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Location and Setting
- Two sites, about one and one half miles apart near where the Jordan River enters the Sea
of Galilee, have been proposed for Bethsaida. The northern and by far the most extensive
remains are located at et-Tel, presently being excavated and evaluated by Dr. Rami Arav.
The other, el-‘Araj, is located near the northeastern shore of the lake in a grove of
eucalyptus trees atop a layer of rich alluvial soil, brought down by the streams from the
Golan hills.
- Josephus records that Philip the Tetrarch, (who ruled Gaulanitis from 4 B.C. to A.D.
34), developed the village of Bethsaida, near the northeast shore of the Sea of Galilee.
He states that in A.D. 30, Philip raised it to the status of a "city" (polis),
strengthening its fortifications, increasing its population, and naming it
"Julias" in honor of the Emperor Augustus’ daughter. (Rami Arav holds that
the city was named after Emperor Tiberius’ mother.)
- A Bethsaida at the site of et-Tel, located a mile and a half inland from the lakeshore,
would not likely have functioned as a fishing village. El-‘Araj, on the other hand,
because it was located on a flood plain, would not have been a suitable site for a large
fortified city. It should also be noted that the course of the Jordan River as it enters
the lake has changed over the two millennia since Jesus’ ministry in the area.
- An aqueduct and Roman road have been discovered which joined the two locations. A
reasonable conclusion would be that et-Tel may have been the location of the important
city referred to in the Gospels. El-‘Araj, then, would have served as the center of
the fishing industry that gave the city its name, "house/place of fish." The
Bethsaida of the Gospels, however, may have referred to either or both of these sites.
Historical and Biblical Significance
- Bethsaida, Chorazin and Capernaum formed what has been called the "evangelical
triangle," because most of Jesus’ miracles in Galilee were performed in these
cities. In light of Jesus’ condemnation of them for their unbelief, the word
"evangelical" would more accurately refer to the preaching of the gospel there,
rather than the character of their inhabitants (Matt 11:20-30)!
- Bethsaida was the home of three of Jesus’ disciples, Peter and his brother Andrew,
and Philip (John 1:44). Apparently Peter later moved to Capernaum, where his mother-in-law
(and wife) resided (Matt 8:14,15; Mark 1:30,31; Luke 4:38,39). Since fishing was the main
industry in each of these towns, Peter’s move of some three miles would be
unremarkable, except that Capernaum was to become the base of Jesus’ Galilean
ministry.
- The small plain that surrounds Bethsaida (el-‘Araj) may have been the location of
Jesus’ "Sermon on the Mount," if this account recorded another occasion on
which Jesus gave this message (Luke 6:17-49).
- At the conclusion of the "Sermon on the Mount," Jesus illustrated
the importance of basing one’s life on God’s truth, rather than
on human teaching, by contrasting the foundations on which two builders
constructed their homes (Luke 6:47-49). His reference may have been to
the plain at el-‘Araj, where builders would need to dig through some
five feet of alluvial soil to find bedrock. "Foolish builders"
would build on the sandy overlay, to their sorrow when the spring floods
came down from the hills; "wise builders" would have no problem
since they had built their houses on the rock stratum below. (The three
disciples who came from Bethsaida would have especially appreciated this
illustration.)
- Jesus performed a unique healing at Bethsaida, restoring a man’s sight in stages
(Mark 8:22-26). Apparently He used this method to demonstrate to His disciples their
imperfect understanding of His deity at that time. In this miracle, He sought to prepare
their hearts for the next revelation of His person. From Bethsaida they proceeded up the
Jordan Valley to Caesarea Philippi, where He would ask them, "Who do you say that I
am?" (Matt 16:15;Mark 8:27; Luke 9:20)
Bibliography
- Arav, Rami and Richard A. Freund, eds. A City by the North Shore of the Sea of
Galilee. Volume One: Bethsaida Excavations Project. Kirksville, MO: The Thomas
Jefferson University Press at Truman State University, 1995.
- Laney, J. Carl. "Geographical Aspects of the Life of Christ." Doctoral
Dissertation, Dallas Theological Seminary, 1980.
- Nun, Mendel. Bethsaida (unpublished manuscript)
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