From the Retirement to Phoenicia to the Anointing by Mary

I. General Aspects of the Period.

1. It was a year, lacking one week. Jesus did not attend the third passover of his ministry. We find him at this time still in Galilee, and soon afterward leaving Galilee for "the coasts of Tyre and Sidon" (John 7. 1-3; Mark 7. 24). Nearly a year later, on the week before the fourth passover, we find Jesus at Bethany, where the anointing by Mary took place (John 12. 1, 2). Between these two passovers came the year of opposition.

2. It was a year of wandering. During this period we notice that Jesus was in constant motion, staying only a little while at each place, and in succession visiting all the five provinces of Palestine. Notice the province referred to in each of the following references: John 7. 1; Mark 7. 31; Mark 8. 27; Luke 9. 51, 52; Mark 10. 1; John 10. 40.

3. It was a year of retirement. We do not find that Jesus sought the multitudes during this year, though in new places he was sought by them (Luke 11. 29; 12. 1). He seems to have chosen most of the time a secluded life, preferring to be alone with his disciples. See instances in Mark 7. 24, 32, 33, 36; 8. 22, 23, 26; 9. 30.

4. It was a year of instruction. He chose to be alone with his disciples, knowing that he was rapidly nearing the close of his life on earth; and he wished to instruct his chosen followers in the deeper truths of the gospel before he should be taken from them. His teaching in this period presented the spiritual side of truth and the doctrines of the cross. Notice how often during this year he foretold his own death (Mark 8. 31; 9. 31, 32; 10. 32-34; John 12. 7, 8).

5. It was a year of opposition. Nearly all the people had now forsaken Jesus and turned against him. Note the attitude of the Pharisees. (Matt 12. 23, 24, 38, 39; 23. 23.) The Sadducees, who were the office-holding class, are mainly referred to in John 11. 47, 48, 53. The attitude of the people. (John 6. 66.) Jesus was now rejected by the rulers, the leaders of the religious class, and by the people.

II. The Localities of the Period. Beside the five provinces, Judea, Samaria, Galilee, Bashan and PerÆa, two other lands or districts are named:

1. Phoenicia, called in the gospels "the borders of Tyre and Sidon," narrow strip of territory between Mount Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea, northwest of Palestine.

2. Decapolis. The word means "ten cities," and refers to a region, partly in Bashan and partly in PerÆa, wherein were ten important cities, not Jewish but Gentile.

In addition to the above we meet with names of eight cities:

3. CÆsarea Philippi, at the foot of Mount Hermon, in the province of Bashan.

4. Bethsaida, on the northeastern shore of the Sea of Galilee.

5. Capernaum, on the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee.

6. Bethabara, in the Jordan Valley, east of the river, south of the Sea of Galilee.

7. Jericho, in the Jordan Valley, west of the river, near the head of the Dead Sea.

8. Jerusalem, the capital.

9. Bethany, two miles east of Jerusalem, on the eastern slope of the Mount of Olives.

10. Ephraim, or Ephron, fourteen miles north of Jerusalem, among the mountains.

III. The Journeys and Events of the Period. The information upon this year is meager, and it is impossible to arrange its places and facts with absolute certainty. No other period is so uncertain in the order of its events as this. We trace in this period nine journeys; and with each journey call attention to the most important events connected with it. The first journey begins at Capernaum.

1. A Visit to Phoenicia. (From Capernaum to Phoenicia.) (Matt. 15. 21). This was the only land outside of Palestine visited by Jesus, and it is uncertain how far he entered within its limits. He sought retirement and opportunity of instructing his disciples (Mark 7. 24).

On this journey was wrought the miracle on the Syrophenician Woman's Daughter (Mark 7. 25, 26), in which Jesus showed his disciples that Gentiles may have true faith.

2. A Visit to Decapolis. Finding seclusion impossible he went around Galilee to Decapolis, east of the Sea of Galilee (Mark 7. 31).

Here two miracles were wrought: 1.) Healing the Deaf Man. Notice its peculiarities in Mark 7. 32-37. 2.) Feeding the Four Thousand (Mark 8. 1-9). Notice its differences from a former miracle in the preceding period.

3. A Visit to CÆsarea Philippi. (Decapolis to Dalmanutha, Bethsaida, and CÆsarea Philippi.) Trace the route from Mark 8. 10, 22, 27.

During this journey occurred four events: 1.) Healing the Blind Man (Mark 8. 22-26). This was at Bethsaida. 2.) Peter's Confession (Matt. 16. 13-20). 3.) The Transfiguration (Mark 9. 2-8). 4.) Healing the Demoniac Boy (Mark 9. 14-29). These three events were at CÆsarea Philippi.

4. A Visit to Capernaum. (CÆsarea Philippi to Capernaum.) (Mark 9. 33). Notice that his coming was unattended by the crowds of former times (Mark 9. 33). This visit is noteworthy as his farewell to the city which had been his home.

On this visit took place the touching incident of the Child in the Midst (Mark 9. 36, 37).

5. A Visit to Jerusalem. (Capernaum, through Samaria, to Jerusalem.) See Luke 9. 51, 52. His visit to the capital was for the purpose of attending the Feast of Tabernacles (John 7. 2, 10, 14) and he seems to have remained until the Feast of Dedication, two months later.

In connection with this visit note, 1.) The Rejection by Samaritans (Luke 9. 52-56). 2.) Mary and Martha (Luke 10. 38-42). 3.) The Pool of Siloam (John 9. 1-7). 4.) The Good Shepherd (John 10. 1-18).

6. A Visit to Bethabara. (Jerusalem to Bethabara.) From the Feast of Dedication Jesus went down to Bethabara, evidently with the purpose of beginning a ministry in PerÆa (John 10. 39, 40).

With this journey we place Sending out the Seventy (Luke 10. 1). These messengers were sent out to prepare for the visit of Jesus to a new province.

7. A Visit to Bethany (John 11. 1, 7.) From Bethabara Jesus was suddenly called to Bethany, near Jerusalem (John 11. 18).

With this visit we place the Raising of Lazarus (John 11. 1-46), a miracle narrated only by John, and told because it led directly to the conspiracy against the life of Jesus (John 11. 47, 48).

8. A Visit to PerÆa. (From Bethany to Ephraim and PerÆa.) Trace the journey from John 11. 54, and Mark 10. 1. Jesus stayed some months in PerÆa, preaching to his people.

Many events might be given with this PerÆan ministry, of which we name only, 1.) Blessing the Children (Mark 10. 13-16). 2.) The Rich Young Ruler (Mark 10. 17-25). 3.) Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15. 11-32).

9. A Second Visit to Bethany. (From PerÆa, through Jericho, to Bethany.) Notice the journey in Mark 10. 32, 46; John 12. 1.

With this journey notice the events, 1.) The Healing of BartimÆus (Mark 10. 46, 52). 2.) The Visit to ZacchÆus (Luke 19. 1-10). 3.) The Anointing by Mary (John 12. 1-8). This brings the life of Christ within one week of the Crucifixion, and completes the period.