In the historical study of the New Testament the two principal subjects are, the life of Jesus Christ on earth and, after the Ascension, the growth of the Christian church.

The life of Christ was passed entirely in Palestine; and we therefore begin our studies with a view of that land as it was in our Saviour's day.

I. It was an oriental land. In all ages the boundaries of Palestine have been about the same, though the dominion of its rulers has varied according to their power. Palestine Proper, originally the land of Canaan, and later the land of Israel, or the Twelve Tribes, is located near the south-eastern corner of the Mediterranean Sea; having Syria and Phoenicia on the north, the great Syrian Desert on the east, the Sinaitic wilderness on the south, and the Mediterranean on the west. Located just outside the tropics, near the point of contact between Asia and Africa, it belongs to the Oriental or Eastern world.

II. It was a small land. The greatest lands have not always been the largest. Greece, no larger than half a dozen counties in America, is greater in history than vast China; and the single city of Rome won and held the empire of the Mediterranean lands. Territorially the whole extent of Palestine was about that of Massachusetts and Connecticut united, or that of Switzerland, in Europe—about 12,500 square miles. Its sea-coast, from Tyre to Gaza, is 140 miles long; its Jordan line, from Mount Hermon to the foot of the Dead Sea, is 156 miles.

III. It was a land of varied natural features. There is a regularity in the natural conformation of Palestine which every traveler notices. The country lies in five parallel sections.

1. Approaching from the Mediterranean one meets first a sea-coast plain two or three miles wide at the north, but widening, as it goes southward, to nearly twenty miles at Gaza.

2. Crossing this we approach the Shephelah, or foot-hills; a terrace of low hills, from 300 to 500 feet high.

3. Ascending these we reach the mountain region, a range of mountains broken by ravines in all directions, and varying from 2,500 to 3,000 feet high. This region was the home of the Israelites in all their history. They were always a mountain people and never occupied the lower plains in any great degree. In all the Bible times the plains and valleys were mainly foreign and heathen in their population, while the mountains were Israelite in the Old Testament and Jewish in the New.

4. Crossing the mountains we descend to the Jordan valley, lower than the sea level and from five to twenty miles wide. Through this runs the river Jordan, passing through two lakes—Lake Merom and the Sea of Galilee—and emptying into the Dead Sea.

5. Beyond the valley rises the eastern table-land, with higher mountains, but more level summits, and broken by fewer valleys. The mountains gradually decline to the great Syrian Desert on the east.

IV. It was a Land of Five Provinces. In the time of Christ there were five political divisions in Palestine; three on the west side of Jordan and two on the east.

1. On the north, west of the Jordan, was the province of Galilee, situated between the river Jordan, the Sea of Galilee, the land of Phoenicia and Mount Carmel. It was inhabited by a brave, simple-hearted people, mainly Jews, but with many Gentiles among them. Hence its name (Isa. 9. 1, 2; Matt. 4. 15, 16); and the contempt in which it was held at Jerusalem. (John 7. 41, 52.) It was the home of Jesus during most of his life and ministry.

2. The central region was Samaria. See its location. (John 4. 3, 4.) It was, strictly speaking, not a province but a district around the cities of Shechem and Samaria, not extending either to the sea or river, and of uncertain limits, inhabited by a composite people, partly Israelite, partly heathen, in their origin. Note the claim of its people (John 4. 12) and their expectation. (John 4. 25.) Observe how they were regarded by the Jews. (John 4. 9; 8. 48.) Notice that Christ paid no regard to this caste prejudice. (John 4. 10.)

3. The southernmost province of Palestine was Judea. As the largest, and the special home of the Jewish people, it often gave its name to the whole land, as in Mark 1. 5; Luke 7. 17; Acts 10. 37. Generally, however, it is distinguished as the name of the province, as in Luke 2. 4; Matt. 2. 22; John 4. 3. Jesus made several visits to this district, especially to its city, but only for limited periods, as its people were more bigoted than the Galileans and bitterly opposed to him.

4. On the east of the Jordan and the Dead Sea was the province of PerÆa, a word meaning "beyond." It is not mentioned by that name in the New Testament. Notice what it is called in Matt. 19. 1; Mark 10. 1. We read of a visit paid by Jesus to this region near the close of his ministry.

5. North of the river Hieromax, and east of the Sea of Galilee, was a fifth province, the ancient land of Bashan, "woodland," but known in the gospels as "Philip's tetrarchy." Notice how it is specified in Luke 3. 1. Another name for a part of this territory is given in Matt. 4. 25; Mark 5. 20; 7. 31. Its inhabitants were mostly Gentiles or heathen. Twice this country enjoyed brief visits from Jesus, each marked by a miracle (Mark 5. 1-20; 7. 31-37).

V. It was a Populous Land. We can only note the places referred to in the gospel history, and we arrange them according to the provinces.

1. In Galilee we note: 1.) Nazareth, due west of the southern end of the Sea of Galilee, the early home of Jesus (Matt. 2. 23; Luke 2. 51). 2.) Nain, south of Nazareth, where he wrought a miracle (Luke 7. 11). 3.) Cana, north of Nazareth, where the first miracle was wrought (John 2. 1). 4.) Capernaum, on the Sea of Galilee, the home of Jesus during most of his ministry, and the scene of many miracles (Luke 4. 31; Mark 2. 1).

2. In Samaria we note two places: 1.) Shechem, which may be the place referred to in John 4. 5, though late authorities regard it as the name of a hamlet, now called Iskar, near by. 2.) Samaria, a few miles north-west of Shechem, the early capital of the province, and the first place where the Gospel was preached to other than the Jews (Acts 8. 5).

3. In the province of Judea we notice: 1.) Jerusalem, "the holy city" (Matt. 4. 5), and the place where Jesus was crucified (Matt. 16. 21). 2.) Bethany, two miles east of Jerusalem (John 11. 18), where Jesus was entertained by Mary and Martha (John 11. 1). Note two great events near this place (John 11. 43; Luke 24. 50, 51). 3.) Bethlehem, six miles south of Jerusalem. The great event in its history (Matt. 2. 1.) Its ancient honor (Luke 2. 4.) 4.) Hebron, the ancient capital of Judah, a priestly city, and the probable birthplace of John the Baptist (Luke 1. 39, 40.) 5.) Jericho, eighteen miles from Jerusalem, in the Jordan valley, visited by Jesus near the end of his ministry (Luke 19. 1). 6.) Ephraim, a village fourteen miles north of Jerusalem, the hiding place of Jesus for a brief period (John 11. 54).

4. In the province of PerÆa but one place is identified as connected with the life of Christ: Bethabara (Revised version, "Bethany beyond the Jordan") the place of the baptism and of the first disciples; thirteen miles south of the Sea of Galilee.

5. In Philip's tetrarchy, east of the Sea of Galilee, we note three places: 1.) CÆsarea Philippi, at the foot of the Mount Hermon (Mark 8. 27; 9. 2). 2.) Bethsaida, at the head of the Sea of Galilee, east of the Jordan (Luke 9. 10-13). 3.) Gergesa or Gerasa, a little place on the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee (Matt. 8. 28).

VI. It was a Subject Land. Half a century before the birth of Christ the Jews became subject to Rome, and thenceforward various changes took place in the form of government:

1. The whole land, with some surrounding provinces, was a kingdom under Herod the Great (Matt. 2. 1), but tributary to the emperor at Rome from 37 B. C. to 4 B. C., the year of Christ's birth.

2. On Herod's death it was divided into three tetrarchies, "fourth-part rules." Archelaus became tetrarch of Judea and Samaria (Matt. 2. 22); Herod Antipas, tetrarch of Galilee and PerÆa (Matt. 14. 1; Luke 23. 6, 7); Herod Philip, tetrarch of the Bashan district (Luke 3. 1). A fourth tetrarchy, outside of Palestine, on the north, was held by Lysanias (Luke 3. 1).

3. About the year 7 A. D., when Jesus was eleven years old, Archelaus was deposed by the Roman emperor and his dominion made a province under a Roman procurator, the other two tetrarchies remaining undisturbed. This was the form of government during the ministry of Jesus. Judea and Samaria constituting one Roman province under Pontius Pilate; Galilee and PerÆa, Herod's tetrarchy, and Bashan, Philip's tetrarchy.

4. In the year 37 the Roman emperor made Herod Agrippa I. king first over Judea, and then, in 41, over all the dominions of his grandfather, so that Palestine became a kingdom again. He is mentioned in Acts 12. 1.

5. On Agrippa's death, in A. D. 44, a new division took place. Agrippa II., son of Agrippa I., became ruler of Chalcis and Bashan. He is called, but by courtesy only, "King Agrippa," in Acts 25. 13; 26. 1, 2. The rest of Palestine, consisting of Judea, Samaria, and PerÆa, became again a procuratorship under direct Roman rule. See Acts 23. 24; 24. 27.

6. On the rebellion of the Jews, A. D. 66, the government was again changed. Palestine became a part of Syria, under Vespasian, the legate. This was the end of Jewish history as a separate nationality.