Necessity of replacing Bethany with Bethabara

(204) We are not unaware that “these things were done in Bethania” occurs in nearly all the manuscripts. It seems likely too that, in addition, this was the earlier reading.

And to be sure, we have read “Bethania” in Heracleon. But since we have been in the places, so far as the historical account is concerned, of the footprints of Jesus and his disciples and the prophets, we have been convinced that we ought not to read “Bethania” but “Bethabara.”

(205) For, as the same evangelist says, Bethania, the country of Lazarus and Martha and Mary, is about fifteen stades from Jerusalem. The Jordan river is about 188 stades, roughly speaking beyond Bethania. There is, however, no place in the vicinity of the Jordan with the same name as Bethania. They say, however, that Bethabara is pointed out on the bank of the Jordan. There they say John Baptized.

(206) In addition, the meaning of the name Bethabara is appropriate for the baptism of the one who prepares for the Lord a prepared people, for it is translated, “house of preparation.” Bethania, however, means “house of obedience.” Where else would it be appropriate for the one sent as an angel before the face of Christ to prepare his way before him to baptize than in the “house of preparation”?

(207) And what sort of country is more suitable for Mary who chose the good part which is not taken from her, and or Martha who is disturbed because she is entertaining Jesus, and their brother Lazarus who is said to be loved by the Savior, than Behtania, “the house of obedience”? We must not, therefore, despise precision concerning names if we wish to understand the Holy Scriptures perfectly.

(208) The following examples in the Gospels, however, may persuade us that matters related to names are incorrect in the Greek manuscripts in many places. The business about the swine which were thrown down from a cliff by demons and drowned in the sea is recorded to have occurred in the country of the Gerasens.

(209) Gerasa, however, is a city of Arabia which has neither a sea nor a lake nearby. The evangelists would not have said something so clearly false and easy to refute since they were men who knew the regions around Judea thoroughly.

(210) And since we have found the word “Into the country of the Gadarenes,” in a few manuscripts, we must also say something about this name. Gadara is a city of Judea around which they are famous hot springs, but there is no lake [or] sea lying beside the cliffs.

(211) But Gergesa, from which comes the name of the Gergesenes, is an ancient city in the vicinity of the lake which is now called Tiberias. There is a cliff lying beside this lake from which they point out the swine were cast down by the demons. Gergesa means the “lodging of those who have cast out,” which is perhaps a name prophetically significant of what the citizens who owned the swine did in regard to the Savior when they urged him to depart from their borders.

(212) It is possible to see the same inaccuracy in many passages of the Law and prophets, as we have investigated them thoroughly after we learned from the Hebrews and compared our manuscripts with theirs, which are confirmed by the translations of Aquila and Theodotion and Symmachus which have not yet been corrupted

(213) We will present a few things, therefore, that those who are eager for learning might become more attentive about these matters. One of the sons of Levi, the first, is named Geson in most of the manuscripts instead of Gerson, which is the same name as that of the first-born of Moses. The name was appropriate since both were born because of a sojourn in a foreign land.

(214) Again, we say Judas’ second son to be Aunan, but the Hebrews say he is Onan, “their toil.” In addition to these, in the departures of the sons of Israel in Numbers we found that “they departed from Soccoth and camped in Bouthan.” But the Hebrew says “Aiman” instead of Bouthan.

(215) Why should I spend more time presenting examples since it is easy for one who wishes to investigate and come to know what is true in relation to the names? But we must especially suspect those passages of the Scriptures where there is a catalogue of several names together, as the names concerning the distribution of land in Josue, and in the first book of Paralipomenon from the beginning up somewhere near the mention of Anan. And likewise also in Esdras.

(216) We must not despise the proper names, since they indicate facts useful for the interpretation of the passages. This, however, is not the time to abandon what lies before us and investigate the science of the study of names.