The Gospel of John and the Journey to Jerusalem
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Al Maghtas, the baptism location. Al Maghtas is located about 13 miles northeast of Jerusalem near the Jordan River. This is where Jesus and the disciples retreated to after Jesus heals a blind man. They do this to shield themselves from the reach of the Chief Priests and Pharisees. The town is located in the rugged hill country with sweeping views of the Jordan River valley. The site consists of two areas. Jabal Mar-Elias (Elijah’s Hill) is said to be the place from which Elijah was lifted alive up into heaven. It is an area close to the baptism ponds where tradition has said is the location that John the Baptist baptized Jesus. There is evidence of temples, churches, and monasteries being constructed on the site since the 4th Century CE. Al Maghtas was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2015. This Copyright: © Baptism Site Commission Date: 17/03/2014 Author: Simon Balian Permanent URL: whc.unesco.org/en/documents/137046
The Synoptic Gospels, Matthew, Mark and Luke, have distinct and similar times when Jesus turns toward Jerusalem to attend his final Passover Feast. The Gospel of John on the other hand has Jesus, in a roundabout way arrive at Jerusalem 6 days before the Passover Feast. Let’s take a look at how, according to John, Jesus makes his trip to Jerusalem.
The first mention of Jesus going to his final Passover is in John 7:1-14. Jesus is in Galilee and it is time for the Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem, approximately 2 months before Passover. According to John Jesus is encouraged by the disciples to go to the Feast of Tabernacles in order for the people in Jerusalem to hear his message of the coming kingdom and witness his powerful signs.
Jesus, on the other hand, knows the Chief Priests and the Pharisees are angry with him for several reasons. First because of the way he cleared the temple of money changers and sacrifice providers, then his message of a new kingdom of God, and finally the signs/miracles he has done. Jesus does not want to give his enemies a chance to capture him. He tells his disciples he will be staying in Galilee because, “My time is not yet here.”
In secret Jesus departs for Jerusalem after the others leave to celebrate Feast of Tabernacles. While in Jerusalem Jesus is recognized because of his teaching. The Jewish authorities send the temple guards to arrest him. The guards return without Jesus and when asked why, they answer, “No one has ever spoke the way this man does.”
From the Gospel of John, this fresco shows Jesus healing a blind man and raising Lazarus from the dead. On the left, Jesus touches the man’s closed eyes with two fingers as in a traditional Christian blessing. Jesus extends his left hand to man in gesture of welcome. In the right panel Jesus, accompanied by Saint John the Evangelist, extends his left hand again in a gesture of welcome while pointing a cross shaped staff at the shrouded Lazarus. Mary and Martha stand behind the sarcophagus, lifting the lid so their brother may rise, their faces stained with their tears. From Baudelio de Berlanga, Spain (1129-34), fresco transferred to canvas, on display Museo Prado, Madrid from Metropolitan Museum of Art
Jesus continues to preach and teach in Jerusalem for an undefined period of time. Finally in Chapter 10 verse 40, after healing a blind man, and a Pharisee investigation Jesus leaves Jerusalem. Jesus goes back across the Jordan River to Al-Maghtas, about 14 miles east of Jerusalem / 7 miles north of the Dead Sea, where tradition says John the Baptist was baptizing on the eastern shore of the Jordan River.
While in Ai-Maghtas Jesus received word that his friend Lazarus in Bethany, a half dozen miles away, was very sick and near death. Jesus waits two more days until Lazarus has died before going to Bethany and raising Lazarus from dead. This is probably the most dramatic of all of the Gospel of Johns signs, and finalizes the Jewish leaderships desire for Jesus’ death.
Because of raising Lazarus from the dead, the Jewish establishment determined that Jesus was a threat to their authority and power. The Chief Priests and Pharisees sent out orders that anyone who knew where Jesus might be was to report his location so that Jesus might be arrested.
The Raising of Lazarus Another version of the raising of lazarus, this time from the scrovegni chapel. Upon hearing that Lazarus in Bethany was fatally ill, Jesus remains at Al Maghtas, a few miles away, for two more days. Lazarus is dead when Jesus and the disciples arrive at Bethany and meet Lazarus’ sisters, Mary and Martha. The reason Jesus waited to go to Bethany, is so that God’s glory might be shown through bringing Lazarus back to life. Giotto’s fresco shows Jesus calling Lazarus from the tomb. Notice the expressions on the faces. Jesus is stern, displaying the determination to show God’s power and glory through the resurrection. To Lazarus’ left are the local Jews, eyes upcast and hands raised in disbelief. At Jesus’ feet kneel two figures, possibly Mary and Martha, accepting Jesus as the Son of God. Fresco, Giotto di Bondone, 130-4-6, Scrovegni Chapel, Padua, Italy, x https://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=46567
Jesus understanding the predicament he was in after bringing Lazarus back to life retreated with his disciples to Ephraim, a city located in the uncultivated hill-country about 13 miles northeast of Jerusalem. After an unknown time, they departed Ephraim to arrive in Bethany six days before the start of Passover.
In the three chapters while Jesus makes his way to the Passover, John uses the time for teaching. We have several incidents which are told only in John. There are several disputes with the Jewish authorities and claims made by Jesus and the salvation he offers. There is the discussion about the blind man and are his parents to blame for his condition, which actually relates back to the spiritual blindness. There is the story of the Good Shepherd and the raising of Lazarus from the dead.
This three chapter teaching period has much to learn, and much hidden in the narration and dialog.
There are a couple of interesting focuses in the Gospel of John. The first begins in the introduction in chapter 1 as literally “in the beginning” was the Word, and the Word has been with God since the beginning. Jesus is the Logos, the Word, and Jesus is God. The entire Gospel repeats this concept at nearly every turn….that Jesus is God. In the Synoptic Gospels Jesus never makes a blatant declaration. In John all of his signs/miracles point to the fact that Jesus is God in human form, living, healing and teaching among God’s people.
Another aspect of John, is Jesus’ relationship to humanity. While Jesus is fully human, he is also God. There is a difference here. While many of us feel there is a connection between us and the rest of creation, that spark of life shared by God and Adam in the Sistine Chapel. The Gospel of John is specific, Jesus is a part of God, and we are not.