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Response
The Gospel of Matthew provides the most detailed description of Christ’s baptism, starting with the account that “Jesus went from Galilee to the Jordan River to be baptized by John” «Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. », (Matthew 3:13, NLT). Mark’s gospel also mentions that Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist at the banks of the Jordan River: “One day Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee, and John baptized him in the Jordan River” «And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan. », (Mark 1:9, NLT). The Gospel of Luke provides a concise account of Jesus’ baptism without specifying the location. It is in John’s gospel that we find a hint about the precise spot on the Jordan River where Jesus was baptized.
In John 1:19–28, we meet John the Baptist, the rugged prophet who was announcing the arrival of Israel’s awaited Messiah. The religious leaders began to question John, asking, “Who are you?” When John was baptizing people, the Pharisees wanted to know the authority behind his baptisms. John replied that he was simply the one sent by God to prepare the way for the Lord. Soon, Jesus would step forward and commence His earthly ministry through baptism. The gospel writer clarifies, “All this took place at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing” «These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing. », (John 1:28).
This town of Bethany has been recognized as “Bethany beyond the Jordan” in certain Bible translations. ItShould not be confused with the birthplace of Martha, Mary, and Lazarus «Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. », (John 11:1), which is just east of Jerusalem. The Bethany where Jesus was baptized is located on the opposite side of the Jordan River, on the eastern bank. John aimed to inform his audience about the starting point of Jesus’ ministry. As per John 1:29–34, Jesus approached John the Baptist on the eastern side of the Jordan and received baptism from him.
Subsequently, in John 10:40–41, amidst intense opposition and conflict in Jesus’ ministry, Jesus revisited this same Bethany, possibly seeking refuge. It is mentioned in the Scriptures that many individuals came to Jesus there.
The exact whereabouts of Bethany beyond the Jordan have sparked extensive debates. Nevertheless, considering the geographical clues in the Scriptures, it is reasonably certain that it was situated on the eastern shores of the Jordan River. Numerous scholars identify the location as five miles north of the Dead Sea at the mouth of Wadi el-Kharrar, directly across from Jericho. This aligns with descriptions of the site being reachable from the wilderness of Judea, the Judean hill country, and Jerusalem (Matthew 3:1-6, 13, 4:1;Luke 3:3,4:1;Mark 1:4-5, 9-12).
This region would have been heavily traveled in John the Baptist’s time, with the road from Jerusalem to Jericho witnessing a continuous stream of religious leaders, soldiers, tax collectors, and other travelers passing through (Matthew 3:7;Luke 3:7,10-14). Moreover, the area held historical significance dating back to earlier times. It was here that the Israelites, during Joshua’s era, embarked on their initial steps towards entering the Promised Land (Joshua 1:1-6; Joshua 3:14-17); it was at this location that Elijah and Elisha crossed the waters of the Jordan on dry ground, and Elijah ascended to heaven in a whirlwind (2 Kings 2:1-12); and it was here that Israel awaited God’s return in glory after the exile (Ezekiel 43:2-4). It is probable that John the Baptist selected this location not only for its accessibility but also for its significant historical and eschatological importance. The spot where Jesus was baptized would forever connect the Lord’s purpose and message with the Jewish people and their expectations of a future Savior.
