We spent about three days in the area around the Sea of Galilee.  Scripture speaks often of this area, so let’s take a look at it!

On this map you will see Megiddo and Nazareth, two cities we have already discussed.  Following visits there, we traveled eastward to the Sea of Galilee, where Tiberias became our “home” for about three days.  Tiberias lies on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee and is a modern city of around 40,000.  Thought to be founded during the first century AD by Herod Antipas (Herod the Great’s son), the city was named for the Roman Emperor, Tiberius Caesar.  Today, the city of Tiberias sits beautifully on the slopes of the Galilee.

Remember that Jesus grew up in Nazareth, yet much of His ministry was in the Galilee area.  In fact, according to some scholars, 75% of Jesus’ ministry occurred in the “golden triangle,” made up of Capernaum, Chorazin, and Bethsaida.  Take a look at the map above.  That triangle is a very small, 7 square mile area!  I won’t be dogmatic about the 75%, but I have done a quick survey of the Gospels and can attest to the fact that a very large percentage of Jesus’  ministry was indeed in that area!

Recall that Jesus grew up in Nazareth, southwest of the Sea of Galilee, and Mark 2 indicates that Capernaum became His home during His ministry.  Based on the passage we discussed in yesterday’s post, we know that Jesus returned to Nazareth at least once.  He would have walked the 30 or so miles between the two cities, and would have traveled through the Valley of Doves, beneath the high cliffs of Mt Arbel.

 

Get ready…we’re going to walk where Jesus walked!  Over the next several days we’ll “re-tour” the sites around the Sea of Galilee and the northern boundary!