Animating the Village of Bethphage
RevelationMedia is actively designing characters and settings for the latest installment of iBIBLE, called Life of Christ. This series brings the story of the Gospels to life with Biblical accuracy, providing an immersive experience of Scripture for families worldwide. Watch a sample of our new animation style today by clicking here!
For this behind-the-scenes look, we’ll walk through Bethphage, a small village situated between the Mount of Olives and the village of Bethany, which was home to Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. Jesus often stayed at Bethany, particularly during the week before His death (see Mark 11:11–12, 19–20), so Bethphage was a village He passed through many times on the two-mile journey between Jerusalem and Bethany.
Bethphage is also the village from which Jesus’ disciples obtained the donkey for His triumphal entry. Jesus instructed His disciples, saying, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me” (Matthew 21:2, ESV).
Many households kept their own animals for milk and transportation. The house below features an enclosure for such animals outside the main doors of the courtyard.
First-century houses followed several possible structural designs. Scholars believe a common type was the courtyard house, shown above and below. Most houses had some sort of large, central space for cooking and gathering, with smaller rooms for storage and sleeping around the edges. Leaving the large space uncovered meant that long beams were not required for the roof, only shorter ones for the roofs of the smaller rooms.
Thank you for your interest in iBIBLE! iBIBLE shares God’s Word through vibrant animations and dramatic audio, using Scripture as its sole source. By incorporating insights from Biblical archeology, we are bringing this mission to life with depth and accuracy.
Your support enables RevelationMedia to create engaging media that fosters relationships with Jesus Christ. Check out our new animation style today by clicking here!
