Galilee-Nazareth-Caesarea
Concluding a great trip
Our time in Israel ends today as we fly out to Naples, Italy for a few days and then back to Redding.
What a trip!
Even though this is my ninth time to Israel, I have enjoyed it the most. I love coming with students, but being with friends and sharing with them what I have seen and experienced (along with several new experiences for the first time) has been very rewarding. In the days ahead, I need to think about whether I want to lead more trips here.
After spending three nights in Tiberius, we left Friday morning and drove past Magdala and the Arbel Cliffs around to Capernaum. The group had decided on two spots to visit of the many on the northwest end of the Sea of Galilee: Capernaum and Mt of Beatitudes (scores of loaded tour busses plying the road made this an easy decision).Â
Capernaum, of course, was Jesus’s home base, probably at the house of Peter. From very early, even the first century, one house in Capernaum was revered as Peter’s house and over the centuries several churches were built atop the spot. Today the archaeological remains are visible and a modern church hovers above.
Just north of the house is an elaborate and fairly well-preserved fourth century synagogue which lies atop first century stones—very likely from the synagogue Jesus taught in.
Our most meaningful time at Capernaum was on the other side of Peter’s house overlooking the Sea of Galilee to the south. We could easily imagine Jesus teaching from a boat there and I read a short passage in Mark 4 of Jesus doing just that. Afterwards we just sat in silence for a few minutes taking in the peace and significance of the place.
About ten minutes away and up the hill stands the modern Church of the Beatitudes. When we arrived I figure 200 tourists were there (our rest stop took a while!). Nonetheless in the church itself, though busy, we were able to sit in silence for a few minutes and contemplate Jesus’s words. We found a grassy area off to the side and I read Matthew 5; we finished by praying the Lord’s Prayer. A good ending to our time in Galilee.
Our next destination was the sprawling city Nazareth, where we overnighted. On the way we found a nice winery for lunch with a spectacular view to the south and east including the Sea of Galilee.
The drive into Nazareth was the toughest of the entire trip. I was somewhat expecting it since I had been on a number of busses in the past winding the narrow streets. But actually driving, even in a car, was an adventure, almost nightmarish, with tight turns, 20 degree down hill grades with cars pressing on either side, and a dead end or two with a turn-around.
The map programs were challenged to say the least.
Nonetheless, we made it to our place unscathed and after checking in made our way a few blocks to the Church of the Annunciation, built atop the traditional spot of the annunciation to Mary and some first century ruins. The number of tourists and several masses taking place made contemplation difficult, but the church itself, with art from around the world and colorful stained glass, was a sight to behold.
That is about all there is to visit in Nazareth. We know Jesus grew up there and started his ministry in the synagogue there but no archaeological evidence remains. Outside of town to the south is a cliff that is the traditional spot where the crowd took Jesus to throw him over (Luke 4), but it is traditional at best. We did not stop to see it (though I have in the past and it gives a great view of the Jezreel Valley and Mt. Carmel).
After a nice dinner, sleep and a great breakfast, we made our way on Saturday morning out of Nazareth (way easier than getting in) and west through a pass in Mt. Carmel to the coast and our last destination, Caesarea Maritima. We dropped our luggage at our accommodations, then spent several hours walking the enormous ruins of another place that is connected forever to Herod the Great.
Herod took a small coastal town called Strato’s Tower and turned it into a magnificent major port city with a large artificial harbor constructed of recently developed hydraulic concrete. Along with a palace jutting into the Mediterranean, a theatre, an amphitheater, a temple to Roma and Augustus oriented toward Rome, a sewer system flushed by the sea and who knows what else, Herod founded a city that flourished for 600 years, then continued in use through the early Islamic and Crusader periods.Â
Caesarea was also a significant location for early Christianity.
Peter came here early on to bring the gospel message to Cornelius and his family. Philip moved here and raised seven daughters. And Paul was brought here for safety by the Romans from the wrath of the Jews in Jerusalem, who branded him a heretic for following Jesus. Paul remained in custody in Herod’s palace-turned-Roman-praetorian for three or four years and may have written several letters from there (Philippians is often mentioned as a possibility). Paul gave defenses before Felix, Festus, and Jewish King Agrippa II, before being transported to Rome.Â
For me, Caesarea recalls my first trip to Israel when I dug at the foundations of Herod’s temple for a month, and at the same time came upon the topic of my dissertation, the Roman cult of Mithras at Caesarea. The site has been excavated substantially more in the past 30 years, but is still recognizable, and brings back great memories.
Today our trip ended with a drive to Ben-Gurion Airport, returning the car, and going through the (arduous) process of getting through the Israeli security. Thank the Lord it went without a hitch. We now fly to Naples for a few days (during which I may or may not get a post out).
Thank you all for reading and I welcome any comments.
An Invitation
Are you interested in learning New Testament Greek? I will be teaching an intensive course with 50 hours of live instruction via Zoom from June to August. Please contact me at jack.painter@gmail.com or go to https://www.rightonmission.org/intro-to-new-testament-greek for more information. I would love to have you!