By the New Testament era, Capernaum was large enough that it was called a 'city'. It had its own synagogue, in which Jesus frequently taught. Apparently the synagogue was built by the Roman soldiers garrisoned in Capernaum. The synagogue was a center for the Roman system of taxation and itinerant tax collectors operated in the city. - Matt. 8:8, 9:1,9, 17:24; Mark 1:21,33; 2:14; Luke 4:31-32, 5:27, 7:1; John 5:27 -
After being unwelcome or rejected in His hometown, Nazareth, Jesus made Capernaum the center of His ministry in Galilee. Jesus performed many miracles here, including the healing of the centurion's paralyzed servant, a paralytic carried by four friends and the nobleman's son.
When he went into Capernaum a centurion came up and pleaded with him. 'Sir', he said 'my servant is lying at home paralysed and in great pain'. 'I will come myself and cure him' said Jesus. The centurion replied, 'Sir', I am not worthy to have you under my roof; just give the word and my servant will be cured. For I am under authority myself and have soldiers under me; and I say to one man: Go, and he goes; to another; Come here, and he comes; to my servant: Do this, and he does it. When Jesus heard this he was astonished and said to those following him, I tell you solemnly, nowhere in Israel have I found faith like this. And I tell you that many will come from east and west to take their places with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob at the feast in the kingdom of heaven; but the subjects of the kingdom will be turned out into the dark, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth. And to the centurion Jesus said, 'Go back, then; you have believed, so let this be done for you'. And the servant was cured at that moment. - Matt. 8:1-13 - Luke 7:1-10 -
When he returned to Capernaum some time later, word went round that he was back; and so many people collected that there was no room left, even in front of the door. He was preaching the word to them when some people came bringing him a paralytic carried by four men but as the crowd made it impossible to get the man to him, they stripped the roof over the place where Jesus was; and when they had made an opening, they lowered the stretcher on which the paralytic lay. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, 'My child, your sins are forgiven'.
Now some scribes were sitting there, and they thought to themselves, 'How can this man talk like that? He is blaspheming. Who can forgive sins but God?' Jesus, inwardly aware that this was what they were thinking, said to them, Why do you have these thoughts in your hearts? Which of these is easier: to say to the paralytic, "Your sins are forgiven" or to say, "Get up, pick up your stretcher and walk"? But to prove to you that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins - he said to the paralytic - 'I order you: get up, pick up your stretcher and go off home'. And the man got up, picked up his stretcher at once and walked out in front of everyone, so that they were all astounded and praised God saying, 'We have never seen anything like this'. - Mark 2:1-12 -
When the two days were over Jesus left for Galilee. He himself had declared that there is no respect for a prophet in his own country but on his arrival the Galileans received him well, having seen all that he had done at Jerusalem during the festival which they too had attended.
He went again to Cana in Galilee, where he had changed the water into wine. Now there was a court official there whose son was ill at Capernaum and hearing that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judaea, he went and asked him to come and cure his son as he was at the point of death. Jesus said, 'So you will not believe unless you see signs and portents!' 'Sir', answered the official 'come down before my child dies'. 'Go home', said Jesus 'your son will live'. The man believed what Jesus had said and started on his way; and while he was still on the journey back his servants meet him with the news that his boy was alive. He asked them when the boy had begun to recover. 'The fever left him yesterday' they said 'at the seventh hour'. The father realised that this was exactly the time when Jesus had said, 'Your son will live'; and he and all his household believed. This was the second sign given by Jesus, on his return from Judaea to Galilee. - John 4: 43-54 -
As Jesus walked by the Sea of Galilee near Capernaum, He called the fishermen Simon, Andrew, James and John to be his disciples. - Mark 1:16-22,29; Matt. 4:18-22; Luke 5:1-11 - It was also in Capernaum that Jesus called the tax collector Matthew. - Matt. 9:9; Mark 2:13-14; Luke 5:27-28 -
Immediately following the feeding of the five thousand men, Jesus delivered His discourse on the Bread of Life near this city. - John chapter 6 -
Although Jesus centered His ministry in Capernaum, not many people of that city follow Jesus. Jesus pronounced a curse on that city for its unbelief, predicting its ruin.
And still, I tell you that it will not go as hard on Judgement day with Tyre and Sidon as with you. And as for you, Capernaum, did you want to be exalted as high as heaven? 'You shall be thrown down to hell'. For if the miracles done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have been standing yet. And still, I tell you that it will not go as hard with the land of Sodom on Judgement day as with you. - Matt. 11:22-24 - Luke 10:13-16 -
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Sunday, May 24, 2009
I have through years of reading, pondering, reflecting and contemplating, the 3 things that last; FAITH . HOPE . LOVE and I would like to made available my sharing from the many thinkers, authors, scholars and theologians whose ideas and thoughts I have borrowed. God be with them always. Amen!
I STILL HAVE MANY THINGS TO SAY TO YOU BUT THEY WOULD BE TOO MUCH FOR YOU NOW. BUT WHEN THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH COMES, HE WILL LEAD YOU TO THE COMPLETE TRUTH, SINCE HE WILL NOT BE SPEAKING AS FROM HIMSELF, BUT WILL SAY ONLY WHAT HE HAS LEARNT; AND HE WILL TELL YOU OF THE THINGS TO COME.
HE WILL GLORIFY ME, SINCE ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. EVERYTHING THE FATHER HAS IS MINE; THAT IS WHY I SAID: ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. - JOHN 16:12-15 -
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