John Appelt Supporter

Except for the brief time living in Egypt as a child, Jesus lived all His life within the boundaries of Israel. 

Mark 7:24 seems to say Jesus went into the region Tyre and Sidon, and in Mark 7:31, it seems to say He went from there into Decapolis. In both of these verses, the Greek word “horion” or “methorion” (“meta” or “with” plus “horion” or “boundary”) means border. The Septuagint version often uses “horion” (like English “horizon”) for borders as in Genesis 47:21 when it says, “from one end of Egypt’s border to the other.” Also, it is used for boundary in Exodus 23:31.

So this could mean either a territory bound by borders or an area or vicinity near a border. The evidence points to lands near the border. This is reflected in the Aramaic Bibles “to the border(s) of...”

It is also proven by the account of the Syro-Phoenician woman with the demon-possessed daughter, Matthew 15:21-28 and Mark 7:24-30. Jesus made it clear to her that His mission was to the people of Israel. He said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” If Jesus had crossed the border He would have contradicted Himself about His mission. 

He also told her, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.” But the woman, though a Gentile, still had a remarkable faith to believe, even requesting such crumbs that fall from the table. She was not disappointed. Christ did not ignore the Gentiles in the land who were seeking Him, Mark 3:8, John 12:20.

Then Mark 7:31 says Jesus left the borders of Tyre and Sidon to go to the borders of Decapolis. Jesus also did not go within the Decapolis region predominantly Gentiles, but to the area near the border or the area approaching the borders of the ten-city region.

Jesus’ mission was only to Israel. As the angel stated to Joseph, Jesus “will save His people from their sins,” Matthew 1:21. Furthermore, Jesus prohibited the disciples from going across borders, but “...go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel,” Matthew 10:5-6. Only after Jesus rose from the dead and after a short period of time as recorded in Acts, did the mission extend outside the boundaries of Israel. At first, the apostles were commanded to remain in Jerusalem, Luke 24:44-49, ministering to the Jews, Acts 1-7. Then Acts 8 saw the gospel going into Samaria. Acts 10 relates how it went to the Gentiles, Romans 15:9-12. The disciples at that time were rather surprised about the new aspect of going among the Gentiles and interacting with them, as if it was not a practice of Jesus and the early disciples to do so.

During His ministry, Jesus never went outside the borders of Israel. Every step of His journeys covered every area of his nation, even as Matthew Henry wrote, to “the dark corners of the country, the most remote.”

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