Difference between revisions of "Bethany"

<li> A village on the south-eastern slope of the Mount of Olives (&nbsp; Mark 11:1 ), about 2 miles east of Jerusalem, on the road to Jericho. It derived its name from the number of palm-trees which grew there. It was the residence of Lazarus and his sisters. It is frequently mentioned in connection with memorable incidents in the life of our Lord (&nbsp;Matthew 21:17; &nbsp;26:6; &nbsp;Mark 11:11,12; &nbsp;14:3; &nbsp;Luke 24:50; &nbsp;John 11:1; &nbsp;12:1 ). It is now known by the name of el-Azariyeh, i.e., "place of Lazarus," or simply Lazariyeh. See n from a distance, the village has been described as "remarkably beautiful, the perfection of retirement and repose, of seclusion and lovely peace." Now a mean village, containing about twenty families. <div> <p> '''Copyright Statement''' These dictionary topics are from M.G. Easton M.A., D.D., Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Third Edition, published by [[Thomas]] Nelson, 1897. Public Domain. </p> <p> '''Bibliography Information''' Easton, Matthew George. Entry for 'Bethany'. Easton's Bible Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/ebd/b/bethany.html. 1897. </p> </div> </li>

<p> &nbsp;Luke 24:50 (c) Here our blessed Lord reminded His disciples of incidents that had taken place in that little village. </p> <p> These were so important that He took them there for their final lesson before going back to His Father. He wanted them to remember, and never forget, that only the Lord JESUS CHRIST can give life to those who are dead (Example of Lazarus). </p> <p> He also reminded them that only He Himself could dry the tears of deep and real sorrow. (Example Mary and Martha at the grave) He reminded them that only He Himself could cleanse from the leprosy of sin. (Example Simon, the leper) He would have them remember that only He Himself should occupy the heart's affections rather than the service which we render, (Example Martha who was cumbered). He wanted them to know that He desired worship above service. (Example the woman who brought the alabaster box of ointment in &nbsp;Mark 14:3) He wanted them to remember that they must endure the neglect of His children. (Example He returned from Bethany hungry because no one invited Him home for breakfast) He wanted them to be convinced that only He Himself could set the captive free from the bondage of tradition and habit. (Example Lazarus brought out of the tomb though wrapped in grave clothes). </p>

<p> [[Bethany]] (''Bĕth'A-Ny'' ), ''House Of Dates,'' or, ''Of Misery.'' A village on the eastern slope of Mount Olivet, about one and a half to two miles ("15 furlongs") east of Jerusalem, &nbsp;John 11:18, toward Jericho; the home of Mary and Martha, whither Jesus often went. &nbsp;Matthew 21:17; &nbsp;Mark 11:11-12. It was the home of Simon, &nbsp;Mark 14:3, the place where Lazarus was raised from the dead. &nbsp;John 11:18-44; and near it Jesus ascended to heaven, &nbsp;Luke 24:50; named in the [[Gospels]] eleven times only. See Beth-abara. </p>

<p> (Βηθανία; according to Simonis, ''Onom. N.T.'' p. 42, for the Heb. בֵּית עֲנִיָּה, ''House Of Depression;'' but, according to Lightfoot, Reland, and others, for the Aramaean בֵּית הִינֵי, ''House Of Dates;'' comp. the Talmudic אֲהִינָא, ''An [[Unripe]] Date,'' Buxtorf, ''Lex. Talm.'' col. 38), the name of two places. </p> <p> '''1.''' Instead of [[Bethabara]] (Βηθαβαρά ), in &nbsp;John 1:28 (where the text was altered since Origen's time; see Crome, ''Beitr.'' 1, 91 sq.), the reading in the oldest and best MSS. (also in Nonnius's ''Paraphr.'' in loc.) is ''Bethany, Βηθανία'' (see De Dieu, ''Crit. Sacr.'' p. 491), which appears to have been the name of a place [[East]] of Jordan (against the interpretation of Kuinol, ''Comment.'' in loc., that πέραν signifies ''On This Side;'' see Lucke, in ''Krit. Journ.'' 3, 383; Crome, ''Beitr.'' 1, 82 sq.; while the punctuation of Paulus, Samml. 1, 287, who places a period after ἐγένετο, Comment. 4, 129, is not favored by the context). ''Possin'' '(''Spicil. Evang.'' p. 32) supposes that the place went by both names (regarding "Beth-abara" = בֵּית עֲבֵרָה, ''Domus Transitus, Ferry-House;'' and ‘"Bethany" = אנִיָּה, ''Domus Navis, Boat-House'' )''.'' (See Bethabara). The spot is quite as likely to have been not far above the present "pilgrims' bathing-place" as any other, although the Greek and Roman traditions differ as to the exact locality of Christ's baptism (Robinson, ''Researches,'' 2, 261). The place here designated is apparently the same as the BETH-BARAH (See [[Beth-Barah]]) (q.v.) of &nbsp;Judges 7:24, or possibly the same as BETH-NIMRAH (See [[Beth-Nimrah]]) (q.v.). </p> <p> '''2.''' A town or village in the eastern environs of Jerusalem, so called probably from the number of palm-trees that grew around, and intimately associated with many acts and scenes of the life of Christ. It was the residence of Lazarus and his sisters Mary and Martha, and Jesus often went out from Jerusalem to lodge there; it was here that he raised Lazarus from the dead; from Bethany he commenced his "triumphal entry" into Jerusalem; here, at the house of Simon the leper, the supper was given in his honor; and it was in this vicinity that the ascension took place (&nbsp;Matthew 21:17; &nbsp;Matthew 26:6; &nbsp;Mark 11:11-12; &nbsp;Mark 14:3; &nbsp;Luke 24:50; &nbsp;John 11:1; &nbsp;John 12:1). It was situated "at" (πρός ) the Mount of Olives (&nbsp;Mark 11:1; &nbsp;Luke 19:29), about fifteen stadia from Jerusalem (&nbsp;John 11:18), on or near the usual road from Jericho to the city (&nbsp;Luke 19:29, comp. 1; &nbsp;Mark 11:1, comp. &nbsp;Mark 10:46), and close by and east (?) of another village called BETH-PHAGE (See [[Beth-Phage]]) (q.v.). There never appears to have been any doubt as to the site of Bethany, which is now known by a name derived from ''Lazarus— El-'' 'Azariyeh, or simply Lazarieh. It lies on the eastern slope of the Mount of Olives, fully a mile beyond the summit, and not very far from the point at which the road to Jericho begins its more sudden descent toward the Jordan valley (Lindsay, p. 91; De Saulcy, 1:120). The spot is a woody hollow more or less planted with fruit-trees — olives, almonds, pomegranates, as well as oaks and carobs; the whole lying below a secondary ridge or bump, of sufficient height to shut out the village from the summit of the mount (Robinson, 2, 100 sq.; Stanley, p. 189; Bonar, p. 138, 139). From a distance the village is "remarkably beautiful" — "the perfection of retirement and repose" — "of seclusion and lovely peace" (Bonar, p. 139, 230, 310, 337; and see Lindsay, p. 69); but on a nearer view is found to be a ruinous and wretched village, a wild mountain hamlet of some twenty families, the inhabitants of which display even less than the ordinary Eastern thrift and industry (Robinson, 2:102; Stanley, p. 189; Bonar, p. 310). In the village are shown the traditional sites of the house and tomb of Lazarus, the former the remains of a square tower apparently of old date, though certainly not of the age of the kings of Judah, to which De Saulcy assigns it (1, 128)-the latter a deep vault excavated in the limestone rock, the bottom reached by twenty-six steps. The house of Simon the leper is also exhibited. As to the real age and character of these remains there is at present no information to guide us. Schwarz maintains el-'Azariyeh to be AZAL, and would fix Bethany at a spot which, he says, the Arabs call Beth-hanan, on the Mount of [[Offence]] above [[Siloam]] (p. 263, 135). These traditional spots are first heard of in the fourth century, in the [[Itinerary]] of the Bourdeaux Pilgrim, and the Onomasticon of [[Eusebius]] and Jerome, and they continued to exist, with certain varieties of buildings and of ecclesiastical establishments in connection therewith, down to the sixteenth century, since which the place has fallen gradually into its present decay (Robinson, Researches, 2, 102, 103). By Mandeville and other mediaeval travelers the town is spoken of as the "Castle of Bethany," an expression which had its origin in castellum being employed in the [[Vulgate]] as the translation of κώμη in &nbsp;John 11:1. (See Jerusalem).. </p>

<p> '''''beth´a''''' -'''''ni''''' ( Βηθανία , <i> '''''Bēthanı́a''''' </i> ): </p> <p> (1) A village, 15 furlongs from Jerusalem (&nbsp;John 11:18 ), on the road to Jericho, at the Mount of Olives (&nbsp;Mark 11:1; &nbsp;Luke 19:29 ), where lived "Simon the leper" (&nbsp;Mark 14:3 ) and Mary, Martha and Lazarus (&nbsp;John 11:18 f). This village may justifiably be called the [[Judean]] home of Jesus, as He appears to have preferred to lodge there rather than in Jerusalem itself (&nbsp; Matthew 21:17; &nbsp;Mark 11:11 ). Here occurred the incident of the raising of Lazarus (Jn 11) and the feast at the house of Simon (&nbsp;Matthew 26:1-13; &nbsp;Mark 14:3-9; &nbsp;Luke 7:36-50; &nbsp;John 1:2 :1-8). The Ascension as recorded in &nbsp; Luke 24:50-51 is Thus described: "He led them out until they were over against Bethany: and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them. And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he parted from them, and was carried up into heaven." </p> <p> Bethany is today <i> '''''el ‛Azarēyeh''''' </i> ("the place of Lazarus" - the L being displaced to form the article). It is a miserably untidy and tumble-down village facing East on the Southeast slope of the Mount of Olives, upon the carriage road to Jericho. A fair number of fig, almond and olive trees surround the houses. The traditional tomb of Lazarus is shown and there are some remains of medieval buildings, besides rock-cut tombs of much earlier date ( <i> PEF </i> , III, 27, [[Sheet]] Xvii ). </p> <p> (2) "Bethany beyond the Jordan" (&nbsp;John 1:28; the King James Version Bethabara; Βηθαβαρά , <i> '''''Bēthabará''''' </i> , a reading against the majority of the manuscripts, supported by [[Origen]] on geographical grounds): No such place is known. [[Grove]] suggested that the place intended is Beth-Nimrah (which see), the modern <i> '''''Tell nimrı̂n''''' </i> , a singularly suitable place, but hard to fit in with &nbsp;John 1:28; compare &nbsp;John 2:1 . The traditional site is the ford East of Jericho. </p>