BIBLICAL SITE IN ISRAEL - HOLY LAND TOUR

 BRINGING THE BIBLE INTO LIFE BY SEEING WHERE IT TOOK PLACE.

HOLY SITES TO VISIT 

• Church of the Wedding Feast Cana
• Mt. Beatitudes, 
• Tabgha, Church of the Multiplication of Loaves and Fish, 
• Church of the Primacy of St Peter
• Capernaum,
• House of Peter 
• Synagogue of Jesus,
• Boat ride at the Sea of Galilee

ISRAEL

• The name Israel derives from the name given to Jacob (Genesis 32:29). After 40 years in the Sinai desert, Moses led them to the Land of Israel, which is cited in The Bible as the land promised by G-d to the descendants of the patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Genesis 17:8).
• For Christians, the Land of Israel is considered holy because of its association with the birth, ministry, crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, whom Christians regard as the Savior or Messiah.
• Where is Israel according to the Bible? The term 'Land of Israel' occurs in one episode in the New Testament (Matthew 2:20–21), where, according to Shlomo Sand, it bears the unusual sense of 'the area surrounding Jerusalem'. The section in which it appears was written as a parallel to the earlier Book of Exodus.

What was Israel called before in the Bible?

• After the death of King Solomon (sometime around 930 B.C.) the kingdom split into a northern kingdom, which retained the name Israel and a southern kingdom called Judah, so named after the tribe of Judah that dominated the kingdom.

MOUNT TABOR- CHURCH OF TRANSFIGURATION

• In the New Testament, the Transfiguration of Jesus is an event where Jesus is transfigured and becomes radiant in glory upon a mountain. 

• For Christians, this is recognized as the place that Christ was transfigured in the presence of Peter, John and James (Matthew 17: 1-8; Luke 9: 28-36; Mark 9:2-8) and was revealed his identity as the son of God and the second person of the Trinity.  

• In the  Hebrew Bible (Joshua, Judges), Mount Tabor is the site of the  Battle of Mount Tabor between the Israelite army under the leadership of  Barak and the army of the  Canaanite king of  Hazor, Jabin, commanded by Sisera. Mount Tabor is in the far east of the Jezreel Valley - otherwise known as the Valley of the Armageddon-to be the site of the Battle of Armageddon, the final fight of End Times before the Second Coming of Jesus.

CHURCH OF ANNUNCIATION

• The Church of the Annunciation, sometimes also referred to as the Basilica of the Annunciation, is a Catholic Church in Nazareth, in northern Israel. Wikipedia 
• Annunciation, also called Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary or Annunciation of the Lord, in Christianity, the announcement by the angel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary that she would conceive a son by the power of the Holy Spirit to be called Jesus (Luke 1:26–38).

The Annunciation of the Birth of Jesus

• ²⁶ In the sixth month, Gabriel the angel was sent from God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, ²⁷ to a virgin engaged to a man called Joseph, from the family of David. The virgin was called Mary.
• ²⁸ ‘Greetings, favoured one!’ said the angel when he arrived. ‘May the Lord be with you!’
• ²⁹ She was disturbed at this, and wondered what such a greeting might mean.
• ³⁰ ‘Don’t be afraid, Mary,’ said the angel to her. ‘You’re in favour with God. ³¹ Listen: you will conceive in your womb and will have a son; and you shall call his name Jesus. ³² He will be a great man, and he’ll be called the son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, ³³ and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever. His kingdom will never come to an end.’
• ³⁴ ‘How will this happen?’ said Mary to the angel. ‘I’m still a virgin!’
• ³⁵ ‘The holy spirit will come upon you,’ replied the angel, ‘and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. For that reason the holy one who is born from you will be called God’s Son.
• ³⁶ ‘Let me tell you this, too: your cousin Elisabeth, in her old age, has also conceived a son. This is the sixth month for her, a woman who people used to say was barren. 
• ³⁷ With God, you see, nothing is impossible.’
• ³⁸ ‘Here I am,’ said Mary; ‘I’m the Lord’s servant-girl. Let it happen to me as you’ve said. ’Then the angel left her.

THE CHURCH OF CANA

Cana in Galilee is celebrated as the scene of Jesus’ first miracle. It is actually the place of his first two public miracles in Galilee — the changing of water into wine.

JOHN 2-11  

• 2 And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there:² And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage.³ And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine.⁴ Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.⁵ His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it
• ⁶ And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece.⁷ Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim.⁸ And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it.
• ⁹ When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom,¹⁰ And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now.
• ¹¹ This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him. 

Mount of Beatitudes.

• It is where Jesus is believed to have delivered the Sermon on the Mount. 

• Beatitude, any of the blessings said by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount as told in the biblical New Testament in Matthew 5:3–12 and in the Sermon on the Plain in Luke 6:20–23. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

MATHEW 5- Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, ² and he began to teach them.

TABGHA

The Church of the Multiplication of the Loaves and Fish, shortened to the Church of the Multiplication, is a Roman Catholic church located at Tabgha, on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee in Israel.

Beneath the altar is the rock on which it is believed Jesus placed the loaves and fish when he blessed them.  

• Traditionally, people have believed that the feeding of the five thousand miracle took place in Tabgha, Capernaum, on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee. 
• The feeding of the 5,000 people. The Feeding of the 5,000 is also known as the "miracle of the five loaves and two fish"; the Gospel of John reports that Jesus used five loaves and two fish supplied by a boy to feed a multitude. When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.

Miraculous feeding of 5000: Matthew 14: 13-21; Mark 6:30-44; Luke 9:10-17; John 6:1-14

Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand

¹³ When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. ¹⁴ When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.¹⁵ As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.”¹⁶ Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.”¹⁷ “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered.¹⁸ “Bring them here to me,” he said. ¹⁹ And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. ²⁰ They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. ²¹ The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.

Church of the Primacy of Saint Peter

Franciscan church is located in Tabgha, Israel, on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee. It commemorates, and allegedly marks the spot, of Jesus' reinstatement of Peter as chief among the Apostles.

• The modern structure was built in 1933 and incorporates parts of an earlier 4th century church. At the base of its walls, opposite the main altar, foundations of the 4th century church are visible. 
• In the 9th century, the church was referred to as the Place of the Coals. This name refers to the incident of Jesus' preparation of meal for the apostles, building a charcoal fire on which to cook the fish.
•  Also first mentioned in the year 808 are the "Twelve Thrones", a series of heart shaped stones, which were placed along the shore to commemorate the Twelve Apostles.
•  The church survived longer than any other in the area, finally being destroyed in 1263.^[1] The present Franciscan chapel was built on the site in 1933. This church was included in the itineraries of Popes Paul VI and John Paul II during their visits to Israel in 1964 and March 2000 respectively.

John 21:1-14 : Breakfast by the Sea of Galilee

• ⁹ As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread.
  ¹⁰ Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now caught.
  ¹¹ SimonPeter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, and hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken.
  ¹² Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord.
  ¹³ Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise.
  ¹⁴ This is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead.

JESUS AND PETER - John 21:15-17

• ¹⁵When they had _u finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, _v "Simon, _w son of John, _x do you love me more than these?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." He said to him, "Feed _y my lambs."¹⁶He said to him a second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." He said to him, _z "Tend _y my sheep."¹⁷He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" Peter was grieved because he said to him _a the third time, "Do you love me?" and he said to him, "Lord, _b you know everything; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed _c my sheep.

Mensa Christi

• The church contains a projection of limestone rock in front of the present altar which is venerated as a "Mensa Christi", Latin for table of Christ. 
• According to tradition this is the spot where Jesus is said to have laid out a breakfast of bread and fish for the Apostles, and told Peter to "Feed my sheep" after the miraculous catch, the third time he appeared to them after his resurrection. (John 21:1–24)
• It is disputed whether this table, or the one enshrined at the nearby Church of the Multiplication, is the one mentioned by the pilgrim Egeria in her narrative of the Holy Landcirca 380. There is also another table of Christ enshrined at the Mensa Christi Church in Nazareth.

CAPERNAUM - JESUS CHRIST SYNAGOGUE- HOUSE OF ST PETER

JESUS MIRACLES IN CAPERNAUM

Jesus Heals a Man with an Unclean Demon

Luke 4:31 And he went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee. And he was teaching them on the Sabbath,

• The Wedding at Cana
  John 2:12 After this he went down to Capernaum, with his mother and his brothers and his disciples, and they stayed there for a few days.

Woe to Unrepentant Cities Luke 10:15 

• And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You shall be brought down to Hades.

The Faith of a Centurion 

• Matthew 8:5 When he entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him, appealing to him,

Jesus Heals a Paralytic

• Mark 2:1 And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home.

Who Is the Greatest?

• Mark 9:33 And they came to Capernaum. And when he was in the house he asked them, "What were you discussing on the way?"

Jesus Heals a Man with an Unclean Spirit

• Mark 1:21 And they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath he entered the synagogue and was teaching.

Jesus Heals a Centurion's Servant

• Luke 7:1 After he had finished all his sayings in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum.

Jesus Begins His Ministry

• Matthew 4:13 And leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali,

Jesus Walks on Water

• John 6:17 got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them.

Jesus Heals an Official's Son

• John 4:46 So he came again to Cana in Galilee, where he had made the water wine. And at Capernaum there was an official whose son was ill.

The Temple Tax

• Matthew 17:24 When they came to Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma tax went up to Peter and said, "Does your teacher not pay the tax?"

Jesus Rejected at Nazareth

• Luke 4:23 And he said to them, "Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, 'Physician, heal yourself.' What we have heard you did at Capernaum, do here in your hometown as well."

BOAT RIDE AT THE SEA OF GALILEE

The Sea of Galilee itself is a major Christian tourist attraction because this is where Jesus is said to have walked on the water (John 6:19-21), calmed a storm (Matthew 8:23-26) and showed the disciples miraculous catches of fish (Luke 5:1-8; John 21:1-6).

• John 6:16-21  Jesus Walks on the Water

• ¹⁶ When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, 
• ¹⁷ where they got into a boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum. By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them.
• ¹⁸ A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough.
• ¹⁹ When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water; and they were frightened.
• ²⁰ But he said to them, “It is I; don’t be afraid.”
• ²¹ Then they were willing to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading.

Jesus Calms the Storm - Matthew 8:23-27

²³ Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. ²⁴ Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping.

 ²⁵ The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”

²⁶ He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.²⁷ The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!”.