Perea
Region beyond the Jordan crossed by Jesus during his apostolic journeys[1].
Description
In the autumn of the first year of his public life, for the Pilgrimage of the Tabernacles, Jesus decides to travel through Perea. "We passed through the Decapolis and Perea, and everywhere we saw fieldWorshipers working in the fields. In some places, the land still covered with thatch and couch grass, was arid, hard, cluttered with harmful plants that the summer winds had brought and sown by carrying the seeds from desolate deserts"[2]. It is an opportunity to compare these diversely worked fields to the Hearts that must be evangelized. But He is not yet well known enough to draw crowds. "For the moment, the Decapolis and Perea are like this… and not only them. I am not asked for miracles because they do not want the size of the word nor the ardor of the Fire, but their time will come"[2].
When He passes through there again, two years later, He notes: "But I do not see the Jordan," says Bartholomew. "You do not see it, but it is in this vast expanse between two mountain ranges. Immediately after the western one is the river. We will go down there because Perea and the Decapolis still await the Evangelizer." [3].
Its name
The term "Perea" comes from the Greek "Πέραια" (Peraia), which means "the region beyond" or "the other side". This name refers to its geographical position relative to Judea, located on the other side of the Jordan River.
Where is it mentioned in the work?
EMV 111. EMV 345.
Learn more about this place
This region of Palestine located "beyond the Jordan" is about 25 km wide and bounded to the east by "desert Arabia" (the Decapolis and the kingdom of Moab), to the south by the Arnon, and to the north by the Yarmouk (Hieromax).
At the time of Jesus, this district was administered by Herod Antipas. The Jews accorded it the same status as Judea and Galilee.
It is mentioned as the "beyond the Jordan" region by the four evangelists as an important place of the ministry of the Baptist and Jesus[4].
Explore
- 32° 04’ 00’’ N / 35° 38’ 27’’ E /
- +150m
Notes and references
- ↑ Article partially written based on the Geographical Dictionary of the Gospel, J.-F. LAVÈRE.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 EMV 111.4.
- ↑ EMV 345.2.
- ↑ Matthew 4:25 | Mark 10:1 | Luke 3:3 | John 1:28 | John 10:40.