Sea of Galilee

Click map for larger image Red dot represents the location of the site

The Sea of Galilee, which is about 12 miles long and 8 miles wide and lies in the northern part of Israel, has many different names. In the Old Testament, it is called the Sea of Chinnereth or Kinnereth, from the Hebrew word kinnor, meaning harp, referring to the shape of the sea. In the New Testament, it is known as the Sea of Galilee, the Lake of Gennesaret, and the Sea of Tiberias.

Fishing has always been a thriving industry on the Sea of Galilee, and the techniques used by local fishermen did not change much at all between the times of Jesus and 1955, when more mechanized technology was brought in. Many of the details of these ancient techniques were recorded, and these allow us to better understand some of Jesus’ parables.

“For example, consider Jesus’ parable in Matthew 13:47-48: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and caught fish of every kind; when it was full, they drew it ashore, sat down, and put the good into baskets but threw out the bad.’ An analysis of traditional fishing techniques makes it clear that the kind of net to which Jesus referred was a seine. The ‘bad’ fish were the kinds not allowed by Jewish dietary law-fish without scales. The species of fish found in the Sea of Galilee that best fits this description is the catfish (Clarias lazera).” (From The Land and the Book)

Much of Jesus' early ministry centered around the Sea of Galilee. Tabgha and Capernaum are other sites on this tour that are one its shores.

Walk with God by the Sea of Galilee
Mark 6:45-52 tells a familiar story:

“Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray.
When evening came, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land. He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. About the fourth watch of the night he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them, but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, because they all saw him and were terrified.
Immediately he spoke to them and said, "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid." Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed, for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened.”

We can learn many things from this passage. It says, “The wind was against them.” It was (and is) not uncommon for sudden, violent storms to arise on the Sea of Galilee due to the geography of the area. The Golan Heights, a high plateau, is to the northeast of the Sea of Galilee, which is 680 feet below sea level. Cold air from the Golan collides with the warm air rising off the Sea of Galilee, producing strong storms. This is what the disciples were caught in while in a small boat.

We also see that Jesus waited until the fourth watch of the night, being 3:00 to 6:00 am, to go out to the disciples where they were toiling. And, then, He was going to pass by them until they called out for Him. When they did call, however, He went immediately to them. This shows us that God may allow us to suffer for a time in our lives before He helps us, and then, we have to call out to Him and ask for help. God doesn’t often intervene in out lives without us first humbling ourselves enough to ask Him for help. And then, He graciously comes to our aid when He knows it is the right time.

.
Virtual Tour home page	Previous location	Index of locations	Next location
	Bibliography used	Personal home page
Questions or Comments?	Sign Guestbook	Email me