Topical Bible: Tyre: City of Jesus Goes to the Coasts of

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Introduction

Tyre, an ancient Phoenician city, holds significant historical and biblical importance. Located on the Mediterranean coast in what is now modern-day Lebanon, Tyre was a major center of trade and commerce in the ancient world. The city is frequently mentioned in the Bible, both in the Old and New Testaments, and is noted for its interactions with Israel and its role in biblical prophecy.

Old Testament References

In the Old Testament, Tyre is often depicted as a wealthy and influential city. It was known for its skilled artisans and its production of purple dye, a luxury item in the ancient world. The city had a complex relationship with Israel, sometimes as an ally and other times as an adversary. King Hiram of Tyre provided materials and craftsmen for the construction of Solomon's Temple, as recorded in 1 Kings 5:1-12. This alliance highlights the city's significance and its interactions with the people of Israel.

However, Tyre is also the subject of prophetic judgments. The prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel pronounced God's judgment against Tyre for its pride and idolatry. Ezekiel 26-28 contains a detailed prophecy against Tyre, foretelling its destruction and the fall of its king, who is often interpreted as a symbol of human pride and rebellion against God.

New Testament References

In the New Testament, Tyre is mentioned in the context of Jesus' ministry. The Gospel of Matthew records an important event where Jesus travels to the region of Tyre and Sidon. In Matthew 15:21-28, a Canaanite woman from that vicinity approaches Jesus, pleading for her demon-possessed daughter to be healed. Despite initial reluctance, Jesus commends her faith and grants her request, demonstrating His compassion and the extension of His ministry beyond the Jewish people.

The Berean Standard Bible captures this encounter: "Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon. And a Canaanite woman from that region came to Him, crying out, 'Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is miserably possessed by a demon.' But Jesus did not answer a word. So His disciples came and urged Him, 'Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.' He answered, 'I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.' The woman came and knelt before Him. 'Lord, help me!' she said. But Jesus replied, 'It is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to the dogs.' 'Yes, Lord,' she said, 'even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master's table.' 'O woman,' Jesus answered, 'your faith is great! Let it be done for you as you desire.' And her daughter was healed from that very hour" (Matthew 15:21-28).

Significance

The visit of Jesus to the region of Tyre underscores the universal scope of His mission. While His primary ministry was to the house of Israel, this encounter with the Canaanite woman illustrates the breaking down of ethnic and cultural barriers, foreshadowing the inclusion of Gentiles in the New Covenant. Tyre, therefore, serves as a backdrop for a pivotal moment in the Gospel narrative, highlighting themes of faith, mercy, and the expansive reach of God's grace.

Conclusion

Tyre's biblical narrative is one of both grandeur and judgment, alliance and enmity, and ultimately, a testament to the far-reaching impact of Jesus' ministry. The city's historical and prophetic significance, coupled with its role in the New Testament, makes it a noteworthy subject of study for understanding the broader biblical context and God's unfolding plan of redemption.

Nave's Topical Index

Matthew 15:21
Then Jesus went there, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon.
Nave's Topical Index

Library

The Holy City; Or, the New Jerusalem:
... The growth in grace of every Christian goes on thus ... comparisons:-I saw, saith he,
the holy city, the Lamb's ... glory and shining virtues of the Lord Jesus in this ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/the holy city or the.htm

Psalm XLV.
... Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ." [1391 ... Tyre, a city bordering on this country,
where the prophecy was delivered ... He departed into the parts of Tyre and Sidon ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/psalm xlv.htm

The Feast of Tabernacles.
... Capernaum, the Savior visited the coasts of Tyre and Sidon ... conversation in which
Peter declares that "Jesus is the ... The flat house-tops of the city were covered ...
/.../johnson/the new testament commentary vol iii john/the feast of tabernacles.htm

Beginning at Jerusalem. --Luke xxiv. 47.
... Then they went out of the city, and came ... has laid hold on the man; and so Christ
Jesus sows much ... to the country of the Gadarenes, to the coasts of Tyre and Sidon ...
/.../bunyan/jerusalem sinner saved/beginning at jerusalem luke xxiv 47.htm

The Jerusalem Sinner Saved;
... him.' 'And many of the Samaritans of that city (people, perhaps ... hold on the man;
and so Christ Jesus sows much ... of the Gadarenes, to the coasts of Tyre and Sidon ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/the jerusalem sinner saved.htm

Letter cxxx. To Demetrias.
... When Jesus was crowned with thorns and bore our sins and ... three transgressions of
such and such a city and for ... For, sin stricken as she is, even Tyre is bidden ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/letter cxxx to demetrias.htm

Matt. xv. 21, 22
... thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon. ... For Jesus having said no
more, but having reproved ... Wherefore hath he mentioned the founder of the city? ...
/.../chrysostom/homilies on the gospel of saint matthew/homily lii matt xv 21.htm

The Best of All, God is with Us
... In this wicked city, our young people"yet I do ... temple is the person of the Lord Jesus
Christ, the ... abundance: for the Zidonians and they of Tyre brought much ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 42 1896/the best of all god.htm

'Other Sheep'
... at least one journey into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon ... and make the hoary walls of
the robber-city that has ... has caught in an immortal work, when Jesus in rapt ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/maclaren/expositions of holy scripture i/other sheep.htm