4. _Sermon on the Mount._ (Capernaum to the mountain.) (1.) By the sea.
(2.) Calling the Twelve. (3.) The sermon.
[Ill.u.s.tration: THE LIFE OF CHRIST
MAP 3.
EARLY GALILEAN MINISTRY FROM THE REJECTION AT NAZARETH TO THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT.]
IV. THE LATER GALILEAN MINISTRY.
This period of ten months, from the Sermon on the Mount to the Feeding of the Five Thousand, was a time of opposition on the part of the ruling cla.s.ses, but continued popularity among the people. The places which Jesus visited at this time were: 1. Capernaum, already noticed, and still the headquarters of his ministry. 2. Nain, now called _Nein_, on the northwestern edge of Little Hermon, six miles southeast of Nazareth, in full view of Mount Tabor. 3. "The country of the Gadarenes" (Mark 5:1); called by Matthew (8:28) "the country of the Gergesenes." Gadara was the largest city of the region, situated south of the Sea of Galilee, and giving its name to the district; Gergesa, the little village east of the Sea of Galilee, now called _Khersa_. 4. Nazareth, already noticed under Period I. 5. Bethsaida, a city at the head of the Sea of Galilee, supposed by some to have been on both sides of the Jordan, by others on the east side. 6. The plain of Gennesaret, near to Capernaum. We arrange the events of this period under four journeys.
1. =The Tour in Southern Galilee.= (From Capernaum to Nain and return.) The following events belong to this tour: (1.) At Capernaum, before starting, Jesus healed the slave of a believing centurion. (Luke 7:1-10.) (2.) On the next day he led his disciples southward to Nain, where he raised to life the widow"s son, about to be buried. (Luke 7:11-17.) (3.) Perhaps at the same time and place he received the messengers and answered the questions of John the Baptist. (Luke 7:18-35.) (4.) During the journey he was entertained by a Pharisee, at whose house "a woman who was a sinner" washed his feet. (Luke 7:36-50.) (5.) On his return the healing of a dumb demoniac occasioned the Pharisees to a.s.sume an open opposition, and to declare that his miracles were wrought by the power of the evil spirit. (Luke 11:14-26.) (6.) At the same time occurred the interference of his mother and brethren, desiring to restrain him. (Luke 8:19-21.)
2. =The Gadarene Voyage.= (Capernaum to Gergesa and return.) With this journey are a.s.sociated four events. (1.) The opposition of the enemies caused Jesus to leave the city, and to teach in parables by the sea.
(Matt. 13:1-53.) (2.) From the sh.o.r.e, near Capernaum, he set sail for the country of the Gadarenes, east of the Sea of Galilee, and on the voyage stilled a sudden tempest. (Mark 4:35-41.) (3.) At the eastern sh.o.r.e, near the village of Gergesa, he restored two demoniacs, permitted the demons to enter a herd of swine, and as a result was besought by the people to leave their coasts. (4.) Returning across the sea to Capernaum, he raised to life the daughter of Jairus the ruler. (Luke 8:41-56.)
3. =The Tour in Central Galilee.= (From Capernaum to Nazareth and return.) (1.) Starting from Capernaum with his disciples, he visited Nazareth a second time, but was again rejected by its people. (Mark 6:1-6.) (2.) He then gave the Twelve a charge, and sent them out to preach. (Matt. 10:5-42.) (3.) While they were absent upon their mission, Jesus himself also journeyed preaching through Central Galilee. (Mark 6:6.) This was his third tour in Galilee. (4.) On his return to Capernaum, he received the report of the Twelve, and the news of John the Baptist"s murder by Herod Antipas. (Mark 6:14-30.)
4. =The Retirement to Bethsaida.= (1.) The mult.i.tudes following him led Jesus to leave Capernaum by sea for a retired place near Bethsaida.
(Mark 6:31, 32.) (2.) The people hastened after Jesus, and met him as he landed, so that he was compelled to teach them all day, and wrought in the afternoon the miracle of the Five Loaves. (Mark 6:32-44.) (3.) After the miracle he sent the disciples out upon the sea, and at midnight walked to them upon the water. (Mark 6:45-51.) (4.) In the morning they landed at the plain of Gennesaret, near Capernaum, where Jesus wrought many miracles (Mark 6:52-56), and then returned to Capernaum. (5.) Here he completed his Galilean ministry by a discourse in the synagogue on the "Bread of Life." (John 6:25-59.)
[Ill.u.s.tration: THE LIFE OF CHRIST
MAP 4.
LATER GALILEAN MINISTRY
A.D. 28-29.]
OUTLINE REVIEW OF JOURNEYS--FOURTH PERIOD.
PERIOD OF LATER GALILEAN MINISTRY.
1. _Tour in Southern Galilee._ (Capernaum to Nain and return.) (1.) Centurion"s servant healed. (2.) Widow"s son at Nain raised. (3.) Messengers from John. (4.) Washing the Saviour"s feet. (5.) Dumb demoniac, and opposition of Pharisees. (6.) Interference of relatives.
2. _Gadarene Voyage._ (Capernaum to Gergesa and return.) (1.) Parables by the sea. (2.) Stilling the tempest. (3.) Gadarene demoniacs. (4.) Jairus" daughter raised.
3. _Tour in Central Galilee._ (Capernaum to Nazareth and return.) (1.) Second rejection at Nazareth. (2.) Mission of the Twelve. (3.) Third tour in Galilee. (4.) Report of the Twelve, and death of John the Baptist.
4. _Retirement to Bethsaida._ (Capernaum to Bethsaida and return.) (1.) Seeking retirement. (2.) Feeding the five thousand. (3.) Walking on the sea. (4.) Miracles at Gennesaret. (5.) Discourse on the "Bread of Life."
V. PERIOD OF RETIREMENT.
During most of the six months, from the Feeding of the Five Thousand to the Feast of Tabernacles, in the fall before Christ"s crucifixion, he remained in retirement, engaged in instructing his disciples in the deeper truths of the gospel. The places visited at this time were: 1.
Phoenicia, "the coasts of Tyre and Sidon," probably only the borders near Galilee, not the cities themselves. 2. Decapolis, the region of the "ten cities," southeast of the Sea of Galilee; a country mainly inhabited by a heathen population. 3. Dalmanutha, a village on the western sh.o.r.e of the Sea of Galilee, not certainly identified, but perhaps at _Ain el Barideh_, two miles from Tiberias. 4. Bethsaida, already noticed under Period IV. 5. Caesarea Philippi, at the foot of Mount Hermon, now _Banias_. 6. Capernaum, already noticed under Period II.
1. =The Journey to Phoenicia.= (From Capernaum to the borders of Tyre and Sidon.) (1.) The discourse in the synagogue, showing the spiritual nature of Christ"s kingdom, led to the defection of the mult.i.tude, and the retirement of Jesus and the Twelve. (John 6:60-71.) (2.) At the "coasts," or frontiers, of Tyre and Sidon, he restored the demoniac daughter of a Syrophoenician woman. (Mark 7:24-30.)
[Ill.u.s.tration: THE LIFE OF CHRIST
MAP 5.
PERIOD OF RETIREMENT,
A.D. 29.]
2. =The Journey to Decapolis.= (From the borders of Tyre and Sidon to Decapolis.) (1.) The crowds gathering around Jesus in Phoenicia, he crossed Galilee, and sought seclusion in Decapolis, southeast of the Sea of Galilee. (Mark 7:31.) (2.) Here he wrought two miracles, healing a deaf stammerer, and feeding the four thousand. (Mark 7:31-37; 8:1-9.)
3. =The Journey to Caesarea Philippi.= (From Decapolis to Dalmanutha, Bethsaida and Caesarea Philippi.) (1.) He sailed across the lake to Dalmanutha, but was met by the Pharisees with unbelieving demands for a sign, so took ship again. (Mark 8:10-13.) (2.) He sailed northward to Bethsaida, where he healed a blind man, who saw "men as trees walking."
(Mark 8:22-26.) (3.) Pursuing his way up the Jordan, he came to Caesarea Philippi, at the foot of Mount Hermon, where he remained several days.
(4.) Here occurred Peter"s confession, "Thou art the Christ," the transfiguration, and the restoration of the demoniac boy. (Luke 9:18-45.)
4. =The Last Return to Capernaum.= (From Caesarea Philippi to Capernaum.) He probably went down the Jordan to Bethsaida, and thence by the sh.o.r.e of the sea to Capernaum. Here he kept in seclusion, and gave his disciples a lesson in humility, from "the child in the midst." (Mark 9:30-50.)
OUTLINE REVIEW OF JOURNEYS--FIFTH PERIOD.
PERIOD OF RETIREMENT.
1. _To Phoenicia._ (Capernaum to coasts of Tyre and Sidon.) (1.) Defection of the mult.i.tude. (2.) Syrophoenician woman.
2. _To Decapolis._ (Phoenicia to Decapolis.) (1.) Journey to Decapolis.
(2.) Healing the stammerer, and feeding the four thousand.
3. _To Caesarea Philippi._ (Decapolis to Dalmanutha, Bethsaida and Caesarea Philippi.) (1.) Dalmanutha: a sign demanded. (2.) Bethsaida: blind man healed. (3.) Caesarea Philippi. (4.) Transfiguration.
4. _To Capernaum._ (Caesarea Philippi to Capernaum.) The child in the midst.
VI. PERIOD OF JUDaeAN MINISTRY.
This includes the events of about three months, from the Feast of Tabernacles to the Feast of Dedication. The following places are referred to during this period: 1. Capernaum, noticed under Period II.
2. The "village of the Samaritans" where Jesus was inhospitably treated, has been traditionally located at En-gannim, on the border of Galilee and Samaria. 3. Bethany, a small village on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, the home of Mary and Martha, now _el Nasiriyeh_. 4.
Jerusalem. (See description on page 73.) 5. Bethabara, on the east of Jordan, referred to as the place of the baptism, in Period II.
This period embraces but two journeys, at its beginning and ending; the one before the Feast of Tabernacles, the other after the Feast of Dedication.
1. =From Galilee to Jerusalem.= (1.) Bidding farewell to Galilee, Jesus left Capernaum for the last time, and journeyed through Galilee toward Jerusalem. While starting he conversed with "the three aspirants" (Luke 9:57-62), and showed the duty of full devotion to his work. (2.) On the border of Samaria, perhaps at the village of En-gannim, he was rejected by the Samaritans, but refused to allow his disciples to call down fire from heaven, "as Elias did." (Luke 9:52-56.) (3.) While in Samaria he healed the ten lepers, of whom but one turned back to give him thanks.
(Luke 17:11-19). (4.) He found a home at Bethany, with Lazarus and his two sisters, and reminded Martha of her needless care, while Mary was seeking "the good part." (Luke 10:38-42.) (5.) He came to Jerusalem during the Feast of Tabernacles, and gave the teachings embodied in John 7-10. (6.) While here he healed the blind man at the Pool of Siloam.
(John 9:1-41.)
2. =From Jerusalem to Bethabara.= (1.) At the Feast of Dedication the teachings of Christ created such an opposition that he left the city.
(2.) He went to Bethabara beyond Jordan, the place of the baptism, and there prepared for his tour in Peraea.
[Ill.u.s.tration: THE LIFE OF CHRIST