for the poor lad.

“I loved him so much,” I was just broken by that,” lamented our protective professor.

Any trip to Jerusalem must include a visit to the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus is said to have been arrested and betrayed by Judas on the eve of his execution. A place for quiet reflection you might think, but not with the kind of crowds you find here. Next to the garden stands a beautiful church which enshrines a section of bedrock where Jesus is said to have prayed and agonised over what he was to endure. Getting anywhere near that rock today is agony unless you are prepared to engage in a scrum worthy of the Welsh rugby team.

Another historical gem, the Garden Tomb, just outside the city walls was far more peaceful but that may have been that we arrived before it opened to the public as Dr Tabor had received special permission to film inside the garden for a new documentary.

The rock cut tomb – where Jesus is believed by some to have been buried – is an intensely atmospheric place. There’s even a huge rolling stone seal sitting next to it – the type you see in biblical epics.

Alas, research shows the tomb couldn’t have been ‘the tomb’ as it only dates back to the seventh century, still it’s a place very much worth visiting.

Perhaps the most authentic-feeling part of the trip was the Galilee – the home of several of Jesus’s fishermen disciples Although in parts it’s rather touristy, at the small fishing village of Capernaum – believed to be the home of Peter – the waters lap onto the shores and the rocks exactly as they would have done 2,000 years ago. We took a boat ride at dusk out on the Sea of Galilee and the experience was surreal.

Looking out over the landscape from these calm waters it’s easy to see why so many amazing things are said to have happened in this part of the world so long ago.

Another ‘must see’ in the Galilee is the ancient city of Sepphoris where Dr Tabor has personally excavated. It is widely believed this is where Mary, the mother of Jesus was from – and where Jesus would have spent time growing up.

Nazareth, an hour’s walk away, was then little more than a hamlet while Sepphoris was the impressive neighbouring capital city.

“When I think of Mary the mother of Jesus I think of the forgotten city of Sepphoris,” Dr Tabor told us.

Yet until fairly recently the city was completely lost to the history books. Excavations have so far revealed wondrous things, including colonnaded street, a Roman theatre, a synagogue and homes and villas with intricate mosaics, including one of a woman considered to be so beautiful it has been dubbed ‘the Mona Lisa of the Galilee’.

Dr Tabor first took students to excavate at Sepphoris in 1996 and has been back many time since. Today only one tenth of this city has been excavated. Who knows what treasures lie underneath, waiting to be dug up?

Dr Tabor believes there is a strong chance Jesus and Joseph could have worked at Sepphoris as stonemasons when Herod Antipas rebuilt the city in 4AD . Dr Tabor was one of the first historians I ever heard discuss the fact that Jesus was actually a ‘tekton’ which translates to builder, or stone worker, rather than the more widely perceived ‘carpenter’.

As we drove through modern day Nazareth, I think we were all stunned at what an absolute eyesore it has become in most places. Burnt out cars in the streets, mountains of rubbish literally everywhere you look. If I wasn’t so stunned I would have tried to take photos. This wasn’t just a world away from the serene, holy place we sing about in carols, it was a galaxy away.

Towards the end of our tour we headed to the desert, staying in caravans at the Biblical Tamar park located along an ancient spice route near the Dead Sea.

The park is run by friendly and dedicated volunteers. It’s an active archaeology site. Oddly enough right next door is a crocodile sanctuary of all things- not what you’d expect to find in the biblical wilderness!

Being in the desert was one of the highlights of the trip. The stars in the night sky were something to behold and respite from the unrelenting crowds was welcomed.

From out desert base we ventured to King Herod’s mighty fortress- Masada. It’s a magnificent but sad place, know as the site where 960 Jewish zealots held out from the Roman for around two years. When they realised the Romans had finally broken through and were coming for them, they devised a heart-breaking plan.

Fathers killed their own children and their wives then drew lots to kill each other. The last man left would take his own life by throwing himself off the mountain. The alternative of what the Romans would do to them if they were captured alive was unthinkable.

Recent theories challenge this narrative, however, due to the lack of bones ever found here. Still, it makes for an incredible story. They actually made a glossy mini-series about the Masada siege, starring Peter O’ Toole, back in 1981.

Before heading to the airport to fly home Dr Tabor took us on a very special visit to a random apartment block in a suburb of East Jerusalem. It might seem mundane but to many on the tour this was what they’d been waiting for.

If you’ve ever seen the 2007 James Cameron film, The Lost Tomb of Jesus, you’ll know why we stopped here. It’s the site of the famed ‘Talpiot Jesus Family tombs’.

During a construction project in this part of the city in 1980, a rock cut tomb was found. Many scholars, including Dr Tabor, believe could be the very tomb of Jesus’s family.

Some 10 ossuaries (bone boxes) were found - one of them with the inscription ‘Yeshua bar Yehosef’ -Aramaic for “Jesus son of Joseph”. The osseries are now in the Israel Museum and Dr Tabor and his colleagues are continuing their research into the finds. A concrete slab today caps the ancient subterranean site where the tomb was found. Some people leave stones and flowers on this otherwise unremarkable slab, as mark of respect. Thirty years after the excavation and the tomb is still causing huge debate in the historical world.

“We have to be very quiet here, the residents don’t like coach loads of tourists disturbing them,” the professor whispered to us as we crowded around the apartment block which now covers the tomb site area. A few minute’s silence at last! Seriously, however, the Talpiot stop was a great ending to a truly awesome adventure.

Dr Tabor runs regular trips to Israel. You can find out more via his blog jamestabor.com