Ancient Sources Mount Ephraim and Benjamin

The Holy City Jerusalem – (Jerusalem, al-Quds)
ORIGINAL TEXTS
Ierusalem in qua regnavit Adonibezec. Et post eam tenuere Iebusaei, e quibus et sortita vocabulum est. Quos multo post tempore David exterminans, totius eam Iudaeae provinciae metropolim fabricatus est eo, quod ibi locum templi emerit et impensas structurae Salomoni filio dereliquerit. Hanc esse Iosefus refert quae in Genesi scribitur Salem sub rege Melchisedec. Fuit autem in tribu Beniamin.
(Jerome 107:1-8)
ENGLISH TRANSLATION
Eusebius, Onomasticon 106:1-6 (ca. 295 A.D.); Jerome 107:1-8 (ca. 390 A.D.)
Jerusalem (Jos 10:1) of which Adonizedek was king, and then the Jebusites, after which it was also named Jebus, and which David drove away after a long time, and made the city into the capital of Judaea, as he purchased there a place for the temple and left the charge of building it to his son Solomon. Josephus says that this is the city which the Scripture calls Salem, of which Malchizedek was king. It fell into the lot of Benjamin.

 

 

BIBLICAL BACKGROUND

Josh. 10:1-5 Adoni-zedek king of JerusalemWhen King Adoni-zedek of Jerusalem heard how Joshua had taken Ai, and had utterly destroyed it, doing to Ai and its king as he had done to Jericho and its king, and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel and were among them, 2 he became greatly frightened, because Gibeon was a large city, like one of the royal cities, and was larger than Ai, and all its men were warriors. 3 So King Adoni-zedek of Jerusalem sent a message to King Hoham of Hebron, to King Piram of Jarmuth, to King Japhia of Lachish, and to King Debir of Eglon, saying, 4 “Come up and help me, and let us attack Gibeon; for it has made peace with Joshua and with the Israelites.” 5 Then the five kings of the Amorites – the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon – gathered their forces, and went up with all their armies and camped against Gibeon, and made war against it.

Jud 1:21 The Jebusites’ Jerusalem
The Benjaminites did not drive out the Jebusites who lived in Jerusalem; so the Jebusites have lived in Jerusalem among the Benjaminites to this day.

2Sam 5:6-10 The conquest of Jerusalem
The king and his men marched to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, who said to David, “You will not come in here, even the blind and the lame will turn you back” – thinking, “David cannot come in here.” 7 Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion, which is now the city of David. 8 David had said on that day, “Whoever would strike down the Jebusites, let him get up the water shaft to attack the lame and the blind, those whom David hates.” Therefore it is said, “The blind and the lame shall not come into the house.” 9 David occupied the stronghold, and named it the city of David. David built the city all around from the Millo inward. 10 And David became greater and greater, for the Lord, the God of hosts, was with him.

Sal 122 “Our feet are standing within your gates, O Jerusalem”
A Song of Ascents. Of David. 1 I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord!” 2 Our feet are standing within your gates, O Jerusalem.
3 Jerusalem – built as a city that is bound firmly together. 4 To it the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, as was decreed for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the Lord. 5 For there the thrones for judgment were set up, the thrones of the house of David.
6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May they prosper who love you. 7 Peace be within your walls, and security within your towers.” 8 For the sake of my relatives and friends I will say, “Peace be within you.” 9 For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek your good.

Is 2:1-4 The Word of the Lord shall go forth from Jerusalem
The word that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.
2 In days to come the mountain of the LORD’s house shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be raised above the hills; all the nations shall stream to it. 3 Many peoples shall come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. 4 He shall judge between the nations, and shall arbitrate for many peoples; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

Matt 21:1-11 The entrance of Jesus in Jerusalem
When they had come near Jerusalem and had reached Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone says anything to you, just say this, ‘The Lord needs them.’ And he will send them immediately.” 4 This took place to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet, saying, 5 “Tell the daughter of Zion, Look, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” 6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them; 7 they brought the donkey and the colt, and put their cloaks on them, and he sat on them. 8 A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 The crowds that went ahead of him and that followed were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!” 10 When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil, asking, “Who is this?” 11 The crowds were saying, “This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee.”

Act 2:36-47 The first Christian community of Jerusalem
36 Therefore let the entire house of Israel know with certainty that God has made him both Lord and Messiah, this Jesus whom you crucified.”
37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?” 38 Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you, for your children, and for all who are far away, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to him.” 40 And he testified with many other arguments and exhorted them, saying, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” 41 So those who welcomed his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand persons were added. 42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.
43 Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles. 44 All who believed were together and had all things in common; 45 they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.

Rev 21:1-4 The heavenly Jerusalem
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “See, the home of God is among mortals. He will dwell with them as their God; they will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them; 4 he will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away.”

 

MORE ANCIENT SOURCES
Eucherius, Letter to Faustus 1-9 (5th cent. A.D.)

EPISCOPAL CITY

Bishops’ list
Jacob (A.D. 62/6)
Simeon (A.D. 106/7)
Iustus / Iudas (A.D. 107-113)
Zacchaeus / Zacharias
Tobias
Benjamin
John
Mathias / Matthew (A.D. 120)
Philip (A.D. 124)
Seneca
Iustus
Levi
Ephraem
Joseph
Iudas Quiriacus (A.D. 134-148)
Mark (A.D. 156)