The Third Galilean Tour took around one year, from about the Passover of A.D. 29 to that of A.D. 30. It reached its heights after feeding of the 5,000 and the Sermon on the Bread of Life in Capernaum (John 6:1, 25).
But the tide of popularity began to turn against Jesus as it had the year before in Judea, and the majority of those who had followed Him left Him (John 6:60–66). This took place a few days before the Passover of that year, which Jesus did not attend (Mark 7:1).
The Third Galilean Tour had caused great disturbance for the Jewish leaders (Mark 6:14). So, after the Passover a group of religious leaders from Jerusalem came and accused Him of breaking down the religious requirements (Mark 7:1–23). But He silenced them by exposing their hypocrisy, and they were filled with anger which put His life in danger.
So, in line with His advice to the disciples, He took time off from Galilee for a time (Matt. 10:14, 23), as He had from Judea the year before when He was rejected by the leaders there (Matt. 4:12). This retirement northward closed His ministry in Galilee and took place less than one year before His death.
Although the reason for Jesus’ withdrawal to the vicinity of Phoenicia was to evade the scribes and Pharisees from Jerusalem, He wanted an a chance to teach His disciples to minister to non-Jews. The heathen also needed to hear the truth and He planned to lead the disciples to realize the needs of the heathen. For they too were precious souls for the kingdom of heaven.
In that area, Jesus performed only one miracle during His visit to Phoenicia. This visit was not a missionary journey like the three tours of Galilee were. For Jesus isolated Himself from the masses and kept His presence there a secret (Mark 7:24).
In His service,
BibleAsk Team
