This is day four of your reading. I’m open to any and all feedback. Is this helpful to give you a “lay of the land”? If you have any thoughts or suggestions, please pass them on to me.
Chapter 10
- Notice Capernaum today.
(Click on photo to enlarge) – This is modern day Capernaum.
- Notice Capernaum in Jesus’ day.
(Click on photo to enlarge) – This is an artist rendering of Capernaum in Jesus’ day. It wasn’t a major city. We don’t know how many people lived there, but it was enough to have a synagogue. Perhaps somewhere between 1000 and 5000 people lived in Capernaum.
Chapter 11
- Notice the towns on the Sea of Galilee.
(Click on map to enlarge) – Here is a map with some of the towns in the Galilee region. To give you concept of size – the Sea of Galilee is 8 miles wide and 13 miles long. It is not a large body of water. You can easily see from one side to the other on a clear day.
- Notice the size of the Dead Sea.
(Click on map to enlarge) – It is easy to assume that John was in prison somewhere near Jesus, but the most likely location for the imprisonment of John the Baptist is on the east side of the Dead Sea. So when John sent his disciples to talk to Jesus – it was a trip that took several days, one way.
- Notice Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum.
(Click on map to enlarge) – The towns of Chorazin (Korazin) and Bethsaida are towns near Capernaum where Jesus ministered (11:1).
- Notice Tyre and Sidon.
(Click on map to enlarge) – Jesus refers to Tyre and Sidon and they can be seen on this map in reference to the Sea of Galilee. Tyre and Sidon are outside of Israel’s borders and were not followers of God.
Chapter 12
- Verse 6 – Notice Capernaum.
(Click on map to enlarge) – Notice verse 6.The temple was considered by all of the Jews as the most holy place imaginable. And Jesus – not being near the temple – claims that something greater than the temple was there in Capernaum (speaking of himself, of course).
- Notice the synagogue in Capernaum.
(Click on photo to enlarge) – This synagogue in Capernaum is from the 5th century. So it isn’t the synagogue spoken of in this passage, but it is certainly built on the foundation of the synagogue in which Jesus attended and taught.
- Notice the synagogue.
(Click on photo to enlarge) – We don’t know what town is referred to in verse 9 (“that place,” “their synagogue”), but it would have had a similar synagogue to what you see here.
- Notice the distance between the towns.
(Click on photo to enlarge) – Jesus begins to face some opposition. But remember, this all happens around the Sea of Galilee. Certainly news spread to Jerusalem, but not immediately or quickly. But around the Sea of Galilee, all the religious leaders were now aware of Jesus, concerned about his teachings, behavior, and influence. And the plots begin to end his life.
- Notice the distance from Nazareth.
(Click on map to enlarge) – It is significant that Jesus’ mother and brothers came to him. They likely traveled from Nazareth (perhaps because they were hearing about him even in Nazareth and wondering what was happening). It is about a 40-mile journey and would take a few days. So consider how insulting it would be to make a trip that far and have Jesus respond the way he did (vv. 48-50).
Meditations on Israel 