24.  The

Name of the Place Where John Baptized is Not Bethany, as in Most

Copies, But Bethabara.  Proof of This.  Similarly

“Gergesa” Should Be Read for “Gerasa,” In the

Story of the Swine.  Attention is to Be Paid to the Proper Names

in Scripture, Which are Often Written Inaccurately, and are of

Importance for Interpretation.

“These things were done in Bethabara, beyond

Jordan, where John was baptizing.”  We are aware of the reading which is

found in almost all the copies, “These things were done in

Bethany.”  This appears, moreover, to have been the reading

at an earlier time; and in Heracleon we read

“Bethany.”  We are convinced, however, that we should

not read “Bethany,” but “Bethabara.”  We

have visited the places to enquire as to the footsteps of Jesus and His

disciples, and of the prophets.  Now, Bethany, as the same

evangelist tells us, was the town of

Ante-Nicene Fathers/Volume IX/Origen on John/Origen's Commentary on the Gospel of John/Book VI/Chapter 24