Page 90 - Advanced Life of Christ - Student Textbook

The Gospels begin the journey to Jerusalem from
Capernaum. There were two routes from
Capernaum: the direct route through Samaria
(western route) or the route which paralleled
the Jordon River to Jericho, the up to Jerusalem
(eastern route). Most Jews traveling the journey would take the
eastern route to avoid going through Samaria. As you can see,
the easier and more direct route is through Samaria.

Jesus’ brothers came to Him to taunt Him into going to the great
Feast in Jerusalem. Jesus was resistant to this idea because He
knew that the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem were seeking to kill
him, and it was not His time, for He must die as the Passover
Lamb. Jesus’ brothers demonstrated unbelief in Him, claiming
that He simply was a public figure who liked to put on a show to
gain attention to Himself. We see here that Jesus’ brothers
wanted Him to go into Judea publicly, but they did not believe
who He was.

Jesus told his brothers that He was not going to the feast. But a
few days later, He did travel to Jerusalem in secret and did attend
the feast.

Did Jesus tell His brothers a lie?

Early manuscripts of the Gospel of John, including p66 and p75 (late 2 century), record Jesus saying, “I
nd
am not yet going up to the feast” rather than “I am not going to the feast”. That’s another way of
saying, “Brothers, you go ahead. I will not be going with you”. In John 7:9 we are told that Jesus stayed
in Galilee “for a time”. In other words, Jesus delayed His departure. He sent His brothers on ahead but
did not accompany them as was the common practice for such a journey. Therefore, according to the
earliest manuscripts, Jesus informed His brothers that He was not leaving for the Feast at the time they
were leaving, and that they should go without Him. This was not a lie, as that is exactly what He did.

Also, Jesus’ brothers probably traveled the common route to Jerusalem, south by the Jordan River, then
up to Jerusalem from Jericho. They would not have traveled through Samaria. Jesus, we are told in
Luke, traveled through Samaria on His journey to Jerusalem, receiving opposition along the way. (Luke
9:51-56).

Why did Jesus take the Samarian route? Luke records that almost immediately Jesus was rejected in a
Samaritan village which reflected the hostility between Jews and Samaritans. Jesus knew that He would
face opposition in Samaria and wished to encounter it head-on, demonstrating His courage and His
determination to fulfill His destiny despite opposition. He was determined to go to Jerusalem. The
Samaritan encounters also allowed Him the opportunity to teach His disciples how to handle such
opposition, a lesson they surely needed in coming days.

Why was there animosity between Jews and Samaritans?

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