Bethany
Bethany is an ancient city mentioned in the New Testament, located in the region of Judea in modern-day Israel. Known today as Al Eizariya. It appears across 12 verses in Scripture.
Biblical History
Bethany (modern Al-Eizariya) was a small village on the eastern slope of the Mount of Olives, approximately two miles from Jerusalem. In the Gospels it emerges as a place of profound intimacy between Jesus and his closest friends. It was home to Mary, Martha, and their brother Lazarus, a household Jesus clearly cherished (John 11:5). The most dramatic event associated with Bethany is the raising of Lazarus (John 11:1-44), where Jesus declared himself "the resurrection and the life" before calling Lazarus from the tomb. Bethany also witnessed the anointing of Jesus by Mary, who poured costly nard over his feet in an act of devotion that Jesus interpreted as preparation for his burial (John 12:1-8; cf. Matthew 26:6-13). It was at Bethany that Jesus repeatedly lodged during Passion Week, withdrawing from the hostility of Jerusalem. Luke records that the Ascension took place in the vicinity of Bethany, with Jesus blessing the disciples as he was taken up into heaven (Luke 24:50-51). The village thus stands at pivotal moments of Jesus' earthly ministry, from miraculous life-giving to his final departure.
Archaeological & Historical Notes
The modern town of Al-Eizariya, whose name derives from the Arabic for "place of Lazarus," preserves the ancient identification of Bethany. A traditional tomb of Lazarus has been venerated at the site since at least the fourth century AD, when Eusebius and the Bordeaux Pilgrim both mention it. A Byzantine church was built over the tomb, later replaced by a Crusader structure, and a Franciscan church now stands nearby. Excavations in the twentieth century uncovered Byzantine mosaic floors, pottery from the Second Temple period, and evidence of continuous occupation from the Iron Age through the Byzantine era, lending credibility to the site's long-held identification.
Verse Appearances (12)
References
- Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
- OpenBible.info (n.d.) Bible Geocoding. Available at: https://www.openbible.info/geo/. [CC BY 4.0]
- Bagnall, R. et al. (eds.) (n.d.) Pleiades: A Gazetteer of Past Places. Available at: https://pleiades.stoa.org. [CC BY 3.0]
- Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]