Later Judean ministry

The later Judean ministry

John 7:11 to 10:39; Luke 10:1 to 13:21 · 7 stops · 9 readings

Two winter feasts in Jerusalem, a man born blind sent to wash in Siloam, and the Judean roads between — the good Samaritan's road among them.

The centre of gravity moves from Galilee to Judea, and the mood is harder. Jesus arrives at the feast of Tabernacles partway through and teaches in the Temple courts, where the argument over whether he is the Messiah turns physical: twice the crowd takes up stones. Between the confrontations comes the healing of a man born blind, sent to wash in the pool of Siloam at the bottom of the city, who then holds his ground under interrogation better than anyone else in the chapter and is expelled from the synagogue for it. The Judean roads carry the rest: seventy disciples sent ahead in pairs to the towns Jesus intends to visit, the lawyer's question that draws out the parable of the good Samaritan on the Jerusalem to Jericho road, a supper at Martha and Mary's house in Bethany, teaching on prayer, and a crippled woman straightened on a Sabbath to the fury of a synagogue ruler. It closes in winter at the feast of Dedication, in Solomon's portico, with the question put to him directly ("tell us plainly") and stones taken up one more time.

The stops

1. 1

   Jerusalem Temple

   High confidenceTemple Mount platform · Jerusalem area

   • The coming of Jesus to the feast of tabernacles creates intense excitement concerning the messiahshipJohn 7:11-52
   • The Pharisees attempt to stone Jesus when he exposes their sinfulnessJohn 8:21-59
2. 2

   Pool of Siloam

   High confidenceSecond Temple-period Pool of Siloam · Jerusalem

   • Jesus heals a man born blind who outwits the Pharisees. The rulers forbid the recognition of Jesus as the Messiah. The conversion of the healed manJohn 9:1-41
3. 3

   Jerusalem

   High confidenceJerusalem settlement centroid · Jerusalem area

   • In the parable (allegory) of the good shepherd Jesus draws the picture of the hostile Pharisees and intimates that he is going to die for his flock and come to life againJohn 10:1-21
4. 4

   Judea

   DebatedRepresentative point in central Judea · Judea

   • Mission of the seventy. Christ's joy in their work on their returnLuke 10:1-24
5. 5

   Bethany near Jerusalem

   High confidenceAl-Eizariya · West Bank

   • Jesus the guest of Martha and MaryLuke 10:38-42
6. 6

   Judea

   DebatedRepresentative point in central Judea · Judea

   • Jesus again gives a model of prayer (comp. § 54), and encourages his disciples to pray. Parable of the importunate friendLuke 11:1-13
   • Jesus heals a crippled woman on the Sabbath and defends himself against the ruler of the synagogue (comp. §§ 49 to 51 and 114). Repetition of the parables of the mustard seed and of the leavenLuke 13:10-21
7. 7

   Jerusalem Temple

   High confidenceTemple Mount platform · Jerusalem area

   • At the feast of dedication, Jesus will not yet openly say that he is the Messiah. The jews try to stone himJohn 10:22-39

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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