Tonight Bethany, or in the Greek, Bethania, is the location to which we turn our attention. This little town just three kilometres from Jerusalem is the last pilgrimage station between Jericho and Jerusalem.
However, unlike Bethlehem, Egypt, and Jericho, Bethany is not mentioned in name at all in the Old Testament. And a cloud hangs over the origins of the name Bethany. In the Old Testament book of Nehemiah, a town called Ananiah is mentioned in chapter eleven verse thirty-two. This town is attributed as being Bethany.
Ananiah means covering or cloud of God. The reference to clouds means misery, gloom, and darkness; or is a reference to the Lord’s presence in places such as Mt Sinai, the temple in Jerusalem, and on the mountain of Transfiguration, and at Jesus’ ascension.
One can see the word Bethany or Bethania, as Beth plus Ananiah, which means town of clouds. So one might draw the conclusion that Bethany is the town of misery or darkness, or alternatively it might be referred to as the town of God’s presence as in his presence in the cloud. However, one can only speculate over these things. God’s word doesn’t state one way or the other if Ananiah and Bethany are the same towns.
But the town is remembered best for some of its residents, whom Jesus visited. The town’s name today, El-‘Azarîhey reflects the name of this key resident, Lazarus. According to Jerome, a church was built upon Lazarus’ grave. And in 1953 a church was built on the alleged site of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus’ house.
When we draw all these shreds of information together, we can see how theologians might have come to the conclusion that Bethany is the town of clouds of misery, or clouds of God’s covering presence. This coupled with the name Lazarus, which has its origin in the Hebrew name, Eleazar, meaning, God has helped, and the story of Lazarus’ death, only encourages us to see all these definitions of Bethania or Bethany as being possible.
At Lazarus’ death there was a cloud of misery over Bethany, but the mysterious cloud of God’s presence came to Bethany in Christ and raised Lazarus to life. So at Bethany, God has helped Lazarus, by raising him from the dead. Jesus helps humanity too, in his death and resurrection, because in his death the cloud of misery and death has been lifted from us, and in his resurrection, God mysteriously covers us with the clouds of his gracious presence in Christ Jesus.
But Bethany is not only known for Lazarus’ death and resurrection. We hear also of Jesus’ visit to the home of Simon the Leper, recorded in the Gospels of Matthew and Mark. This is the place where Jesus is anointed by a woman with expensive perfume. However, in John’s Gospel account this woman is also Mary, the sister of Lazarus and Martha, and the location is not at Simon the Leper’s home, but at their home. As in Lazarus’ death, this anointing text also deals with death.
This account, John 12:1-8, incidentally, is also the Gospel text for this Sunday. Let’s hear it including verses nine to eleven… 1 Six days before the Passover, Jesus arrived at Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honour. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. 3 Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
4 But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, 5 “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.” 6 He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.
7 “Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. ”It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. 8 You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.”
9 Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and came, not only because of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 10 So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, 11 for on account of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and putting their faith in him. (John 12:1-11)
Here Jesus speaks of his burial, and we hear of the Jews also conspiring to kill Lazarus; whom Jesus had raised to life at an earlier time. So again the clouds of darkness, misery, and death, brew on the horizon, just prior to Jesus’ march into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. Jesus clearly refers to his death before he is laid in the tomb, embalmed to disguise the odour of death, as was the practice.
In Luke’s Gospel account, Luke records Jesus gathering with his disciples in the vicinity of Bethany, where he ascended into heaven. Here again clouds feature too, to hide Jesus from their sight as he enters the unseen eternal realm of heaven. This account is in inconsistent with Mathew’s account where Jesus meets the disciples on a mountain in Galilee and commissions them to baptise and teach in the name of the Triune God.
There is also another discrepancy regarding baptism too; one which also involves Bethany. At the beginning of John’s Gospel, John the Baptist baptises Jesus beyond the Jordan near Bethany. This is problematic because there is no such town of Bethany beyond the Jordan. The King James Version, therefore, states the location as Bethabara instead of Bethany. But the inconsistency is best left to stand as the Greek clearly says Bethania, which is Bethany.
However, regardless of whether the two towns are in fact the same town or not, or whether Jesus ascended at Bethany or Galilee, these disparities don’t lessen the impact of the Gospel message God intends for us.
John begins Jesus’ ministry at Bethany, or Bethania. In essence Jesus is baptised into death at this problematic place called Bethany. Then the last mention of Bethany in John’s Gospel, he is anointed for death by Mary with expensive perfumes. This is the same death he was baptised into by John at the Jordan. Baptism and death are tied together by a place or places called Bethany; where God is present just before the cloud of death falls on him on Good Friday.
What strengthens this further is the fact that Jesus talks to Nicodemus in John three about baptism, and then at his death, Nicodemus assists Joseph of Arimathea, by embalming Jesus for burial. So in the Gospel of John, baptism, embalmment, and burial are reoccurring themes, which cannot be separated.
This is all quite reasonable for us. We need not rationalise God’s word, but let it stand with all its rich variations. For we know that in baptism we die, because we are baptised into Jesus’ death. God comes to us and covers us with his holy cloud of grace. But then in death, although this cloud is painful and brings much misery for those who must farewell loved ones hidden from sight by death, we know God has helped those who believe in him, by raising them to eternal life.
Just as Jesus ascended into heaven, we know those who have died in Christ are now hidden in heaven with the ever-present Triune God. And we know we too will one day cross beyond the Jordan and see and live in that hidden reality forever with God. Amen.
