Introduction 7 Luke: the man behind the message 9 Luke''s perspective on Jesus 10 Key dates around the time of Jesus 11 Josephus on John the Baptist and Jesus 14 Key dates in the Holy Land 17 Map of Palestine in Jesus'' day 18 1 Bethlehem 19 Humble beginnings 19 The star of Bethlehem and the date of Jesus'' birth 22 Key dates: Bethlehem 24 Bethlehem today 24 Jerome in Bethlehem 29 Map of Galilee 30 2 Nazareth 31 Childhood locations 31 Ancient Sepphoris 34 Locating Cana 36 Key dates: Nazareth 38 Nazareth today 38 The Nazareth Decree 41 3 The River Jordan 43 Baptism and renewal 43 Qumran, the Essenes and John the Baptist 45 Key dates: the River Jordan 47 The River Jordan today 47 Baptism in the Jordan 49 Evidence for the Byzantine site of Jesus'' baptism 50 4 The Judean Desert 53 Testing in the wilderness 53 Geological features of the desert 55 Key dates: the Judean Desert 59 The Judean Desert today 59 Map of monasteries in the Judean desert 61 The Desert Fathers 63 5 Galilee and its villages 67 Scenes of public ministry 67 Josephus'' description of Lake Galilee 68 The locations of Jesus'' ministry in Galilee 70 Map of Lake Galilee in the first century 71 Galilean imagery in Jesus'' teaching 74 Galilee today 75 Key dates: Galilee and its villages 76 Visiting Galilee today 77 6 Samaria 85 The enemy within 86 Samaria in the fourth century ad 86 Map of Samaria 87 The Samaritans according to Josephus 88 Samaria today 90 Key dates: Samaria 91 The Crusades 95 7 Caesarea Philippi 98 Time for a decision 99 The scene of the transfiguration: Tabor or Hermon? 102 Key dates: Caesarea Philippi 104 Caesarea Philippi today 105 8 Jericho 109 The lowest city in the world 109 The Dead Sea 110 The siege of Masada 112 Key dates: Jericho 114 Jericho today 114 The Bordeaux pilgrim''s visit to Jericho and Jerusalem 117 9 Bethany 119 A quiet haven 120 Key dates: Bethany 122 Bethany today 123 Egeria''s visit to Bethany 124 10 The Mount of Olives 127 Jesus'' favoured location 128 Map of the Mount of Olives 132 Key dates: The Mount of Olives 135 The Mount of Olives today 135 Eusebius and the Mount of Olives 139 A weekend in modern Jerusalem 142 11 The Temple 145 The heart of the nation 145 The Herodian Temple 146 The destruction of the Temple 152 Key dates: The Temple 153 The Temple today 154 The Temple: Muslim, Jewish and Christian perspectives 159 12 Jerusalem 161 The ''holy city''? 162 Celebrating Passover in Jesus'' day 164 Map of Jerusalem in Jesus'' day 165 Pontius Pilate 170 Simon of Cyrene and John Mark 171 Key dates: Jerusalem 172 Jerusalem today 173 Jerusalem''s moving walls 175 Jerusalem in the book of Acts 177 Visitors to Jerusalem in the nineteenth century 180 Overview of Jesus'' last hours before the crucifixion 181 13 Golgotha and the tomb 183 From death to life 183 Crucifixion in the ancient world 184 First-century burial practices 187 Key dates: Golgotha and the tomb 188 Golgotha today 189 Eusebius'' description of Christ''s tomb and Constantine''s buildings 193 Christian celebration in Byzantine Jerusalem 202 14 Emmaus 205 Travelling along the way 205 Key dates: Emmaus 208 Emmaus today 209 The four locations suggested for Luke''s Emmaus 209 Emmaus: the continuing journey 211 Further reading 214 Index 216 Scripture references 216 General references 220 Picture acknowledgements.