Page 10 - Holyland Magazine - 2009 Edition
P. 10
Itamar Grinberg A trip along the shores of the Sea of Galilee brings you to the very places
where many of Jesus’ most moving miracles actually occurred.
SEA OF WO
sea of Tiberias,” we make our way to Anchors, boats and fishermen played a
Tiberias, a Jewish city on the lake’s western major role in Jesus’ experiences along these
shores that was originally built by Herod shores. Three miles north of Tiberias on
Antipas, the executioner of John the the way to Capernaum, the center of his
Baptist, and named after the Roman activity, was a small fishing village called
Emperor Tiberius. Since Jesus kept away Magdala (in Hebrew, Migdal meaning
from the major cities controlled by the tower). This was the birthplace of his
Romans, it is only mentioned once in the devoted disciple, Mary Magdalene, who
New Testament: “Other small boats from followed Jesus after he cast out her seven
Tiberias arrived near the place where they demons (Luke 8:1-2). Among some Roman
had eaten the bread after the Lord had ruins enclosed within a wall east of the
given thanks” (John 6:23).
After Mark Twain visited the Holy
Today, several small churches and
Land in 1867, he wrote of the Sea of monasteries dot the shore. One notable
Galilee that “this puddle” was no match for church worth visiting for its spectacular
Lake Tahoe (in his book The Innocents view is the Anchor Church, located on
Abroad or The New Pilgrims’ Progress). nearby Mount Berenice. In the impressive
These days, after seven years of drought ruins of a basilica, a heavy anchor sits at
in Israel, this may seem to be the case – the center of the stone altar, its size hinting
but certainly not for those travelers who to its possible religious significance as noted
drive down to the lake with a Bible in hand. in Paul's letter to the Hebrews: “We have
For it is here, more than any other place this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm
mentioned in the Bible, that the ministry and secure” (Heb. 6:19).
of Jesus – his teachings, miracles and activity
with his disciples – really comes to life.
Following the words of John 6:1, 23, “Jesus
went over the Sea of Galilee, which is the
10 “…this water flows there and makes the salt water fresh; so where the river flows everything will live” (Ezekiel 47:9)
