The reference to Olivet in Neh, viii. 15 shows that the mount, and probably the valley at its base, abounded in groves of various kinds of trees—' Go forth unto theinount, and fetch olive branches, and pine branches, and myrtle branches, and palm branches, and branches of thick trees, to make booths.' In the days of our Lord, the trees were still very numerous (Mark xi. 8). The palms, pines, and myrtles are now all gone ; and, with the exception of olives and figs, no trees are found on Olivet.
The only other mention of Olivet in the O. T. is in Zechariah's prophecy of the destruction of Je rusalem, and the preservation of God's people in it. He says of the Messiah, His feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem, on the east' (xiv. 4).
But it is mainly from its connection with N. T. hisbry that Olivet has so strong a claim upon the attention and affections of the Christian student. During the periods of our Lord's ministry in Jeru salem, the mount appears to have been his home. As poor pilgrims were then, and still are accus tomed to bivouac or encamp in the open fields so Jesus passed his nights amid the groves of Olivet. He did so partly, perhaps, that he might enjoy privacy ; partly to escape the ceaseless and bitter persecution of the Jews ; and partly through neces sity. It looks as if a practical illustration of his own touching statement, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air nests, but the Son of Man bath not where to lay his head' (Matt. viii. 20 ; John viii. t ; Luke xxviii. 27).
The Mount of Olives was the scene of four events, among the most remarkable in the history of our Lord.
( 1.) The Triumphal Entry.—Its scene was the road—doubtless the ancient caravan road—which winds round the southern shoulder of the hill from Bethany to Jerusalem. A short distance from Bethany the road meets a deep ravine, which comes down from the top of Olivet on the right, and winds away to the wilderness on the left. From this point the tops of the buildings on Zion are seen, but all the rest of the city is hid. And just opposite this point, on the other side of the ravine, are the re mains of an ancient village—cisterns, hewn stones, and scarped rocks. The road turns sharply to the right, descends obliquely to the bottom, then turns to the left, ascends and reaches the top of the opposite bank a short distance above the ruins. This then appears to be the spot, at the Mount of Olives,' where Jesus said to the two disciples, Go into the village which is opposite you (rue flaripavrt ii,uiTy), and immediately ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her ; having loosed bring them to me' (Matt. xxi. z). These active footmen could cross the ravine direct in a minute or two, while the great procession would take some time to wind round the road. The people of the village saw the procession ; they knew its cause, and they were thus prepared to give the ass to the disciples the moment they heard, The Lord bath need of him.' The dis ciples took the ass, led it up to the road, and met Jesus. The procession advanced up the easy eastern slope. It gained the crown of the ridge, where the descent of the Mount of Olives' begins, and where Jerusalem, in its full extent and beauty, suddenly bursts upon the view ; and then the multitude, ex cited by the noble prospect, and the fame of him whom they conducted, burst forth in joyous accla mation, Hosanna! Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord : blessed be the kingdom of our father David' (Mark xi. to). The Pharisees
were offended, and said, Master, rebuke thy disciples. He answered. I tell you. that if these should hold their peace, the stones would immedi ately cry out' (Luke xix. 39, 40). The hill-side is there covered with rugged crowns of rock. The procession advanced, descending obliquely. 'And when he came near'—to a point nearly opposite the temple—' he beheld the city, and wept over it,' giving utterance to those words so well known, and of such deep import. The splendid buildings at the temple were then in full view, a little below the level of the eye, and not more than 600 yards distant. Beyond them Zion appeared crowned with Herod's palace, and the lofty towers of the wall and citadel. Looking on so much splendour and beauty, and looking onward to future desola tion, what wonder that Divine compassion mani fested itself in tears ! (2.) From a commanding point on the western side of Olivet, Jesus predicted the temple's fins., overthrow. He had paid his last visit to the temple. When passing out, the disciples said, Master, see what manner of stones, and what buildings are here !' (Mark xiii. 1). They had probably heard some word fall from his lips which excited their alarm, and they thus tried to awaken in him a deeper interest in their holy temple. He replied—' Seest thou these great buildings ? there shall not be left one stone upon another that shall not be thrown down' (ver. 2). He passed on over the Kidron ; took the lower road to Bethany, which led him up to a spot on the Mount of Olives over against the temple' (3); and there, with the temple, its stately courts, and the colossal magnitude of its outer battlements before him, he predicted its final ruin, summing up with the words, This generation shall not pass till all these things be done. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.' The whole discourse in Mark xiii. was spoken on that spot (cf. Matt. xxiv. ; Luke xxi.) (3.) After the institution of the Supper, `when they had sung an hymn,' our Lord led his disciples over the brook Cedron,' out into the Mount of Olives,' to a garden called Gethsemane (John xviii. r ; Matt. xxvi. 3o, 36). That was the scene of the agony and the betrayal. [GETHSEMAN E. ] (4.) The Ascension was the most wondrous of all the events of which Olivet was the scene. Luke records it at the close of his gospel history, and the beginning of his apostolic history. In the first re cord Olivet is not mentioned. Jesus led his disciples out gtor cis Bsp-aviav, as far as to Bethany.' In the second record the reader is referred back to the former. The narrative opens abruptly at the spot to which he had led his disciples, as indicated in the gospel. A fuller account of his last words is given ; and after the ascension, the writer adds, Then returned they unto Jerusalem, from the mount called Olivet, which is from a Sabbath-day's journey' (Luke xxiv. 50-53 ; Acts i. 9-12).