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    Jesus “in the Country of the Jews”

    Promised Land (Jesus’ time)

    IN WITNESSING to Cornelius, the apostle Peter mentioned what Jesus did “in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem.” (Ac 10:39) What areas do you think were included in Jesus’ history-making ministry?

    “The country of the Jews” included Judea, where Jesus did some of God’s work. (Lu 4:44) After being baptized, Jesus spent 40 days in the wilderness of Judah (or, Judea), a rather arid and desolate region frequented by rebels and bandits. (Lu 10:30) Later, Jesus was traveling northward from Judea when he witnessed to a Samaritan woman near Sychar.​—Joh 4:3-7.

    A review of the Gospels shows that Jesus concentrated on Galilee. Though he went south to Jerusalem for annual festivals, he spent most of the first two years of his ministry in the northern part of the Promised Land. (Joh 7:2-10; 10:22, 23) For example, he outlined many notable teachings and performed impressive miracles while near or on the Sea of Galilee. Recall that he calmed its stormy waters and even walked on it. He preached from boats to crowds on the pebbly shores of that sea. His early, close followers were from fishing and farming communities nearby.​—Mr 3:7-12; 4:35-41; Lu 5:1-11; Joh 6:16-21; 21:1-19.

    The base for Jesus’ Galilean ministry was shoreside Capernaum, “his own city.” (Mt 9:1) He was on a hillside not far away when he gave his famous Sermon on the Mount. On occasion, he went by boat from the Capernaum area to Magadan, Bethsaida, or nearby spots.

    Note that Jesus’ “own city” was not very far from Nazareth, where he grew up; from Cana, where he turned water into wine; from Nain, where he raised the son of a widow; and from Bethsaida, where he miraculously fed 5,000 men and restored sight to a blind man.

    After the Passover of 32 C.E., Jesus went north toward Tyre and Sidon, Phoenician ports. Then he extended his ministry to some of the ten Hellenized cities called the Decapolis. Jesus was near Caesarea Philippi (F2) when Peter acknowledged him as the Messiah, and the transfiguration soon followed, perhaps on Mount Hermon. Later, Jesus preached in the region of Perea, across the Jordan.​—Mr 7:24-37; 8:27–9:2; 10:1; Lu 13:22, 33.

    Jesus spent his last week on earth with his disciples in and around Jerusalem, “the city of the great King.” (Mt 5:35) You can find nearby places that you have read about in the Gospels, such as Emmaus, Bethany, Bethphage, and Bethlehem.​—Lu 2:4; 19:29; 24:13; see “Jerusalem Area,” inset on page 18.

    [Map on page 29]

    (For fully formatted text, see publication)

    Promised Land (Jesus’ time)

    The Land in Jesus’ Day

    Cities of the Decapolis

    E5 Hippo(s)

    E6 Pella

    E6 Scythopolis

    F5 Gadara

    F7 Gerasa

    G5 Dion

    G9 Philadelphia

    H1 Damascus

    H4 Raphana

    I5 Canatha

    Main Roads (See publication)

    Common Route Between Galilee and Jerusalem (See publication)

    Alternate Route Between Galilee and Jerusalem, Through Perea (See publication)

    A11 Gaza

    B6 Caesarea

    B8 Joppa

    B9 Lydda

    B12 Beer-sheba

    C4 Ptolemais

    C8 SAMARIA

    C8 Antipatris

    C8 Arimathea

    C9 Emmaus

    C10 JUDEA

    C11 Hebron

    C12 IDUMEA

    D1 Sidon

    D2 Tyre

    D3 PHOENICIA

    D4 GALILEE

    D4 Cana

    D5 Sepphoris

    D5 Nazareth

    D5 Nain

    D7 Samaria

    D7 Sychar

    D9 Ephraim

    D9 Bethphage

    D9 Jerusalem

    D9 Bethany

    D10 Bethlehem

    D10 Herodium

    D10 WILDERNESS OF JUDAH

    D12 Masada

    E4 Chorazin

    E4 Bethsaida

    E4 Capernaum

    E4 Magadan

    E5 Tiberias

    E5 Hippo(s)

    E6 Bethany? (across the Jordan)

    E6 Scythopolis

    E6 Pella

    E6 Salim

    E6 Aenon

    E9 Jericho

    F1 ABILENE

    F2 Caesarea Philippi

    F4 Gamala

    F5 Abila?

    F5 Gadara

    F7 PEREA

    F7 Gerasa

    G3 ITURAEA

    G5 Dion

    G6 DECAPOLIS

    G9 Philadelphia

    H1 Damascus

    H3 TRACHONITIS

    H4 Raphana

    H12 ARABIA

    I5 Canatha

    [Mountains]

    D7 Mt. Ebal

    D7 Mt. Gerizim

    F2 Mt. Hermon

    [Bodies of water]

    B6 Mediterranean Sea (Great Sea)

    E4 Sea of Galilee

    E10 Salt Sea (Dead Sea)

    [Rivers]

    E7 Jordan River

    [Springs and wells]

    D7 Jacob’s Fountain

    [Picture on page 28]

    Sea of Galilee. Capernaum is in the left foreground. View is southwest across the Plain of Gennesaret

    [Picture on page 28]

    Samaritans worshiped on Mount Gerizim. Mount Ebal is in the background