by Richard W. LaFountain

The Year of Passion, means the year of suffering. This year begins with another rejection from Nazareth. Matthew 13:54-58. The place associated most with the Year of Passion is Jerusalem, the capital of Palestine, where Jesus was crucified.

The year of Passion is a year of much travel in the ministry of Jesus as he began to be rejected in many places. Beginning with Matthew 9:35 and using all four Gospels trace the steps of Jesus from place to place.

There are 16 steps:

Nazareth through Galilee to Capernium - Mt 9:35
Capernaum to Desert near Bethsaida: Feed 5000 - Mk 6:32
Desert to Land of Gennesaret: Walks on Water - Mt 14:22-34
Gennesaret to Capernaum: - Jn 6:24-25
Capernaum to Phonencia: Syro-Phoenican's Daughter Healed - Mk 7:25-30
Phoenicia to Decapolis: Deaf healed, 4000 fed - Mk 8:10
Decapolis to Dalmanutha by sea: - Mk 8:10, Mt 16:1
Dalmanutha to Bethsaida by sea: Blind man healed - Mk 8:22
Bethsaida to Caesaria Philippi: - Mt 16:13
Caesaria Philippi to Mt Hermon: Transfiguration - Luke 9:28
Mt Hermon to Capernaum: - Mt 17-24
Capernaum to Samaria to Bethany: Lepers Healed, Mary's House - Luke 17:11-42
Bethany to Jerusalem: Jn 9:1-41
Jerusalem to Bethabara/to Perea: 70 Sent out - Jn 10:40-42/ Luke 10:1-14
Perea to Jerusalem: - Jn 10:22
Jerusalem to Bethabara - Jn 10:40

Transitional Passage: Matthew 16:21

DRAW A CIRCLE AROUND THE WORD "JERUSALEM" IN MATTHEW 16:21.

EXTRA CREDIT: Create an exact overlay map for the country of Palestine that with exactly the same scale of distances. This will give you an appreciation of the size and distances between your town and towns in Palestine. Identify Bethlehem, Egypt, and Nazareth on the map of Palestine. Now measure the distance between these places to gain an appreciation of the travel time on foot to and from these places. Next, using a current map of your region choose cities or towns that are in the same approximate directions and distances from your town. Your town should represent Bethlehem. Now add one more city and distance, Jerusalem, where Jesus was dedicated to the Lord. Now you are able to guess-timate the time needed for them to travel to and from each place.

STAGES OF LIFE OF CHRIST

The story of Jesus' life divides into five stages.

STEP LOCATION ASSOCIATED EVENT SCRIPTURE

1. Infancy Bethlehem Birth - 12 years Mt 2:1

2. Preparation Nazareth Relatively unknown Mt 3:1

3. Popularity Capernaum Followed by large crowds Mt 4:12-13

4. Passion Jerusalem Rejected, persecuted, killed Mt 14:1

5. Resurrection All Nations Easter to ascension Mt 28:1

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