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146-521: Al-Maghtas includes two principal archaeological areas: the remnants of a monastery on a mound known as Jabal Mar-Elias ( Elijah 's Hill) and an area close to the river with remains of churches, baptism ponds and pilgrim and hermit dwellings. The two areas are connected by a stream called Wadi Kharrar. The strategic location between Jerusalem and the King's Highway is already evident from the Book of Joshua report about

292-499: A World Heritage Site , while Qasr el-Yahud was left out. Archaeological excavations at the site of the 1990s have revealed religious edifices of the Roman and Byzantine periods which include "churches and chapels, a monastery, caves used by hermits and pools", which were venues of baptisms. The excavations have been supported by institutions from various countries, such as the US and Finland, and by

438-520: A device to his soldiers' shields, but unlike Lactantius and subsequent Christian tradition, Eusebius does not date the events to October 312 and does not connect Constantine's vision and dream-vision with the Battle of the Milvian Bridge. Before he compiled his church history, Eusebius edited a collection of martyrdoms of the earlier period and a biography of Pamphilus. The martyrology has not survived as

584-407: A still, small voice , which bids Elijah go forth again - this time to Damascus to anoint Hazael as king of Aram , Jehu as king of Israel , and Elisha as the old prophet's successor. Elijah encounters Ahab again in 1 Kings 21, after Ahab has acquired possession of a vineyard by murder. Ahab desires to have the vineyard of Naboth of Jezreel . He offers a better vineyard or a fair price for

730-864: A basilica church known as the Church of St. John the Baptist, and the Lower Basilica Church with marble floors having geometrical designs. Also exposed were the Upper Basilica Church, the marble steps, the four piers of the Chapel of the Mantle, the Small Chapel, the Laura of St. Mary of Egypt, and a large pool. The stairway of marble steps was built in 570 AD. Twenty-two of the steps are made of black marble. The stairway leads to

876-430: A chair is set aside for the use of the prophet Elijah. Elijah is said to be a witness at all circumcisions when the sign of the covenant is placed upon the body of the child. This custom stems from the incident at Mount Horeb : Elijah had arrived at Mount Horeb after the demonstration of God's presence and power on Mount Carmel . God asks Elijah to explain his arrival, and Elijah replies: "I have been very jealous for

1022-475: A chariot of fire and horses of fire appear and Elijah is lifted up in a whirlwind. As Elijah is lifted up, his mantle falls to the ground and Elisha picks it up. Elijah is mentioned once more in 2 Chronicles 21:12, which will be his final mention in the Hebrew Bible. A letter is sent under the prophet's name to Jehoram of Judah . It tells him that he has led the people of Judah astray in the same way that Israel

1168-463: A different sort had to be prepared. Lastly, Eusebius wrote eulogies in praise of Constantine. To all this activity must be added numerous writings of a miscellaneous nature, addresses, letters, and the like, and exegetical works that extended over the whole of his life and that include both commentaries and an important treatise on the location of biblical place names and the distances between these cities. Pamphilus and Eusebius occupied themselves with

1314-497: A fall. He sends to the priests of Baalzebub in Ekron , outside the kingdom of Israel, to know if he will recover. Elijah intercepts his messengers and sends them back to Ahaziah with a message "Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are sending to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron?" Ahaziah asks the messengers to describe the person who gave them this message. They tell him he

1460-780: A feast day on February 29 according to the official calendar of Saints created by Corbishop Rajan Achen. Eusebius was long venerated in the Roman Catholic Church. Bishop J. B. Lightfoot writes in his entry for St. Eusebius in Henry Wace 's Dictionary of Christian Biography and Literature to the End of the Sixth Century AD, with an Account of Principal Sects and Heresies (1911) that "in the Martyrologium Romanum itself he held his place for centuries" and in "Gallican service-books

1606-483: A great deal of which Origen knew of firsthand from his extensive travels, from the library and writings of Origen. On his deathbed, Origen had made a bequest of his private library to the Christian community in the city. Together with the books of his patron Ambrosius , Origen's library (including the original manuscripts of his works ) formed the core of the collection that Pamphilus established. Pamphilus also managed

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1752-470: A hundred Jewish prophets from Jezebel's violent purge. Obadiah fears that when he reports to Ahab about Elijah's whereabouts, Elijah would disappear, provoking Ahab to execute him. Elijah reassures Obadiah and sends him to Ahab. When Ahab confronts Elijah, he denounces him as being the "troubler of Israel" but Elijah retorts that Ahab himself is the one who troubled Israel by allowing the worship of false gods ( shedim ). At Elijah's instruction, Ahab summons

1898-574: A new history of him, which, beginning with his death—or "translation"—ends only with the close of the history of the human race. The volume of references to Elijah in Jewish Tradition stands in marked contrast to that in the Canon. As in the case of most figures of Jewish legend, so in the case of Elijah, the biblical account became the basis of later legend. Elijah the precursor of the Messiah, Elijah zealous in

2044-567: A personality of heroic proportions. In this process his actions and relations to the people and the King became stereotyped, and the presentation of his behavior paradigmatic. Jewish legends about Elijah abound in the Aggadah , which is found throughout various collections of rabbinic literature , including the Babylonian Talmud . This varied literature does not merely discuss his life, but has created

2190-464: A phrase often rendered into Latin as " in hoc signo vinces ". In a dream that night "the Christ of God appeared to him with the sign which had appeared in the sky, and urged him to make himself a copy of the sign which had appeared in the sky, and to use this as a protection against the attacks of the enemy." Eusebius relates that this happened "on a campaign he [Constantine] was conducting somewhere". It

2336-626: A priest: why then dost thou stand in a cemetery?" A midrash tells that they even abolished the sign of the covenant, and the prophet had to appear as Israel's accuser before God. In the same cave where God once appeared to Moses and revealed Himself as gracious and merciful, Elijah was summoned to appear before God. By this summons he perceived that he should have appealed to God's mercy, instead of becoming Israel's accuser. The prophet, however, remained relentless in his zeal and severity, so that God commanded him to appoint his successor. The vision in which God revealed Himself to Elijah gave him at

2482-465: A revelatory dream on the eve of battle. Eusebius's work of that time, his Church History , also makes no mention of the vision. The Arch of Constantine, constructed in AD 315, neither depicts a vision nor any Christian insignia in its depiction of the battle. In his posthumous biography of Constantine, Eusebius agrees with Lactantius that Constantine received instructions in a dream to apply a Christian symbol as

2628-405: A school that was similar to (or perhaps a re-establishment of ) that of Origen. He was compared to Demetrius of Phalerum —as well as to another (evidently, learnèd) scholar by the name of "Pisistratus" —for Pamphilus had gathered Bibles "from all parts of the world". Like his model Origen, Pamphilus maintained close contact with his students. Eusebius, in his history of the persecutions, alludes to

2774-496: A shrub, praying for death and eventually falling asleep. At length an angel of the Lord rouses him gently, telling him to wake up and eat. When he awakens he finds bread and a jar of water, eats, drinks, and goes back to sleep. The angel then comes to him a second time, telling him to eat and drink afresh, because he has a long journey ahead of him. Elijah travels for forty days and forty nights to Mount Horeb , where Moses had received

2920-576: A synoptical table so that it might be easier to find the pericopes that belong together. These canon tables or "Eusebian canons" remained in use throughout the Middle Ages, and illuminated manuscript versions are important for the study of early medieval art, as they are the most elaborately decorated pages of many Gospel books . Eusebius detailed in Epistula ad Carpianum how to use his canons. The Chronicle ( Παντοδαπὴ Ἱστορία ( Pantodape historia ))

3066-570: A time labored in behalf of the Arian heresy, coming to the council of Nicæa, inspired by the Holy Spirit, followed the decision of the Fathers, and thereafter up to the time of his death lived in a most holy manner in the orthodox faith. Lesson 2 . He was, moreover, very zealous in the study of the sacred Scriptures, and along with Pamphilus the martyr was a most diligent investigator of sacred literature. At

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3212-648: A time, but did not bring peace with the Israelite prophets, who advocated a strict deuteronomic interpretation of the religious law. Under Ahab's kingship tensions exacerbated. Ahab built a temple for Baal, and his wife Jezebel brought a large entourage of priests and prophets of Baal and Asherah into the country. In this context Elijah is introduced in 1 Kings 17:1 as Elijah "the Tishbite ." He warns Ahab that there will be years of catastrophic drought so severe that not even dew will form, because Ahab and his queen stand at

3358-585: A universal calendar of events from the Creation to, again, Eusebius's own time. He completed the first editions of the Ecclesiastical History and Chronicle before 300. Eusebius succeeded Agapius as Bishop of Caesarea soon after 313 and was called on by Arius who had been excommunicated by his bishop Alexander of Alexandria . An episcopal council in Caesarea pronounced Arius blameless. Eusebius enjoyed

3504-631: A very 'northern' situation in the southern kingdom", and thus is authentic. While the final mention of Elijah in the Hebrew Bible is in the Book of Chronicles, the Christian Bible 's reordering places the Book of Malachi (which prophesies a messiah) as the final book of the Old Testament , before the New Testament gospels . Thus, Elijah's final Old Testament appearance is in the Book of Malachi, where it

3650-415: A whole, but it has been preserved almost completely in parts. It contained: Of the life of Pamphilus, only a fragment survives. A work on the martyrs of Palestine in the time of Diocletian was composed after 311; numerous fragments are scattered in legendaries which have yet to be collected. The life of Constantine was compiled after the death of the emperor and the election of his sons as Augusti (337). It

3796-588: A work ' Quaestiones ad Stephanum et Marinum , On the Differences of the Gospels (including solutions). This was written for the purpose of harmonizing the contradictions in the reports of the different Evangelists. This work was recently (2011) translated into the English language by David J. Miller and Adam C. McCollum and was published under the name Eusebius of Caesarea: Gospel Problems and Solutions . The original work

3942-575: A work that has since been lost. Eusebius's own surviving works probably only represent a small portion of his total output. Beyond notices in his extant writings, the major sources are the 5th-century ecclesiastical historians Socrates , Sozomen , and Theodoret , and the 4th-century Christian author Jerome . There are assorted notices of his activities in the writings of his contemporaries Athanasius , Arius , Eusebius of Nicomedia , and Alexander of Alexandria . Eusebius's pupil, Eusebius of Emesa , provides some incidental information. Most scholars date

4088-522: Is God; the L ORD —he is God." Elijah then orders them to seize the prophets of Baal, which they do, and Elijah brings them down to the River Kishon and slays them, at which the rains begin, signaling the end of the famine. Jezebel , enraged that Elijah has killed the prophets of Baal, threatens to kill him. Elijah flees to Beersheba in Judah , continues alone into the wilderness, and finally sits down under

4234-407: Is a god; either he is meditating, or he has wandered away, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened.'" They respond by shouting louder and slashing themselves with swords and spears. They continue praying until evening without success. Elijah then repairs Yahweh's altar with twelve stones, representing the twelve tribes of Israel. Elijah digs a trench around it and prepares

4380-502: Is a short brook, Wadi al-Kharrar, which flows to the Jordan, and is associated with the baptism activities of John. The Washington Post states, "There is no archaeological evidence of Jesus ever having been baptized in these waters"; however, the Jordanian, eastern side of the traditional baptism area of Al-Maghtas has been accepted by various Christian denominations as the authentic site of

4526-453: Is also portrayed as leading a school of prophets known as "the sons of the prophets." Following Elijah's ascension, his disciple and devoted assistant Elisha took over as leader of this school. The Book of Malachi prophesies Elijah's return "before the coming of the great and terrible day of the L ORD ," making him a harbinger of the Messiah and of the eschaton in various faiths that revere

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4672-460: Is carried out and Naboth is stoned to death. When word comes that Naboth is dead, Jezebel tells Ahab to take possession of the vineyard. God again speaks to Elijah and sends him to confront Ahab with a question and a prophecy: "Have you killed, and also taken possession?" and, "In the place where dogs licked up the blood of Naboth, dogs will also lick up your blood." Ahab begins the confrontation by calling Elijah his enemy. Elijah responds by throwing

4818-512: Is divided into two parts. The first part, the Chronography ( Χρονογραφία ( Chronographia )), gives an epitome of universal history from the sources, arranged according to nations. The second part, the Canons ( Χρονικοὶ Κανόνες ( Chronikoi kanones )), furnishes a synchronism of the historical material in parallel columns, the equivalent of a parallel timeline. The work as a whole has been lost in

4964-489: Is generally designated as the abode of Elijah, but since the location of paradise is itself uncertain, the last two statements may be identical. At the appointed time, it is written, you are destined to calm the wrath of God before it breaks out in fury, to turn the hearts of parents to their children, and to restore the tribes of Jacob. Elijah's glory is honoured in the Book of Sirach (Ecclesiasticus). His designated tasks are altered to: At Jewish circumcision ceremonies,

5110-459: Is good which is according to nature. Every rational soul has naturally a good free-will, formed for the choice of what is good. But when a man acts wrongly, nature is not to be blamed; for what is wrong, takes place not according to nature, but contrary to nature, it being the work of choice, and not of nature. A letter Eusebius is supposed to have written to Constantine 's daughter Constantina , refusing to fulfill her request for images of Christ,

5256-655: Is invoked at the weekly Havdalah rite that marks the end of Shabbat , and Elijah is invoked in other Jewish customs, among them the Passover Seder and the brit milah (ritual circumcision). He appears in numerous stories and references in the Haggadah and rabbinic literature , including the Babylonian Talmud . According to some Jewish interpretations, Elijah will return during the End of Times. The Christian New Testament notes that some people thought that Jesus was, in some sense, Elijah, but it also makes clear that John

5402-583: Is more a rhetorical eulogy on the emperor than a history but is of great value on account of numerous documents incorporated into it. To the class of apologetic and dogmatic works belong: A number of writings, belonging in this category, have been entirely lost. All of the exegetical works of Eusebius have suffered damage in transmission. The majority of them are known to us only from long portions quoted in Byzantine catena-commentaries. However these portions are very extensive. Extant are: Eusebius also wrote

5548-528: Is operated by the Baptism Site Commission, an independent board of trustees appointed by King Abdullah II . In 2017, the Commission reported that approximately 81,000 people visited the site in 2016, a 23% increase from 2015, by mostly European, American, and Arab tourists. Elijah Elijah ( / ɪ ˈ l aɪ dʒ ə / il- EYE -jə ) was a prophet and a miracle worker who lived in

5694-620: Is that homoousios came straight from Constantine's Hermetic background. As can be clearly seen in the Poimandres , and even more clearly in an inscription mentioned exclusively in the Theosophia , in the theological language of Egyptian paganism the word homoousios meant that the Nous-Father and the Logos-Son, who are two distinct beings, share the same perfection of the divine nature. However,

5840-496: Is the cause of all beings. But he is not merely a cause; in him everything good is included, from him all life originates, and he is the source of all virtue. God sent Christ into the world that it may partake of the blessings included in the essence of God. Eusebius expressly distinguishes the Son as distinct from Father as a ray is also distinct from its source the sun. Eusebius held that men were sinners by their own free choice and not by

5986-448: Is there any evidence of a normal, well-established Christian use of the term homoousios in its strictly Trinitarian meaning. Having once excluded any relationship of the Nicene homoousios with the Christian tradition, it becomes legitimate to propose a new explanation, based on an analysis of two pagan documents which have so far never been taken into account. The main thesis of this paper

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6132-419: Is unclear from Eusebius's description whether the shields were marked with a Christian cross or with a chi-rho , a staurogram , or another similar symbol. The Latin text De mortibus persecutorum contains an early account of the 28 October 312 Battle of the Milvian Bridge written by Lactantius probably in 313, the year following the battle. Lactantius does not mention a vision in the sky but describes

6278-464: Is worst, deserving of blame and punishment, because he has by his own motion neglected the natural law, and becoming the origin and fountain of wickedness, and misusing himself, not from any extraneous necessity, but from free will and judgment. The fault is in him who chooses, not in God. For God has not made nature or the substance of the soul bad; for he who is good can make nothing but what is good. Everything

6424-475: Is written, "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction." Scholars generally agree that a prophet named Elijah existed in the Kingdom of Israel during the reigns of Kings Ahab and Ahaziah , that he

6570-515: The German Protestant Institute . The digs unearthed three churches, three baptismal pools, a circular well and an external compound encircling the hill. The existence of water supply sourced from springs and conveyed to the baptism sites through ceramic pipes was revealed; this facility is available even now. In the Zor area of the site, the finds uncovered a church with a hall with columns,

6716-510: The Gospel of Matthew ; and many of Origen's own writings. Marginal comments in extant manuscripts note that Pamphilus and his friends and pupils, including Eusebius, corrected and revised much of the biblical text in their library. Their efforts made the hexaplaric Septuagint text increasingly popular in Syria and Palestine. Soon after joining Pamphilus's school, Eusebius started helping his master expand

6862-654: The Hebrew Bible , Joshua instructed the Israelites how to cross the Jordan by following the priests who were carrying the Ark of the Covenant through the river, thus making its waters stop their flow (Joshua 3, mainly Joshua 3:14–17 ). Ancient traditions identified Al-Maghtas, known in antiquity as bet-'abarah or Bethabara, "House of the Crossing" (see Madaba Map ), as the place where

7008-465: The Hellenistic period . The site contains buildings with both aspects of a Jewish mikveh (ritual bath) resembling Second Temple period pools from Qumran , and later of Christian use, with large pools for baptism, linking both customs. Possibly in the 2nd–3rd and certainly starting with the 5th–6th centuries, Christian religious structures were built at Tell al-Kharrar. It must be remembered that in

7154-469: The Israelites crossing the Jordan there. Jabal Mar-Elias is traditionally identified as the site of the ascension of the prophet Elijah to heaven. The complete area was abandoned after the 1967 Six-Day War , when both banks of the Jordan became part of the frontline. The area was heavily mined then. After the signing of the Israel–Jordan peace treaty in 1994, de-mining of the area soon took place at

7300-513: The Israel–Jordan peace treaty in 1994 access to Al-Maghtas was restored after Prince Ghazi of Jordan , who is deeply interested in religious history, visited the area in the company of a Franciscan archaeologist who had convinced him to take a look at what was thought to be the baptism site. When they found evidence of Roman-period habitation, this was enough to encourage de-mining and further development. Soon afterwards, there were several archaeological digs led by Dr. Mohammad Waheeb who rediscovered

7446-522: The King James Version . "Bethabara" ( / b ɛ θ ˈ æ b ər ə / beth- AB -ər-ə ; בית עברה; bēt ‛ăbārāh ; Βηθαβαρά; Bēthabará ; "house of the ford", "place of crossing") is the name used by some versions of the New Testament for the site "beyond (i.e. east of) the Jordan " where John the Baptist preached and performed baptisms , where he met with a group of priests and Levites sent by

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7592-729: The Pharisees to investigate his ministry, and where he baptised Jesus (Yeshua) ( John 1:28–29 ). The name "Bethabara" also appears on the 6th-century Madaba Map (though west of the Jordan River) and in the Talmud . The name is used in a number of versions, including the King James Version (following the Textus Receptus and in the Geneva Bible of the New Testament ) the place where John

7738-492: The Talmudic literature , Elijah would visit rabbis to help solve particularly difficult legal problems. Malachi had cited Elijah as the harbinger of the eschaton . Thus, when confronted with reconciling impossibly conflicting laws or rituals, the rabbis would set aside any decision "until Elijah comes". One such decision was whether the Passover Seder required four or five cups of wine. Each serving of wine corresponds to one of

7884-548: The Ten Commandments . Elijah is the only person described in the Bible as returning to Horeb, after Moses and his generation had left Horeb several centuries before. He seeks shelter in a cave . Elijah is told to "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the L ORD , for the L ORD is about to pass by." There comes a mighty wind, then an earthquake and then fire, but Yahweh is not in any of these, choosing to come instead as

8030-549: The northern kingdom of Israel during the reign of King Ahab (9th century BC), according to the Books of Kings in the Hebrew Bible . In 1 Kings 18, Elijah defended the worship of the Hebrew deity Yahweh over that of the Canaanite deity Baal . God also performed many miracles through Elijah, including resurrection , bringing fire down from the sky, and ascending to heaven alive . He

8176-522: The patron saint of Bosnia and Herzegovina since 1752. According to the Bible, by the 9th century BC, the Kingdom of Israel , once united under Solomon , had been divided into the northern Kingdom of Israel and the southern Kingdom of Judah (which retained the historical capital of Jerusalem along with its Temple ). Omri , King of Israel, continued policies dating from the reign of Jeroboam , contrary to religious law, that were intended to reorient religious focus away from Jerusalem: encouraging

8322-582: The textual criticism of the Septuagint text of the Old Testament and especially of the New Testament . An edition of the Septuagint seems to have been already prepared by Origen , which, according to Jerome , was revised and circulated by Eusebius and Pamphilus. For an easier survey of the material of the four Evangelists, Eusebius divided his edition of the New Testament into paragraphs and provided it with

8468-503: The "four expressions of redemption" in the Book of Exodus : Eusebius Eusebius of Caesarea ( c.  AD 260/265  – 30 May AD 339), also known as Eusebius Pamphilius , was a Greek Syro-Palestinian historian of Christianity , exegete , and Christian polemicist . In about AD 314 he became the bishop of Caesarea Maritima in the Roman province of Syria Palaestina . Together with Pamphilus , Eusebius

8614-501: The 1st-4th centuries of the Christian Era, Christianity was often persecuted by the Roman state, and only after it became first tolerated and then outright the state religion of the Roman, or now so-called Byzantine Empire, open Christian worship became possible. Archaeological excavations also established that the hill of Tell al-Kharrar, known as Elijah's Hill, was venerated as the spot from which Prophet Elijah ascended to heaven. In

8760-464: The 5th century, in commemoration, a Byzantine monastery was erected here. The archaeologists have named it the "Monastery of Rhetorios" after a name from a Byzantine mosaic inscription. The Byzantine emperor Anastasius I Dicorus erected between 491 and 518 a first church dedicated to John the Baptist on the eastern banks of the River Jordan. However, due to two flood and earthquake events the church

8906-496: The Baptist is "the Elijah" who was promised to come in Malachi 3:1 ; 4:5 . According to accounts in all three of the Synoptic Gospels , Elijah appeared with Moses during the Transfiguration of Jesus . Elijah in Islam appears in the Quran as a prophet and messenger of God , where his biblical narrative of preaching against the worshipers of Baal is recounted in a concise form. Due to his importance to Muslims, Catholics, and Orthodox Christians, Elijah has been venerated as

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9052-475: The Baptist was baptizing in John 1:28 was not called Bethany, but Bethabara . It follows the New York and Moscow uncials, corrected forms of Ephraemi and Athos, along with uncial fragments from St Petersburg, Paris, minuscule 1, and family 13, backed up by Eusebius , Cyril, some Byzantine texts and lectionaries, and the Curetonian Old Syriac, Aramaic Peshitta, Armenian, and Georgian manuscripts, among others, ". The reading Bethabara became current owing to

9198-427: The Hebrew Bible. References to Elijah appear in Sirach , the New Testament , the Mishnah and Talmud , the Quran , the Book of Mormon , and Baháʼí writings. Scholars generally agree that a historical figure named Elijah existed in ancient Israel, yet some argue that the biblical portrayal of him reflects legendary and theological embellishment rather than purely historical documentation. In Judaism, Elijah's name

9344-419: The Israeli side and 100,000 on the Jordanian side. To put that into perspective, Yardenit has more than 400,000 visitors per year. In the millennium year 2000, John Paul II was the first pope to visit the site. His two successors, popes Benedict XVI and Pope Francis , also visited the site, as have a number of heads of state and other dignitaries. In 2002, Christians commemorated the baptism of Christ at

9490-401: The Jordan (Al-Maghtas)". It was inscribed as a cultural property under UNESCO Criteria (iii) and (vi). The Palestinian Tourist agency deplores the UNESCO's decision to leave out the western baptismal site. During the negotiations of the UNESCO listings, the original proposal to UNESCO stated the will to expand the site in the future in cooperation with "the neighboring country". The Baptism Site

9636-437: The Jordan River have historically made similar claims. The Baptism Site's official website shows 13 authentication testimonials from representatives of major international denominations. The archaeological excavations have unearthed antiquities which attest to the conclusion that this site was first settled by a small group of agriculturists during the Chalcolithic period , around 3500 BC. There are again signs of settlement from

9782-433: The Lord, the God of hosts; for the people of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thy altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away". According to Rabbinic tradition, Elijah's words were patently untrue, and since Elijah accused Israel of failing to uphold the covenant, God would require Elijah to be present at every covenant of circumcision. In

9928-433: The Upper Basilica and a baptismal pool. This pool had once four piers that supported the Chapel of the Mantle. The Quattara hills revealed a number of monk caves, also known as hermit cells, which are 300 metres (980 ft) away from the Jordan River. When the caves were in use access was through a rope way or by stairway or ladders from the western and south-western sides, but none of these are seen now. Each of these caves

10074-413: The advocacy of both Origen (3rd century) and John Chrysostom (4th century), and that same Bethabara is attested in both the 6th-century Madaba Map and in the Jewish Talmud . G. A. Smith suggests in his "Atlas of the Historical Geography of the Holy Land" (HGHL; 1915) that Bethany ( house of the ship ) and Bethabara ( house of the ford ) are names for the same place. The second place may also refer to

10220-453: The ancient site in 1997. The 1990s marked the period of archaeological excavations of the site followed by primary conservation and restoration measures during the early 21st century. Jordan fully reopened al-Maghtas in 2002. This was then followed by the Israeli-run western side, known as Qasr el-Yahud, which was opened for daily visits in 2011 – the traditional Epiphany celebrations had already been allowed to take place since 1985, but only at

10366-405: The area close to the river (2 km (1.2 mi) to the west), the Zor area, where the ancient Church of Saint John the Baptist is situated. The site is close to the ancient road between Jerusalem and Transjordan, via Jericho , across a Jordan River ford and connecting to other biblical sites such as Madaba , Mount Nebo and the King's Highway . While the initial site of veneration was on

10512-408: The area. Initially UNESCO had listed the site in the tentative list on 18 June 2001 and a new nomination was presented on 27 January 2014. ICOMOS evaluated the report presented by Jordan from 21 to 25 September 2014. The finds are closely associated with the commemoration of the baptism. Following this evaluation, the site was inscribed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site under the title "Bethany Beyond

10658-551: The baptism of Jesus. ICOMOS in its consideration of "Bethany Beyond the Jordan" as a UNESCO World Heritage Site notes that sites historically associated with Jesus' baptism also exist on the west bank across the river as well and puts forth that their investigation into the Al-Maghtas site for recognition as a World Heritage Center does not prove without doubt that the archaeological structures there actually relate historically to Jesus' baptism and further notes that other sites along

10804-574: The beginning of the 6th century the focus had moved onto the more accessible west bank of the river. During the Byzantine period, the site was a popular pilgrimage centre. The Sasanian conquest of Jerusalem in 614, river floodings, earthquakes and the Muslim capture of Jerusalem in 637 put an end to Byzantine building activity on the east bank of the Jordan, particularly in the Wadi al-Kharrar area. The Muslim conquest put an end to Byzantine building activity on

10950-505: The birth of Eusebius to some point between AD 260 and 265. He was most likely born in or around Caesarea Maritima . Nothing is known about his parents. He was baptized and instructed in the city, and lived in Syria Palaestina in 296, when Diocletian 's army passed through the region (in the Life of Constantine , Eusebius recalls seeing Constantine traveling with the army). Eusebius

11096-500: The brook dries up, God sends him to a widow living in the town of Zarephath in Phoenicia . When Elijah finds her, he asks her for some water and a piece of bread, but she says that she does not have sufficient food to keep her and her own son alive. Elijah tells her that God will not allow her supply of flour or oil to run out, saying, "Do not be afraid ... For thus says the Lord the God of Israel: The jar of flour will not be used up, and

11242-525: The building of local temple altars for sacrifices, appointing priests from outside the family of the Levites , and allowing or encouraging temples dedicated to Baal , an important deity in ancient Canaanite religion . Omri achieved domestic security with a marriage alliance between his son Ahab and princess Jezebel , a worshipper of Baal and the daughter of the king of Sidon in Phoenicia . These solutions brought security and economic prosperity to Israel for

11388-508: The cause of God, Elijah the helper in distress: these are the three leading notes struck by the Aggadah, endeavoring to complete the biblical picture with the Elijah legends. His career is extensive, colorful, and varied. He has appeared the world over in the guise of a beggar and scholar. From the time of Malachi , who says of Elijah that God will send him before "the great and dreadful day", down to

11534-691: The charge back at him, telling him that he has made himself the enemy of God by his own actions. Elijah tells Ahab that his entire kingdom will reject his authority; that Jezebel will be eaten by dogs within Jezreel; and that his family will be consumed by dogs as well (if they die in a city) or by birds (if they die in the country). When Ahab hears this he repents so sincerely that God stays his hand in punishing Ahab, choosing instead to vent his wrath upon Jezebel and her son by Ahab, Ahaziah . Elijah's story continues now from Ahab to an encounter with Ahaziah ( 2 Kings 1 ). The scene opens with Ahaziah seriously injured in

11680-399: The contention. Through the activities of the theologian Origen (185/6–254) and the school of his follower Pamphilus (later 3rd century – 309), Caesarea became a center of Christian learning. Origen was largely responsible for the collection of usage information, or which churches were using which gospels, regarding the texts which became the New Testament . The information used to create

11826-456: The council evidently did not force the insertion of the word and instead adopted a text related to the confession of Jerusalem. The role of Constantine remained uncertain during the council. Alternate views have suggested that Gibbon's dismissal of Eusebius is inappropriate: While many have shared Burckhardt's assessment, particularly with reference to the Life of Constantine , others, while not pretending to extol his merits, have acknowledged

11972-403: The days of the prophets of old, would take place at the coming of the Christ, which I will presently shew to have been fulfilled as never before in accordance with the predictions" ( Demonstratio Evangelica VIII). From a dogmatic point of view, Eusebius is related in his views to Origen . Like Origen, he started from the fundamental thought of the absolute sovereignty ( monarchia ) of God. God

12118-496: The early church due to Eusebius's access to materials now lost. Eusebius's Life of Constantine ( Vita Constantini ) is a eulogy or panegyric , and therefore its style and selection of facts are affected by its purpose, rendering it inadequate as a continuation of the Church History. As the historian Socrates Scholasticus said, at the opening of his history which was designed as a continuation of Eusebius, "Also in writing

12264-532: The east bank of the Jordan River" (including the Douay-Rheims , NIV , NASB , NLT , RSV , IBS , and Darby ). Origen was a 3rd-century Christian scholar from Palestine. Noticing that in his time there was no place called Bethany east of the Jordan, he suggested amending the name to Bethabara, an existing place at the time. His suggestion was picked up by some, and it was used in several translations, including

12410-489: The east bank of the Jordan River, but several of the Byzantine structures remained in use during the Early Islamic period. With time worship took place just across the river on the western side at Qasr el-Yahud. After 670 AD the commemoration of the baptism site moved to the western side. The structures were rebuilt many times but were finally deserted by end of the 15th century. In the 13th century an Orthodox monastery

12556-505: The eastern side of the River Jordan, the focus had shifted to the western side by the 6th century. The term Al-Maghtas itself has been used historically for the area stretching over both banks of the river. The western part, also known under the name Qasr el-Yahud , has been mentioned in the UNESCO proposal, but so far has not been declared as a World Heritage Site. In November 2015, the site became available on Google Street View . According to

12702-503: The emperor himself had recounted to him that some time between the death of his father – the augustus Constantius – and his final battle against his rival Maxentius as augustus in the West, Constantine experienced a vision in which he and his soldiers beheld a Christian symbol, "a cross-shaped trophy formed from light", above the sun at midday. Attached to the symbol was the phrase "by this conquer" ( ἐν τούτῳ νίκα , en toútōi níka ),

12848-402: The end of a line of kings of Israel who are said to have "done evil in the sight of the Lord." No background for the person of Elijah is given except for his brief characterization as a Tishbite. His name in Hebrew means "My God is Jah ," and may be a title applied to him because of his challenge to worship of Baal. As told in the Hebrew Bible, Elijah's challenge is bold and direct. Baal

12994-462: The fact that many of the Caesarean martyrs lived together, presumably under Pamphilus. Soon after Pamphilus settled in Caesarea ( c. 280s), he began teaching Eusebius, who was then somewhere between twenty and twenty-five. Because of his close relationship with his schoolmaster, Eusebius was sometimes called Eusebius Pamphili : "Eusebius, son of Pamphilus". The name may also indicate that Eusebius

13140-695: The favor of the Emperor Constantine . Because of this he was called upon to present the creed of his own church to the 318 attendees of the Council of Nicaea in 325. However, the anti-Arian creed from Palestine prevailed, becoming the basis for the Nicene Creed . The theological views of Arius, that taught the subordination of the Son to the Father , continued to be controversial. Eustathius of Antioch strongly opposed

13286-563: The first part of Eusebius's Chronicle , of which only a few fragments exist in Greek, has been preserved entirely in Armenian , though with lacunae. The Chronicle as preserved extends to the year 325. In his Church History or Ecclesiastical History , Eusebius wrote the first surviving history of the Christian Church as a chronologically ordered account, based on earlier sources, complete from

13432-505: The following year, he was again summoned before a synod in Tyre at which Eusebius of Caesarea presided. Athanasius, foreseeing the result, went to Constantinople to bring his cause before the Emperor. Constantine called the bishops to his court, among them Eusebius. Athanasius was condemned and exiled at the end of 335. Eusebius remained in the Emperor's favour throughout this time and more than once

13578-583: The former category he includes evidence of Eusebius in several martyrologies and being entitled "Blessed" dating back to Victorius of Aquitaine . Valois includes both Usuardus and Notker , who list his feast as June 21 in the Roman Martyrology, and a Gallican breviary is included for June 21 that reads as follows: Of the holy Eusebius, bishop and confessor. Lesson 1 . Eusebius, bishop of Cæsarea in Palestine, on account of his friendship with Pamphilus

13724-451: The growing influence of Origen 's theology as the root of Arianism . Eusebius, an admirer of Origen, was reproached by Eustathius for deviating from the Nicene faith. Eusebius prevailed and Eustathius was deposed at a synod in Antioch . However, Athanasius of Alexandria became a more powerful opponent and in 334 he was summoned before a synod in Caesarea (which he refused to attend). In

13870-445: The historian is commemorated as a saint." However, Lightfoot notes that in "the revision of this Martyrology under Gregory XIII his name was struck out, and Eusebius of Samosata was substituted, under the mistaken idea that Caesarea had been substituted for Samosata by a mistake." The Roman Catholic author Henri Valois includes in his translations on Eusebius's writings testimonies of ancient authors in favor and against Eusebius; in

14016-481: The initiative of Jordanian Prince Ghazi . The site has since then seen several archaeological digs, visits by three Popes ( John Paul II , Benedict XVI , and Francis ) and by many heads of state, and attracts tourists and pilgrimage activity. In 2015, the site was designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO , excluding the western side of the river. Approximately 81,000 people visited the site in 2016, mostly European, American, and Arab tourists. Thousands flock to

14162-445: The irreplaceable value of his works which may principally reside in the copious quotations that they contain from other sources, often lost. The earliest recorded feast day of Eusebius is found in the earliest known Syrian Martyrology dating to the year 411 translated by William Wright . The Martyrology lists his feast day as May 30. Eusebius continues to be venerated as a Saint by the modern-day Syrian Orthodox Church as well, with

14308-445: The jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the land." She feeds him the last of their food, and Elijah's promise miraculously comes true. Some time later the widow's son dies and the widow cries, "You have come to me to bring my sin to remembrance, and to cause the death of my son!" Elijah prays that God might restore her son so that the trustworthiness of God's word might be demonstrated, and "[God] listened to

14454-448: The land. But Naboth tells Ahab that God has told him not to part with the land. Ahab accepts this answer with sullen bad grace. Jezebel, however, plots a method for acquiring the land. She sends letters in Ahab's name to the elders and nobles who live near Naboth. They are to arrange a feast and invite Naboth. At the feast, false charges of cursing God and Ahab are to be made against him. The plot

14600-472: The late-fourth-century Easter Letter , which declared accepted Christian writings, was probably based on the Ecclesiastical History [HE] of Eusebius of Caesarea, wherein he uses the information passed on to him by Origen to create both his list at HE 3:25 and Origen's list at HE 6:25. Eusebius got his information about what texts were accepted by the third-century churches throughout the known world,

14746-563: The later stories of the Chasidic rabbis , reverence and love, expectation and hope were always connected in the Jewish consciousness with Elijah. Three different theories regarding Elijah's origin are presented in the Aggadah literature: (1) he belonged to the tribe of Gad, (2) he was a Benjamite from Jerusalem, identical with the Elijah mentioned in 1 Chronicles 8:27, and (3) he was a priest. Many Christian Church fathers also have stated that Elijah

14892-495: The library's collections and broaden access to its resources. At about this time Eusebius compiled a Collection of Ancient Martyrdoms , presumably for use as a general reference tool. In the 290s, Eusebius began work on his most important work, the Ecclesiastical History , a narrative history of the Church and Christian community from the Apostolic Age to Eusebius's own time. At about the same time, he worked on his Chronicle ,

15038-456: The life of Constantine, this same author has but slightly treated of matters regarding Arius , being more intent on the rhetorical finish of his composition and the praises of the emperor than on an accurate statement of facts." The work was unfinished at Eusebius's death. Some scholars have questioned the Eusebian authorship of this work. Writing after Constantine had died, Eusebius claimed that

15184-406: The martyr, took from him the surname of Pamphili; inasmuch as along with this same Pamphilus he was a most diligent investigator of sacred literature. The man indeed is very worthy of being remembered in these times, both for his skill in many things, and for his wonderful genius, and by both Gentiles and Christians he was held distinguished and most noble among philosophers. This man, after having for

15330-450: The martyrs of his own time and the past, and this led him to the history of the whole Church and finally to the history of the world, which, to him, was only a preparation for ecclesiastical history. Then followed the time of the Arian controversies, and dogmatic questions came into the foreground. Christianity at last found recognition by the State; and this brought new problems – apologies of

15476-580: The more northerly territory of Batanaea . Al-Maghtas is the Arabic word for a site of immersion, and implicitly of baptism. Al-Maghtas is located on the eastern bank of the Jordan River, 9 kilometres (5.6 mi) north of the Dead Sea and 10 km (6.2 mi) southeast of Jericho . The entire site, which is spread over an area of 533.7 hectares (5.337 km; 1,319 acres), has two distinct zones – Tell al-Kharrar, also called Jabal Mar Elias (Elijah's Hill), and

15622-565: The nation famous, firstly the kingship, secondly that of prophet, and lastly the high priesthood. The prophecies said that the abolition and complete destruction of all these three together would be the sign of the presence of the Christ. And that the proofs that the times had come, would lie in the ceasing of the Mosaic worship, the desolation of Jerusalem and its Temple, and the subjection of the whole Jewish race to its enemies. ...The holy oracles foretold that all these changes, which had not been made in

15768-485: The necessity of their natures. Eusebius said: The Creator of all things has impressed a natural law upon the soul of every man, as an assistant and ally in his conduct, pointing out to him the right way by this law; but, by the free liberty with which he is endowed, making the choice of what is best worthy of praise and acceptance, he has acted rightly, not by force, but from his own free-will, when he had it in his power to act otherwise, As, again, making him who chooses what

15914-465: The original Greek, but it may be reconstructed from later chronographists of the Byzantine school who made excerpts from the work, especially George Syncellus . The tables of the second part have been completely preserved in a Latin translation by Jerome, and both parts are still extant in an Armenian translation. The loss of the Greek originals has given the Armenian translation a special importance; thus,

16060-399: The other bull for sacrifice as before. He then orders that the sacrifice and altar be drenched with water from "four large jars" poured three times, filling also the trench. He asks Yahweh to accept the sacrifice. Fire falls from the sky, consuming the sacrifice, the stones of the altar itself, the earth and the water in the trench as well. When the people see this, they declare, "The L ORD —he

16206-517: The painstaking labor of original research. Hence, much has been preserved, quoted by Eusebius, which otherwise would have been lost. The literary productions of Eusebius reflect on the whole the course of his life. At first, he occupied himself with works on biblical criticism under the influence of Pamphilus and probably of Dorotheus of Tyre of the School of Antioch . Afterward, the persecutions under Diocletian and Galerius directed his attention to

16352-486: The people of Israel and later Prophet Elijah crossed the Jordan River and entered the Promised Land . The Hebrew Bible also described how Prophet Elijah , accompanied by Prophet Elisha , stopped the waters of the Jordan, crossing to the eastern side, and then went up by a whirlwind into the heavens. Elisha, now his heir, again separated the waters and crossed back ( 2 Kings 2:8–14 ). An ancient Jewish tradition identified

16498-446: The people of Israel, 450 prophets of Baal, and 400 prophets of Asherah to Mount Carmel . Elijah then berates the people for their acquiescence in Baal worship: "How long will you go limping with two different opinions? If the L ORD is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him." Elijah proposes a direct test of the powers of Baal and Yahweh (both Asherah and her prophets disappear from

16644-555: The period of the Apostles to his own epoch. The time scheme correlated the history with the reigns of the Roman Emperors, and the scope was broad. Included were the bishops and other teachers of the Church, Christian relations with the Jews and those deemed heretical, and the Christian martyrs through 324. Although its accuracy and biases have been questioned, it remains an important source on

16790-459: The place to which Elijah was transferred, opinions differ among Jews and Christians, but the old view was that Elijah was received among the heavenly inhabitants, where he records the deeds of men. But as early as the middle of the 2nd century, when the notion of translation to heaven underwent divergent possible interpretations by Christian theologians, the assertion was made that Elijah never entered into heaven proper. In later literature paradise

16936-418: The prophets" knew beforehand that Elijah would one day be assumed into heaven. Elisha asked Elijah to "let a double portion" of Elijah's "spirit" be upon him. Elijah agreed, with the condition that Elisha would see him be "taken". Elijah, in company with Elisha, approaches the Jordan. He rolls up his mantle and strikes the water. The water immediately divides and Elijah and Elisha cross on dry land. Suddenly,

17082-609: The reign of Constantine (336). Most of Eusebius's letters are lost. His letters to Carpianus and Flacillus exist complete. Fragments of a letter to the empress Constantia also exists. Eusebius is fairly unusual in his preterist , or fulfilled, eschatological view. Saying "the Holy Scriptures foretell that there will be unmistakable signs of the Coming of Christ. Now there were among the Hebrews three outstanding offices of dignity, which made

17228-457: The same time a picture of the destinies of man, who has to pass through "four worlds." This world was shown to the prophet by God through symbolism: in the form of the wind, since the world disappears as the wind; storm is the day of death, before which man trembles; fire is the judgment in Gehenna; and the stillness is the last day. Three years after this vision, Elijah was "translated." Concerning

17374-696: The same time he has written many things, but especially the following books: The Præparatio Evangelica, the Ecclesiastical History, Against Porphyry, a very bitter enemy of the Christians; he has also composed Six Apologies in Behalf of Origen, a Life of Pamphilus the Martyr, from whom on account of friendship he took his surname, in three books; likewise very learned Commentaries on the hundred and fifty Psalms. Lesson 3 . Moreover, as we read, after having ascertained

17520-508: The site for the first time since its rediscovery. Since then, thousands of Christian pilgrims from around the world annually have marked Epiphany at Bethany Beyond the Jordan. Also in 2002, the Baptism Site opened for daily visits, attracting a constant influx of tourists and pilgrimage activity. In 2015, the UNESCO declared the Al-Maghtas site in Jordan , on the east bank of the River Jordan, as

17666-412: The site of crossing with the same one used by Joshua, thus with Al-Maghtas, and the site of Elijah's ascension with Tell el-Kharrar, also known as Jabal Mar Elias, "Hill of Prophet Elijah". John probably baptised in springs and brooks at least as much as he did in the more dangerous Jordan River. The concrete example is "Aenon near Salim" of John 3:23 , where "aenon" stands for spring. At Al-Maghtas there

17812-471: The site on January 6 to mark Epiphany . Two passages from the Gospel of John indicate a place "beyond the Jordan" or "across the Jordan": "Bethany" may come from beth-ananiah , Hebrew for "house of the poor/afflicted". The name "Bethany" is shared with a different town located on the Mount of Olives , mentioned many times in the New Testament. Most English versions of the New Testament refer to "Bethany on

17958-415: The specific Catholic and Orthodox dates and under military supervision. In 2007, a documentary film entitled The Baptism of Jesus Christ – Uncovering Bethany Beyond the Jordan was made about the site. The western side attracts larger tourist interest than its Jordanian counterpart, with half a million visitors compared to some ten thousand on the Jordanian side. Other estimates put the numbers as 300,000 on

18104-409: The story entirely): he and Baal's prophets will each take one of two bulls, prepare it for sacrifice and lay it on wood, but put no fire to it. The prophets of Baal choose and prepare a bull accordingly. Elijah then invites them to pray for fire to light the sacrifice. They pray from morning to noon without success. Elijah ridicules their efforts. "At noon Elijah mocked them, saying, 'Cry aloud! Surely he

18250-477: The sufferings of many holy martyrs in all the provinces, and the lives of confessors and virgins, he has written concerning these saints twenty books; while on account of these books therefore, and especially on account of his Præparatio Evangelica, he was held most distinguished among the Gentiles, because of his love of truth he contemned the ancestral worship of the gods. He has written also a Chronicle, extending from

18396-658: The title of Church Father ), he produced the Ecclesiastical History , On the Life of Pamphilus , the Chronicle and On the Martyrs . He also produced a biographical work on Constantine the Great , the first Christian Roman emperor , who was Augustus between AD 306 and AD 337. Little is known about the life of Eusebius. His successor at the See of Caesarea, Acacius , wrote a Life of Eusebius ,

18542-480: The voice of Elijah; the life of the child came into him again, and he revived." This is the first instance of raising the dead recorded in Scripture. The widow cried, "the word of the Lord in your mouth is truth." After more than three years of drought and famine, God tells Elijah to return to Ahab and announce the end of the drought. While on his way, Elijah meets Obadiah , the head of Ahab's household, who had hidden

18688-413: The whirlwind. Michael Wilcock, formerly of Trinity College, Bristol , suggests a number of possible reasons for this letter, among them that it may be an example of a better known prophet's name being substituted for that of a lesser known prophet. John Van Seters , however, rejects the letter as having any connection with the Elijah tradition. However, Wilcock argues that Elijah's letter "does address

18834-483: The word homoousios ( consubstantial ) "was inserted in the Nicene Creed solely by the personal order of Constantine." According to Eusebius of Caesarea, the word homoousios was inserted in the Nicene Creed solely by the personal order of Constantine. But this statement is highly problematic. It is very difficult to explain the seeming paradoxical fact that this word, along with the explanation given by Constantine,

18980-407: The works of Plato and to an extensive range of later philosophic works, largely from Middle Platonists from Philo to the late 2nd century. Whatever its secular contents, the primary aim of Origen and Pamphilus's school was to promote sacred learning. The library's biblical and theological contents were more impressive: Origen's Hexapla and Tetrapla ; a copy of the original Aramaic version of

19126-623: Was a hairy man with a leather belt around his waist and he instantly recognizes the description as Elijah the Tishbite. Ahaziah sends out three groups of soldiers to arrest Elijah. The first two are destroyed by fire which Elijah calls down from heaven. The leader of the third group asks for mercy for himself and his men. Elijah agrees to accompany this third group to Ahaziah, where he gives his prophecy in person. Ahaziah dies without recovering from his injuries in accordance with Elijah's word. According to 2 Kings 2:3–9, Elisha (Eliseus) and "the sons of

19272-510: Was a priest. Some rabbis have speculated that he should be identified with Phinehas . According to later Kabbalistic literature, Elijah was really an angel in human form, so that he had neither parents nor offspring. The Midrash Rabbah Exodus 4:2 states "Elijah should have revived his parents as he had revived the son of the Zarephathite" indicating he surely had parents. The Talmud states "Said he [Rabbah] to him (Elijah): Art thou not

19418-441: Was a religious figure of great personal dynamism and conservative zeal and the leader of resistance to the rise of Baal worship in Israel in the ninth century BC. In the opinion of some scholars, however, the biblical presentation of the prophet cannot be taken as historical documentation of his activity. The biblical texts present his career through the eyes of popular legend and subsequent theological reflection, which consider him

19564-595: Was a scholar of the biblical canon and is regarded as one of the most learned Christians during late antiquity . He wrote the Demonstrations of the Gospel , Preparations for the Gospel and On Discrepancies between the Gospels , studies of the biblical text. His work Onomasticon is an early geographical lexicon of places in the Holy Land mentioned in the Bible. As "Father of Church History " (not to be confused with

19710-401: Was accepted by the "Arian" Eusebius, whereas it has left no traces at all in the works of his opponents, the leaders of the anti-Arian party such as Alexander of Alexandria , Ossius of Cordova , Marcellus of Ancyra , and Eustathius of Antioch , who are usually considered Constantine's theological advisers and the strongest supporters of the council. Neither before nor during Constantine's time

19856-543: Was also destroyed in the 1927 earthquake . In the early part of the twentieth century, a farming community had occupied the area east of the Jordan River. As a result of the Six-Day War in 1967 , the river became the ceasefire line and both banks became militarised and inaccessible to pilgrims. After 1982, while Qasr el-Yahud was still off-limits, Israel enabled Christian baptisms at the Yardenit site further north. Following

20002-470: Was also translated into Syriac , and lengthy quotations exist in a catena in that language, and also in Arabic catenas. Eusebius also wrote treatises on the biblical past; these three treatises have been lost. They were: The addresses and sermons of Eusebius are mostly lost, but some have been preserved, e.g., a sermon on the consecration of the church in Tyre and an address on the thirtieth anniversary of

20148-412: Was built over remnants of an earlier Byzantine predecessor, but how long it lasted is not known. However, pilgrimage to the site declined and according to one pilgrim, the site was in ruins in 1484. From the 15th to the 19th century there were hardly any visits by pilgrims to the site. A small chapel dedicated to St. Mary of Egypt , a hermit from the Byzantine period, was built during the 19th century and

20294-468: Was carved with a semicircular niche on its eastern wall. Each cave has two chambers, one for prayer and another a living space for the monks. Tombs unearthed in and outside the churches are believed to be of monks of the churches. These tombs are of the Byzantine and early Islamic periods (5th–7th centuries). Numismatics finds of coins and ceramics at the site are epigraphic proofs of the site's history. In 1994, UNESCO sponsored archaeological excavations in

20440-400: Was destroyed. The church was reconstructed three times, until it crumbled, together with the chapel built over piers, during a major flood event in the 6th or 7th century. The pilgrimage sites have shifted throughout history. The main Christian archaeological finds from the Byzantine and possibly even Roman period indicated that the initial venerated pilgrimage site was on the east bank, but by

20586-658: Was exonerated with the explicit approval of the Emperor Constantine. After the Emperor's death ( c.  337 ), Eusebius wrote the Life of Constantine , an important historical work because of eyewitness accounts and the use of primary sources. Of the extensive literary activity of Eusebius, a relatively large portion has been preserved. Although posterity suspected him of Arianism , Eusebius had made himself indispensable by his method of authorship; his comprehensive and careful excerpts from original sources saved his successors

20732-462: Was led astray. The prophet ends the letter with a prediction of a painful death. This letter is a puzzle to readers for several reasons. First, it concerns a king of the southern kingdom, while Elijah concerned himself with the kingdom of Israel. Second, the message begins with "Thus says YHVH, God of your father David..." rather than the more usual "...in the name of YHVH the God of Israel." Also, this letter seems to come after Elijah's ascension into

20878-517: Was made presbyter by Agapius of Caesarea . Some, like theologian and ecclesiastical historian John Henry Newman , understand Eusebius's statement that he had heard Dorotheus of Tyre "expound the Scriptures wisely in the Church" to indicate that Eusebius was Dorotheus's pupil while the priest was resident in Antioch; others, like the scholar D. S. Wallace-Hadrill, deem the phrase too ambiguous to support

21024-502: Was made Pamphilus' heir. Pamphilus gave Eusebius a strong admiration for the thought of Origen. Neither Pamphilus nor Eusebius knew Origen personally; Pamphilus probably picked up Origenist ideas during his studies under Pierius (nicknamed "Origen Junior" ) in Alexandria. Eusebius's Preparation for the Gospel bears witness to the literary tastes of Origen: Eusebius quotes no comedy, tragedy, or lyric poetry, but makes reference to all

21170-696: Was quoted in the decrees (now lost) of the Iconoclast Council of Hieria in 754, and later quoted in part in the rebuttal of the Hieria decrees in the Second Council of Nicaea of 787, now the only source from which some of the text is known. The authenticity or authorship of the letter remains uncertain. In the June 2002 issue of the Church History journal, Pier Franco Beatrice reports that Eusebius testified that

21316-438: Was the Canaanite god responsible for rain, thunder, lightning, and dew. Elijah thus, when he initially announces the drought, not only challenges Baal on behalf of God himself, but he also challenges Jezebel, her priests, Ahab and the people of Israel. After Elijah's confrontation with Ahab, God tells him to flee out of Israel, to a hiding place by the brook Chorath , east of the Jordan , where he will be fed by ravens . When

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