Mark 1:9 And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptised of John in the Jordan.

The Jordan River flows south from Lake Gennasaret to the Dead Sea. It was here that John the Baptist performed his baptisms as an act of ritual purity to call the people to repent for the imminent coming of God's rule. The association of John with the Jordan may have had a connection with the connection recognized by his followers with Elijah (see II Kings 2) and John's habit of clothing himself like Elijah (II Kings 1:8; Mt. 3:4; Mk 1:6). It was here that Jesus came to be baptised by John. (photo. Jack Kilmon)