|
|
|
|
|
|
Mar de Galilea
-
Kinneret
|
|
|
The Sea of Galilee is in fact not a sea. It is a sweet water lake, 200 meters below sea level, 20 km (12 miles) in length and 12 km (7.5 miles) at its widest point. In Hebrew it is called the Kinneret, as it was referred to in the Hebrew Scriptures (the Old Testament), but in the New Testament it is called the Sea of Galilee. "And passing along by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting their net in the sea for they were fisherman. And Jesus said to them, 'Follow me and I will make become fishers of men.' And immediately they left their nets and followed him. "And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. And immediately he called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and followed him". (Matthew 4:18-22; Mark 1:16-20) |
|
|
Around the shores of the Kinneret were many villages dependant on fishing and, in describing the miracles performed by Jesus and the sermons he preached, the four Gospels refer to them. Some have been archaeologically excavated and have been visited by millions of pilgrims. Capernaum was one of the more affluent villages and thanks to the excavations, we can see the layout of the village homes as well as the remains of a Byzantine synagogue. Serving as a border town between the kingdoms of the Galilee and the Golan it enjoyed certain tax revenues (Matthew 9:9-13) but also excellent winter fishing because of the seven warm springs close by. It was in the synagogue of Capernaum that Jesus taught and perhaps while in the home of Peter he healed Peter's mother-in-law and the lame man. (Mark 1:21-31, 2:1-12) Bethsaida, Kursi, Korazin and Migdal (home of Mary Magdalene) are all there for the visitor to see, even if ravaged by time. The places where Jesus taught and fed the multitudes, healed the sick, expelled the demons and walked on the water. But the Kinneret is unchanged. Usually placid but occasionally made turbulent by the easterly winds beginning their ascent of the Golan Heights. The same storm which Jesus calmed. In its waters still swim the unusual fish which can hold a coin in its mouth, the same fish in whose mouth Peter found a coin to pay the tax collector. (Matthew 17:27) Even if you are unable to visit these sites, to pray in the modern churches, you now have the opportunity to let your prayer float over the Sea of Galilee. |
|
|
Órele ahora a la Tierra Santa usando nuestro medio - Haga click aquí |
|
|
|
|
