Topical Bible: Holy Land: Divided Into: Four Provinces by the Romans

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The Holy Land, a region of profound historical and spiritual significance, underwent significant administrative changes under Roman rule. Following the Roman conquest, the land was divided into four main provinces: Judea, Samaria, Galilee, and Perea. This division played a crucial role in the socio-political and religious landscape during the time of Jesus Christ and the early Christian Church.

Judea

Judea was the heartland of Jewish religious life, encompassing Jerusalem, the spiritual and cultural center of Judaism. The province of Judea was directly governed by Roman prefects or procurators, such as Pontius Pilate, who played a pivotal role in the trial and crucifixion of Jesus Christ. The Berean Standard Bible records Pilate's involvement in the events leading to the crucifixion: "So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed Him over to be crucified" (Mark 15:15). Judea's significance is further underscored by its mention in the Acts of the Apostles, where the early Church began to spread the Gospel from Jerusalem (Acts 1:8).

Samaria

North of Judea lay Samaria, a region with a complex history of tension between Jews and Samaritans. The Samaritans, who had their own distinct religious practices and temple on Mount Gerizim, were often viewed with suspicion and hostility by the Jewish population. Despite these tensions, Jesus' ministry included significant interactions with Samaritans, as illustrated in the account of the Samaritan woman at the well: "The woman said to Him, 'I know that Messiah' (called Christ) 'is coming. When He comes, He will explain everything to us.' Jesus answered, 'I who speak to you am He'" (John 4:25-26). This encounter highlights the inclusive nature of Jesus' message and the breaking down of ethnic and religious barriers.

Galilee

Galilee, located to the north of Samaria, was a fertile and populous region known for its diverse population and vibrant economy. It was in Galilee that Jesus spent much of His ministry, performing miracles and teaching the multitudes. The Berean Standard Bible recounts Jesus' early ministry in Galilee: "Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people" (Matthew 4:23). Galilee's significance is further emphasized by its role as the setting for many of Jesus' parables and miracles, including the Sermon on the Mount and the feeding of the five thousand.

Perea

Perea, located east of the Jordan River, was a less prominent but strategically important region. It served as a transit area for Jews traveling to Jerusalem from the north, avoiding Samaria. Perea was under the jurisdiction of Herod Antipas, who also ruled over Galilee. The region is mentioned in the context of Jesus' ministry as He traveled through Perea on His way to Jerusalem: "When Jesus had finished saying these things, He left Galilee and went into the region of Judea beyond the Jordan" (Matthew 19:1). Perea's inclusion in the Gospel narratives underscores its role as part of the broader geographical context of Jesus' ministry.

The Roman division of the Holy Land into these four provinces had lasting implications for the political, social, and religious dynamics of the region. Each province played a unique role in the unfolding narrative of the New Testament, shaping the environment in which Jesus lived and the early Church emerged.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Luke 3:1
Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Ituraea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene,
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Jews and Gentiles in "The Land"
... number of foreign settlers, but the Holy Land itself was a ... of mixed and hostile races,
of divided interests, where ... the far north-east of the land, occupying at ...
/.../edersheim/sketches of jewish social life/chapter 2 jews and gentiles.htm

The Roman Power.
... Then the conquered land became a Roman province ... The army was divided into legions,
each about 6,000 men strong ... going into every part, even into the Holy of Holies ...
//christianbookshelf.org/yonge/the chosen people/lesson xix the roman power.htm

The Parts of the World in which the Apostles Preached
... Meanwhile the holy apostles and disciples of our Saviour ... the tradition, the apostles
were divided into three groups ... him suffer martyrdom in that land; and there ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/pamphilius/church history/chapter i the parts of the.htm

Letter cviii. To Eustochium.
... the language of Canaan, [2872] and through the land of Goshen ... it by my love for the
holy places; and ... of which she left to men, she divided into three companies ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/letter cviii to eustochium.htm

Imperial Tombs.
... mausoleum in Rome." The document is divided into three parts ... pilgrims on their return
from the Holy Land towards the ... of Agrippina the Elder, made into a measure ...
/.../lanciani/pagan and christian rome/chapter iv imperial tombs.htm

The Mystery
... For the Greek was divided into four parts; this last Roman ... profaneness gone forth
into all the land."""They say ... on Holy Baptism, affirms, that it is called a ...
//christianbookshelf.org/mede/a key to the apocalypse/the mystery 2.htm

In the Fifteenth Year of Tiberius C??sar and under the Pontificate ...
... ancient kingdom of Herod was now divided into four parts, Jud??a ... the Divine Baptism
in [1386] the Holy Spirit and ... the wilderness which are in the land of Israel ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter xi in the fifteenth.htm

Questions.
... 24. How did Esarhaddon fill the empty land of Samaria? 25. ... 14. What was Simon's work
with regard to the Holy Scripture? ... 28. Who divided his power on his death? ...
//christianbookshelf.org/yonge/the chosen people/questions.htm

The Holy See and the Wandering of the Nations.
... of our Lord Jesus Christ a kingdom divided against itself ... a restored empire of Augustus,
but an empire holy as well ... settled a fresh partition of the land had to ...
/.../allies/the formation of christendom volume vi/chapter i the holy see.htm

That the Scriptures are Divinely Inspired.
... Israel, and sometimes Jacob; and it was divided by Jeroboam son ... of wisdom and knowledge
which the Holy Spirit by ... which seventy souls became in that land as the ...
/.../origen/origen de principiis/chapter i that the scriptures are.htm