JESUS: YOUNG REBEL WITH A CAUSE -- JESUS MAKES CAPERNAUM HIS BASE

Christ Preaching at Capernaum by Maurycy Gottlieb, 1878-79

(The artist is shown third from the lower right corner wearing a red skull cap.)

Matthew 4:13-17, Mark1:14b-15, Luke 4:14b-15;31

Capernaum, Galilee

And leaving Nazareth, he came down to and dwelt in Capernaum, a city of Galilee, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias [Isaiah] the prophet, saying,

“The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles; The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.” [Isaiah 9:1-2 (The land of Zabulon and Nephthalim or Naphtali were captured by Assyria and the people taken away – see 2 Kings 15:29. These lands lay to the east side of Galilee, but west of the Sea of Galilee. After the Assyrians conquered these two tribal inheritances, the Zabulon and Nephtali became part of the Lost Tribes of Isreal. Capernaum would have been at the edge of Naphtali and thus the people there would see a great light as Jesus settled there to preach.]

Why Capernaum? 

Obviously it says in the passage that this fulfilled a prophecy made by Isaiah. The doubters and critics will say either the author of the Scripture simply made things up to fit such prophesies or that Jesus, knowing the prophesies, went here for that purpose. I don’t except either scenario. The Gospel writers are simply pointing out where prophecies were fulfilled, a reasonable thing to do to prove your case. 

Actually it made logical sense for Jesus to settle in Capernaum after his row in Nazareth and the recent events in Jerusalem. 

Capernaum was blessed with a clime for abundant food. According to the Jewish historian, Josephus, who had first hand knowledge of the city:

"The country also that lies over against this lake hath the same name of Gennesareth; its nature is wonderful as well as its beauty; its soil is so fruitful that all sorts of trees can grow upon it, and the inhabitants accordingly plant all sorts of trees there; for the temper of the air is so well mixed, that it agrees very well with those several sorts, particularly walnuts, which require the coldest air, flourish there in vast plenty; there are palm trees also, which grow best in hot air; fig trees also and olives grow near them, which yet require an air that is more temperate. One may call this place the ambition of nature, where it forces those plants that are naturally enemies to one another to agree together; it is a happy contention of the seasons, as if every one of them laid claim to this country; for it not only nourishes different sorts of autumnal fruit beyond men's expectation, but preserves them a great while; it supplies men with the principal fruits, with grapes and figs continually, during ten months of the year and the rest of the fruits as they become ripe together through the whole year; for besides the good temperature of the air, it is also watered from a most fertile fountain. The people of the country call it Capharnaum. Some have thought it to be a vein of the Nile, because it produces the Coracin fish as well as that lake does which is near to Alexandria. The length of this country extends itself along the banks of this lake that bears the same name for thirty furlongs, and is in breadth twenty, And this is the nature of that place. " -- Wars-Book III, 10, 8

The city also was on the coast of the Sea of Galilee and a fishing center. This meant food was plentiful and easily attainable here, but there were more compelling reasons.

It was a more heterogeneous place, more urban. It wasn’t just a Jewish settlement, but a Roman garrison was located there, as well as a customs port, which meant order would be kept. We also must recall Jesus first recorded healing just prior to his move here, when he had been in Cana. He had healed the son of a nobleman, and official, a man of some power and station. Where did that man live? He lived in Capernaum and do you not think he would have provided some protection to Jesus?

Several of the men who came to Jesus when he was with John the Baptist and had traveled back to Galilee with him lived here or very nearby. Simon Peter, Andrew, James and John and Philip all lived in Bethsaida.

Jesus went to Capernaum, though, so where is Bethsaida. Well, that is a good question. There is a possibility there were two locations called Bethsaida. When dealing with ancient history we often have these problems with names and exact locations of places. The most accepted location is a bit further to the east of Capernaum, but still in range of an easy walk. There isn’t any doubt about this town; however, it is also believed by many historians there was a second place also called Bethsaida at the time that lay right beside Capernaum, close enough it could be considered part of the city. It doesn’t matter; both or either location was close enough to provide Jesus with places to stay if need be.

There is yet another reason for Jesus to come to Capernaum. It was something of a hub city and would have afforded easy travel in many directions, or escape if need be. It wasn’t far from the eastern border into Syria or Perea. The main Roman Road running East-West began in Capernaum, a major route. You could also travel by boat across the Sea of Galilee.

In other words, this place was perfect for setting up as his home base.

From that time Jesus began to preach, and taught them on the Sabbath days and to say, “The time is fulfilled. Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Repent ye, and believe the gospel.” 

And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about.

JESUS: YOUNG REBEL WITH A CAUSE -- JESUS HEALS THE SON OF A NOBLEMAN

Jesus Heals the Son of a Nobleman by James Tissot, 1886-96

Luke 4:14a and John 4:45-54

Cana, Galilee

And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: then when he was come into Galilee, the Galilaeans received him, having seen all the things that he did at Jerusalem at the feast: for they also went unto the feast. So Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. 

There are a number of interesting things about this passage. One is the comment that will appear at the end of this passage, “This is again the second miracle that Jesus did, when he was come out of Judaea into Galilee.” Bibles and commentaries often begin this section with the heading, “Jesus’ second Miracle” or “The First Healing by Jesus”. I even used “The First Healing” in my heading.

We know the “Second Miracle” statement is wrong.  While Jesus was in Jerusalem for the Passover “many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles, which he did.” And when Nicodemus came at that time his first words to Jesus were, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that you do, except God be with him.” John even acknowledges that Jesus had performed other miracles between the wedding at Cana and now. At the beginning of this passage John says, “the Galilaeans received him, having seen all the things that he did at Jerusalem at the feast.”

John referring to it as the second miracle performed after he came from Judea to Galilee is probably a misunderstanding caused by style, translation or time. This was the second miracle performed by Jesus after he came to Galilee from Judea because it was the second time he had come to Galilee from Judea and performed a miracle. It is like this: my wife and I have vacationed in Sussex County twice and stayed at The Inn. We could state this is again the second stay at The Inn we did, when we were come out of New Castle County into Sussex. It does not mean we never stayed at another hotel anywhere; only it was the second time at this particular hotel in this particular circumstance. You get more a sense of this as John’s meaning with the literal translation: “this again a second sign did Jesus, having come out of Judea to Galilee.”

The other heading may or may not be true. We really don’t know for certain this was the first healing. We are told Jesus performed miracles in Jerusalem, but not told specifically what they were. Certainly there may have been healings. It is hard to imagine them being anything else. Did he feed the entire city from a loaf of bread? Did he calm a storm threatening to blow down the Temple? If a spectacular miracle had occurred in Jerusalem it probably would have been given more attention. It seems arguable these were routine cures, if you can call curing routine. Every miracle Jesus performed during his ministry was not recorded in detail. Usually when a specific miracle was described it was for a reason beyond just showing Jesus could perform miracles. This is the case with the curing of the Nobleman’s son.

And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum. When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judaea into Galilee, he went to him, and besought him that he would come down, and heal his son, for he was at the point of death.

Who was this Nobleman? We don’t know. He was just a “certain Nobleman”. Some have speculated he was a Roman official, some that he was an official to Herod Antipas and some that he was connected to the Customs House located in Capernaum. None of that is known nor does it matter. It is probably safe to assume he was Jewish, but we aren’t told that with certainty.

There is cachet to being a Nobleman. It is a position of eminence and generally of wealth. This man had a staff of servants and being called a Nobleman here indicates he had substance and standing. He would have been a man who could provide for his family’s need and would have been educated. Therefore, he could afford doctors to attend to his ailing son, thus his son must have been beyond the skill of doctors to cure.

He heard Jesus had come out of Judea and he went to him. This is not a casual walk down the street. Capernaum was 15 to 18 miles (estimates vary) from Cana. It is a several hour jaunt. Why he thought Jesus could help isn’t given. Perhaps the man had been to the Passover in Jerusalem and witnessed or heard of the miracles Jesus performed there. Perhaps by this time the servants at that earlier wedding in Cana had told far and wide how they saw this man turn water to wine. Whatever this man knew, he had at least a hope that Jesus could heal his son. 

Then said Jesus to him, “Except you see signs and wonders, you will not believe.”

Several newer translations (New King James, New American Standard, NIV) read, “Unless you people…” I don’t see anything in the original text or in the literal translation (Jesus then said unto him, “If signs and wonders ye may not see, ye will not believe. “[YLT])  to indicate Jesus said this to anyone but the Nobleman or spoke of “you people”. It is possible others were around and might have heard the conversation, but it appears the conversation was directed at the Nobleman. 

However, Jesus often used these encounters as teaching moments. He would have known the heart of the Nobleman, so there would not have been need to test the man. But Jesus might have wanted to demonstrate something about belief, perhaps even to just this man.

The nobleman said to him, “Sir, come down ere my child die.”

Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your son lives.”

And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken to him, and he went his way.

We see a growth in faith.  First the man was insistent that Jesus go to Capernaum. He seemed to believe Jesus could cure his son only if he was physically present in the room with the dying child. Even after Jesus’ initial statement, he is persistent in his request for Jesus to come. Yet when Jesus tells him to go because his son lives, the man accepts this. This is a step to understanding that Jesus has the power to answer our prayers even when he is not physically present. Distance is not a barrier to God.

Still the man had a little doubt.

And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, “Your son lives.”

Then enquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said to him, “Yesterday, at the seventh hour the fever left him.” So the father knew that it was at the same hour in which Jesus said to him, “Your son lives,” and himself believed, and his whole house.

This is again the second miracle that Jesus did, when he was come out of Judaea into Galilee.

See, the man needed a bit more proof this was the work of Jesus. It was not sufficient to hear his son has gotten better; he needed to ask at what hour. I don’t think we are any different. We can pray for things in our lives, but when the prayer is answered, we sometimes chalk it up to coincidence or some action we took. We are like Gideon and his fleece [Read Judges 6:36-40]. We always demand some further proof before we truly believe. 

Here we see Jesus’ first statement to the man was on the mark. Except he could confirm this as a “sign and wonder”, he might not have believed. When he learns the son revived at the exact moment Jesus said he would live then he fully believes it was from the Lord. 

This verifying information has the benefit of bringing his whole house to belief, but it still took a sign and wonder.

Note we have in two of these early encounters by Jesus a further witnessing by the individuals encountered. The Samaritan Woman at the well went who told others and as a result they came to belief. Here the Nobleman leads his whole house to belief. 

A final remark about the “exact hour’. The servants reply the fever broke in the seventh hour. There were many different time keeping methods used in those times. The Jews kept the hours from sunrise, so the seventh hour would have been about 1:00 PM. It is difficult to know for sure what this was in Roman time. Rome by this time had the water clock and so wasn’t dependent on the sundial, although the latter was still in use. I do not know exactly how they counted their hours; that is, what was the starting point of a day for the first hour on a water clock. If the time were dependent on a sundial, it might have been around 12:45 PM depending on the season of the year. I have read it said the seventh hour would have been 7:00 PM, but I don’t know how this was calculated for that would have started the calculation at noon.

Seven o’clock PM has a certain appeal since the servant says the seventh hour yesterday. If Jesus had told him his son would live at 7:00 PM the Nobleman probably wouldn’t have made the trip home at night. Seven in the evening or one in the afternoon, it doesn’t really matter. All we know is the man didn’t return to Capernaum until the next day and it isn’t necessary to know the reason.