SEVENTH STUDY
The Year of Opposition
From the Retirement to Phœnicia to the Anointing by Mary
Part One
I. General Aspects of the Period.
1. It was a year, lacking one week. Jesus did not attend the third passover of his ministry. We find him at this time still in Galilee, and soon afterward leaving Galilee for "the coasts of Tyre and Sidon" (John 7. 1-3; Mark 7. 24). Nearly a year later, on the week before the fourth passover, we find Jesus at Bethany, where the anointing by Mary took place (John 12. 1, 2). Between these two passovers came the year of opposition.
2. It was a year of wandering. During this period we notice that Jesus was in constant motion, staying only a little while at each place, and in succession visiting all the five provinces of Palestine. Notice the province referred to in each of the following references: John 7. 1; Mark 7. 31; Mark 8. 27; Luke 9. 51, 52; Mark 10. 1; John 10. 40.
3. It was a year of retirement. We do not find that Jesus sought the multitudes during this year, though in new places he was sought by them (Luke 11. 29; 12. 1). He seems to have chosen most of the time a secluded life, preferring to be alone with his disciples. See instances in Mark 7. 24, 32, 33, 36; 8. 22, 23, 26; 9. 30.
4. It was a year of instruction. He chose to be alone with his disciples, knowing that he was rapidly nearing the close of his life on earth; and he wished to instruct his chosen followers in the deeper truths of the gospel before he should be taken from them. His teaching in this period presented the spiritual side of truth and the doctrines of the cross. Notice how often during this year he foretold his own death (Mark 8. 31; 9. 31, 32; 10. 32-34; John 12. 7, 8).