That the World May Know

They Left Their Nets BehindBefore Jesus' time, few Israelites were fishermen. There was only one Hebrew word for fish, and it covered everything from minnows to whales. In Jesus' time, a small, flourishing fishing industry developed around the Sea...

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Encyclopedia

Tiberias Area

Tiberias Area Easily visible from Jesus' hometown of Capernaum, Tiberias, the regional capital built by Herod Antipas, stood on the western side of the sea. The city was shunned by religious Jews because it was supposedly built over a cemetery, ma...

To be a Talmid

Living in CapernaumDuring his ministry, Jesus chose to live in Capernaum, a small town near the Sea of Galilee.During his ministry, Jesus chose to live in Capernaum, a small town near the Sea of Galilee. Capernaum served as a military post for the...

Tombs

Tombs varied greatly in appearance. The poor probably had nothing more than small underground chambers. Wealthier people, however, created extensive tombs cut into solid rock near the ground.Across the entrance, a large, flat, round tombstone (oft...

Via Maris

Its LocationThe Via Maris entered the Great Rift Valley from the east and continued south to the Sea of Galilee. It then turned southwest into the Valley of Jezreel and cut through the ridge of Mount Carmel to reach the coastal plain. After arrivi...

Wadis

In the Middle East, floods in the desert are a frequent occurrence because of the topography of the land. The mountains to the north of the Negev and to the west of the Judea Wilderness get significant amounts of rainfall during the short rainy se...

Water for the Sheep

The availability of water was the most important survival factor in the desert. Several biblical images about searching for water came from the Israelites' experiences of wilderness wandering. One such example is conveyed in Psalm 63:1, where the ...

Water Systems

The Importance of WaterBecause Israel is such an arid country, water has always been important to its inhabitants. Many cities were built only where it was certain fresh water was available. When a city was small, a nearby spring, well, or cistern...

Wet Feet

The JordanThe Jordan River, mentioned nearly 200 times in the Text, is one of the fastest flowing rivers of its size.As a prominent feature in ancient Israel, the Jordan River was mentioned nearly 200 times in the bible. Its fast flowing waters cr...

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Glossary

Tiberias Definition

Capital built by Herod Antipas on the Sea of Galilee's western shore; named for Tiberias Caesar. Believed to be built over a cementary and considered unclean by religious Jews. After AD 70, it became a center of Jewish religious thought.

Venus Definition

Roman god of love and beauty. Daughter of Zeus and Dione (or did she spring from the sea?)

Way of the Sea Definition

During Biblical times, Israel was located at the crossroads of the world, where the trade of the civilized world passes through. Since the Arabian desert was in between the empires of Egypt and Mesopotamia (Persia, Babylon, Assyira), the only trad...

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