Feast Travel Routes

Have you driven cross-country maybe for a wedding or a family reunion? After everyone gathers and the small talk begins to fade, eventually the conversation resurges as weary travelers discuss the pros-and-cons of various road routes – longer interstates and shorter two-lanes, construction, traffic density, and scenery.

Three times a year, Jesus’ community made the trip to Jerusalem for the spring feasts and the fall feasts. There were 3 routes to Jerusalem from Galilee:

• the western coast road Via Maris,
• the central highland road through the Samaritan hill country,
• and the eastern Jordan River Valley road through Perea (also known as the Transjordan).

The coast road was out of the way from Jesus’ starting and ending points. From central Galilee, the most direct route was the road through Samaria.

Ancient historian Josephus makes the following generalization, “It was the custom of the Galileans, when they came to the holy city at the festivals, to take their journeys through the country of the Samaritans” (Antiquities 20.118).

Starting from Capernaum, it makes sense for Jesus to take the third route through the Jordan valley — walking along the sea of Galilee, taking the eastern road along the Jordan River, then from Jericho up into the hills to Jerusalem.**

Jesus went through Jericho on his final journey to Jerusalem (Mk 10:46).

Shortest route appears to be the consensus among students of Jesus’ story. The Jordan Valley route is a compelling alternative. Jesus’ experience includes both routes (Mk 10:46; Lk 9:52; Jn 4:4).

** see also: D. A. Carson, The Gospel According to John (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1991), 215; and Andreas J. Köstenberger, John in Baker Exegetical Commentary Series (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2004), 146.

Three Routes to Jerusalem from Galilee