Witnessing Courageously in Judea and Perea

It is the autumn of 32 C.E., and Jesus'  "hour" is yet future. The Festival of Tabernacle is near. Jesus' half brothers now urge him:  "Pass on over from here and go into Judea." They want Jesus to show his miraculous powers to all those gathered at the festival in Jerusalem. Jesus, though, is aware of the danger.  So he says to his brothers:  "I am not yet going up to this festival, because my due time has not yet fully come." -John 7:1-8.  

Delaying in Galilee for some time, Jesus goes up to Jerusalem "not openly but as in secret."  The Jews indeed are looking for him at the festival, saying:  "Where is that man?"  When the festival is half over, Jesus goes into the temple and courageously begins teaching.  They seek  to get hold of him, perhaps to put him in prison or to have him killed.  Yet, they do not succeed because this hour has not yet come.'  Many now put faith in Jesus. Even the officers that the Pharisees have dispatched to get hold of him return empty-handed, saying:  "Never has another man spoken like this." -John 7:9-14., 30-46. 

The clashes between Jesus and his Jewish opposers as he teaches about his Father at the temple during the festival. On the final day of the festival, enraged at Jesus' statements about his pre-human existence, the Jews pick up stones to hurl at him. But he hides and escapes unharmed. (John 8:12-59)  Staying outside of Jerusalem, Jesus launches an intensive witnessing campaign in Judea.  He selects 70 disciples and, after instructing them, send them by twos to work the territory.  They go in advance  to every place  and city into which Jesus, accompanied by his apostles, is planning to go. -Luke 10:1-24.

In the winter of 32 C.E., Jesus'  "hour"   is drawing closer. He comes to Jerusalem for the Festival of Dedication.  The Jews are still seeking to kill him.  While Jesus is walking in the temple colonnade, they encircled him. Accusing him again of blasphemy, they pick up stones to kill him, but as he did on previous occasions, Jesus escapes. Soon he is on the road teaching, this time from city to city and village to village in the district of Perea, across the Jordan from Judea. And may put faith in him.  But a dispatch  concerning his beloved friend Lazarus calls him back to Judea. -Luke 13:33; John 10:20-42. 

The urgent message is from Martha and Mary, sisters of Lazarus, who live in Bethany of Judea. "Lord, see!  the one for whom you have  affection is sick," the messenger relates.   "This sickness is not with death as its object," answers Jesus, "but is that the glory  of God may be glorified through it." To accomplish this purpose, Jesus deliberately remains where he is for two days.  Then he says to his disciples:  "Let us go into Judea again."  Incredulously, they respond:  "Rabbi, just lately the Judeans were seeking to stone you, and are you going there again?" But Jesus is aware that the remainder of the "hours of daylight," or the time that God has allotted fro his earthly ministry, is short.  he knows exactly what he must do and why. -John 11:1-10. 

Next time: A Miracles  No One Could Ignore

From the Watchtower magazine, 2000