Beginnings
Years unknown
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The Baptism of Jesus
Jesus’ baptism is depicted in the 19th-century painting. John the Baptist is wearing traditional robes made of camel hair, pouring water over Jesus, who stands before him. The dove from heaven has descended on Jesus, representing the Holy Spirit's presence.
The Spirit Descending on Jesus
This painting from 1895 shows John the Baptist pouring water over Jesus, whose head is illuminated, representing his divine nature. The Holy Spirit, represented by the dove, is descending on Jesus.
The Baptism of Christ
This Renaissance painting from 1591 imagines the scene at the Jordan River where John the Baptizer is pouring water over Jesus as the dove descends from God the Father, pictured in the clouds.
The Baptism of Christ
This Baroque period painting from 1622-1623 imagines the scene of John pouring water over Jesus while the Spirit descends in the form of a dove.
The Baptism of Christ
This 19th-century painting depicts God’s light shining down on Jesus as he rises up out of the water.
Bethany Beyond the Jordan
The baptism site known as “Bethany Beyond the Jordan” ruins on the eastern side of the Jordan River across from Jericho. This location has been preserved as the place where John the Baptist baptized Jesus.
The Baptism Site of Jesus
This is a side view of Jesus’ baptism site, known as “Bethany Beyond the Jordan,” on the eastern side of the Jordan River, across from Jericho.
The Modern Jordan River
This picture is of the modern Jordan River near the traditional baptismal site. In Jesus' day, the river would have been significantly wider with a greater water flow.
A Monument Marking Jesus’ Baptism
A cross marking the area of Jesus' baptism site overlooking the Jordan River.
St. John The Baptist Greek Orthodox Church
This is one of several churches or chapels rebuilt in this area, marking Jesus’ baptism.
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While the exact dates and times are unknown, the first eleven chapters of the Bible deliver an account of the events and themes that shape the rest of Genesis and all of Scripture. Genesis opens with the story of God’s creation. God spoke the world into existence over six days providing order and pronouncing each part of creation as good Genesis 1:1-31. On the sixth day, God’s crowning achievement was creating a man and a woman in His image. He fashioned a man out of dust and formed a woman out of the man’s rib. God placed the two people, Adam and Eve, in the perfect garden of Eden, where they were to exercise dominion and rule over the rest of creation. They were also encouraged to procreate to spread God’s image-bears throughout the earth and enjoy the created world entirely but forbidden to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
In the garden, Eve encountered a crafty serpent who convinced her to eat the tree’s forbidden fruit, stating that she would become like God even though she was already made in His image. Eve shared the fruit with Adam, and the two willfully sinned and were filled with shame and remorse. God immediately confronted their evil with judgment which began with cursing the serpent. The serpent would be crushed while striking the heel of a coming descendant of Eve. Eve would be condemned to suffer painful childbirth and desire her husband’s authority. Adam was cursed to toil and work the ground for food, and the two were banished from Eden Genesis 3:1-24.
Sent out into a now broken world, Adam and Eve gave birth to two sons, Cain and Abel. Cain, a farmer, offered God a portion of his crops one day as a sacrifice, only to learn that God was more pleased when Abel, a herdsman, presented God with the fattest portion of his flock. Enraged, Cain killed his brother. God exiled Cain from his home to wander in the land east of Eden. Adam and Eve gave birth to a third son, Seth, and through the two lines of Cain and Seth, humanity began to grow Genesis 4:1-15.
Ten generations passed, and humankind became increasingly evil. God lamented His creation and made plans to annihilate humanity through a global flood. However, one man, Noah, had found God’s favor and was blameless before God Genesis 6:5-9. God spoke to Noah and instructed him to build an ark, or boat, large enough to hold Noah’s family and a pair of every living kind of creature. Noah built the ark, and his family and the animals were shut inside. Rain fell in a deluge for forty days, submerging the world in water for over a year.
Eventually, the waters receded, and the earth was fertile and green again. God promised a productive lineage for Noah and his family. But humankind had to follow specific rules to maintain this favor: humans were not to eat meat with blood still in it, and anyone who murdered another human had to be killed. God vowed never to destroy the earth by flood again and designated the rainbow as a symbol of His everlasting covenant Genesis 9:8-17.
Noah was a type of second Adam in a garden where he planted a vineyard. One night, Noah became drunk and lay naked and ashamed in his tent, just like Adam had been. Ham, one of Noah’s sons, saw his naked father and told his brothers, Shem and Japheth. Shem and Japheth covered their father without looking at him. Upon waking, Noah cursed Ham’s descendants, the Canaanites, for Ham’s indiscretion, declaring that they would serve the future descendants of Ham’s brothers Genesis 9:20-27.
A detailed genealogy of the three brothers’ descendants was given. Many generations passed, and the corruption of humanity only grew. Having moved east to the plains of Shinar, some men attempted to assert their greatness and make a name for themselves by building a large tower that would enable them to reach the heavens. Their arrogance angered God, and he scattered the people across the earth by confusing their common language, thus forever dividing humankind into separate nations Genesis 11:1-9. The perfect world God had created continued to be turned evil by mankind’s sin. However, there was hope coming from a descendant of Eve who would one day crush the serpent’s head.
This Bible Exhibit is one of the several hundred found on the Bible Compass within the Bible Ventures app
