The Cave of John the Baptist: The Stunning Archaeological Discovery That Has Redefined Christian History

Anyone interested in Archaeology will find Gibson's book a real treat, but religious historians may be disappointed in the depth of Gibson's knowledge of John the Baptist, Jesus, and 1st Century Israel. This book delves into every aspect of what makes archaeology so interesting and time-consuming, and there are lots of references to other archaeological sites and projects. You get a real flavor for what it must be like to go on a dig, and how much work goes into figuring out what you have. Even the many personal asides are enjoyable, for they give you a sense of going along with the author. As historical scholarship, however, Gibson's knowledge of the period appears to be limited to the archaeology. Students of theology and/or history can probably get more (and better) information elsewhere.

There is much information packed in this book. Some of it is much too detailed to hold the interest of a casual reader; some descriptions are so detailed and precise that they could easily be expected in a professional publication. Although the main focus is the excavation of a cave thought to have been used for religious ceremonies millennia ago, much related history is presented. Overall, the reader who is interested in biblical archaeology, early Christianity and the history of the Holy Land will learn much from this book. The writing is clear, but as stated above, a bit too detailed in places. Whether the cave in question was ever used by John the Baptist has not been proven (at least in my opinion), but the methodology used in trying to understand its past is indeed quite intriguing.

In the first part of "The Cave of John the Baptist" Shimon Gibson tells the story of an excavation to uncover a very interesting cave located in the hills outside of Jerusalem. While the evidence he uses to prove his claim that John the Baptist used this cave for baptismal purposes after going into the wilderness seems inconclusive, he is able to show that the cave was in use during (and long before, actually) the first century AD. Whether you agree with the conclusions he draws regarding the cave's use or not, as an archaeological study its discussion is well worth the read, as is the accompanying historical analysis. The second part of the book is a discussion of holy sites and relics of the Holy Land, including those of the Muslim faith, relating to the life and death of John the Baptist. Gibson cites the contemporary writings of many travellers to these ancient sites, ranging from third and fourth century pilgrims to such people as Mark Twain. (Apparently Mark Twain found the trip to be very boring and dusty.) The discussion of extant Holy Relics of John is amusing as well as interesting, as Gibson lists "nineteen heads...and something in the order of fifteen hands or arms..." Gibson relates the story of British archaeologist Peter Dorrell, who on a visit to the Great Umayyad Mosque in Damascus mentioned to the caretaker of the shrine of the Head of John the Baptist that other sites also claimed to have the Head of the Baptist; the response was "Ah yes, but ours is the Head of John the Baptist as a young man!" Whether or not you agree with Gibson's conclusions regarding The Baptist's use of the cave, if you have an interest in archaeology or the history of the Middle East from Roman to Medieval times you will find "The Cave of John the Baptist" to be worth your while.

Shimon Gibson does a fine job of presenting this very interesting and significant discovery. He takes the reader through the lengthy process of physically and mentally excavating the cave. The mental excavation is the most interesting part. Gibson draws together threads of information about John the Baptist from a wide range of historical sources, including Jewish and Christian Scriptures, Josephus, Christian tradition and contemporary archaeology. The result is a surprisingly full picture of a man who tried to leave no personal footprints. He saw himself as a forerunner for another. Yet his radical use of baptism as a sign of repentence, apart from the Temple rituals, left an enduring legacy. He helped Christianity (and possibly Judaism) move away from reliance upon Mosaic ceremonies, and towards a focus on personal morality and faith.