Dr Paul Allen

Ruins of the synagogue in Capernaum. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) The view from Tiberias, Galilee, Israel, northward across the Sea of Galilee. The snowy peak in the distance is Mount Hermon. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) The reason the geography of Israel is important is because of what it tells me about Jesus . You can see on the map towards the top is the Sea of Galilee . This is where Jesus lived, in a town called Capernaum .  The thing I want you to notice is how far down Jerusalem is from the Sea of Galilee on the map. In a car today, you can get from the Sea of Galilee to Jerusalem in little over 2 hours.  But in the time of Jesus, there weren’t any cars. And so to get there, you walked. This journey would typically take around 7 days. John 21 tells the event of Jesus appearing to the disciples at the Sea on Galilee after he had been crucified.  Jesus was crucified in Jerusalem. He was buried in Jerusalem. He came back to life in Jerusalem. ...

Jesus baptism site - River Jordan 015 (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) During the first century, the land promised to Abraham was filled with Roman soldiers who had taken possession of the country by force. An extension of that Roman power lay in the hands of the Roman-appointed priestly aristocracy who had taken control of Jerusalem ’s Temple. They had used their wealth and political influence to obtain and maintain their fraudulent authority over the Temple institution. In the midst of these claims of authority, there was Jesus . All authority in heaven and on earth actually belonged to him (Dan. 7:13–14; Matt. 28:18). In contrast to others, his was the legitimate authority. From place to place he revealed his authority through his words and actions that resulted in the overthrow of evil. In part 2 we will look at various ways Jesus revealed his authority and see again how certain places were often part of that process. In these eleven chapters we will examine events that occurred in...

Jesus and Saint Peter, Gospel of Matthew 4.18-20 Français : Jésus et Saint Pierre, Évangile selon Matthieu 4.18-20 (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Matthew 8:18-22 "Another of the disciples said to him, ' Lord , let me first go and bury my father.' And Jesus said to him, 'Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead'" ( vv. 21-22 ). Related articles Where The Wind Blows (sarasmusings.wordpress.com) Matthew 17:2-3 - WHAT IS THE TRANSFIGURATION OF JESUS ABOUT? (pastorross1.wordpress.com) Purpose for Living (allanblog.me) If You Are Not Making Disciples - You Are Not Being One (darrellcreswell.wordpress.com) The Kingdom of Heaven: context (friarmusings.wordpress.com) Jesus is (New Sermon series) (sportsguypressblog.wordpress.com) Who Wants to Be a Disciple of Christ (focusedandfree.com) Total Surrender to Discipleship (organizationalchangesolutionsdotcom.wordpress.com) The Good News and the Deceitful News (vanguardngr.com) Teach Us...

JUDAEA, Bar Kochba Revolt. 132-135 CE. AR Sela – Tetradrachm (28mm, 14.07 g, 11h). Undated issue (year 3 - 134/5 CE). Temple facade, the Ark of the Covenant within; star above / Lulav with etrog. Mildenberg 85.12 (O127/R44´); Meshorer 233; Hendin 711. Near EF, toned, light deposits. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Matthew 17:24–27 “Go to the sea and cast a hook and take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth you will find a shekel” ( v. 27 ). Continuing His march southward to Jerusalem , Jesus returns to Capernaum , the home base for much of His ministry ( Matt.17:24 ; see 4:12–17 ). Here our Lord will give the fourth of His five major discourses (in chapter 18 ). Before Jesus does this, however, He discusses the temple tax . This passage likely takes place in Peter’s house, which is in Capernaum ( 8:5–17 ). We assume this to be the case because “the collectors of the half-shekel tax” approach the apostle outside the home to inquire of Jesus ( 17:24 ). First-cent...

“What shall I render unto the LORD for all his benefits toward me? I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the LORD.” ( Psalm 116:12-13 ) Here is a remarkable question and answer. To everyone born into the world, God has given multitudes of benefits. “He giveth to all life, and breath, and all things” ( Acts 17:25 ). Some receive more than others, but all receive many, so the question is what we should do for the Lord in return. The answer is simply to receive His great gift of eternal salvation ! On one occasion the people of Capernaum asked Jesus: “What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?” His answer must be profoundly surprising to anyone who believes that he can please God and earn salvation by doing good works . “This is the work of God,” said Jesus, “that ye believe on him whom he hath sent” ( John 6:28-29 ). The truth is we can never pay for our sins by good deeds. If one is ever to be saved from his sins and to obtain salvation, it must...

Jesus Christ in Capernaum (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Matthew 9:27 –31 “As Jesus passed on from there, two blind men followed him, crying aloud, ‘Have mercy on us, Son of David ’” (v. 27). News of Jesus’ raising of Jairus’ daughter to life spreads quickly throughout the region of Capernaum after Christ touches her hand and performs the miracle (Matt. 9:25–26). Consequently, He is not able to get very far away from the synagogue ruler’s home before some more needy people seek Him out. In this passage, two blind men beg the “son of David” for mercy (v. 27). Blindness in Jesus’ day was a common ailment in the Middle East and created all sorts of religious hurdles for its victims. No son of Aaron with a defect in his sight could offer up the bread of God (Lev. 21:16–21). Devotional writings — not Scripture — found among the Dead Sea Scrolls prohibited blind men from entering Jerusalem. Since God sometimes blinded His enemies in the  Old Testament (G...

Healing of the Lepers at Capernaum (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Matthew 9:1 –8 “When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, ‘Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven .’” (v. 2). Continuing to display His divine authority through the working of miracles, Jesus returns to Capernaum (“his own city,” Matt. 9:1; see 4:13) where the people are glad to see Him. Unlike the Gentiles in the region of the  Gadarenes , the citizens of Capernaum apparently want Jesus to stick around. He is back only a short time when some men seek Him out to heal a paralyzed friend (9:2). In Jesus’ day most people slept on mats that were laid upon the floor. These pallets served as a stretcher that was fairly easy to carry, and the paralyzed man was lying on a mattress of this kind.  Our Savior’s first response is to pronounce the lame man forgiven (v. 2), and some commentators believe this indicates that sin is the cause of the man’s paralysis. Sin can i...

English: Icon of Jesus Christ (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Matthew 8:18–22 “Another of the disciples said to him, ‘Lord, let me first go and bury my father.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead’” (vv. 21–22). A great crowd gathers about Christ as His acclaim spreads in Capernaum, and He prepares to cross the sea of Galilee (Matt. 8:18). We are not certain why He makes this move, but many interpreters believe Jesus is seeking rest.  After all, He is found asleep in the episode following today’s passage (v. 24). Seeing that our Savior is about to depart, a scribe trained in the law of Moses expresses His desire to follow Jesus wherever He goes (v. 19). Christ does not turn this would-be disciple away, but He explains to this scholar the cost of discipleship. Following Jesus, the scribe learns, might even entail the loss of a permanent home (v. 20).  The Redeemer’s people must accept that...

English: Jesus and the centurion in Capernaum (Matthew 8:5), miniature, Codex Egberti, Trier, Stadtbibliothek, cod. 24, fol. 22r, detail (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Matthew 8:14 –17 “This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah:‘He took our illnesses and bore our diseases’” (v. 17). This passage is set in C apernaum , Jesus ’ home during His time in Galilee (Matt. 4:13). As in His healing of the centurion’s servant there, our Lord  uses a miracle to reveal His authority, but this time the person restored to health is a close acquaintance of Christ, a relative of Peter, one of Jesus’ chief disciples. Archaeologists think they have found Peter’s house in Capernaum, under the ruins of a church built there early in church history, corroborating the historicity of Matthew 8:14–17. In any case, Jesus finds Peter’s mother-in-law “sick with a fever” when He enters the home (v. 14). According to tradition it is improper to touch a feverish individual, but Jesus br...

From The Historical Atlas by William R. Shepherd, 1923. via http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/historical/history_middle_east.html Category:Historical maps by William R. Shepherd (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Matthew 4:12–17 “From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand’” (v. 17). Upon hearing of John the Baptist ’s arrest, Jesus returns to minister in  Galilee ( Matt. 4:12). It is important to note that this is a “new phase” of ministry, for our Savior does not enter Galilee immediately after His baptism . According to John’s gospel , Jesus has already spent time ministering in  Jerusalem and Judea after His baptism (1:29–42). In fact, the ministry of our Lord and His forerunner actually overlap (3:22–24), if only for a brief period. When Jesus comes to Galilee, He settles in a small village on the northwest edge of the Sea of Galilee named Capernaum (Matt. 4:13). Matthew tells us this fulfills biblica...

Capernaum, Sea of Galilee (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Matthew 4:18–22 “Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him” (v. 22). Jesus ’ ministry begins a new phase when He settles in Capernaum ( Matt. 4:13) in Galilee , because it is there that the people begin to take notice of Him. In His day, Galilee is a bustling commercial area bordered by Syria and Phoenicia , offering ample opportunities for Jesus to interact with Jews and Gentiles alike. Travelers on trade routes can spread news of His ministry outside of Galilee. Moreover, the leaders in Jerusalem, as we shall see, strongly oppose Jesus, but in Galilee He can minister more freely and not have to be constantly looking out for those who might kill Him before the appointed time. When Christ begins His ministry He delivers virtually the same message as John the Baptist — “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (v. 17) — because both the old covenant and the new speak of the...

JUDAEA, First Jewish War. 66-70 CE. AR Shekel (22mm, 13.19 g, 12h). Dated year 3 (68/9 CE). "Shekel of Israel," Omer cup with pearled rim; date above / "Jerusalem the Holy," sprig of three pomegranates. Meshorer 202; Hendin 662. EF, attractive dark gray toning. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Matthew 17:24 –27 “Go to the sea and cast a hook and take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth you will find a shekel” (v. 27). Continuing His march southward to Jerusalem , Jesus returns to Capernaum , the home base for much of His ministry (Matt. 17:24; see 4:12–17). Here our Lord  will give the fourth of His five major discourses (in chapter 18). Before Jesus does this, however, He discusses the temple tax . This passage likely takes place in Peter’s house, which is in Capernaum (8:5–17). We assume this to be the case because “the collectors of the half-shekel tax” approach the apostle outside the home to inquire of Jesus (17:24). First-century Jew...