We had another wonderful day in Galilee. On the map we started at the star in the east coast of the Sea of Galilee which is call Ein GeV, the converted kibbutz where we are staying, and we visited 5, 6, 7, 8 & 9.
5. Qatsrin
Supposed to travel across the lake by boat this morning but there was a Zach with the boat people so we headed to our next stop, Qatsrin where they have built a whole village recreating what life would have been like in 1st century Galilee. We sat in the room of one of the houses and read the story of the friends bringing a paralytic to Jesus and tried to imagine the scene. It was very moving.
Was Jesus as carpenter? Maybe more like a master builder, weathered and strong that helped him endure a Roman whipping. The word tekton is the Greek word used and from it we get archi-text. Often in people’s homes helping them build renovate repair their homes, understood work, understood people.
On the way to Capernaum we stopped along the lake where Jesus stilled the storm and then where they were blown off course and ended up in Gentile territory and he healed the demoniac. We talked about how people feared the power of the sea and the wind, and then about how Jesus demonstrated his power even over those forces. But Yahweh rules the Sea – psalm 77:16ff, Psalm 89:7ff, also seeLuke 8:22 where Jesus fell asleep – just like Jonah did. Wind off the Mediterranean is channeled like a wind tunnel causing 4-6 ft waves.
In the OT it is Yahweh and Yahweh alone who has that powerso that Jesus is making a symbolic claim to divinity. When Jesus heals the demoniac they go into the herd of pigs and the pigs rushed over the cliff into the lake.
6. Capernaum
Jesus moved to Capernaum from Nazareth and used this village as a base for his ministry in Galilee. There are some fabulous ruins like a 4th century synagogue built over a 1st century synagogue.
I’m going to post this now and pick it up later today.
Father Wismer 