Jerusalem to Jericho

And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho . . . Luke 10:30 

Bethphage in the Holy Land 

2013AD sometime around August 

Dear friend and gentle blog-reader Rose Carson posts a question: What is Bethpage? 

The sad insight here is that this blog is maintained in fits and starts and we didn't even notice that there was a comment field until November. Sorry Rose. 

FLASHBACK 

2013AD June 9, Provo, Utah (mere hours before appointment at MTC)  

Elder Owens: Why don't we call our missionary blog "Mission to Montauk?" 

Sister Owens: Absolutely not. No one knows what montak is. Your wierd. What is montak? 

Elder Owens: It is the lighthouse point on the eastern tip of Long Island. 

Sister Owens: That's not where we will be. 

Elder Owens: Probably not, but the alliteration is perfect. 

Sister Owens: No. 

Later that night 

Elder Owens (perusing Google maps) 

Sister Owens (asleep) 

Elder Owens (to himself): Farmingdale? Mission to Farmingdale? Loser. Sounds like a mission to Hicksville. 

(BTW, Hicksville - actual town six miles west of mission apartment) 

Wait. what is the name of that large park next door? Bethpage? Right there! (finger on map) "Old Bethpage" Hey - 'Owens in Old Bethpage.' the 'Old' is good. Sounds distinguished. This might work . . . 

A blog is born - 

2013AD, Early August, Old Bethpage, New York  

Elder Owens is enjoying his sunrise walks through Bethpage Park. Solitude. Morning mist. Muted colors. Apples and pecans ripening in the trees. 

On Sunday he asks Frank Mansuetto about all the golfers in the park. Frank looks surprised. "You know! . . . five courses. . . . the U.S. Open . . . . . the Bethpage Black." Well, that would explain the large groups of golphers disembarking at the train station every day.

I felt like a cultural sports idiot. Further research was obviously needed. This usually means Wikipedia, where I quickly learned that the "PGA lists Bethpage Black on its top ten 'World's Most Beautiful Courses' list." Golf Digest ranked it #6 of America's 50 toughest courses.

It also has a polo field.

But isn't bethpage a hebrew word?
I mean, beth means home or something, doesn't it?

WAY FLASHBACK 

1695AD  Long Island, New York 

Thomas Powell buys 10,000 acres from local Indian tribes for 140 English pounds. He notices that his new purchase sits between the Long Island towns of Jericho and Jerusalem. In mind that the biblical Bethphage was located between Jericho and Jerusalem he names his New York holding Bethphage as well. 

Jerusalem, Long Island later changed its name to Wantagh. Jericho is the same. Eventually, the second "H" in the Long Island "Bethpage" was dropped. 

• Bethphage in Hebrew means "house of figs." 
• It is located on today's West Bank. 
• It begins the story of Jesus' triumphant ride into Jerusalem. 

"As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, 'Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, tell him that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away'" (Matt 21:1-3; see also Mark 11:1, Luke 19:29, Zech 9:9). 

 FLASH FORWARD 

2013AD, August 27, Las Vegas (wedding reception for James)   

Don McClelland: So where are you in New York Chris? 

Elder Owens: We're right next to the Old Bethpage Park. You know, "house of figs" . . . . like in the holy land . . . . Triumphal ride . . . . 

(blank looks all around) 

Elder Owens: You know! . . . five courses . . . . the U.S. Open . . . . . the Bethpage Black? 

Don (now beaming leans over to Dave Lovett): Hey, Chris lives by the Bethpage Black course. 

Excitement. 

All of us now nodding and grinning knowingly. 

Elder Owens basking in a shared sports-fan moment. 

The inner circle. 

A new experience. 

Well, there you have it Rose. The answer to your Bethpage question. 

And more. 

Rose? 

Are you still there Rose?? 

The Old Lenox Country Club on hill, Bethpage State Park, panorama view from my Droid Nexus