Day 13 Tabgha, Nazareth, and Caesarea

Where's the Loaf?

Today we began our journey where Jesus performed the miracle of feeding five thousand from two fishes and five loaves of bread (Mark 6).  Below the altar is to be the rock on which Jesus performed this miracle.

There is a famous mosaic on the floor in front of the altar.  When you examine it you realize that there are only four loaves in the basket.  The reason for this is that the fifth loaf is on the altar as part of the Lord's Supper.

Do You Love Me?

Very close to the last site, and still on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, is the Primacy of Peter Church.  It is located on the place in John 21 where Jesus appears to His disciples after the resurrection.  They have been fishing and caught nothing, but He told them to cast their net on the other side and when they did they could not hall in the net, is was so full.  Jesus then reinstates Peter after asking him three times, "Do you love me?"

Rock shaped hearts have been sunk into the sand on the location where Jesus asked Peter, "Do you love me?"  When Peter answered, "Yes" Jesus told Him, "Feed my sheep."

Meet the 2000 Year Old Neighbours

We then spent some time at a place called "Nazareth Village."  Here they have tried to recreate what the village of Nazareth would have looked like during the time of Jesus.  They have characters role playing in costume.  Here the local carpenter and Pastor Dressler compare carving techniques.

We learned how to press olives to create oil.  The first press was given to God via the temple, the second was used for food, and the third was used for burning in oil lamps.

We also spent time in the synagogue, the place where Jesus read from the book of Isaiah about the Messiah, and then proclaims, "Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing."  (Luke 4)  This caused the people to want to through Him off a cliff, but He escapes them.
The synagogue was also a place where the children would be schooled in the scriptures.
More of Herod's Greatness

We ended the day by spending time viewing the ruins of Caesarea.  It was one of King Herod's greatest building projects with massive aqueducts (above) hippodrome, and a theatre.  While we were viewing the theatre a group of Japanese tourists sang here, and not to be outdone we responded with a chorus of "O Canada."
Tomorrow we tour Old Jerusalem.