Mark 1 (WEB)
Cave of John the Baptist
A Possible Site for the Cave of John the Baptist
It has long been believed John the Baptist ministered exclusively in the area of the Jordan River since the Gospels tell us that is where he was baptizing. Tradition and archaeology seem to validate this belief (see Bethany Beyond the Jordan and Sites of Jesus’ Baptism).
However, in 1999 Shimon Gibson and James Tabor were conducting an archaeological survey of agricultural remains at Kibbutz Tzova, near Ain Karim, the traditional birthplace of John the Baptist. They found the entrance to a cave, hidden by thorn bushes. When they entered the cave, they discovered several paintings and carvings on the walls that appeared to have been made by Christian pilgrims. They decided to launch a full excavation of the site.
The cave turned out not to be natural but cut from the rock by hand. It is 78 feet long and 13 feet wide. At one time it was 16 feet high, but over time the floor had filled in almost to the ceiling. The walls of the cave were plastered, usually an indication that the space was meant to hold water. It appears the cave was dug in the ninth or tenth centuries B.C., and used for water storage for a time. The cave changed use sometime in the late first century B.C. and was used up to the mid-second century A.D. It was abandoned for a time, then reoccupied during the Byzantine period.
Gibson and Tabor found very puzzling remains in the cave. The floor was littered with hundreds of broken ceramic pots, dating mostly from the first to mid-second centuries A.D. – a period of 150 years. Curiously, the pots seem to have been intentionally smashed. Also, the silt which accumulated during the winter months as a result of rainwater flooding the cave was not removed over time but was simply hard-tamped by foot traffic creating clearly discernable layers. Within these layers, Gibson and Tabor found stone basins and paving stones grouped in a circle. Near the bottom layer, the archaeologists found a stone with unusual shapes carved into it. Gibson and Tabor interpreted one shape as being meant for the right foot and another for oil to be poured into. There also appeared to be a channel for the oil to run down over the foot.1
Near the ceiling of the cave, the excavators found carvings that appeared to have been chiseled into the plastered walls. There are several crosses, a head, an upraised arm, and a figure. The figure seems to be wearing a rough garment on his bottom half, has a staff in one hand and his other arm is raised. There appears to be some object in this hand as well. He also appears to have a crown or halo. The inscriptions seem to date to between the fourth and eleventh centuries, although this is based mainly on their height from the original floor. It is possible they could have been carved earlier using a ladder or some other means of reaching that high on the wall.2
Gibson and Tabor interpret all these remains as having to do with the cave being the site of some kind of baptismal ritual, associated with John the Baptist, if not stemming from John’s use of the cave himself. They argue that perhaps baptismal candidates would come and have their feet anointed either before or after a ritual cleansing in the circle of pavers near the entrance to the cave. They argue oral tradition helped preserve the memory of the cave being associated with John the Baptist. The cave is near his hometown, and they see the figure described above as representing him. Both Gibson and Tabor wrote books on their discovery, and both think the cave completely changes what we know about the history of Christian belief.3 This interpretation is very controversial (even being called “imaginative speculation”4), and “few, if any, scholars in Israel think this cave has anything to do with John the Baptist.”5
Shimon Gibson and James D. Tabor, “John the Baptist’s Cave.” Biblical Archaeology Review, May/Jun 2005, 36-41, 58. http://members.bib-arch.org/publication.asp?PubID=BSBA&Volume=31&Issue=3&ArticleID=6 (accessed 4/17/2010) ↩︎
Ibid. ↩︎
Shimon Gibson, The Cave of John the Baptist: The Stunning Archaeological Discovery That Has Redefined Christian History. Gibson's claims are not widely accepted. ↩︎
Shanks, Hershel. “John the Baptist’s Cave???.” Biblical Archaeology Review, Nov/Dec 2004, 18-19. http://members.bib-arch.org/publication.asp?PubID=BSBA&Volume=30&Issue=6&ArticleID=4 (accessed 4/17/2010) ↩︎
Ibid. ↩︎
1The beginning of the Good News of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
2As it is written in the prophets,
“Behold, I send my messenger before your face,
who will prepare your way before you:
3the voice of one crying in the wilderness,
‘Make ready the way of the Lord!
Make his paths straight!’”
4John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching the baptism of repentance for forgiveness of sins. 5All the country of Judea and all those of Jerusalem went out to him. They were baptized by him in the Jordan river, confessing their sins. 6John was clothed with camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist. He ate locusts and wild honey. 7He preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and loosen. 8I baptized you in water, but he will baptize you in the Holy Spirit.”
9In those days, Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10Immediately coming up from the water, he saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11A voice came out of the sky, “You are my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
12Immediately the Spirit drove him out into the wilderness. 13He was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals; and the angels were serving him.
14Now after John was taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the Good News of God’s Kingdom, 15and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and God’s Kingdom is at hand! Repent, and believe in the Good News.”
16Passing along by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew, the brother of Simon, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 17Jesus said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you into fishers for men.”
18Immediately they left their nets, and followed him.
19Going on a little further from there, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who were also in the boat mending the nets. 20Immediately he called them, and they left their father, Zebedee, in the boat with the hired servants, and went after him.
21They went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath day he entered into the synagogue and taught. 22They were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as having authority, and not as the scribes. 23Immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, and he cried out, 24saying, “Ha! What do we have to do with you, Jesus, you Nazarene? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are: the Holy One of God!”
25Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet, and come out of him!”
26The unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. 27They were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? What can this new doctrine be? For with authority he commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him!” 28The report of him went out immediately into all the region of Galilee and its surrounding area.
29Immediately, when they had come out of the synagogue, they came into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. 30Now Simon’s wife’s mother lay sick with a fever, and immediately they told him about her. 31He came and took her by the hand and raised her up. The fever left her immediately, and she served them.
32At evening, when the sun had set, they brought to him all who were sick and those who were possessed by demons. 33All the city was gathered together at the door. 34He healed many who were sick with various diseases and cast out many demons. He didn’t allow the demons to speak, because they knew him.
35Early in the morning, while it was still dark, he rose up and went out, and departed into a deserted place, and prayed there. 36Simon and those who were with him searched for him. 37They found him and told him, “Everyone is looking for you.”
38He said to them, “Let’s go elsewhere into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because I came out for this reason.” 39He went into their synagogues throughout all Galilee, preaching and casting out demons.
40A leper came to him, begging him, kneeling down to him, and saying to him, “If you want to, you can make me clean.”
41Being moved with compassion, he stretched out his hand, and touched him, and said to him, “I want to. Be made clean.” 42When he had said this, immediately the leprosy departed from him and he was made clean. 43He strictly warned him and immediately sent him out, 44and said to him, “See that you say nothing to anybody, but go show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing the things which Moses commanded, for a testimony to them.”
45But he went out, and began to proclaim it much, and to spread about the matter, so that Jesus could no more openly enter into a city, but was outside in desert places. People came to him from everywhere.