Lexical Summary Ioudaia: Judea Original Word: Ἰουδαία Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Judaea. Feminine of Ioudaios (with ge implied); the Judaean land (i.e. Judaea), a region of Palestine -- Judaea. see GREEK Ioudaios see GREEK ge NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originsee Ioudaios. Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 2449: ἸουδαίαἸουδαία, Ἰουδαίας, ἡ (cf. Winer's Grammar, § 18, 5 a.) (namely, γῆ, which is added John 3:22, or χώρα, Mark 1:5; from the adjective Ἰουδαῖος, which see), Judaea (Hebrew יְהוּדָה); in the O. T. a region of Palestine, named after the tribe of Judah, which inhabited it: Judges 17:7-9; Ruth 1:1; 2 Samuel 2:1, etc. Its boundaries are laid down in Joshua 15:1ff After the time of David, when the kingdom had been rent asunder, the name was given to the kingdom of Judah, to which were reckoned, besides the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, certain cities of the tribes of Dan and Simeon, together with the metropolis of Jerusalem: 1 Kings 14:21, 29; 1 Kings 15:7, etc. In the N. T. the name is given: 1. in a narrower sense, to the southern part of Palestine lying on this side of the Jordan and the Dead Sea, to distinguish it from Samaria, Galilee, Peraea, Idumaea (Mark 3:8): Matthew 2:1, 5, 22; Matthew 3:5; Matthew 4:25; Matthew 24:16; Mark 3:7; Mark 13:14; Luke 2:4; John 4:3, 47, 54; Acts 1:8; Acts 8:1, etc.; it stands for its inhabitants in Matthew 3:5; Mark 1:5 (2 Chronicles 32:33; 2 Chronicles 35:24). 2. in a broader sense, to all Palestine: Luke 1:5; (Luke 4:44 WH Tr marginal reading); Luke 7:11; Luke 23:5; Acts 2:9; Acts 10:37; Acts 11:1, 29 (and perhaps 2 Corinthians 1:16; Galatians 1:22); πᾶσα ἡ χώρα τῆς Ἰουδαίας, Acts 26:20; εἰς τά ὅρια τῆς Ἰουδαίας πέραν τοῦ Ιορδάνου, into the borders of Judaea (in the broader sense) beyond the Jordan, i. e. into Peraea, Matthew 19:1; on the contrary, in the parallel passage, Mark 10:1 R G, εἰς τά ὅρια τῆς Ἰουδαίας διά τοῦ πέραν τοῦ Ιορδάνου, Jesus is said to have come into the borders of Judaea (in the narrower sense) through Peraea; but according to the reading of L T Tr WH, viz. καί πέραν τοῦ Ιορδάνου and (in particular that part of Judaea which lay) beyond the Jordan, Mark agrees with Matthew; (others regard πέραν τοῦ Ιορδάνου here as parallel with τῆς Ἰουδαίας and like it dependent upon ὅρια). Ἰουδαΐζω; (from Ἰουδαῖος, cf. Ἑλληνιστής (Winers Grammar, 92 (87))), to adopt Jewish customs and rites, imitate the Jews, Judaize: of one who observes the ritual law of the Jews, Galatians 2:14. (Esther 8:17; Ignatius ad Magnes. 10, 3 [ET]; Evang. Nicod. c. 2; Plutarch, Cicero 7; to favor the Jews, Josephus, b. j. 2, 18, 2.) Judea denotes the southern hill-country of the land promised to Abraham, bounded by Samaria on the north, the Dead Sea on the east, Idumea and the Negeb on the south, and the Philistine plain on the west. It includes the capital Jerusalem, the Temple mount, Bethlehem, Bethany, Jericho, and the wilderness that stretches toward the Jordan. In New Testament usage the term can embrace (1) the narrower province administered by a Roman prefect (Luke 3:1), (2) the wider cultural region inhabited by Jews—including the Judean desert (Matthew 3:1)—and (3) at times the whole land of Israel in contrast to the Dispersion (Galatians 1:22). Historical and Political Background After the exile, “the Jews who had come up from the captivity” (Ezra 4:12) rebuilt Jerusalem and gave the territory its distinct post-exilic identity. Herod the Great ruled Judea under Roman patronage (Matthew 2:1); upon his death the area fell to Archelaus, whose brutal reign prompted Joseph to withdraw to Galilee (Matthew 2:22). In AD 6 Rome annexed Judea as a province, governed successively by procurators such as Pontius Pilate (Luke 23:5). Political volatility, economic burdens, and messianic expectation all converge here, providing the backdrop for John the Baptist’s call to repentance and the arrest and crucifixion of Jesus. Judea in the Ministry of John the Baptist John’s prophetic work is rooted in “the wilderness of Judea” (Matthew 3:1). From Jerusalem and “all Judea” crowds flocked to the Jordan to confess sins and receive baptism (Mark 1:5). Thus Judea becomes the site where Old Testament prophecy (Isaiah 40:3) meets its New Covenant fulfillment, preparing a repentant remnant for the Messiah. Judea in the Life and Ministry of Jesus • Birth and early childhood: “Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea” (Matthew 2:1), fulfilling Micah 5:2. Judea and the Early Church Acts opens with a missional outline that moves “in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). After Pentecost, persecution “scattered throughout Judea and Samaria” the believers who heralded the word (Acts 8:1, Acts 11:19). The region hosts: Paul’s Relationship with Judea Paul’s conversion was soon reported “throughout Judea” (Galatians 1:22–23). Subsequent visits strove to unite Gentile converts with Jewish believers by means of fellowship offerings: “Pray … that my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints” (Romans 15:31). Judea thus embodies both the birthplace of the gospel and the touchstone of ecclesial unity. Eschatological References Concerning Judea In His Olivet Discourse Jesus warns, “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains” (Matthew 24:16; Mark 13:14; Luke 21:21). A local flight signals a global climax, illustrating the prophetic pattern in which judgment begins at the covenant center before encompassing the nations. The historical siege of AD 66–70 foreshadows end-time tribulation, affirming the reliability of Christ’s words. Theological Significance 1. Covenant Continuity: Judea houses the Temple, sacrifices, and festivals—types that converge in Christ, “the Lamb of God” (John 1:29). Practical Ministry Implications • Locality Matters: God often chooses specific places—whether rural wilderness or bustling city—to advance His purposes, encouraging believers to steward their own contexts. In Scripture Judea is far more than a dot on the map; it is the theater where promises converge, the cradle of the gospel, and the launchpad for a global witness that continues until the Lord returns. Englishman's Concordance Matthew 2:1 N-GFSGRK: Βηθλεὲμ τῆς Ἰουδαίας ἐν ἡμέραις KJV: in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days INT: Bethlehem of Judea in [the] days Matthew 2:5 N-GFS Matthew 2:22 N-GFS Matthew 3:1 N-GFS Matthew 3:5 N-NFS Matthew 4:25 N-GFS Matthew 19:1 N-GFS Matthew 24:16 N-DFS Mark 1:5 N-NFS Mark 3:7 N-GFS Mark 10:1 N-GFS Mark 13:14 N-DFS Luke 1:5 N-GFS Luke 1:65 N-GFS Luke 2:4 N-AFS Luke 3:1 N-GFS Luke 4:44 N-GFS Luke 5:17 N-GFS Luke 6:17 N-GFS Luke 7:17 N-DFS Luke 21:21 N-DFS Luke 23:5 N-GFS John 4:3 N-AFS John 4:47 N-GFS John 4:54 N-GFS Strong's Greek 2449 |
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