Don't miss Bethany Beyond the Jordan, where Jesus Christ was baptized by John the Baptist!

 The River Jordan

The Jordan River—or River Jordan, as it is commonly called—is one of the most sacred places, both historically and symbolically, for Christians throughout the world. Joshua, Elijah, Elisha, John the Baptist and Jesus Christ all crossed it during their lifetimes, and it is associated with some of the most important events in the Bible.

After the death of Moses, the Bible says that God stopped the waters from flowing, allowing Joshua to lead his people across the River Jordan into Canaan (Joshua 3: 14-17). This reportedly took place at a ford in the river directly opposite Jericho known as Bethabara, or Beit ‘Abara ("house of the crossing").

This place, opposite Jericho, is believed to be the same place where the Prophets Elijah and Elisha parted the waters and crossed miraculously to the east bank of the Jordan. From a nearby spot on the east side, Elijah then ascended into heaven "on a chariot of fire and horses of fire" (2 Kings 2: 5-14).

For Christians, the most significant event associated with the River Jordan is undoubtedly thebaptism of Jesus Christ by John the Baptist. Interestingly enough, this also took place very close to Beit ‘Abara, where Joshua, Elijah and Elisha crossed the river. In New Testament times, it became known as Bethany, the village of John the Baptist. This Bethany is not to be confused with the village of Bethany near Jerusalem, where the Bible says Lazarus was raised from the dead.

The Bible clearly records that Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist (Matthew 3: 13-17), and that John the Baptist lived, preached and baptized in the village of Bethany, on "the other side of the Jordan" (John 1: 28). The baptism site, known in Arabic as al-Maghtas, is located at the head of a lush valley just east of the Jordan River. It is now protected and by early 1999 it will be accessible to visitors. After Jesus’ baptism at Bethany, he spent forty days in the wilderness east of the River Jordan, where he fasted and resisted the temptations of Satan (Mark 1: 13, Matthew 4: 1-11).

Small baptismal font and new steps leading down to the Jordan River. Across the river is Israel

Byzantine ruins in Wadi Kharrar, not far from the Jordan River. A five or ten-minute walk through the "jungle" leads into a clearing marked by a modern pool and the sheltered remains of the 7th-century Church of John the Baptist (in the background). Byzantine stairs, three of them black marble, interspersed with white marble from Asia Minor, lead from the apse to the Spring of John the Baptist. A marble fragment inscribed "IOY. BATT." was found in the church wall.

Mural inside the new Orthodox Church of St. John the Baptist next to the Jordan River, showing the baptism of Jesus that probably happened just outside the church

Murals inside the new Orthodox Church of St. John the Baptist next to the Jordan River.

A modern Orthodox church dedicated to St. John the Baptist has been built next to the Jordan River as part of the development of the site. The small church has a golden dome and is painted with Byzantine-style murals inside

A five or ten-minute walk through the "jungle" from the Jordan River leads into a clearing marked by a modern pool and the sheltered remains of the 7th-century Church of John the Baptist. Beneath a shelter is the altar and mosaic floor, which was originally raised up on an arched vault to protect it from flooding. Next to this are two more churches, built more or less on top of each other. The floor of the lower one is tiled in triangular, square and octagonal flags of marble.

Marble tile fragments near the Byzantine Church of St. John the Baptist.

Floor mosaic fragment in the 7th-century Church of John the Baptist.

Sheltered ruins of Church of John the Baptist 
A five or ten-minute walk through the "jungle" from the Jordan River leads into a clearing marked by a modern pool and the sheltered remains of the 7th-century Church of John the Baptist. Beneath a shelter is the altar and mosaic floor, which was originally raised up on an arched vault to protect it from flooding. Next to this are two more churches, built more or less on top of each other. The floor of the lower one is tiled in triangular, square and octagonal flags of marble

Small sheltered font at the Jordan

Entrance to the Baptism Site at the Jordan River. Note the fences and

Israel flag across the river (just left of the palm). 

Modern Orthodox church at the Jordan River

The "jungle of the Jordan" and the now-small Jordan River, with the new 
Orthodox church in the distance

Below is an aerial map of Wadi Kharrar and the area administered by the Jordan Tourist Board as "the Baptism Site." This area has been confidently identified with the biblical Bethany-beyond-the-Jordan, where Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist, based on archaeological and historical evidence. See our Baptism Site article for full details. Scroll down for an interactive version of the map