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Home , Capernaum, Chorazin

The Holy Land in History and Scripture: and Session #7: , , and : Much Given, Much Required Patrick D. Degn

Matthew 11:20 ¶Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not: 21 Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and , they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22 But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you. 23 And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. 24 But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.

D&C 82:3 For of him unto whom much is given much is required; and he who sins against the greater light shall receive the greater condemnation.

Miracles in Capernaum  Capernaum was one of three cities (with Chorazin and Bethsaida) where the majority of ’ miracles were done. These miracles are: a. Peter’s mother-in-law was healed (Matt 8:14, 15). b. The centurion’s servant was healed (Matt 8:5-13). This man had helped build the (:2-20). c. The paralyzed man who was let down through the roof was also healed (Matt 9:1-8). d. A demoniac was healed in the synagogue (:21-27). e. The paralytic was healed (:1-12). f. The nobleman’s son was healed (:46-54). g. Jairus’ daughter was raised from the dead (Matt 9:18-26). h. The two blind men were healed (Matt 9:27-30). i. Deliverance of the dumb man (Matt 9:32-34). j. The coin was pulled out of the fish’s mouth (Matt 17:24-27).  In spite of all the miracles that the citizens of Capernaum saw, the town was cursed by Christ for its unbelief (Matt 11:23-24; :15-16).  Today, the ruins are owned by two churches: The control the western portion with the synagogue, and the Greek Orthodox have the property that is marked by the white church with red domes.  Capernaum was in existence from the 2nd century B.C. to the 7th century A.D. It was built along the edge of the and had up to 1,500 residents. Jesus in Capernaum (Mark 1-2) 1. Jesus called his disciples (four of them) and they came to Capernaum on Friday evening (1:16- 20). 2. Jesus taught the Sabbath evening service (1:21-22). 3. Jesus called a demon out of a man (1:23-27). 4. Jesus and others entered Peter’s house (1:29). 5. Jesus healed Simon Peter’s mother-in-law, and then she cooked them the Sabbath dinner (1:30- 31). 6. On Saturday night they brought him the sick (1:32-34). 7. Jesus rose early in the morning and went out to pray (1:35-37). 8. Jesus went to other around Galilee (1:38-39). 9. Jesus returned to Peter’s house (2:1-12). 10. Jesus called Levi/Matthew to follow him (2:13-14). 11. Jesus had dinner with Matthew and other tax collectors and sinners (2:15-17). Traditional House of Peter 1. Scripture references: :14; 9:27-31; 17:25; Mark 1:29; 2:1; 3:20; 9:33. 2. The remains of the church are from the 5th century A.D. and are located over the traditional location of the house of Peter. 3. The evidence indicates that the traditional location of Peter’s house is correct. a. The tradition is strong. b. It is a fisherman’s house, in the fisherman’s quarter of the village. The owner of this house was apparently wealthy based on the size of the home. c. Egeria wrote in her diary (4th century A.D.) that the house of St. Peter had been turned into a church. “In Capernaum the house of the prince of the apostles [Peter] has been made into a church, with its original walls still standing…. There also is the synagogue where the Lord cured a man possessed by the devil. The way into it, is up many stairs, and it is made of dressed stone.” d. This area was in fact turned into a church. This makes for a strong suggestion that it is the right spot. Clearly, it was an early Christian worship center. 4. One home from the 1st century received more attention than others in later centuries. a. The house was enlarged in the 4th century, at the expense of the nearby houses. b. In the 5th century, the house was removed and a church was built. c. Inscriptions mentioning Jesus and Peter were found in the house (in , Greek, Latin and Syriac). Sacred and devotional graffiti have been left but their dates are uncertain. “We are skeptical of this alleged inscriptional support for identifying the original house as St. Peter’s” (Strange and Shanks 1982: 36). d. There is a baptismal with the mosaic of a peacock. The peacock was an early Christian symbol because the plucked feather of a peacock would not change colors, thus it was eternal. Epiphanius, writing in 374, said that Capernaum was one of the towns in which the forbade Gentiles, Samaritans and to live there. Apparently this was not enforceable, and rabbinic texts indicate that this was a site of considerable tension between Jews and Christians. 1. This is the most impressive of all the Galilean synagogues. The synagogue in Gamla is 67 percent the size of this one; the synagogue at is 47 percent; the synagogue at the is 46 percent; and the synagogue in Magdala is 13 percent. 2. The dating of this synagogue is debated, but it is clearly later than the 1st century A.D. 3. This synagogue is built in a basilica form, that is, the style of public buildings in Rome. Typically this includes a central room, flanked with side aisles. 4. It is possible that there was more than one synagogue in Capernaum. The , however, speak of “the” synagogue at Capernaum. Jesus in the Capernaum Synagogue 1. Jesus taught here when he was confronted by a demoniac (Mark 1:21-27; :31-37). 2. Jesus healed the daughter of the synagogue ruler Jairus (:22, :41). 3. Jesus healed the servant of the centurion, who built this synagogue (Matt 8:5, Luke 7:3). This centurion built it because he loved the nation. 4. Jesus gave the on the bread of life (:35-59). This was just after feeding the 5,000. 5. Jesus preached the “bread of life” sermon in the synagogue of Capernaum (John 6:16-59). John 6:59 (KJV) “These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum.” Location of Chorazin 1. Eusebius and locate the ruins of Chorazin two miles north of Capernaum. The site, Khirbet Karazeh, is identified by most scholars as being the ancient site of Chorazin. The first modern scholar to identify the town as Chorazin was Charles Wilson in 1869. 2. A paved road in ancient times ran from the town to the great caravan road, which led past the Sea of Galilee to Damascus. Chorazin in the 1. The city of Chorazin is not mentioned in the OT, nor is it mentioned by . 2. Chorazin was a Galilean town rebuked by Jesus for the rejection of his message. Although the inhabitants had witnessed many miracles, they were cursed for their unbelief (Matt 11:21; Luke 10:13). 3. Chorazin is not described in the Bible. Not a single recorded event occurs here. It is simply cursed. 4. All three of the sites that Jesus cursed are in ruins. In fact, the site of Bethsaida cannot even be identified with certainty. 5. Jesus’ admonition would have stung the Jews since He compared them to the Phoenicians and Sodomites. Both of these were known to be wicked places. :20 (see Mark 5:22-43 also for a more detailed account)  Seat of genealogy and authority  Fringes on Levitical garments (Num. 15:38-39; Deut. 22:12; Ex. 28:33-34)  Represents the Lord’s covenant with (Ezek. 16:8; Ex. 39:25-26) “I spread my (shuwl) over thee”  Joseph’s coat (Gen. 37)  Ruth and Boaz (Ruth 3:9) “Spread thy (shuwl) over thine handmaid”  Rank in the hem of the robe or skirt. Often held genealogy, social status, etc.  Contracts sealed by impressing embroidery into clay tablets  Divorce by ripping off hem  David cut off the skirt (hem) of Saul’s robe in the wilderness of En Gedi (1 Sam. 24)  “Hating even the garments spotted with flesh” (D&C 36:6; contrast D&C 109:76)  “Cleanse your hearts and your garments, lest the blood of this generation be required at your hands” (D&C 112:3) See Matt. 9:20; 14:36; 23:5; :56; Luke 8:44; 1 Sam. 24; Ruth 3:9; Hel. 9:31 An “issue of blood” makes one ceremonially unclean. Anything touching would also become unclean (Lev. 15:19-33; 18:19; 20:18). She must be a Gentile; otherwise, she would not be allowed in the crowd. Mark 5:42] The damsel is twelve years of age Mark 5:25] The woman has an issue of blood for twelve years Jesus is called to raise the daughter of Zion (Eighteen times in Lamentations alone). En route, a Gentile woman is healed through faith. Jesus came to Israel and opened the door of the Gentiles. Classic evidence of a prophetic interpretation of the scriptures. :24-27  Sign of the Jonas: o “This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet. For as Jonas was a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this generation” (:29-30). o “The sign of the prophet Jonas; For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth” (Matt. 12:39-40). o A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed” (Matt. 16:4).  Two-drachma (didrachmon) . The annual temple tax required of every male 20 years of age and older (Ex 30:13; 2Ch 24:9; Ne 10:32). In verse 27, The four drachma coin was a stater (στατήρ, stater), a silver coin worth four drachmas. One drachma was equivalent to one denarius, the standard pay for a day's labor  Peter and the rest of the disciples belonged to God’s royal household, but unbelieving Jews did not, therefore, those of God’s kingdom were exempt (see Matt. 21:43). Blessed and Cursed Cities of Galilee • Chorazin = “A furnace of smoke” • Bethsaida = “House of fish” • Capernaum = “Village of comfort” = “comfort” The “Village of Nahum” of Galilee: • “They answered and said unto him, Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and look: for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet” (:52). • Jonah from -hepher (see 2 Kings 14:25). The Number Ten • The name of God (YHWH) was uttered by the high priest ten times on the Day of Atonement. • Ten persons constitute a congregation in the synagogue and must be present at a nuptial blessings. • A row of comforters of the bereaved numbered ten. • Jacob charges Laban for cheating “ten times” (see Gen. 31:7, 41). • Elkanah to Hannah: Worth more than ten sons? (see 1 Sam. 1:8) • Ten Commandments: A witness/testimony of the whole. • Ten nations in the land of Canaan: Gen. 15:18-21. • A representation of the whole: See Gen. 28:22; 24:10, 55. The Word Verified 1. Power over disease (Matt. 8:1-17) 2. Leprosy (8:1-4) 3. Palsy (8:5-13) 4. Fever (8:14-17) 5. Power over nature (Matt. 8:18-27) 6. Power over Satan (Matt. 8:28-34) 7. Power over Sin (Matt. 9:1-17) 8. Power over Death (Matt. 9:18-26) 9. Power over Darkness (Matt. 9:27-31) 10. Power over Demons (Matt. 9:32-38).