Later Perean ministry

Perea, Jericho and the road to Bethany

John 10:40 to 11:54; Luke 13:22 to 19:28; Mark 10 · 7 stops · 11 readings

The last months east of the Jordan, interrupted by a grave at Bethany, and the climb from Jericho up to Jerusalem for the final Passover.

Driven out of Jerusalem, Jesus withdraws east across the Jordan to the place where John had first baptized, and spends the last months of the ministry teaching in Perea, out of reach of the Judean authorities and warned that Herod wants him dead. Much of what people know best belongs to these months: the lost sheep, the lost coin, the prodigal son, told in answer to the complaint that he eats with the wrong people. The stay is broken by an urgent message from Bethany, two miles from Jerusalem, and by the raising of Lazarus, which persuades many and hardens the Sanhedrin into a decision to kill him, so he retreats again to Ephraim on the edge of the wilderness. The final approach comes down through Samaria and Galilee and back into Perea, teaching on marriage, on wealth after the rich young ruler walks away, and on his own death, which the twelve still hear as something else entirely. At Jericho, blind Bartimaeus is healed by the roadside and Zacchaeus climbs a tree to see over the crowd. From there the road climbs three thousand feet in fifteen miles to Jerusalem, and the last Passover.

The stops

1. 1

   Bethany beyond the Jordan

   ProbableAl-Maghtas baptism area · Jordan Valley, Jordan

   • The withdrawal from Jerusalem to Bethany beyond JordanJohn 10:40-42
2. 2

   Perea

   DebatedRepresentative point east of the Jordan · Jordan

   • Teaching in Perea, on a journey toward Jerusalem. Warned against Herod antipasLuke 13:22-35
   • The Pharisees and the scribes murmur against Jesus for receiving sinners. He defends himself by three great parables (the lost sheep, the lost coin, the lost son)Luke 15:1-32
3. 3

   Bethany near Jerusalem

   High confidenceAl-Eizariya · West Bank

   • Jesus raises Lazarus from the deadJohn 11:1-44
4. 4

   Ephraim

   ProbableTaybeh candidate · West Bank

   • The effect of the raising of Lazarus (on the people, on the Sanhedrin, on the movements of Jesus)John 11:45-54
5. 5

   Samaria

   DebatedRepresentative point in central Samaria · West Bank

   • Jesus starts on the last journey to Jerusalem by way of Samaria and GalileeLuke 17:11-37
6. 6

   Perea

   DebatedRepresentative point east of the Jordan · Jordan

   • Going from Galilee through Perea, he teaches concerning divorceMark 10:1-12; Matthew 19:1-12
   • The rich young ruler, the perils of riches, and amazement of the disciples. The rewards of forsaking all to follow the Messiah will be great, but will be sovereign (parable of the laborers in the vineyard)Mark 10:17-31; Matthew 19:16 to 20:16; Luke 18:18-30
   • Jesus again foretells to the disciples his death and resurrection (comp. §§ 83, 85, 86, 88), and rebukes the selfish ambition of James and JohnMark 10:32-45; Matthew 20:17-28; Luke 18:31-34
7. 7

   Jericho

   High confidenceTell es-Sultan / Jericho · West Bank

   • Blind bartimæus and his companion healedMark 10:46-52; Matthew 20:29-34; Luke 18:35-43
   • Jesus visits zacchæus, and speaks the parable of the pounds, and sets out for JerusalemLuke 19:1-28

The line drawn on the map connects these stops in narrative order. It is schematic: it does not claim to trace the exact road between them, and each place carries its own confidence rating.

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