It's a walk

Officially, our tour is called Ancient Paths. Today, we hiked an ancient path.

We began our day with a climb up Mt. Arbel. We knew it would be a fun hike when we pulled up to the base of the mountain where several buses were parked and Rod said, “Maybe we’ll see some other hikers today... But I doubt it!” Sure enough, we did meet other groups: groups that had driven to the top and were hiking down to their buses, at the place we started!

Mt. Arbel is the mountain nearest the triangle of cities, no bigger than 3 miles by 5 miles, where Jesus did perhaps 75% of his ministry. So it’s most likely the mountain in Luke 6:12 where Jesus withdrew to pray before choosing his twelve disciples.

We’ve talked a lot in the last six days about discipleship, about following our rabbi. We’ve talked about following so closely that we’re covered in his dust (an image that a quick glance at our shoes easily reminds us of) and sitting at his feet. Following a rabbi is not just a list of propositions we put in our head or a list of beliefs we assent to. It’s a walk. It’s walking and living like the rabbi.

Peter understood this. When Jesus sent the disciples across the Sea of Galilee and went up to a mountain to pray (again, perhaps the very one we walked up today) and then later rejoined them by walking on the lake itself, Peter asked to get out of the boat and walk in the steps of his rabbi. And he did it, too, at least until he lost faith in himself and needed to be rescued by Jesus.

The rest of our day (besides enjoying the best falafel in Galilee!) was spent in the three cities that make up the triangle north of the Sea of Galilee. The first was Capernaum, where we saw the ruins of Peter’s mother-in-law’s house and the synagogue where Jesus taught. We explored how the simple fishermen who lived in that town became so much like their rabbi that they went to the far corners of the world and died for their faith. Rod asked us these question: are we disciples, or are we merely converts? Who are we following to learn more about what it means to follow Jesus? And who are we inviting to follow us?

From there, we went to the town of Chorazin and saw the ruins of a traditional first century house (or “insula”) that would have been the home to as many as 50-100 family members. These people had community built into their lives, and when the first followers of Jesus turned these houses into the first churches, where even “the least of these” were welcome alongside the greatest, the hierarchical Roman Empire had no answer to that kind of radical way of living.

And finally, we ended our day at Bethsaida, looking out on the Mount of the Beatitudes, where Jesus clearly laid out what it looks like to be his disciple. It’s a radical paradigm that values living as the poor in spirit instead of the rich, that sees mourning and meekness and hungering for righteousness and mercy as things to embrace and not to shun, and that sees as the fortunate those that are pure in heart and peacemakers and even persecuted. It’s a way of living that turns the values of Rome on their head, and it’s a way of living that changed the world.

We all continue to be blessed by the ways this story has changed us. More stories poored forth today of lives and priorities changed. More hidden fears and longings were brought into the light, and we rallied around each other like the members of the community we’ve become.

Because it’s not just about believing the right things. It’s a walk.

We’re looking forward to more walking tomorrow!

Written by Eric and Brenda T.