Christ’s journeys in the Gospels

Jesus’s public ministry, c. AD 27–30, ranges across Roman Palestine: a country roughly the size of New Hampshire. The Synoptic Gospels structure it as a Galilee phase based at Capernaum on the north shore of the lake (Mat.4.13, Mar.2.1, Luk.4.31), interrupted by a few sorties — to the country of the Gerasenes east of the lake (Mar.5.1), north-west to Tyre and Sidon on the Phoenician coast (Mat.15.21), and north to Caesarea Philippi at the foot of Mount Hermon (Mat.16.13). A single climactic journey then takes him south through Samaria and the Jordan valley to Jerusalem for the passion (Luk.9.51–19.28). John’s Gospel records at least three Passovers and weaves a more complex itinerary: an early ministry in Judaea and Samaria (Joh.2–4), repeated returns to Jerusalem for feasts (Joh.5, 7, 10), withdrawal beyond the Jordan to Perea (Joh.10.40), the raising of Lazarus at Bethany (Joh.11), and the final week. The total distance covered across the ministry is perhaps 4,500 km, most of it on foot.