Where along the beach of the Sea of Galilee was Jesus first seen by his disciples following his resurrection?
Here....
....at Peter's Gate....or so the story goes. We stopped at this church along the shores of the Sea of Galilee where Jesus is supposed to have prepared the fish for the morning meal and where he is supposed to have suggested that the fishermen cast their nets on the right side. Pretty moving experience to walk the beach where Jesus may have walked. So we can argue that it wasn't here or up the beach a mile or so, but the effect is the same. This really gives some substance to the Biblical accounts..makes the stories really come alive.
Where did Jesus go to preach the Sermon on the Mount?
I am standing on the portico of a beautiful church on the side of a mountain overlooking the Sea of Galilee. Our guide assured me that the current scholarship properly places the sermon on THIS mount. One can see the sea, the Jordan Valley and, nearby, the Decapolis (or ten surrounding villages), all the places from which seekers came to hear Jesus preach.
Talapia is a fish becoming very popular in the U.S., Here it is called St. Peter's fish and it is abundant in the Sea of Galilee. It is a stretch to think that the disciples went to sea in a craft like this with diesel motor and marine radio, but remove the modern inventions and one quickly gets the idea.
We went out on the lake in this period craft. As we sailed along from Capernaum to Tiberias, our guide read from appropriate scriptures and helped to increase the excitement around the story that is unfolding as we move from one important Biblical site to another.
This adventure is is greatly enhanced by the continuing story that our guide unfolds for us. He is a brilliant historian and Biblical interpreter. In addition, he is most entertaining and fun to share ideas with.
We have climbed mouintains, scoured rocks, prayed and held services in or near churches, photographed everything that did not move. It continues to be a wonderful trip.
