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Israel Study Tour - Troy Thomas & Marshall Holtvluwer
April 23 - May 3, 2018
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Galilee
What an excellent start to the day! We saw the first century fishing boat that was found in the Sea of Galilee. We were able to take pictures of it and get an idea of what the boats looked like that crossed the Sea in the first century. Then, as a group we set sail on the Sea. We danced together on the boat and had a great time.
We traveled to Mt. Arbel where Jesus could have went up to pray for which disciples he would choose. This is the traditional mount that is called the “Mount of Prayer” because rabbis would pray here to select their students. Luke accounts Jesus going up to a mountain top to pray before he selects the 12 disciples.
Mount Arbel
Mount Arbel (Hebrew: הר ארבל, Har Arbel) is a mountain in The Lower Galilee near Tiberias in Israel, with high cliffs, views of Mount Hermon in the Golan Heights, trails to a cave-fortress, and ruins of an ancient synagogue. Mt. Arbel sits across from Mount Nitai; their cliffs were created as a result of the Jordan Rift Valley and the geological faults that produced the valleys.
We then saw the ruins of an insula in Chorazin. This showed us how a family would have lived together in the first century. We could see the foundation of a small community with different rooms. Jesus very likely taught in the synagogue that was in this town. We got to see what a synagogue looks like and the different parts that make it up.
Chorazin
The synagogue at Chorazin is a typical “Galilean” style synagogue. These synagogues are characterized by 1) a basilical shape with three hallways separated by two rows of pillars; 2) three doorways and the central one is the largest; 3) benches around the interior walls; 4) a stylobate to support the weight of the arches.
Next, we were off to Capernaum. This was the headquarters of Jesus ministry. He spent a lot of time here and is where Peter and his family lived. We were able to see a large synagogue here. Capernaum is the place where Jesus healed the centurion's servant from death. We also got to walk into the church that is built directly over where Peter’s house is. We got to see the ruins of what is left of his house.
Capernaum
Jesus made Capernaum his home during the years of his ministry: “Leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum” (Matt 4:13).
Peter, Andrew, James and John were fishermen living in the village. Matthew the tax collector also dwelt here.
Capernaum is one of the three cities cursed by Jesus for its lack of faith.
We then had a very powerful moment near the shore of the Sea of Galilee at Tabgha. In John 21, John gives us the account of the disciples after the Resurrection. Confused after seeing the risen Jesus, they got back in their boats and began fishing again. Jesus appeared to them on the shore and told them to cast their nests on the other side of the boat. We stood on the shore where Jesus called out to them and where Peter swam to meet Jesus.
Matthew 5 tells of the Beatitudes. We were able to stand on the mountainside that Jesus preached these and the Sermon on the Mount from. The great backdrop of the Sea of Galilee from the mountain side could only have been improved if Jesus himself were present before us.
As always, your prayers are much appreciated!! We are having a great time here in Israel, but we still cannot wait to see our friends and family soon. God bless you!
Mount of Beatitudes
The so-called “Sermon on the Mount” is recorded in Matthew 5-7 and Luke 6. The alleged discrepancy between Matthew’s version being on a hill and Luke’s being on a level place is easily reconciled with observation of many level places on the Galilean hillsides. Scripture gives no indication of the exact location of this event, but the Byzantines built a church to commemorate it at the bottom of the hill. Some of Napoleon’s men placed it on the nearby Arbel mountain.
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