The Life of Christ, 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. Phœnicia, "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 shore 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. Cæsarea Philippi, at the foot of Mount Hermon, now Banias. 6. Capernaum, already noticed under Period II.

1. The Journey to Phœnicia. (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 multitude, 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 Syrophœnician woman. (Mark 7:24-30.)
2. The Journey to Decapolis. (From the borders of Tyre and Sidon to Decapolis.) (1.) The crowds gathering around Jesus in Phœnicia, 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 Cæsarea Philippi. (From Decapolis to Dalmanutha, Bethsaida and Cæsarea Philippi.)[108] (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 Cæsarea 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 Cæsarea Philippi to Capernaum.) He probably went down the Jordan to Bethsaida, and thence by the shore 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.)

This atlas is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org