At Bethany, In The House Of Simon

WHEN Jesus leaves Jericho, he heads for Bethany. The trip takes most of the day, since it is a climb of some 12 miles over difficult terrain. Jericho is about 820 feet below sea level, and Bethany is some 2,500 feet above sea level. Bethany, you may recall, is the home of Lazarus and his sisters. The little village is about two miles from Jerusalem, being located on the eastern slope of the Mount of Olives.

Many have already arrived in Jerusalem for the Passover. They have come early to cleanse themselves ceremonially. Perhaps they have touched a dead body or done something else that makes them unclean. So they follow the procedures to cleanse themselves in order to celebrate the Passover acceptably. As these early arrivers gather at the temple, many speculate about whether Jesus will come to the Passover.

Jerusalem is a hotbed of controversy regarding Jesus. It is common knowledge that the religious leaders want to seize him to put him to death. In fact, they have given orders that if anyone learns his whereabouts, they are to report it to them. Three times in recent months-at the Festival of Tabernacles, at the Festival of Dedication, and after he resurrected Lazarus-these leaders have tried to kill him. So, the people wonder, will Jesus appear in public yet another time? "What is your opinion?" They ask one another.

In the meantime, Jesus arrives at Bethany six days before the Passover, which falls on Nisan 14 according to the Jewish calendar. Jesus reaches Bethany sometime Friday evening, which is at the beginning of Nisan 8. He could not have made the trip to Bethany on Saturday because travel on the Sabbath-from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday-is restricted by Jewish law. Jesus probably goes to the home of Lazarus, as he has done before, and spends Friday night there.

Next time: Conclusion of At Bethany, In the House Of Simon

The Greatest Man Who Ever lived, 1991