Capern

Jesus of Galilee
by Jim Myers
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Jesus spent most of his life in the area that surrounds the Sea of Galilee. I think it would be much more accurate to say that "Jesus was a Galilean," than it is to say "Jesus was a Jew." The word translated as "Jew" in the New Testament should be translated as "Judean" if we want to be accurate.

According to the Babylonian Talmud, the tribe of Napthali originally controlled the area around the Sea of Galilee (Baba Kama). The New Testament is filled with stories that records events that took place in that area. Jesus travels to the different towns in this area, as well as boating across the Sea of Galilee. Jesus often crossed the Jordan into the area controlled by Herod Philip, which at that time was known as Gaulinitis. Today, this area is part of the Golan Heights.

There was an ancient roadway running from Egypt to Babylon. If you followed the road from Egypt along the Mediterranean coast, you would turn inland near Caesarea and travel through the pass at Megiddo. There the roadway divided into four roads with one running to the Sea of Galilee through Capernaum. There is a real possibility that the Romans named it "Via Maris," which means the "Way of the Sea." Today there is a Roman mile marker from this ancient road on display at Capernaum.

The place that Jesus made his first public appearance, after his encounter with John the Baptist, was Capernaum, which is located on the north shore of the Sea of Galilee. Mark 1:21 And they go into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue and taught.

The New Testament makes it very clear that Jesus regularly went to the synagogue on the Sabbath and participated in the services (Luke 4:16) - And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and he entered, as his custom was, into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up to read.

Archaeologists have found a very old synagogue situated prominently in Capernaum. It is a white stone synagogue, much of which is still standing. This present structure has been dated to the fourth century CE, but underneath it is a black basalt foundation of a much older structure. This is the synagogue that many think that Jesus visited and taught.

Today the surviving frieze work on the fourth-century synagogue reveals much about Jewish life in the fourth century CE in Capernaum. The synagogue was decorated with the traditional flowers, pomegranates, palm trees and other symbols. Some of the stones indicate that it was also decorated with Hellenistic symbols such as the mythical Capricorn (sea horse) and a pair of eagles. Such symbols would have been forbidden during the life of Jesus.

However, three hundred years after Jesus, we can see that many changes had taken place. The ritual changes revealed in the synagogue simply mirror the changes that had taken place in the minds of the followers of Jesus. Just as Hellenistic and Roman beliefs and images made their way into the synagogue of Capernaum, they had also made their way in the beliefs about Jesus himself. No longer was he understood to be a Jewish messiah, he had been elevated to the status of a Roman god. No Jewish or Galilean attending a synagogue service during the first century, including Jesus himself, would have accepted or allowed such a belief to be voiced. But time has a way of making that, which was abhorrent to one generation, sacred to another.

It seems that even during the life of Jesus that Capernaum's residents were beginning to slip, to adopt the ways of the outsiders. I am sure that Jesus' words didn't make the local residents very happy.

Matthew 11:23-24 And you, Capernaum, shall you be exalted unto heaven? You shall go down unto Hades, for if the mighty works had been done in Sodom which were done in you, it would have remained until this day. 24 But I say unto you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for you.

Peter's House

Located prominently in the ruins of Capernaum is an excavation known as, The House of Peter. Underneath the modern church at this site are fifth and fourth-century churches, all built over the remains of a first-century dwelling/church. Archaeologists did not find in this dwelling the usual domestic utensils, but rather inscriptions and markings from early Christian pilgrims. They assume that it was an early Christian meeting place and place of pilgrimage from the first century. Interestingly, it is located just a stone's throw from the synagogue.

*Pictures courtesy of Dr. Joe Martin.

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