Day 07 - Katzrin (cultural experience), Magdala, Ancient Boat, Galilee Boat Ride

Jesus was born in Bethlehem but grew up in a town called Nazareth. Hence, Jesus is often referred to as “Jesus of Nazareth.” There aren’t many stories set in Nazareth, however, and there is little in the way of ancient ruins here. That said, there is one particularly significant site preserved in Nazareth – the likely place where an angel named Gabriel visited a young virgin named Mary in her home.

The Byzantines were the first to build a church commemorating Gabriel’s visit to Mary. Centuries later the Crusaders built a church on top of that, and in the 20th century, the Roman Catholic Church built a church on top of that. It’s a beautiful complex decorated with works of art depicting Mary and the baby Jesus from around the world.

God had long ago promised to send His Messiah through the line of David. Every woman from the line of David, then, hoped to be the mother of the Messiah. “At just the right time,” as Paul says, God chose to send His son through a peasant girl – probably no older than thirteen or fourteen years old – living in a small Galilean town of no more than two hundred people.

The angel’s message would have radically changed Mary’s life. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, but she was still a virgin when Gabriel appeared. What would Joseph think when he found out she was pregnant? What would her parents – and her community – say? Would they believe her?

Mary had a lot to lose. Joseph could end their engagement if he believed she had been unfaithful to him. Her parents could disown her. Her community could shame her for getting pregnant out of wedlock. But in that moment, this young teenage girl said yes. “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” (Luke 1:38, ESV)

It’s always struck me that Mary led with her identity. She was a servant of the Lord. She didn’t become a servant of the Lord at that encounter. She already was one. And so, she responded as a servant of the Lord must – in obedience.

How about us? If we claim to be servants of the Lord, how quick are we to obey when it’s hard or uncomfortable or costly? Mary was quick to say yes to God’s call. I want to be quick to say yes, too.

We then moved onto a site in the Golan Heights called Katzrin. It isn’t a biblical site, but the ruins there date back to the first century. What makes Katzrin unique is that it offers a hands-on cultural experience. The moment we stepped through the gates, we were directed to a rack of robes and a basket of headdresses to wear. We learned about winemaking – and even got to stomp barefoot on grapes to produce a small bottle of juice (the brave – or maybe crazy – among us even tasted it). We learned how to make incredibly simple and incredibly delicious bread. The experience you have at Katzrin is dependent upon the time of year. At the end of the olive harvest, for example, we would have learned about oil pressing rather than winemaking. There’s also a reconstructed home at Katzrin. They took the ruins they found there and rebuilt what would have been a typical first-century home complete with a thatched roof.

We read the story of some men who brought their paralyzed friend to be healed by Jesus. That story didn’t happen here, but the house placed it in context. It happened at a house like this one. The people heard that Jesus had returned to His home in Capernaum. They packed inside, hoping to hear Him teach. When the men arrived with their friend, they couldn’t get in. They undoubtedly begged people to let them through. They must have exhausted every option – except for one. They climbed on top of the house and began chipping away at the roof.

Imagine this for a moment. Jesus is teaching to a room crowded with people and suddenly dirt and twigs begin falling from the ceiling – first in small pieces and then in large chunks. It would have taken a while for the men to make a hole large enough to lower their friend down. I imagine the crowd grumbling at the interruption and inconvenience. I imagine Jesus looking up, watching, waiting, smiling.

They eventually get their friend lowered to the ground in front of Jesus. I imagine the men peering down through the now opened ceiling, hoping and praying Jesus will heal their friend. Jesus, though, sees that this man needs more than physical healing – he needs spiritual healing. So, He takes care of that first. “Friend,” He says, “your sins are forgiven.”

This caused quite a stir among the scribes and Pharisees in the crowd. Only God could forgive sins. Was this man – this rabbi from Nazareth – claiming to be God? Yes, He was. Then He confirmed His claim by doing what the men had hoped He would. “Rise,” He told the man. “Pick up your mat and go home.” And He did.

I want friends like that. I need friends like that. I need people who will bring me to Jesus when I don’t have the strength to bring myself. Do you have those friends? If you do, you know how sweet it is to have people who will tear a hole through a roof to get you to the Savior. If you don’t, I hope you’ll find friends like that – and I hope you’ll be that kind of friend to others. I certainly want to be.

Our next stop was the Sea of Galilee itself. In the mid 1980s, archaeologists discovered a first-century fishing boat buried beneath the seashore. They were able to extract it from the mud and sand and it’s now on display at the Yigal Allon Museum on the west side of the Sea of Galilee. We first visited the museum and then went on a boat ride around the Sea.

A local fisherman named Peter (yes, really) joined us and gave a demonstration on how fishing was done in the first century. He showed us how to cast the weighted nets, how to know when they closed, and how to draw them back up to the deck. We didn’t catch anything (fishing is best done in the early hours of the morning while it’s still dark), but it was incredible to see the process.

We talked about the many stories that took place in and around the Sea of Galilee. Jesus called His first disciples here. He calmed a storm that came raging over the sea one night then cooked breakfast for His disciples and restored Peter on these shores. Jesus had just finished a long day of teaching. He had fed five thousand people with just five loaves of bread and two small fish. Jesus stayed behind to dismiss the crowd and to spend time alone in prayer, and the disciples got into their boat and headed towards Capernaum.

The winds began to blow harder and the sea grew rough. The disciples had been rowing for three or four miles, fighting against the choppy waves, when they saw a figure coming toward them, walking on the water. The book of Matthew tells us they thought He was a ghost and that, understandably, terrified them. But Jesus called out to them, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” (Matthew 14:27, ESV)

“Do not be afraid” is the most common command in the Bible. But fear comes so naturally, doesn’t it? Anxiety is so often a familiar companion in our lives. How could God command us not to fear?

“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name, you are mine.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
and the flame shall not consume you.” (Isaiah 43:1b-2, ESV)

He is with us. That is how God can command us not to fear. I have every reason in the world to be afraid – to be anxious – if He is not with me. In fact, I’m probably wise to be afraid if He is not with me!

But He is. He is with me in the roughest waters and the most scorching flame. And He’s with you. Fear would have us believe that we’re on our own. The truth is that if you belong to Jesus, you are never without Him. There’s nothing to fear so long as He is near.

Our last stop was the ancient village of Magdala. The ruins were found in 2009 when construction for a large retreat center on the Sea of Galilee began. A first-century synagogue was discovered and soon they had uncovered large portions of the town. The Bible tells us that Jesus taught in synagogues throughout Galilee (Luke 4:14-15). Given His friendship with a woman named Mary who came from Magdala, He was almost certainly taught here.

We ended our day sitting in the chapel at Magdala, overlooking the Sea of Galilee. We had a few moments to think and pray about all that we have experienced so far. It was a peaceful way to finish our day.

Tomorrow, we head further north to the Upper Galilee region. We’re excited for what’s ahead and all too aware that our time here is soon coming to a close.