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Day 2 – Capernaum and Bethsaida
A 6:30 wake-up call and by 8:00, breakfasted and prepared for a day with a real variety of activities, we’re on the bus.
First stop, Capernaum. This is where Jesus was “based” during his ministry. Unlike in his home town where everyone knew he was “a carpenter’s son,” in Capernaum he found some receptive souls to whom he spoke as a rabbi (a holy man, not what we think of as rabbis today; there was no “credentialling” organization then). Olene recounted the eight healings recorded in the Bible as happening at Capernaum (but remember, I’m not taking notes so I’m not going to list them here!). In fact, there were more healings that Jesus did here (as recorded in the Bible) than in any other location. Well, OK, one was of Peter’s mother-in-law. Another the crippled man let down through the tiles.
The town probably held 50-100 families (of 8 to 12 people each), so it was a decent size. There was a synagogue in this community, too. And now a monastary and church on the site, with the church built over the site of a community meeting room where Jesus most likely taught.
One of the things I had always thought would be interesting, if fruitless to ponder, was considering whether or not I was walking just where Jesus and the early disciples did. But you know, since there is so much layered dirt and excavation (and some reconstruction and repair), that’s not really so interesting to me. But what has occurred to me is that all of those folks looked at the same surrounding hills that I’m seeing today. Somehow that has even more meaning to me.
Now on to our next stop, Bethsaida! So interesting that for a place with a name I recognize well from my Bible study, it was abandoned for so many years that it was just buried under lots and lots of dirt. One man, Dr. Rami Arav, has been guiding excavation activites there now for 30 years or so. Nancy and Olene were actually volunteers for two weeks on site, 12 years ago, so they had some cool stories to tell. But the site is not on the tourist express. In fact, there are few signs and the restrooms were only built last year! Good for us — we got an experience not many get to have.
Dr. Rami showed us a Roman coin found on the site which, by the name, date, and writing on it, could be dated to a specific period of history. Fascinating. He walked us through the site, explaining the different rooms so far uncovered. He showed an intrepid group how the excavation is done. I did my part and took pictures. ;-0
It was VERY hot, so our next stop was one we were all looking foward to — kyacking on the Jordan River. This was a blast, and nice and cool. We bumped some boats (rubber kyacks and rafts) along the way and saw some beautiful birds. Also one big bull munching by the side of the river, back-side to us and paying us no nevermind.
After a quick rinse, back on the bus and to lunch! Many folks had “St. Peter’s” fish, so named after the fish Jesus told Peter to look for in order to pay the taxes. Now apparently this fish (kind of talapia) is a bottom feeder attracted to shiny things, so it wouldn’t have been all that uncommon to find a coin in him. But what was uncommon was that the amount of the coin was exactly what was needed to pay the current tax bill. Manna for today, indeed.
After lunch was a visit to the boat from Jesus’ time that was found one year not too long ago during a drought. Really interesting story about how it was found, temporarily preserved (polyurethane foam spray to hold the water in and encase it — if it had dried out, the wood would have crumbled), and moved (floated/sailed in its casing). It, and the items found on it (oil lamp and container) have been dated to the time of Jesus.
After this stop, we headed for a ride on a “Jesus Boat.” This took us across the Sea of Galilee back to Tiberias where our hotel is located. Interestingly, Nancy said that the water is generally relatively calm, but today there was a lot of wind. We bounced around a bit in the waves and got sprayed not a few times! It provided an interesting first-hand experience of how this water could be so boisterous in a storm that the disciples throught they would drown.
Then back on the bus for a short ride to the hotel with a short clean-up time and then dinner. Afterwards, Nancy and Olene shared some things gained from their study about some Bible stories having to do with the Sea of Galilee (actually, as I said, it’s a lake since it’s entirely surrounded by land, but this is an “error in translation” that seems to have stuck).
So now I think I’m up to date. We’re not getting much down time on this trip, at least not so far, but I’m going to try to keep up. So much is happening each day that I want to record what I remember before one day gets crowded out by the next. I’m putting a selection of pictures in a slideshow each day. I’m doing video, too, and may someday (after the trip) get that online. We’ll see.
For now, night falls on Day Two’s adventures. Up again at 6:30 AM!
