Mark 10:1 - Exposition

Instead of the words, into the coasts of Judea by the farther side of Jordan , the passage, by a change of reading from διὰ τοῦ to καὶ . He will run thus: into the coasts ( borders ) of Judaea and beyond Jordan. Our Lord was now on his last progress towards Jerusalem. It would appear from St. Luke ( Luke 9:51 ) that in the earlier part of his journey he touched the frontier of Samaria. Putting the accounts together, we conclude that, being refused by the Samaritans, he passed eastwards along their frontier, having Galilee on his left, and Samaria on his right; and then crossed the Jordan, perhaps at Scythopolis, where was a bridge, and so entered Peraea. As Judaea and Galilee both lay west of the Jordan, this route above described would be literally coming "to the borders of Judaea and beyond Jordan." Again multitudes flocked together to him, and again he taught them. St. Matthew ( Matthew 21:1 ) says that "he healed them." His miracles of healing and his teaching went hand in hand.