For the duration of His three-year earthly ministry, Jesus traveled throughout Galilee, Samaria, and the Judean countryside as He prepared for His Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem. However, before Passion Week, the Bible tells us that Jesus retreated with His disciples for a time into the land “beyond the Jordan.” Though it is not specifically named in Scripture, biblical scholars often refer to this region as Perea. But what happened when Jesus visited Perea? What should Christians know about this important stop on His way to the cross of Passion Week?
Where Was Perea in Judea?
Alluded to in the New Testament as the land “beyond the Jordan” (Matthew 4:15, 4:25, 19:1; Mark 3:8, 10:1; Luke 6:17; John 1:28-29, 3:26, 10:40), Perea was an arid region located east of the Jordan River in what is now present-day Jordan. Unfortunately, the Bible does not talk much about this region’s geography. The Jewish historian Josephus described Perea as a land of harsh deserts and the occasional spring, which fed the growth of olive trees, vineyards, and palms throughout the region.
Perea’s boundaries, according to Josephus, extended from the Jordan River in the west into the desert—to the cities of Gerasa and Philadelphia to the east. The great gorge of the Yarmuk River would form its natural northern border, while the Arnon River and the city of Machaerus marked its southern boundaries.
The fortress of Machaerus might be familiar to some readers as this was the city where John the Baptist, the cousin of Jesus, was eventually arrested by Herod Antipas and later beheaded. Some references suggest that John the Baptist spent portions of his ministry teaching in this wilderness east of the Jordan River, attracting crowds from Judea and Jerusalem (see John 1:28).
It is entirely possible that Jesus was also baptized on the eastern banks of the Jordan River, somewhere in the region of Perea. All four gospels describe Jesus’ baptism taking place in the Jordan River at the hands of his cousin John the Baptist (Matthew 3, Mark 1:1-11, Luke 3:1-21, John 1:6-34).
Of course, knowing the exact location of Jesus’ baptism is difficult. However, archeological evidence, historical writings, and the four gospel accounts hint at an area on the southern half of the Jordan River, about five and a half miles north of the Dead Sea and a little more than six miles southeast of Jericho. This falls within the territory of Perea, or the land “beyond the Jordan.”
There, somewhere between A.D. 26 and 29, John the Baptist began his public ministry, baptizing people in the Jordan at a place described in John’s gospel as “Bethany beyond the Jordan” (John 1:28).
Distinct from the village of Bethany, where Jesus occasionally visited siblings Mary, Martha, and their brother Lazarus (Luke 10:38-42; John 11:1-41), Bethany beyond the Jordan, also referred to as Bethabara was a small town on the eastern banks of the river in what is now present-day Jordan.
In the Old Testament, the land of Gilead stretched south from the Yarmuk River to the top of the Dead Sea beyond the Jordan River. The tribes of East Manasseh, Gad, and Reuben would eventually settle this region (Joshua 1:12-14, 22:9), with the kingdom of Ammon occupying the desert to the east and the kings of Moab holding the lands to the south. By the New Testament period, however, portions of Gilead would be renamed and known as the Decapolis and Perea.
History tells us that Herod the Great would eventually inherit control of Judea (including Perea) in 37 B.C. from his father (Antipater), who had been installed as Judea’s procurator by Julius Caesar ten years prior.
Despite his civil triumphs, Herod the Great was terrified of potential uprisings, political opposition, and threats to his rule. As a result, it was Herod the Great who ordered the slaughter of Jewish babies after learning from the magi that the Messiah (Jesus) had been born to Israel in Bethlehem (Matthew 2). This was Herod’s attempt to prevent any legitimate Jewish heir from rising and reclaiming the throne of David.
After the death of Herod the Great, the order of succession was hotly contested by his surviving family members. As a result, the region he once governed was divided amongst his sons.
Archelaus (Matthew 2:22) was given regional control over Judea, Samaria, and Idumea, Philip was made tetrarch over the region north of Galilee, and Antipas was put in charge of Galilee and Perea.
Given his jurisdiction over Galilee and Perea, it made sense that Herod Antipas would become a key figure in the ministries of both John the Baptist and later Jesus. In three of the four gospel accounts, we read that Herod Antipas was the one who had John the Baptist arrested, imprisoned, and later beheaded after he publicly condemned Herod’s unlawful and adulterous marriage to Herodias, the wife of his half-brother Philip (Leviticus 18:16; Matthew 14:4; Mark 6:17-18; Luke 3:19).
The Pharisees and religious leaders of Jerusalem, who were no friends of the Herodians, hoped that Jesus would meet a similar fate as his cousin. The closer Jesus and His disciples came to Jerusalem, the more likely they would eventually run into the arms of Herod and the Pharisees.
When Did Jesus Spend Time in Perea?
We know from the Bible that Jesus spent the early years of His ministry teaching and healing in and around Galilee, Samaria, and Judea. However, in all four gospel accounts, we read that Jesus eventually turned His attention to Jerusalem, which He would visit one final time for the Passover before His execution.
At least one-third to one-half of each of the four gospels is devoted to the final week of Jesus’ life, beginning with Palm Sunday and culminating with His death and resurrection one week later. Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem is the entire focus and narrative structure of Luke’s gospel. He writes, “and He was passing through from one city and village to another, teaching, and proceeding on His way to Jerusalem” (Luke 13:22).
At this point, Luke does not reference what cities or villages Jesus visited; however, Matthew 19:1, Mark 10:1, and John 10:40 all note that Jesus eventually moved His ministry to the region east of the Jordan River as He approached Jerusalem.
Matthew writes, “When Jesus had finished these words, He departed from Galilee and came into the region of Judea beyond the Jordan; and large crowds followed Him, and He healed them there” (Matthew 19:1-2).
The Holman Bible Atlas provides some context for this route:
“Along with many other Galilean Jews, Jesus often traveled to Jerusalem to attend festivals. Pilgrims preferred a route that crossed over the Jordan near Scythopolis into Perea so as to avoid contact with the despised Samaritans. They crossed back over the Jordan at Jericho and ascended the barren eastern slopes of the Judean mountains to Jerusalem. Jesus must have taken this route on occasion.” (223; see John 7:11-8:59, John 9:1-10:39).
Of course, Jesus was not afraid to enter Samaria. We know He ministered directly to the Samaritans on more than one occasion. However, as He prepared His inevitable entry into Jerusalem, He chose to sojourn in Perea and remain there with His disciples for a season.
How long was Jesus in Perea? We do not know.
Some scholars believe that Jesus was only in Perea for a few weeks or months before He crossed back over the Jordan and entered Jerusalem via Jericho (John 18:35-19:27).
Others have suggested that Jesus stayed in Perea to create distance and seek shelter from the threats of the Pharisees, who had already made several attempts on His life and had soured His reputation in both Galilee and Judea. Whatever the reason, though the enemies of Christ looked to destroy Jesus and draw Him closer to Jerusalem and the jurisdiction of Herod and the Roman authorities (ref: Luke 13:31), Jesus would not enter Jerusalem or the hands of His enemies until He was prepared to do so (Luke 13:32-35).
What Important Conversations Did Jesus Have in Perea?
It is also difficult to know what specific teachings were given, healings performed, and conversations were had in Perea versus various parts of Judea or the borders of Samaria and Galilee as Jesus made His way to Jerusalem.
Luke mentions that Jesus had determined to go to Jerusalem and made preparations to do so as early as Luke 9:53. He later writes that Jesus was “passing from one city and village to another, teaching and proceeding on His way to Jerusalem” in Luke 13:22 (see also Matthew 19:1 and Mark 10:1). It is widely believed that Luke is referring to the land beyond the Jordan, or specifically Perea, in this chapter. Jesus had several important conversations and interactions beyond the Jordan that are worth studying if that is the case.
For one, shortly after Jesus traveled into Perea, the Synoptic Gospels tell us that He answered questions about marriage and divorce (Matthew 19:3-12; see also Mark 10:2-12), blessed the little children (Matthew 19:13-15; see also Mark 10:13-16; Luke 18:15-17), and conversed with the rich young ruler about wealth and what it takes to inherit eternal life (Matthew 19:16-30; see also Mark 10:17-31; Luke 18:18-30). There was more that probably happened in Perea. Those events, however, are either not recorded or are included in the general overview of Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem.
What Happened After Jesus’s Last Visit to Perea?
It is believed that while Jesus was ministering beyond the Jordan, He was summoned by Mary and Martha to come back across the river to the village of Bethany (near Jerusalem), where their brother Lazarus was dying (John 11:1-5). John tells us, however, that Jesus waited an extra two days (probably in Perea) before traveling to Bethany (John 11:6). When He finally decided to go, His disciples warned against it, saying, “Rabbi, the Jews there were just now seeking to stone You, and are You going there again?” (John 11:8) Jesus, however, was committed to His visit.
Unfortunately, when Jesus and His disciples arrived, they found Lazarus had already died. Here, Jesus performed one of His greatest miracles in raising Lazarus from the dead (John 11:1-46).
In doing so, Jesus enraged the Pharisees all the more, who were now determined to find Him and have Him killed at all costs. According to John, after the miracle at Bethany, “the chief priests and Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where He (Jesus) was, he was to report it so that they might seize Him” (John 11:57).
Jesus and His disciples, however, retreated from the public eye and took shelter in a city called Ephraim (John 11:54). It is entirely possible that Jesus and His disciples returned to Perea before traveling to Jerusalem for the Passover, or they could have remained in Judea before Jesus’ Triumphal Entry (John 12:12-19; Luke 19:28-44; Mark 11:1-11; Matthew 21:1-11).
In Perea, Jesus had proclaimed that He would not visit Jerusalem again until the city cried out, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord” (Luke 13:35; 19:38). On this topic, Dr. Doug Bookman concludes, “when Jesus made this prophecy, it was almost unimaginable that it would come to pass; the men to whom He made the prediction were representatives of the most powerful body in Judea, and they were committed not to let it happen. The means Jesus employs to cause it to happen are fascinating; be careful to trace those means as the narrative moves toward the Passion Week.”
In any case, Jesus’ final visit to Perea proved to be one of His last stops and last moments of reprieve in the weeks leading up to Palm Sunday, His Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem, and His eventual crucifixion.
Photo Credit:©GettyImages/Popartic
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