Why does Luke 18:35 say Jesus was approaching Jericho when Mark 10:46 states he was leaving it—could this be a historical or geographical mistake?

Historical and Geographical Context

Jericho has been inhabited for millennia and is widely regarded as one of the oldest cities in the world (cf. archaeological surveys published in the Ancient Near Eastern Studies, and the excavations documented in the work of Kathleen Kenyon in the mid-20th century). By the time of the New Testament period, there was an older settlement and a newer, rebuilt Jericho commissioned by Herod the Great—often called “Herodian Jericho.” This duality of locations can illuminate why some accounts may appear to depict Jesus arriving at Jericho, while others describe Him departing. The varying vantage points among the biblical authors have prompted the question of whether Luke 18:35 and Mark 10:46 conflict in describing Jesus’s location relative to Jericho.

Scriptural Overview of the Accounts

• Luke 18:35: “As Jesus drew near to Jericho, a blind man was sitting beside the road, begging.”

• Mark 10:46: “Next, they came to Jericho. And as Jesus was leaving Jericho with His disciples and a large crowd, a blind beggar named Bartimaeus son of Timaeus was sitting by the roadside.”

At first glance, these verses could appear contradictory: Luke seems to describe Jesus approaching Jericho, while Mark positions Jesus leaving it. A closer look at the historical and geographical background of the region clarifies how both statements can align accurately.

Details in Luke 18:35

Luke is typically meticulous in detailing Jesus’s travels, bearing in mind that Luke wrote in a style conscious of historical context (Luke 1:1–4). The phrase “As Jesus drew near to Jericho” locates the event in proximity to the city, highlighting the initial encounter with the blind man. Luke’s unique vantage point might be referencing Jesus’s movement toward either the broader Jericho region or the older site.

Details in Mark 10:46

Mark’s Gospel often emphasizes rapid progression (“immediately”) and action. By the time Mark’s narrative arrives at 10:46, he has Jesus already having reached Jericho. He then states that Jesus and His disciples are leaving Jericho when they encounter Bartimaeus. Mark’s reference most likely refers to the departure from either the main portion of Herodian Jericho or from the old site into the new area, or it may reflect a slightly later point along the route.

Possible Explanations

1. Old Jericho vs. New Jericho

The distinction between the ancient ruins of Jericho and the new city built by Herod the Great provides one potential reconciliation. Jesus could have been “approaching” the older site when Luke’s account begins and “leaving” the newer settlement by the time Mark records His departure. Josephus (Antiquities of the Jews, Book XV) notes the significant reconstruction in the region, suggesting two proximate but distinct locales both known as Jericho.

2. A Chronological Progression in the Narrative

Another perspective is that these detailed accounts from Luke and Mark highlight slightly different moments in one continuous movement. Luke underscores the initial encounter (“As Jesus drew near”), whereas Mark’s narrative includes the later moment (“As Jesus was leaving”). The two points in time could occur within the same journey, describing two phases of Jesus’s movements in or around Jericho.

3. Different Narrative Focus

Each Gospel writer has thematic emphases. Luke, known for emphasizing compassion and healing, highlights the moment of encounter with the blind man as Jesus is approaching. Mark, frequently emphasizing Jesus’s mission and His onward movement, focuses on the journey continuing as He leaves Jericho. Both narratives dovetail without genuine conflict when considering each writer’s intent.

4. Context of Additional Records

Early church commentators, among them Eusebius and Origen, did not view this as an irreconcilable discrepancy. The early Christian community recognized that plural references to Jericho were not unusual, given the archaeological reality of an old settlement and its newer counterpart. Manuscript tradition (as seen in Codex Sinaiticus, Codex Vaticanus, and others) does not suggest textual corruption or variant readings that would point to a mistake. Instead, it consistently preserves each author’s wording.

Harmonizing the Accounts

Bringing these points together, there is no need to infer a historical or geographical mistake. The record in Luke 18:35 likely focuses on Jesus’s approach to one area identified as Jericho, while Mark 10:46 captures a subsequent departure from another area or from the city’s center. Since travel in and out of ancient cities often involved moving through or around multiple urban sections—especially in a place so historically layered as Jericho—both accounts fit the known topography.

Manuscript Reliability and Literary Unity

Extensive manuscript evidence—from early papyri (e.g., P45, P75) to the great uncials (e.g., Codex Alexandrinus)—shows consistency in the Gospels’ wording. Textual scholars have found no divergences in these particular passages that would indicate scribal attempts to resolve a contradiction. Instead, the accounts have been transmitted with remarkable fidelity through centuries. This uniformity suggests that the early Christian copyists understood these verses as complementary, preserving them meticulously without alteration.

Archaeological and Historical Support

Modern excavations at Tell es-Sultan (generally considered the site of Old Testament Jericho) and the region of modern Jericho demonstrate distinct inhabitation layers, confirming the presence of multiple iterations of Jericho in close proximity. Further, the remains of Herodian palaces and fortifications in the area provide grounding for the notion of moving between an older section and the rebuilt city.

Conclusion

When Luke 18:35 says Jesus was approaching Jericho and Mark 10:46 says He was leaving it, there is no genuine contradiction. Instead, the accounts highlight different moments in Jesus’s journey through an area that contained both an older and a newer city known as Jericho. Archeological findings attest to multiple inhabited sites, supporting the scriptural narrative. The Gospel writers, each with unique thematic and narrative objectives, depict the same event from complementary angles.

Far from being a mistake, this seemingly divergent detail showcases the individual voices of Luke and Mark. Recognizing the geographical realities of Jericho resolves any perceived conflict between the two passages, maintaining a unified testimony to Jesus’s ministry and the miracles He performed en route to Jerusalem.