Jesus Remembered: Christianity in the Making, vol. 1

§9.9 The Historical Context
tradition of well-to-do figures adopting a patronal role in regard to a popular
preacher was hardly new even then. 330
The relative silence of the Jesus tradition with regard to Jesus' attitude to
Herod Antipas is probably best correlated with its silence in regard to Antipas's
two chief cities in Galilee (Sepphoris and Tiberias), suggesting a shared, and perhaps
political, motive. Such possible allusions to Antipas as we find in Matt.
11.7-8/Luke 7.24-25 331 and Mark 10.42-45, 332 as well as the one explicit reference
in Luke 13.31-33, imply a coded critique — coded no doubt in the light of
what happened to the Baptist as a result of his outspoken criticism, but a critique
nonetheless. 333 This strengthens the suspicion that the silence of the Jesus tradition
as to any visit by Jesus to these cities is deliberate, and it suggests that Jesus
may have deliberately avoided them as seats of Herodian power in Galilee. 334
f. Mission through Galilee (and Beyond?)
The northwestern quadrant of the lake seems to have been the heartland of Jesus'
mission. But he is also remembered as having travelled widely throughout
Galilee. 335 Particular villages have become lodged in the Jesus tradition — a return
to Nazareth (Mark 6.1-6 pars.) after he had already relocated at Capernaum
(Luke 4.23) and miracles at Nain (Luke 7.11) 336 and Cana. 337 A commissioning
of disciples to go about preaching 'from village to village' (kata tas komas —
peror Tiberius (14-37) is the more likely candidate (Holy Land 205). At any rate, the archaeological
evidence suggests that it was still little more than a village (Reed, Archaeology 184; see
also R. Arav, 'Bethsaida', OEANE 1.302-305).
330. Contrast Schottroff and Stegemann: 'The rich of Palestine were not among the disciples
of Jesus' {Hope of the Poor 53); but are we in a position to draw such a sweeping conclusion?
331. See below chapter 11 n. 183.
332. Freyne, 'Jesus and Urban Culture' 199-200.
333. Note also the two references to the Herodians (see above §9.3c[4]) in Mark 3.6 and
12.13-17 par. (see below §15.3c).
334. Reed, Archaeology 137-38.
335. In summary statements: Mark 1.39/Matt. 4.23; Mark 6.6/Matt. 9.35; Luke 8.1.
Josephus speaks of 204 villages in Galilee (including Upper Galilee) (Life 235). They would
range in size from a few score inhabitants to relatively large towns of several thousand (Horsley,
Galilee 190-93).
336. Traditionally identified with modern Nein, SSE of Nazareth, on the northern slope
of the hill of Moreh, so properly in the plain of Jezreel (J. F. Strange, 'Nain', ABD 4.1000-1).
This may indicate that it was not part of Lower Galilee proper (cf. Reed, Archaeology 116); but
no clarity has been achieved regarding the southern border of Lower Galilee during this period.
337. John 2.1, 11; 4.46; Cana is indicated as Nathanael's hometown (John 21.2). It is
usually identified with a site some 14 km north of Nazareth (J. F. Strange, 'Cana', ABD 1.827).
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