The Life of Jesus in Harmony | Index

Tyre

TYRE (a rock)-- an ancient seaport city of the Phoenicians north of Palestine. Tyre was the principal seaport of the Phoenician coast, about 25 mi south of Sidon and 35 mi north of Carmel. It consisted of two cities: a rocky coastal city on the mainland and a small island city. The island city was just off the shore. The mainland city was on a coastal plain, a strip only 15 mi long and 3 2 mi wide.

During the Roman period Tyre was rebuilt, eventually achieving a degree of prosperity. A Roman colony was established at the city. Herod I rebuilt the main temple, which would have been standing when Jesus visited the coasts of Tyre and Sidon (Mt 15:21-28; Mk 7:24-31). People of Tyre listened to Jesus as He taught (Mk 3:8; Lk 6:17. The Lord Jesus even cited Tyre as a heathen city that would bear less judgment than the Galilaean towns in which He had invested so much of His ministry (Mt 11:21-22; Lk 10:13-14).