The Jordan River

The Jordan River used to be up to 90 feet wide in places, rushing rapidly south as it left the Sea of Galilee some 80 miles to the north and flowing down the border that separated the land of Israel from the land to the east.

Over the centuries, but in particular in the last few decades, the incredible demand on water resources has diminished its flow greatly, and now it often appears as nothing more than a meandering creek hidden in the middle of brush, hardly visible until you are right on top of it, it’s algae green-colored waters passing through a low channel in the surrounding desert. Its mightiness has been tempered in nature, though not for Christians who hold the site as a special place in relation to their faith.

No one can say exactly where Jesus was baptized. On that day, no one marked rocks or drew a map or erected a shrine. Only later was the location recalled in the gospels with some general reference, but without exact GPS coordinates. Based on the written word and some historical evidence that can be applied, most scholars believe a narrow stretch of the river around this point has a high degree of probability for being where the event occurred.

While likely less vibrant than 2000 years ago, it is a peaceful and calm area that is accessed by a long walk from a parking lot a ways away. The site is not overly gaudy or built-up, unlike some of the other religious sites, and still allows one to imagine what a warm day might have been like all those years ago. I liked that.

For my kids, notice that I did get a bottle of water that I am bringing home with me.