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| Map of New Testement |
Sites of the New Testament
The life of Jesus Christ, as recounted in the gospels, was played out in a relatively small geographical area. He was born in Bethlehem; he grew up in Nazareth and his baptism took place at the Jordan River near Jericho; most of his activity was carried out around the shores of the Sea of Galilee, where he preached, narrated parables and showed miracles; and his crucifixion, resurrection and ascension all occurred in Jerusalem.
1. The Annunciation
At Nazareth Mary was visited by the angel Gabriel and told of her horthcoming child (Luke 1: 26-38). The episode is commemorated by the Basilica of the Annunciation.
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| The Annunciation |
2. The Birth of Jesus
In Bethlehem Jesus was born in a grotto and an angel appeared to shepherds in nearby fields, telling them of the birth (Luke 2: 1-20). A church was first built on the site in the 4th century and a star marks the alleged site of the Nativity.
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| Bethlehem |
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| Grotto of the Nativity |
3. The Wedding at Cana
Jesus performed his first miracle at this small village near Nazareth, at a wedding where he turned water into wine (John 2: 1-11)
4. The Baptism of Christ
John the Baptist, a cousin of Jesus, baptized and preached the coming of the Messiah on the shores of the Jordan River. John recognized Jesus as the “Lamb of God” (Matthew 3). The site traditionally identified with the baptism, known as Qasr el-Yehud, is east of Jericho on the Jordanian border. It lies in a military zone and Is accessible to pilgrims on certain days of the week.
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| Jordan River |
5. The Temptations
Following his baptism, Jesus went into the desert, where the Devil tried to tempt him from his 40-day fast (Matthew 4: 1-11). The Greek Orthodox Monastery of the Temptation on Mount Quarntal, just north of Jericho, marks the site of the supposed encounter.
6. The First Disciples
Christ’s first Disciples were fishermen be encountered on the banks of the Sea of Galilee. He persuaded them to leave their nets to become “fishers of men” (Matthew 5: 18-22). In the mid-1980s a fishing boat was discovered in the mud of the lake. It dates back to the 1st century AD, roughly the time of Christ, and is on display at Kibbutz Ginosar.
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| Sea of Galilee |
7. The Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes
The gospels locate this famous miracle, more colourfully known as the “feeding of the 5,000” (Matthew 15: 32-39), on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. The episode is commemorated in a church at Tabgha on the lake shore, which has a mosaic in front of the altar showing a basket of bread flanked by fish.
8. The Sermon on the Mount
The longest and one of the key sermons in the teachings of Jesus, the Sermon on the Mount, begins with the Beatitudes: “Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth…” (Matthew 5-7). Tradition has it delivered on a small rise at Tabgha. It is celebrated by the nearby, octagonal Church of the Beatitudes.