In Galilee: Walking in the Footsteps of the Anointed One, pt 4

On Wednesday we visited two other sites that have at least a tangential relationship to Jesus’ Ministry. In Matthew 11, Jesus curses several cities for their lackluster response to the work that God is doing in them through Him:

Then he began to reproach the towns where most of his mighty deeds had been done, since they had not repented. "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would long ago have repented in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. And as for you, Capernaum: 'Will you be exalted to heaven? You will go down to the netherworld.' For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom on the day of judgment than for you." - Matt 11:20-24

Interestingly, all three of the cities that receive Jesus’ Woe in this text (and it’s verbatim parallel in Luke’s Gospel) all lie in ruins near the shore of the Sea of Galilee – there is even no modern city built over them. I’m not necessarily saying there is a connection between their eventual destruction and this curse, but it is interesting speculation. Matthew likes the judgment theme and he reserves harsh rhetoric for these towns that did not receive the ministry of Jesus well.

We visited the site of Corazin on Wednesday. It is a very interesting town built almost entirely of Basalt. By far the most interesting part of this site was the ruins of the synagogue. It was a magnificent structure and many of the fine architectural details are still visible. I have to admit that by the time we got to the site of Corazin, we were a little sun-drunk and ruin-weary so we took the opportunity to goof off a little and climb around the ruins like little boys on a play ground.

We also visited a museum to take a look at what is often called the “Jesus Boat.” More properly it is called the "Antique Galilean Boat" and it is housed in a museum at the Ginnosar Kibbutz. It is the hull of a 1st Century boat that was excavated from the mud of Sea of Galilee. Among the commentary at the museum is that this boat is indeed from the era when Jesus and his disciples were active on the northern shore of this large lake. It is the kind of boat that would have been used by Peter, Andrew, James, and John in their fishing ventures, the kind of boat they would have used to traverse the lake, The kind of boat that would have been tossed to and fro by a storm at sea, and the kind of boat from which Jesus might have taught the crowds gathered on the shore. There is no claim that this boat (which has been preserved and presented well) has anything to do with Jesus. But it does add insight.

Before coming back to Jerusalem, We visited two more sites associated with the ministry of Jesus, one each on Thursday and Friday. On Thursday we went to Baniass National Park which encompasses a number of interesting ruins and natural features. It is the site of the Hermon Springs, which are the head waters of the Jordan River. The river is pristine at this site and on a hot day those waters looked really inviting. More important to the ministry of Jesus, Baniass was the administrative center of North Galilee and the mountain region and was known in Jesus’ day as Caesarea Philippi. We saw the ruins there of the magnificent ruins there of the Palace of the last herodian ruler of the region: Herod Agrippa. It was here that Jesus had his discussion about his own identity with his Disciples:

When Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?" They replied, "Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Simon Peter said in reply, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God." Jesus said to him in reply, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." Then he strictly ordered his disciples to tell no one that he was the Messiah. From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer greatly from the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised. Then Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, "God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you." He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do." Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? Or what can one give in exchange for his life? - Matt 16:13-26

This is an important text for a number of reasons. It is certainly connected to the experience we had at Capernaum and Tabgha on Wednesday. We locate here the first discussion that manifests that special ministry that Jesus had in mind for Peter.

But it is also a text in which Jesus links his identity as Anointed One (Messiah or Christ) to the suffering he must face in Jerusalem. It is here that he reveals to his disciples the fullness of his mission and ministry. It is clear from Peter’s response that it is more than they can handle at this point, but Jesus begin to lead them down that path that will bring them to their full stature as his followers.

This pair of exchanges between Jesus and Peter – in One Jesus calls him solid rock – rock solid enough to support an edifice; and in the other he calls him satan. This gives us insight into how much Peter really is “every disciple.” He represents all of our ambiguity and doubt, all of our sureness and faith. At Caesarea Philipi, I was able to reflect on the logical outcome of Peter’s willingness to follow, Peter’s willingness to lead. “If anyone would come after me,” Jesus says, “he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me…” Of course, we know the rest of the story: Peter would do just that. Peter excepted the charge of Jesus to feed and care for his sheep. We see the post-Pentecost Peter boldly stepping up to the plate and knocking it our of the park… So we honor Peter, the pre-eminent disciple, with titles like “the first Pope” or speak of his primacy. At Caesarea Philippi, we learn the full implications of such honors…

On Friday, we visited a site associated with one of Jesus’ famous exorcisms. The story appears in all three Synoptic Gospels (Matt 8, Mk 5, and Lk 8) and their mixed identification of the site makes it hard to know exactly where the event happened. I am talking about the healing of the Garasene demoniac. This is the story about Jesus sending the Demons (“Legion”) into a herd of swine, causing the pigs to commit suicide in the Sea of Galilee. Since the 4th Century, this event has been memorialized at a hillside monastery overlooking the Eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee in the “territory of the Gerasenes.” The site is called Kursi and basically consists today of the ruins of a beautiful monastic Church. The ruins are in a great state of preservation and the site is very accessible. The mosaics throughout have been preserved or repaired well and the site, even in ruins is a fitting memorial to this Gospel story. As we stood at the ruins of the hillside hermitage above the main church, it was easy to imagine a large herd of pigs (about 2000, Mark says) running down this cliff and casting themselves into the Sea.

Like everything else we have experienced in Galilee, this story points to the eschatological reality of Jesus’ ministry. In his actions (casting out demons) Jesus is ushering in the reign of God. In his person, in his preaching, in his actions, in his healings and other miracles, Jesus is fulfilling eschatological expectations, and doing so in a way that faithful Jews can see the in-breaking of the Kingdom in Him. In gathering His disciples and commissioning them to do the same kinds of ministry, Jesus is preparing them to be the regathering of the 12 tribes – to be the “Israel of God” (as Paul will say it).

We have been many places that Jesus walked, lived, ate, served, preached, taught, healed, and commissioned others. In all of it, we have celebrated the answer to the question Jesus asked his disciples at Casarea Philippi: “Who do people say that I am?” With Peter and the other disciples, our faith is strengthened by our having been here so that we can say with more sureness than before: You are the Christ – the Messiah – the anointed one of God!

Lots more FUN Corazine picture at http://picasaweb.google.com/FrBart/0715Corazin
More Jeus Boat Pictures at http://picasaweb.google.com/FrBart/0715JesusBoat
More Casearea Philippi pictures at http://picasaweb.google.com/FrBart/0716Baniass
More Kursi photos at http://picasaweb.google.com/FrBart/0717Kursi