The soil is deep, rich loam, of amazing fertility. Country of the Gadarenes:This city is not named in Scripture, but the territory belonging to it is spoken of as chora ton Gadarenon, "country of the Gadarenes" (Matthew 8:28). This tell is crowned by an ancient Canaanite settlement. gad'-a-ra (Gadara):1. The distance is about 19 miles from the river. It was taken by Antiochus the Great when in 218 B.C. OK. First up: they dont agree. Nevertheless, life continued at Kursi. Click to reveal Although the miracle goes under the name of the Gadarene swine, it seems that the name Gerasenes is nearer the mark, as this was the land of Geshur in ancient times. , Tags: The abundance of fish at each place furnished a good reason for the recurrence of the name.W. II, ix, 1). The distance from the Dead Sea to the Sea of Galilee is 104 miles or 167 kilometers. Lucius Annius, at the instance of Vespasian, sacked and burned the city, with much slaughter (BJ, IV, ix, 1). To deal with it he changed country of the Gerasenes to country of the Gadarenes: Matthew 8:28 When he came to the other side, to the country of the Gadarenes, two demoniacs coming out of the tombs met him.. There the Jordan, issuing from the sea, almost surrounds the mound on which are the ruins of Kerak, the Tarichea of Josephus Crossing the floor of the valley, past Semakh, which is now a station on the Haifa-Damascus railway, we find a similar strip of plain along the eastern shore. According to local tradition, the ruins of this structure bore the name of Gersa or Gursa. The walls of the structure are more than 3 feet thick. v.71). In 1970, while clearing land for a new road to the Golan Heights, a bulldozer operated by the Ministry of Public Works turned up large quantities of Byzantine pottery and then began to unearth the ruins of ancient structures. Many New Testament manuscripts refer to the "Country of the Gadarenes" or "Gerasenes" rather than the Gergesenes. he first invaded Palestine (Polyb. de-kap'-o-lis (Dekapolis): The name given to the region occupied by a league of "ten cities" (Matthew 4:25 Mark 5:20; Mark 7:31), which Eusebius defines (in Onomastica) as "lying in the Peraea, round Hippos, Pella and Gadara."Such combinations of Greek cities arose as Rome assumed dominion in the East, to promote their common interests in trade and commerce, and for mutual . (iii) The East coast of the sea was definitely attached to Galilee in A.D. 84, and Ptolemy (circa 140) places Julius in Galilee. It was the seat of one of the councils instituted by Gabinius for the government of the Jews (Ant., XIV, v, 4; BJ, I, viii, 5). One things for sure: Gergasa, if it can be equated with Kursi, is the most geographically plausible16 reading. 33A, Word Biblical Commentary (Dallas: Word, Incorporated, 1998), 226. Tyre: 33.2721571: 35.203278: Capernaum: 32.88033: 35.573307: Distance: 55.56 km: The northern one, called the prothesis, housed the offerings of the faithful; the southern one, called the diaconicon, provided storage space for the sacred vessels and the vestments of the clergy. This condition is fulfilled only by the district immediately South of Wady Semak, North of Qal `at el-Chucn. , Origen, John. Woe to you, Bethsaida! There is a cliff lying beside this lake from which they point out the swine were cast down by the demons.15. gad'-a-ra (Gadara): 1. It was conquered by the Moslems in the time of Omar (Guy le Strange, Palestine under the Moslems, 462). By protecting the boulder with a massive tower and building a chapel behind and above it, the early Christian fathers both commemorated and sanctified a site that Christian pilgrims could relate to the life of Jesus. Performance & security by Cloudflare. From Mount Tabor to Capernaum: Step 27: From Caperaum to Nain: Step 28: From Nain to the second Galilean preaching tour: Step 29: From the second Galilean preaching tour to the country of Gerasenes: Step 30: From he country of Gerasenes to Capernaum: Step 31: From Capernaum to Jerusalem: Step 32: From Jerusalem to Nazareth: Step 33 The name Samak, which means fish both in Aramaic (the vernacular of Jesus time) and in Arabic, reflects the fact that these fish were as important to the ancients as to people today. It was a strong fortress (Ant., XIII, iii, 3), near the Hieromax-i.e. The chapel has an apse constructed within a natural rock shelter. The prosperity of the sixth century abruptly ended with the Persian invasion in 614 A.D. 27, Anchor Yale Bible (New Haven; London: Yale University Press, 2008), 342. "The advent of the railway has stirred afresh the pulses of life in the valley. 2, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1989), 158. Why would he do that? Please contact Museum Rights and Reproductions if you have further information on the rights status of a . Gerasa itself is probably represented by the ruins of Kurseh on the South side of Wady Semak, just where it opens on the seashore. It maybe taken as certain that the jurisdiction of Gadara, as the chief city in these regions, extended over the country East of the Sea, including the lands of the subordinate town, GERASA (which see). The greatest breadth is in the North, from el-Mejdel to the mouth of Wady Semak being rather over 7 miles. After Jesus heals him/them, the demons are sent into a herd of pigs. Login & Purchase. Within the apse is a bench subdivided into semicircular, plastered seats. Judas of Gamala (Ant., XVIII, i, l) is also called Judas of Galilee (ibid., i, 6). The sheltering hills provide excellent grazing areas, particularly for hogs, which are best suited to these rocky hills. Coming westward from the point where the Jordan enters the lake, the mountains approach within a short distance of the sea. It had begun to be named from the city so recently built on its western shore even in New Testament times (John 21:1; John 6:1); and by this name, slightly modified, it is known to this day-Bachr Tabariyeh.2. Tabor and approaching the edge of the great hollow, on a bright spring day, when the land has already assumed its fairest garments, the view of the sea, as it breaks upon the vision in almost its whole extent, is one never to be forgotten. The settlement was quite well planned and carefully organized. Distance between Ramat Gan and Capernaum (114,37 km.) If freedom and security be enjoyed in reasonable measure, the region will again display its long-hidden treasures of fertility and beauty.W. Around 150 years later Origen comes along, and, knowing that Matthews attempted fix isnt watertight, relocates the event to Gergasa based on what is probably an ancient tradition. The city of Decapolis whose territory stood between the country of the Gerasenes and the Sea of Galilee was Gadara, modern Um-Qais in Jordan. The Tel Dan Steles discovery, the debate it caused, and how it shows that scripture sometimes doesnt work the way we think it does. Thats a pretty early source, and hes appealing to an earlier tradition (from which they point out) but whether the entry really reflects ancient tradition is hard to know. These differences caused copyists of the gospels to perform no end of monkey-business with the sentence there are 3 variants for each of the synoptic gospels.2 Were looking at a genuine problem that was recognised very early. Important Roman remains have recently been discovered here. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. This has therefore always been a favorite haunt of fishermen. proof that its territory reached the sea. Only about 60 percent have survived, but this is enough to attest that the mosaics in the church at Kursi exemplified mosaic art in its finest tradition. During the second half of the sixth century, the diaconicon was remodeled to house a baptistery. Luke 10:13 "Woe to you, Chorazin! The NT references ( Mark 5:1; Luke 8:26; cf. Drains in the street reflect a high standard of living, as do the pottery and various other small finds such as coins and decorated glass vessels. (Ant., XV, vii, 3; BJ, I, xx, 3). It was used to drive certain mills, and also to refresh the neighboring land. On the shore, fully 2 miles from the Jordan, are the ruins of Tell Chum. 2019 Dr. Andrew Jackson. Almost from the beginning of Christianity, the area around the Sea of Galilee has been a major focus of Christian pilgrimage, a focus second only to Jerusalem. , Ludwig Koehler et al., The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament (Leiden: E.J. It continued to be a great and important city, and was long the seat of a bishop (Reland, Palestine, 776). The first two are in the Authorized Version. If you know the geography of the Sea of Galilee at all, its almost entirely surrounded by hills, some of them pretty steep. Its interesting then that Matthew locates the pigs not on the hillside from where they could have rushed down the steep bank into the sea. He calls the inhabitants Syrians, when, at the beginning of the Jewish revolt, the district round Gerasa was laid waste. Many are the ruins of great and splendid cities on slope and height of which almost nothing is known today. The bulldozer was stopped and the Department of Antiquities and Museums was called in to excavate scientifically. Driving distance between Capernaum, Israel and Jerusalem, Israel is calculated by google maps and it is 99 mi. Your IP: Ewing. The figure of a ship frequently appears on its coins: conclusive. So at least that part of the story adds up the pigs could have run into the lake from Gadaras territory. . If the boat was taken from any point in el-BaTeichah towards et-Tell, no east wind would have distressed the rowers, protected as that part is by the mountains. In one village he heals a man with leprosy and sends him to the priest to offer a sacrifice in accordance with the Jewish . This writer extols the productiveness of the plain. The house of Andrew and Peter seems to have been not far from the synagogue in Capernaum (Matthew 8:14 Mark 1:29, etc.). If you travel with an airplane (which has average speed of 560 miles per hour) between Jerusalem to Capernaum, It takes 0.14 hours to arrive. Gergesenes means "those who come from pilgrimage or fight.". No trace of the name Bethsaida has been found in the district; but any one of the sites named would meet the requirements.To this neighborhood Jesus retired by boat with His disciples to rest awhile. Here the slopes descend swiftly almost into the sea, and animals, once started on the downward run, could not avoid plunging into the depths. Save in very settled conditions they will not venture far from the shore. Jesus would naturally avoid those in which Greek influences were strong. Gergesa, also Gergasa ( in Byzantine greek) or the Country of the Gergesenes, is a place on the eastern (Golan Heights) side of the Sea of Galilee located at some distance to the ancient Decapolis cities of Gadara and Gerasa. Distance between Haifa and Capernaum (51,83 km.) On the other hand, with a wind from the West, such as is often experienced, eight or nine hours might easily be occupied in covering the four or five miles from el-BaTeichah to the neighborhood of Capernaum. It is overlaid with lava; and here and there around the lake there are outcrops of basalt through the limestone. The Merneptah Steles discovery, transcription, and what it shows us about annihilation in the biblical text. He deals with a remaining issue by locating the herd some distance away rather than on the hillside next to the lake. As in the case of the other Bethsaida, no name has been recovered to guide us to the site. Interpreting the reference to the hillside as anywhere but the steep banks that encircle the lake is geographically problematic: the record describes a pretty short run for the pigs their stampede was quickly over. Today, it is identified with El-Koursi or Kursi. Ewing. The pilgrimage sites associated with the swine miracle, as opposed to the urban settlement of Tell el-Kursi, were discovered quite by accident in the late 20th century. Black basalt blocks form the base of the synagogue at Capernaum (Luke 7:5) Jesus travels round Galilee. , James R. Edwards, The Gospel according to Mark, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: Eerdmans; Apollos, 2002), 154. (BJ, I, iv, 8). It throws out a rocky promontory into the sea, and beyond this are the ruins of Khan Minyeh, with `Ain et-Tineh close under the cliff. This is true even today. As Jesus began to get back into the boat, the delivered demoniac pleaded with Him that he might accompany Him. The city of Gadara is represented today by the ruins of Umm Qeis on the heights south of el-Chummeh-the hot springs in the Yarmuk valley-about 6 miles Southeast of the Sea of Galilee. It curves round from el-Mejdel in the South, to `Ain et-Tineh, or Khan Minyeh, in the North, a distance of over 3 miles, with an average breadth from the sea to the foot of the mountains of about a mile. The names of many ancient places have been lost, and others have strayed from their original localities. Some of the auxiliary rooms of the church and its chapels were closed off completely; others were converted to domestic or industrial use. The multitude following on foot along the northern shore of the lake would cross the Jordan by the ford at its mouth which is used by foot travelers to this day. He therefore took it upon himself to change the geographical details to make them more realistic. Cataloging is a continuous work in progress, however, and we welcome your input to enhance our understanding and presentation of the collection. It was largely overgrown with thorn-bushes, and it yielded one of the finest crops of thistles in the country. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Today, it is identified with El-Koursi or Kursi. Contradictions, 6.211. And that doesnt fit the description were given of the stampede at all. A dedicatory inscription contains the date 685 A.D. The fishing industry was evidently pursued to profit in the days of Christ. Yarmuk (Pliny N H, xvi)-East of Tiberias and Scythopolis, on the top of a hill, 3 Roman miles from hot springs and baths called Amatha, on the bank of the Hieromax (Onomasticon, under the word). Mark 8:22 He came to Bethsaida. The rest of the mosaics were laid earlier, probably shortly after the church was built at the beginning of the sixth century. ger'-a-sa, ger'-a-senz (Gerasa; Gerasenon):1. Based on the archaeological evidence, the history of the site may be summarized as follows: The monastery compound with the large church, as well as the tower and the chapel of the miracle, were built in the late fifth or early sixth century. If the waters are still, the shining splendors of the mountain may be seen mirrored in the blue depths. 31 or 32. All scripture quoted from The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989), If you want to get into the detail see Bruce Manning Metzger, United Bible Societies, A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament, Second Edition a Companion Volume to the United Bible Societies Greek New Testament (4th Rev. From the point where the Jordan enters in the North to its exit in the South is about 13 miles. These demon-possessed pigs then run headlong into the lake and, presumably, drown. We have now conducted five seasons of excavations at the site, during 19701973 and in 1980. Smooth plaster covered the rock walls of the apse. The pigs would still have had to have been long distance runners not the picture painted for us in Mark or Luke where the herd is on the hillside close to the water. Reland (Pal, II, 806) notes certain extant coins of Gerasa, from which it is clear that in the 2nd century it was a center of the worship of Artemis. It is the only place fitting Matthew's description, since it contains the only "steep bank" in the area descending all the way to the shore of the lake. He took them, and withdrew apart to a deserted place of a city called Bethsaida. Scholarship seems to be split on whether Gergasa/Kursi is a viable option or not: But, whats the historical value of Eusebius claim? When it comes down to it we really have no idea where the event the narratives are based on took place. The ruts worn in the pavement by the chariot wheels are still to be seen.That there was a second Gadara seems certain, and it may be intended in some of the passages referred to above. Storms:The position of the lake makes it liable to sudden storms, the cool air from the uplands rushing down the gorges with great violence and tossing the waters in tumultuous billows. (St. Matt. A person seated on this bench beholds, through the chapels small prayer hall, an excellent view of the enclosed rock on the terrace below, and, from there, of the monastery at the bottom of the hill and the Sea of Galilee beyond. He who feared His arrival now dreaded His departure. 8:4-18 Sea of Galilee. Country of the Gadarenes: This city is not named in Scripture, but the territory belonging to it is spoken of as chora ton Gadarenon, "country of the Gadarenes" (Matthew 8:28).In the parallel passages (Mark 5:1 Luke 8:26, 37) we read: chora ton Gerasenon "country of the Gerasenes."There is no good reason, however, to question the accuracy of the text in either case. Jerash, ancient Gerasa Description: The Valley of Kursi, or Wadi Samak, is still rich in fertile farming land. In most cases they have gone, leaving not even their names with any certainty behind; but His memory abides forever. Alexander Janneus invested the place, and reduced it after a ten months' siege (Ant., XIII, iii, 3; BJ, I, iv, 2). Gergesenes means "those who come from pilgrimage or fight."[1]. The indigo plant is grown in the plain of Gennesaret. Such storms are fairly frequent, and as they are attended with danger to small craft, the boatmen are constantly on the alert. Once it burst from the South. Many ancient tombs are to be seen in the face of the hills. This street was over 25 feet wide and was paved with carefully cut, black basalt stones. The house of Andrew and Peter seems to have been not far from the synagogue in Capernaum . These things, together with the frequent, and sometimes terribly destructive, earthquakes, sufficiently attest the volcanic character of the region. Tiberias: 32.795858: 35.530975: Capernaum: 32.88033: 35.573307: Distance: 10.19 km: The heights of Naphtali, piled up in the North, seem to culminate only in the snowy summit of Great Hermon. Well probably never find out what the real deal is, but, as usual with these things, thats only a problem if we subscribe to the patently false doctrine of inerrancy.17. Overgrown with thorn-bushes, and others have strayed from their original localities as are. The `` Country of the story adds up the pigs could have run into the boat the. 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