Perea

Perea in the Bible

The name "Perea" does not appear in the New Korean Revised Version of the Bible. The Gospels call this region "beyond the Jordan." Perea was an administrative district of the period, and the name is known from sources such as the writings of the first-century Jewish historian Josephus.

Gospel passages associated with this region include the following:

• Matthew 19:1 and Mark 10:1: Jesus leaves Galilee and goes "beyond Jordan." There follow the exchange about divorce, the blessing of the little children, and the conversation with the rich young man.
• John 1:28: The place where John the Baptist baptized is identified as Bethany beyond the Jordan.
• John 10:40: Jesus "went away again beyond Jordan into the place where John at first baptized; and there he abode."

Perea is distinct from Berea in Macedonia, mentioned in Acts 17:10.

Background

The name comes from the Greek Peraia, derived from peran, meaning "beyond" or "on the other side"; it denotes the land across the river as seen from the west side of the Jordan. Josephus describes the region as extending roughly from Pella in the north to Machaerus in the south. To the north it bordered the Decapolis, a league of Greek cities.

After the death of Herod the Great, his son Herod Antipas ruled this region along with Galilee. Josephus records that John the Baptist was executed at Machaerus, a fortress in the southern part of the region. The Gospels themselves do not name the place of execution.

In the Old Testament period, this area is generally thought to correspond to the land allotted to the tribes of Gad and Reuben (Numbers 32) and to overlap with southern Gilead. It is thus tied to the settlement history of the twelve tribes of Israel.

Interpretations and Debated Points

• Jewish pilgrimage route: It is often said that Galilean Jews traveled to Jerusalem by way of Perea in order to avoid Samaria. However, Josephus notes that Galileans sometimes went up through Samaria for the festivals. It is therefore difficult to state with certainty that this route was the general practice.
• The "Perean ministry": Some commentators use the term "Perean ministry" for the period late in Jesus' public ministry when He stayed east of the Jordan before going to Jerusalem. Some also link the travel narrative of Luke 9:51 through chapter 19 with this period. Others, noting that Luke does not explicitly say that Jesus crossed the Jordan, read this section as a theological composition rather than a geographical record.
• Bethany beyond the Jordan: Scholars disagree on the location of this Bethany. It is distinct from the Bethany near Jerusalem.

In the Korean Church

The name "Perea" does not appear in the text of the Korean Bible. As a result, Korean Christians usually encounter the name in Bible maps, commentaries, and Bible study materials that describe Jesus' final journey.