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Palestine in the
time of Jesus
Palestine, where
Jesus was born,
was the name
that Romans
gave to the
region
previously
called
Philistine by
its own
people and that
Hebrews
designated by
the name of
Canaan, the
Promised Land by
Iavé
To better
understand the
Gospel of Jesus
is important to
not neglect the
geography where
the described
events took
place.
How was
Palestine
As is known, the
Master was born
in the territory
known as
Palestine. This
actually was the
most recent name
of the place,
given by Romans,
which literally
means "land of
the
Philistines",
derived from the
Greek Philistia.
Previously,
ancient
inhabitants
called it
Philistine. The
Hebrews called
it Canaan, which
certainly meant
"Land of
Purple". It was
the Promised
Land expected by
Iavé.
The currently
known "Holy
Land", along
with other
territories,
covering Egypt,
Arabia, Syria,
Mesopotamia,
Armenia, Iran
and Minor Asia,
was part of
ancient Near
East, also
called Western
Asian. In this
region, appeared
the first
civilizations of
the world, even
that they
presented great
deserts, steppes
and mountains.
Compete for this
burgeoning
population the
fact that the
area had fertile
valleys of large
rivers and a
strategic
location -
mandatory
passage of the
local trades.
Strictly
speaking,
Palestine is a
narrow range
restricted to
the north by the
ancient
Phoenician,
which is now
Lebanon and part
of Syria, to
south by the
Sinai peninsula,
mountainous and
desert region of
Egypt, to the
east by the
Arabian Desert,
which now
extends Syria
and Jordan to
other countries
and the west by
the
Mediterranean
Sea, a sea of
the Eastern
Atlantic which
surrounds many
countries.
The River
Jordan, word
that means
“place where it
falls”, crosses
Palestine
extending from
north to south
for about two
hundred and
forty kilometers
and with about
twenty thousand
and six hundred
square
kilometers. Its
source lies in
the mountains
Anti Lebanon,
the slope of
Mount Hermon.
Hence, down,
shapes the Hulé
the lake, then
the Sea of
Galilee, also
called Lake
Tiberius and
Lake Genesaré.
Following its
course flows
into the Dead
Sea. Having
great importance
in the biblical
narratives now
is the border
between Israel,
along with the
West Bank and
Jordan.
It should be
noted that in
the course of
history, the
fields in which
Christ was born
had their
boundaries
changed
repeatedly.
Currently, for
example,
certainly less
than of the Rabi
time, Palestine
is divided into
three portions.
One was
transformed in
the State of
Israel. The
other two are
the Gaza Strip
and West Bank.
And,
unfortunately,
they still are
remains the
scene of many
wars, despite
being called
saint.
Canaan at the
time of Jesus
At the time of
Jesus, thanks to
the achievements
made by the
dynasty of Herod
and asmoniana,
Canaan had,
practically,
their primitive
boundaries.
However, it was
divided into
several regions.
We could say
that the main
ones were
Samaria, Judea
and Galilee, but
there were also
other smaller,
as Pereia - or
Pareia - the
Idumeia the
Ituri, the
Batanes, the
Traconites the
Abilene and
Gaulanites.
To the north of
Palestine, and
with a very
mixed population
- Phoenicians,
Syrians, Arabs
and Greeks - the
Galilee was the
scene of most
the time of life
and preaching of
the Master.
Located nearly
two hundred
meters below the
Mediterranean
and with people
who mostly did
not know how to
read or write,
it was agro
pastoral region
and a region of
fishermen,
through the
shore of the
River Jordan to
the
Mediterranean
Sea and Lake
Tiberius. The
latter was
highly revered
by Jews, as the
vegetation and
fertility around
it was abundant.
Over time, it
became the main
source of
livelihood of
the region. Some
affirmed that,
at that time,
there were five
thousand fishing
boats at once.
So it flourish
in around it
numerous cities,
including the
some important
in the Gospels,
as Bethsaida,
the northeast of
Genesaré Lake
and Capernaum,
Magdala, and
Tiberias, all in
the western sea.
In Capernaum,
the city in
which Matthew
seems to have
lived, there was
a synagogue - a
fact that should
indicate some
importance of
this city - in
which Jesus
heals a
paralytic and
starts his
public life. At
the north end,
there was
Caesarea of
Philip, a
Herodeana
reconstruction
of the former
Pânias in
tribute to Rome,
which caused
great discomfort
among Israelis.
Below, to the
southwest of the
Sea of Galilee,
Nazareth was the
town where Jesus
spent more time,
especially his
youth. This was
a small town
with a largely
open terrain and
a severe cold in
winter, but had
a mild climate
at other times.
To its west it
was the city of
Canaa, also one
of the first
scenes of his
preaching. Also
nearby was the
Mount Tabor,
where he was
transformed, in
which, according
Divaldo Franco,
was the first
session of
mediumistic
history, with
the appearance
also of Elijah
and Moses.
The truth is
that in other
regions, as in
Jerusalem,
people asked
with disdain -
"Perhaps, is
Christ from
Galilee?" -, or
- "Could come
something good
of Nazareth".
However, despite
a simple people,
according to
many, even today
the hospitality
and generosity
are marks of
local people.
Bethany was
visited several
times by Jesus
To the south of
the Promised
Land in
mountainous
area, the Judea
was the centre
of economic
power. In its
field
predominated
livestock,
with creation of
camels, cows and
sheep and the
cultivation of
olive trees. In
addition, crafts
and trade earned
prominence,
including luxury
items,
especially in
the capital.
It also had, the
main cities of
Jewish culture,
and economic
power. Jericho,
further north,
was one of the
oldest cities
and from its
trees were
extract balsam
for perfumes.
Bethany, below,
near the Mount
of Olives and
Jerusalem - John
said that was
about 15 stages
of this - was
visited several
times by Jesus.
This is because
there were
Lazarus and his
sisters, Martha
and Mary. It was
one of the few
places where the
Master was
hosted.
The capital was
located in
Jerusalem, to
the west of
Bethany. There
was the global
centre of Jewish
culture. Located
seven hundred
and sixty meters
above the
Mediterranean,
received about
one hundred and
eighty thousand
pilgrims in
times of
festivities. At
that time, Herod
had extended and
renovated the
famous temple,
which then came
to be known with
his name, and
was undoubtedly
the centre of
Israel. There
lived pride and
prejudice. To
the east of the
centre and after
the valley of
Josafá, Cedron
or valley of the
river, was the
Mount of Olives,
a chain of
mountains with
three peaks, in
which Christ was
sometimes
preaching. It
was there that
he present for
the denial of
Peter. At the
foot of this
hill, was a
garden called
Gethsemane, in
which the Master
prayed before
the crucifixion.
Also, near this
city, was the
Golgotha, plain
in which Jesus
was crucified
and, a word in
Aramaic that
means ordeal, or
place the skull,
according to
some
evangelists.
Further south,
Bethlehem was
the site of the
old traditions
of King David.
The River Jordan
and the Dead Sea
also crossed the
Judea, to the
east of the main
towns up and
down the Idumeia.
Between,
however, the
Galilee and
Judea, as an
island, Samaria
at that time, no
more enjoyed the
glories of the
past. Rather,
the
discrimination
still suffered
by the other
Jews, and
therefore
poorer.
Mount Gerizim
was in Samaria
This was still
reflects of
domination by
Assyrians made
to Talant of
Sargao II, in
which, among
other things,
had their wives
raped by the
conquerors.
Since then,
their children
began to be seen
as mixed and
therefore
impure. Because
they were
forbidden to
contact other
Hebrews and to
worship God in
the temple of
Jerusalem, the
Samaritans,
under the
command of a
priest of Siam,
built a shrine
on the top of
Mount Gerizim to
rival that of
Judea. This was
at the heart of
Samaria.
Between this
hill and Ebal or
Hebal, was the
town of Sychar,
or Shechem at a
height of near
600 m, which
meant, “back”,
famous for the
well of Jacob
that perhaps is
still there
nowadays with
the name of Bir
Iakub. They used
to put names of
their ancestors
in public
places. There
was Jesus a few
days, in a
dialogue with a
remarkable
woman. At this
point, however,
Herod rebuilt
the city of
Samaria, which
had been
destroyed at the
time of macabeus,
now with the
name of Sebaste,
or Augusta in
Greek, also in
honour of the
Roman emperor.
This was located
in northwest of
Sychar.
The region of
Samaria, as was
located between
the two main
regions of
Palestine, was
the passage of
local
travellers.
Indeed, the road
to Jerusalem,
which linked to
Judea to
Galilee, was
more or less
half an hour of
Shechem in the
valley between
two hills above.
It was common,
however, that
the Jews come a
long way through
a huge gap to
the east,
through Pereia
and thus
avoiding the
contact with the
Samaritans.
According to
John, Jesus
could still go
peacefully down
the road.
In reality, this
land was a
source of
inspiration for
one of the most
beautiful
parables of the
Gospel, the
Samaritan, when
it proclaimed
the excellence
of charity.
Also, early this
region received
the Good News.
Even the
apostles visited
after the
crucifixion.
The sweet Mater
went through
several regions
of Palestine, as
Pereia, after
his fourth stay
in Jerusalem,
according to
John, and
Decapolar in
Gerasa, where he
did cures
devoted by
apostles.
In these
landscapes, they
must have been
unforgettable
days.
Bibliography:
Matthew 2:1, 19,
22, 17-1-8,
8:28-34, 27: 33;
Luke 1:5, 3: 1,
5:17-26, 9:
28-36, 8:26-39,
23: 33;
John 1: 46, 4:
1-6; 7:41, 10:
40-42, 11:18,
11:1-7, 19: 17;
Mark 2: 1-12,
14:26-42, 15:
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