Publication:The Fearless Times Issue 3 2009/Bethany Beyond the Jordan – A Pilgrimage
One of the reasons many people join the Navy is to see the world. But there are some parts of the world that we never really expect the opportunity to see, much less experience close up and personally. So when Toowoomba was given the opportunity to visit one of the most historically and spiritually significant places in the world – the site of Jesus Baptism by John the Baptist at 'Bethany Beyond the Jordan', in The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, we embraced it with open arms.
Most significantly, five members of Ship's Company - LSMED Jarrod Vowell, LSET Nathan Arnall, ABET Emry Thaggard-Crocker, ABBM Craig Everett and ABMT Laurence Flynn donned white robes, stood fearless in front of 30 of their shipmates and after affirming their faith in Jesus Christ stepped into the river to be baptised by the Chaplain.
The experience was extremely profound for all those who were privileged enough to be present. To be a part of five young men shamelessly standing up to be counted for their faith in front of their ship mates was humbling and both an honour and privilege. For us to do this in the river where Jesus was baptised, a place with such historical and spiritual significance was amazing.
The Baptism Site (Arabic: el-Maghtas) on the Jordan side of the River Jordan is one of the most important recent discoveries in biblical archaeology. Excavations only began in 1996, following Jordan's peace treaty with Israel in 1994, but it has already uncovered the remains of five churches as well as caves and baptismal pools dating from the Roman and Byzantine periods. The area is also associated with the ascension of the Prophet Elijah into heaven, which is commemorated at a hill called Tell Mar Elias.
It is recorded in the Gospel of John that in addition to being baptised there, Jesus also met five of his disciples including Peter, in the same area. From there he set out preaching about the Kingdom of God, beginning the public part of his life. So it was both amazing and significant that five members of Toowoomba also chose to publicly declare their faith in Christ and were baptised in that sacred place.
