I ask to experts of midrash about Elijah: what is the midrashical origin of the river Jordan, as location for the baptism given by John?
Thanks in advance for the answer.
Is the river Jordan (where John would have baptized) explained by midrash?
Re: Is the river Jordan (where John would have baptized) explained by midrash?
Obviously the answer may be simpler than I have thought: baptism requires water, and the only relatively famous river of the region was the Jordan.
Re: Is the river Jordan (where John would have baptized) explained by midrash?
Someway the implication is that only by using ad infinitum the water of the Jordan, John was able to baptize the enormous crowd coming to be baptized by him.
No Jordan, no enormous crowd of baptized people.
So the river Jordan is introduced only to make the point that John required a lot of water for a lot of people.
It is clearly an invended detail , part and parcel of the midrash meant to make John a colossal driver of people.
No Jordan, no enormous crowd of baptized people.
So the river Jordan is introduced only to make the point that John required a lot of water for a lot of people.
It is clearly an invended detail , part and parcel of the midrash meant to make John a colossal driver of people.
Re: Is the river Jordan (where John would have baptized) explained by midrash?
Adam Winn - Mark and the Elijah-Elisha Narrative
Last edited by Sinouhe on Sat Jun 25, 2022 12:52 am, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Is the river Jordan (where John would have baptized) explained by midrash?
Also it is important to take into account that the baptism of Jesus is a midrash of Ezekiel's revelation
This one takes place near the river Chebar :
The Jordan is an important and magical river for Elijah and Elisha: they cross it by separating the waters like Moses and a leper is healed in the Jordan by Elisha.
So Mark also uses a river, but the Jordan this time: an important river in the source he uses: the book of Kings.
Please note that John's baptism of purification is also prophesied in Ezekiel :
This one takes place near the river Chebar :
The Jordan is an important and magical river for Elijah and Elisha: they cross it by separating the waters like Moses and a leper is healed in the Jordan by Elisha.
So Mark also uses a river, but the Jordan this time: an important river in the source he uses: the book of Kings.
Please note that John's baptism of purification is also prophesied in Ezekiel :
Re: Is the river Jordan (where John would have baptized) explained by midrash?
Thank you! So one can't even use the Jordan as a historical detail.