The Prison of Christ
Isaiah 53:8
8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? For he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. Located along the Via Dolorosa, not far from the Church of Condemnation and Flagellation Church, is the “Prison of Christ.” Like so many other places, this may or may not have been the actual prison, but I don’t allow that to stop me from gaining a better perspective and appreciation for what Christ did. With that said, this was another solemn place for me, and quite humbling. When you enter the prison it is dark and musty. You can descend into an area that is literally a dungeon where there are holes carved into the rock walls where the prisoners would have been chained. There is a separate area where some believe Christ was held prisoner himself, and where there was not just a hole for a chain but wider holes for His legs. Nearby is spot designated and believed to be where Barabbas was held. Today the place is filled with Pilgrims walking around, praying, taking pictures. Imagine what it would have been like when Jesus was cast in there as a prisoner – the cries of the prisoners, the echo of their chains, the stench, the Roman guards talking, and the sound of their armor and footsteps. |