Section 117b
Story to teach the danger of wealth
Perhaps Perea
| Luke 16:14-31 |
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| 14Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all these things and began ridiculing Jesus. 15So he said to them, “You justify yourselves in the sight of men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God. 16“The Law and the Prophets were until John0x3B since then the good news of the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone tries to force his way into it. 17But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one stroke of a letter to be dropped from the law. 18“Everyone who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery, and everyone who marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery. 19“Now there was a certain rich man who would dress in purple and fine linen, enjoying himself each day as he lived lavishly. 20There was also a poor man named Lazarus, who was laid at his gate, covered with sores. 21He longed to be filled with the crumbs that fell from the rich man's table, but instead the dogs would come and lick his sores. 22Now the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham's side, and the rich man also died and was buried. 23As he was in torment in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off, and Lazarus at his side. 24So he called out and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in agony in this flame.’ 25But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and in the same way Lazarus received bad things, but now he is here being comforted, while you are in agony. 26And besides all this, a great chasm is fixed between you and us, so that those who want to cross over to you from here cannot do so, nor can anyone cross over to us from there.’ 27He said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send Lazarus to my father's house, 28for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they too will not come to this place of torment.’ 29Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets0x3B they can listen to them.’ 30He said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ 31But Abraham said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.’ ” |
Notes
Perea
Perea was the term used by the historian Flavius Josephus, and others, for a section of the territory east of The Jordan River, opposite Judea and Samaria. Although the word Perea is not found in the Scriptures, the area was mentioned frequently in the Gospels as the “land beyond the Jordan”. John the Baptist baptized in Perea, and was also martyred there at Herod’s fortress of Machaerus. Jesus Christ often visited Perea during His ministry, and had many followers from there, which at the time had a large Jewish population.
Jesus spent most of his final 3 months before Passion Week traveling around Perea, teaching in its towns and villages. Jesus had been in Jerusalem for the Feast of Dedication (John 10:22-39), and the Jews tried to stone him again. He escaped their grasp and went back across the Jordan into Perea for the final months before his crucifixion. During these months he taught his disciples about the cost of following him and he tried to prepare them for his coming death.
Today, most of Perea is in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.