Sea of Galilee Area – Journey to Holy Land

Baptism in the Jordan River & Yardenit

webmaster — Tue, 28 Jun 2016 20:04:05 +0000

During the 7th century, St. Willibald saw many churches as well as the synagogue of the Jews in Tiberias. During and after the Crusader periods, the difficulty of visiting the surroundings of the lake in safety led many memories to be concentrated on Tiberias. A well-preserved ancient church from the Crusader period can be found in the city today. The church was restored in 1870 and is the present-day church of St. Peter on the lake shore is dedicated to the bestowal of the primacy: “Tend my sheep” in John 21,16. One of latest words of Jesus before taken to the Heaven.

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Mount Berenice and the Anchor Church in Tiberias

webmaster — Tue, 28 Jun 2016 19:28:36 +0000

Before the excavation some years ago, many scholars was believed to be remains of a palace belonging to Berenice, wife of Agrippa II describe in the book of Acts 25:13.

The church of Anchor measures 48 x 28 meters and includes an atrium courtyard, a basilica, tri-apsidal church and many rooms around the main building. The walls are made of square basalt blocks coated with white material and the floor is paved with incredible multi-colored mosaics.

During the excavations the archeologist found under the altar, a large stone block weighing almost half a ton. Though it has a hole in the center, making it looks like an ancient anchor, but it is 10 times heavier than the normal ancient anchor. It probably had spiritual significance to ancient Christians, maybe it is based on the verse: “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure” in Hebrews 6:19.

Tiberias, Sea of: called also the Sea of Galilee (q.v.) and of Gennesaret. In the Old Testament it is called the Sea of Chinnereth or Chinneroth. John (John 21:1) is the only evangelist who so designates this lake. His doing so incidentally confirms the opinion that he wrote after the other evangelists, and at a period subsequent to the taking of Jerusalem (A.D. 70). Tiberias had by this time become an important city, having been spared by the Romans, and made the capital of the province when Jerusalem was destroyed. It thus naturally gave its name to the lake.

“TIBERIAS, SEA OF,” Easton’s Bible Dictionary, n.p.

The city also appear in the Flavius Josephus Notes

… that there was now a great Proseucha, or place of prayer, in the city of Tiberias itself, though such Proseucha used to be out of cities, as the synagogues were within them. …

… as we have seen he was (sect. 39), took upon him to appoint a fast at Tiberias, and was obeyed; though indeed it was not out of religion, but knavish policy.

23 The character of this history of Justus of Tiberias, the rival of our Josephus, which is now lost, with its only remaining fragment, are given us by …

—“I have read (says Photius) the chronology of Justus of Tiberias, whose title is this, [The Chronology of] the Kings of Judah, which succeeded one another. This [Justus] came out of the city of Tiberias in Galilee. He begins his history from Moses, and ends it not till the death of Agrippa, the seventh …

… in the fourth year before the Christian era, and Tiberias began, as is well known, Aug. 19, A.D. 14, it is evident that the 37th year of Philip, reckoned from his father’s death, was the 20th of Tiberias, or near the end of A.D. 33 (the very year of our Savior’s death also), or, however, in the beginning …

HOW JOPPA WAS TAKEN, AND TIBERIAS DELIVERED UP

“EERDMANS DICTIONARY OF THE BIBLE,” Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible, vii.

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Tiberias and St. Peter’s Church

webmaster — Tue, 28 Jun 2016 18:53:25 +0000

In 1837 about one-half of the inhabitants perished by an earthquake. The population of the city is now about six thousand, nearly the one-half being Jews. “We do not read that our Lord ever entered this city. The reason of this is probably to be found in the fact that it was practically a heathen city, though standing upon Jewish soil. Herod, its founder, had brought together the arts of Greece, the idolatry of Rome, and the gross lewdness of Asia. There were in it a theatre for the performance of comedies, a forum, a stadium, a palace roofed with gold in imitation of those in Italy, statues of the Roman gods, and busts of the deified emperors. He who was not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel might well hold himself aloof from such scenes as these” (Manning’s Those Holy Fields).

After the fall of Jerusalem (A.D. 70), Tiberias became one of the chief residences of the Jews in Palestine. It was for more than three hundred years their metropolis. From about A.D. 150 the Sanhedrin settled here, and established rabbinical schools, which rose to great celebrity. Here the Jerusalem (or Palestinian) Talmud was compiled about the beginning of the fifth century. To this same rabbinical school also we are indebted for the Masora, a “body of traditions which transmitted the readings of the Hebrew text of the Old Testament, and preserved, by means of the vowel-system, the pronunciation of the Hebrew.” In its original form, and in all manuscripts, the Hebrew is written without vowels; hence, when it ceased to be a spoken language, the importance of knowing what vowels to insert between the consonants. This is supplied by the Masora, and hence these vowels are called the “Masoretic vowel-points.”

“TIBERIAS,” Easton’s Bible Dictionary, n.p.

“TIBERIAS, SEA OF,” Easton’s Bible Dictionary, n.p.

The city also appear in the Flavius Josephus Notes

… that there was now a great Proseucha, or place of prayer, in the city of Tiberias itself, though such Proseucha used to be out of cities, as the synagogues were within them. …

… as we have seen he was (sect. 39), took upon him to appoint a fast at Tiberias, and was obeyed; though indeed it was not out of religion, but knavish policy.

23 The character of this history of Justus of Tiberias, the rival of our Josephus, which is now lost, with its only remaining fragment, are given us by …

HOW JOPPA WAS TAKEN, AND TIBERIAS DELIVERED UP

“EERDMANS DICTIONARY OF THE BIBLE,” Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible, vii.

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Magdala

webmaster — Tue, 28 Jun 2016 18:05:39 +0000

The ruins of the ancient roman village is now enclosed within a wall. The archaeological research uncovered the ruins of the village dating from the time of Jesus, a Byzantine monastery. and ancient Synagogue. A mosaic floor featuring a fisherman's boat was found at the monastery.

The ruins of ancient village of Magdala are located on the north-west side of the Sea of Galilee, only 5 Kilometers north of Tiberias. This village was the Mary Magdalene's home land, today a town called Migdal by Israelis.

Magdala: A tower, a town in Galilee, mentioned only in Matt. 15:39. In the parallel passage in Mark 8:10 this place is called Dalmanutha. It was the birthplace of Mary called the Magdalen, or Mary Magdalene. It was on the west shore of the Lake of Tiberias, and is now probably the small obscure village called el-Mejdel, about 3 miles north-west of Tiberias. In the Talmud this city is called “the city of colour,” and a particular district of it was called “the tower of dyers.” The indigo plant was much cultivated here.“MAGDALA,” Easton’s Bible Dictionary, n.p.

Coasts of Magdala. Mark says, “The parts of Dalmanutha”.” These were probably small towns on the east side of the sea of Galilee, and near to each other. The evangelists do not say that he went to either of those towns, but only to the coasts, or parts, where they were situated. Albert Barnes, Barnes’ Notes on the New Testament (Altamonte Springs: OakTree Software, 2006), n.p.

Mary Magdalene. Mary of Magdala. She had peculiar cause of attachment to the Saviour, having been relieved by him of a most dreadful calamity, and restored to her right mind, after being possessed by seven devils, Mark 16:9. And the mother of Zebedee’s children. That is, of James and John, Matt. 10:2. Her name was Salome, Mark 15:40.Albert Barnes, Barnes’ Notes on the New Testament (Altamonte Springs: OakTree Software, 2006), n.p.

“And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to meat. And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner. And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on.

There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty.And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most?Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged.And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head.Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet.My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment.Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven.And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also? And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.” Luke 7:36–50 KJV

Many scholars connect the ancient Magdala to Taricheae. This agrees with Josephus’s frequent accounts elsewhere in his own Life, that Tiberius, and Taricheae, and Gamala, were under this Agrippa, junior, till Justus, the son of Pustus, seized upon them for the Jews, upon the breaking out of the war.

In 1985 a boat, called “the Jesus boat,” was discovered in the depths of the Sea of Galilee between the ancient harbors of Magdala and Ginnosar. Carbon–14 dating places the construction of the boat at about 40 B.C. The boat was likely in service on the Sea of Galilee during the first half of the first century A.D.Ted Cabal, ed., The Apologetics Study Bible (Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers, 2007), n.p.

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The Jesus Boat

webmaster — Tue, 28 Jun 2016 04:23:45 +0000

The Sea of Galilee Boat is historically very important to Jews People as an example of the type of boat used by their ancestors in the 1st century for both fishing and transportation across the lake of Kinneret. Previously only references made by Roman authors, the Bible and mosaics had provided to archeologists insight into the construction of these types of boats, and now, we can see exactly how it was built.

The boat is also very important to Christians because this was the kind of boat used by Jesus and his disciples, several of whom were fishermen and Jesus was in a boat like this. Boats such as this played a large role in Jesus' life and ministry, and are mentioned 50 times in the Gospels, though there is no evidence connecting the Sea of Galilee Boat itself to Jesus or his disciples.

“And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him. And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!”

Matthew 8:23–27 KJV

“Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.Now as he walked by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men.And straightway they forsook their nets, and followed him. And when he had gone a little further thence, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the ship mending their nets. And straightway he called them: and they left their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants, and went after him. And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught. And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes.”

Mark 1:14–22 KJV

“And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side.And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships. And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”

Mark 4:35–41 KJV

The ancient boat were found by brothers Moshe and Yuval Lufan, fishermen from Kibbutz Ginnocsar where the Boat of Jesus is exposed today. The brothers were keen amateur archaeologists with an interest in discovering artifacts from Israel's past and has hope to one day discover a boat in the Sea of Galilee, where they and generations of their family had fished. In 1986 when drought reduced the level of the lake, the two brothers examined the remains of the boat buried in the shore.

Immediately the brothers reported their discovery to the authorities who sent out archaeologists to investigate the discover. The boat is a tremendous important historical to Jews and Christians, a secret archaeological dig started undertaken by members of Kibbutz Ginosar, the Israel Antiquities Authority, and many volunteers. The boat dig from the mud without damaging it was a difficult process which lasted 12 days. The ancient wood was extremely fragile when exposed to the air and sun and the boat had to be rescued from the place it was found by wrapping it in a mantle of fiberglass and insulating foam. It was then submerged in a chemical bath for 7 years before it could be displayed at the Yigal Allon Museum in Kibbutz Dinosaur, the new house of the boat.

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Kursi – Gergesa, Golan Heights

webmaster — Tue, 28 Jun 2016 03:20:42 +0000

“And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way. And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time? And there was a good way off from them an herd of many swine feeding. So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine. And he said unto them, Go. And when they were come out, they went into the herd of swine: and, behold, the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the waters.And they that kept them fled, and went their ways into the city, and told every thing, and what was befallen to the possessed of the devils. And, behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus: and when they saw him, they besought him that he would depart out of their coasts.”

(Matthew 8:28–34 KJV)

The other side. The other side of the sea of Tiberias.

Country of the Gergesenes. Mark 5:1 says, that he came into the country of the Gadarenes. This difference is only apparent. Gadara was a city not far from the lake Gennesareth; one of the ten cities that were called Decapolis. See Note on Matt. 4:25.

Gergesa was a city about twelve miles to the south-east of Gadara, and about twenty miles to the east of the Jordan. There is no contradiction, therefore, in the evangelists. He came into the region in which the two cities were situated, and one mentioned one, and the other another. It shows that the writers had not agreed to impose on the world; for if they had, they would have mentioned the same city; and it shows they were familiar with the country. No man would have written in this manner, but those who were acquainted with the facts.

Albert Barnes, Barnes’ Notes on the New Testament (Accordance electronic ed. Altamonte Springs: OakTree Software, 2006), n.p.

And they came to the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gerasenes. 2 And when he had got out of the boat, straight away there came to him from the place of the dead a man with an unclean spirit. 3 He was living in the place of the dead: and no man was able to keep him down, no, not with a chain; 4 Because he had frequently been prisoned in chains and iron bands, and the chains had been parted and the bands broken by him: and no man was strong enough to make him quiet. 5 And all the time, by day and by night, in the place of the dead, and in the mountains, he was crying out and cutting himself with stones.

And when he saw Jesus from far off, he went quickly to him and gave him worship; 7 And crying out with a loud voice he said, What have I to do with you, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In God’s name, do not be cruel to me. 8 For Jesus had said to him, Come out of the man, you unclean spirit. 9 And Jesus said, What is your name? And he made answer, My name is Legion, because there are a great number of us. 10 And he made strong prayers to him not to send them away out of the country. Mark 5:1-10

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The Sea of Galilee

webmaster — Mon, 27 Jun 2016 19:33:09 +0000

The Sea of Galilee, also knowledge as Kinneret by Israelites, Lake of Gennesaret in the Biblie is the largest freshwater lake in Israel, and it is approximately 53 km in circumference, about 21 km long, and 13 km wide. The total area of the lake is 166.7 km2 approx. at its fullest, the maximum depth is approximately 43 m. At levels between 215 metres and 209 metres below sea level, it is the lowest freshwater lake on World and the second-lowest lake overall after the Dead Sea, a saltwater lake. The Sea of Galilee is fed partly by underground springs although its main source is the biblical Jordan River.

And Jesus went from there and came to the sea of Galilee; and he went up into the mountain, and took his seat there.

(Matthew 15:29 BBE)

Sea of Galilee. This was also called the sea of Tiberias, and the lake of Gennesareth, and also the sea of Chinnereth, Numb. 34:11; Deut. 3:17; Josh. 12:3.
It is about fifteen miles in length, and from six to nine in width. There is no part of Palestine, it is said, which can be compared in beauty with the environs of this lake. Many populous cities once stood on its shores, such as Tiberias, Bethsaida, Capernaum, Chorazin, Hippo, etc. The shores are described by Josephus as a perfect paradise, producing every luxury under heaven, at all seasons of the year. The river Jordan flows directly through the lake, it is said, without mingling with its waters, so that the course of the Jordan can be distinctly seen. The waters of the lake are sweet and pleasant to the taste, and clear. The lake still abounds with fish, and gives employment, as it did in the time of our Saviour, to those who live on its shores. It is, however, stormy, owing probably to the high hills by which it is surrounded.

Albert Barnes, Barnes’ Notes on the New Testament (Accordance electronic ed. Altamonte Springs: OakTree Software, 2006), n.p.

The waves, Sea of Galilee at sunrise
Tiberias view at sunrise, view from western beach
Tiberias view from Galilee Sea
Galilee Sea and Clouds
Fishermen on Galilee Sea at Sunrise
Tiberias view at sunrise
Windsurf on Galilee Sea
Galilee Sea
Karei Deshe, Galilee Sea
Mount of Beatitudes and Tabgha
Sea of Galilee at Sunrise
A Family in the Beach of Sea of Galilee
View of Tiberius Marina
Sea of Galilee
Galilee Sea view to Capernaum region
Sunrise in Galilee Sea
View over the Galilee Sea from Poryah Hill
Fishermen in Tiberius Marina, Galilee Sea
Galilee Fisherman at Sunrise
Galilee Sea Sunrise

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Peter’s House Church at Capernaum

webmaster — Mon, 27 Jun 2016 18:42:19 +0000

And he entered again into the synagogue; and there was a man there which had a withered hand. And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day; that they might accuse him. And he saith unto the man which had the withered hand, Stand forth.And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? But they held their peace. And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other.

(Mark 3:1–5 KJV)

Ancient travelers to Capernaum had long recognized the beautifully and preserved remains of the ancient synagogue, the white synagogue was build at Four Century AD abode and ruins of the ancient Synagogue of Jesus’ earliest teaching.

The village then expanded in the Hellenistic period (4th-3rd C BC), gradually replacing the focus from Tell Kinneret - as most of the Tells in Israel at that time. It was designed according to that period's urban design of straight lines, which was built in parallel to the main Roman imperial highway, that crossed the village on the northern side. Capernaum grew larger at the time of Jesus (early Roman period, 1st C AD), and a synagogue was built in the center of the village. It reached its peak in the Byzantine period when the grand white-stone Synagogue was built (end of the 4th C AD) over the earlier synagogue. An octagon church was built in the 5th C AD at the location of St Peter's house, and serviced the Christian citizens. At that time the village covered about 60 Dunams (6 Hectares), with a population of about 1,500. Note that the excavated area that is seen today is only 1/3 of the entire size of the village.

The village of Capernaum was prospered during the Byzantine period, and its citizens were mainly fishermen (as most of Jesus apostles), farmers, and professional that provided services to the Roman empire, roads and trade caravans, including tax collectors as was Matthew, the author of first Gospel in the New Testament.

Capernaum was partially destroyed in the Persian conquest. The destruction includes the Synagogue and the House of Peter Chapel in the VII Century AD, but the village continued to function for some time.

Capernaum in other references

By: Kaufmann Kohler, Frants Buhl

Small town by the Lake of Gennesaret, mentioned in the Gospels as the home of Jesus, where he resided after his rejection by his Nazareth townsmen (Matt. iv. 13, viii. 5-17, ix. 1, xi. 23, xvii. 24; Mark i. 21; Luke vii. 1 et seq.; John vi. 17; Eccl. R. to i. 6 and to vii. 26, as the dwelling-place of the Minim or Christian exorcists of the second century. See also Derenbourg, "Essai sur l'Histoire et la Géographie de la Palestine," p. 362). According to these passages it lay close by the lake, and contained a synagogue built by a centurion living there. The "receipt of custom" nearby (Matt. ix. 9) probably had made it necessary to station Roman soldiers in the town. The exact site of the town can not be definitely fixed. Josephus speaks of a spring "Kafarnaum," which watered the fertile plain of Gennesaret (now plain of Ghuwair) on the northwestern side of the lake. Hence the spring must be looked for in 'Ain al-Tabighah, on the northern slopes of the plain, since water was in olden times carried down to the plain through a conduit now in ruins. Accordingly the ruins of El-Minyah, in the extreme northern part of the Gennesaret plain, have been taken by some as the site of Capernaum. This assumption is further supported by the statement of the pilgrim Arculfus (middle of the seventh century; Tobler and Molinier, "Itinerarium Hierosolymitanum," p. 183) that Capernaum lay at the base of the southern slope of a mountain. This is not decisive, however, since Arculfus did not visit the town itself, but saw it from a distance, and his further remarks can not be applied to the site of the ruins of Minyah.

But Capernaum might also be identified with the ruins close by the Tabighah spring, discovered by Schumacher. However, Theodosius of the sixth century says that Capernaum was two Roman miles from the Heptapegon (or Tabighah) spring. Jerome also says that Capernaum was two miles distant from Chorazin (probably the Kerazah of to-day). These figures apply to the well-known ruins of Tell Hum, found near the lake and rapidly disappearing. Among the blocks of black basalt are found the remains of a marble synagogue, which show that a city once stood on this spot; and as the second part ("hum") of this name is also found in "Kefar Naḥum," many scholars identify these ruins with Capernaum. If the name "Tell Hum" was originally "Tenhum," this identification is made more probable on linguistic grounds, especially since "Kefar Tanḥum" and "Kefar Teḥumin" are frequently given as variants for "Kefar Naḥum." [See Kohut, "Aruch Completum,"s.v. ; Neubauer "G. T." p. 221; Grätz, "Gesch. der Juden," iii. 307 et seq.—k.] This location would harmonize with the statement of Josephus ("Vita," § 72) that, after his accident on the Jordan, he was carried to a village, Cepharnome (Kephar Nome). But the reading here is not certain (compare Niese), and, moreover, Capernaum was a town, not a village.

Bibliography:

Cheyne and Black, Encyc. Bibl.;
Hastings, Dict. Bible, and the literature given there.

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Church of the Primacy of St. Peter

webmaster — Mon, 27 Jun 2016 08:06:19 +0000

The modern Mensa Domini or Mensa Christi, the church structure was built in 1933 and incorporates parts of an earlier church from 4th century AD. At the base of its walls, opposite the main altar, the visitor can view the foundations of the 4th century. In the 9th century AD, the church was referred to as the Place of the Coals.

This name refers to the incident of Jesus' preparation of meal for the apostles in the Galilee Sea shores, building a charcoal fire on which to cook the fish and ask the disciples to joint him. The church was also mentioned in 808 AD as the "Twelve Thrones", a series of heart shaped stones, which were placed along the shore to mark the Twelve Apostles of Jesus. The church survived longer than any other in the area, finally being destroyed in 1263 AD. The modern Franciscan chapel was built in the same place in 1933.

This church was included in the itineraries of Popes Paul VI and John Paul II during their visits to Israel in 1964 and John Paul II was inside de chapel in March 2000 visits.

And the other disciples came in a little ship; (for they were not far from land, but as it were two hundred cubits,) dragging the net with fishes. As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread. Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now caught.Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken.

(John 21:8–11 KJV)

Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand

13 When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns.14 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.

15 As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.”

16 Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.”

17 “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered.

18 “Bring them here to me,” he said. 19 And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. 20 They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. 21 The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.

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The Village of Chorazin

webmaster — Mon, 27 Jun 2016 07:54:07 +0000

“Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.”

(Matthew 11:21 KJV)

””אוֹי לָךְ כּוֹרָזִין! אוֹי לָךְ בֵּית צַיְדָה! כִּי אִלּוּ נַעֲשׂוּ בְּצוֹר וּבְצִידוֹן הַפְּלָאוֹת שֶׁנַּעֲשׂוּ בְּתוֹכְכֶן, הֲרֵי מִכְּבָר הָיוּ חוֹזְרוֹת בִּתְשׁוּבָה בְּשַׂק וָאֵפֶר.“

(Matthew 11:21 MHNT)

Though it was not Jesus’ primary thrust in His First Advent to pronounce judgment, He did denounce sin. Here He specifically pronounced condemnation against the cities in which some of His most significant miracles had occurred— Korazin ... Bethsaida, and Capernaum, all three near the Sea of Galilee’s northwest shore. By contrast, three terribly wicked Gentile cities— Tyre and Sidon (v. 22), cities on the Phoenician coast 35 and 60 miles, respectively, from the Sea of Galilee (cf. 15:21), and Sodom (11:23), more than 100 miles south— would have repented if they had seen Jesus’ miracles. Their judgment, though terrible, is less than that on the Jewish cities. All three Galilean cities, in spite of their greater “light,” rejected the Messiah, and are today in ruins. Though Jesus lived in Capernaum for some time, it would not be lifted up to the skies, or exalted. Instead its inhabitants would go down to the depths, literally, to hades, the place of the dead.

Louis A. Barbieri Jr., Matthew (The Bible Knowledge Commentary; ed. John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck; Accordance electronic ed. 2 vols.; Wheaton: Victor Books, 1983), 2:44.

Chorazin kō̇-rā′zin (Χοραζίν, Mt 11:21; Χωραζίν, Lk 10:13; WH Χοραζείν): A city whose name appears only in the woe pronounced against it by Christ (Mt 11:21; Lk 10:13). Its appearance there, however, shows that it must have been a place of some importance, and highly privileged by the ministry of Jesus. It was already deserted in the time of Eusebius, who places it 2 miles from Capernaum (Onomasticon, under the word). We can hardly doubt that it is represented by the extensive ruins of Kerazeh, on the heights to the N. of Tell Hum. It is utterly desolate: a few carved stones being seen among the heaps. There are traces of a Roman road which connected the ancient city with the great highway between N. and S. which touched the lake shore at Khan Minyeh.

W. EWING

“Chorazin,” ISBE, n.p.

“Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in you, they had a great while ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.”

(Luke 10:13 KJV)

”אוֹי לָךְ כּוֹרָזִין! אוֹי לָךְ בֵּית צַיְדָא! כִּי אִלּוּ נַעֲשׂוּ בְּצוֹר וְצִידוֹן הַפְּלָאוֹת שֶׁנַּעֲשׂוּ בְּתוֹכְכֶן, הֲרֵי מִכְּבָר הָיוּ חוֹזְרִים בִּתְשׁוּבָה וְיוֹשְׁבִים בְּשַׂק וָאֵפֶר.“

(Luke 10:13 MHNT)

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