Luke says that Mary went to visit her relative Elizabeth in “a city of Judah” in “the hill country.” Elizabeth was pregnant with John the Baptist, and the Gospel famously records that when Mary greeted Elizabeth, the “babe leaped in her womb” (Luke 1:41).
There are several traditional sites of John the Baptist’s hometown. From the Gospel accounts, we know it should be in the region of Judea, the center of which was Jerusalem. We also know it was in the “hill country” which is associated with the hilly region of Judea between the coastal plain and the wilderness. Thus, the birthplace of John the Baptist should be somewhere near Jerusalem, probably west of it, in the hills around the city.1 A fairly late (seventh century) tradition places Elizabeth’s house at the foot of the Mt. of Olives. Another places it along the top of the ridge of the Mt. of Olives.
Theodosius stated that it was five miles from Jerusalem to the house of Elizabeth. Ain Karim (“Spring of the Vineyard”) is probably the best candidate for John the Baptist’s birthplace, since it is almost exactly five miles from Jerusalem, unlike other traditional sites. Excavations near the historic church of Saint John the Baptist uncovered burial chambers, wine presses, and chapels with mosaic floors. Excavators also found coins and pottery from the Herodian period, proving the village was inhabited during the New Testament period. Ain Karim has the oldest tradition as the birthplace of John the Baptist, going back at least as far as the fourth century. Several churches and chapels were constructed on the foundations of Byzantine-era buildings.
Jack Finegan, The Archaeology of the New Testament: The Life of Jesus and the Beginning of the Early Church, (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1992). ↩︎
1Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 2Let each one of us please his neighbor for that which is good, to be building him up. 3For even Christ didn’t please himself. But, as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.” 4For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that through perseverance and through encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. 5Now the God of perseverance and of encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus, 6that with one accord you may with one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
7Therefore accept one another, even as Christ also accepted you, to the glory of God. 8Now I say that Christ has been made a servant of the circumcision for the truth of God, that he might confirm the promises given to the fathers, 9and that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written,
“Therefore I will give praise to you among the Gentiles
and sing to your name.”
10Again he says,
“Rejoice, you Gentiles, with his people.”
11Again,
“Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles!
Let all the peoples praise him.”
12Again, Isaiah says,
“There will be the root of Jesse,
he who arises to rule over the Gentiles;
in him the Gentiles will hope.”
13Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope in the power of the Holy Spirit.
14I myself am also persuaded about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish others. 15But I write the more boldly to you in part as reminding you, because of the grace that was given to me by God, 16that I should be a servant of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, serving as a priest of the Good News of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be made acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. 17I have therefore my boasting in Christ Jesus in things pertaining to God. 18For I will not dare to speak of any things except those which Christ worked through me for the obedience of the Gentiles, by word and deed, 19in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of God’s Spirit; so that from Jerusalem and around as far as to Illyricum, I have fully preached the Good News of Christ; 20yes, making it my aim to preach the Good News, not where Christ was already named, that I might not build on another’s foundation. 21But, as it is written,
“They will see, to whom no news of him came.
They who haven’t heard will understand.”
22Therefore also I was hindered these many times from coming to you, 23but now, no longer having any place in these regions, and having these many years a longing to come to you, 24whenever I travel to Spain, I will come to you. For I hope to see you on my journey, and to be helped on my way there by you, if first I may enjoy your company for a while. 25But now, I say, I am going to Jerusalem, serving the saints. 26For it has been the good pleasure of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor among the saints who are at Jerusalem. 27Yes, it has been their good pleasure, and they are their debtors. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, they owe it to them also to serve them in material things. 28When therefore I have accomplished this, and have sealed to them this fruit, I will go on by way of you to Spain. 29I know that when I come to you, I will come in the fullness of the blessing of the Good News of Christ.
30Now I beg you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, that you strive together with me in your prayers to God for me, 31that I may be delivered from those who are disobedient in Judea, and that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints, 32that I may come to you in joy through the will of God, and together with you, find rest. 33Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.