Bethsaida
The village of Peter and Andrew
Inhabitants or natives
Andrew son of Jonas, Simon Peter, Philip, his daughters
Description
The town was then on the riverbank: Jesus told me, pointing to the course of the Jordan, or rather the place where it flows into the Sea of Galilee, where the city of Bethsaida stretches on the right bank of the river as one looks north: "Now the city no longer seems to be on the shores of the lake but somewhat inland, and this confuses the experts. The explanation must be sought in the fact that on this side the lake has been filled in by twenty centuries of alluvium brought by the river and landslides from the hills of Bethsaida. The town was then exactly at the mouth of the river into the lake and even the smallest boats, during seasons when the river waters were higher, could travel a fairly long distance up to the height of Capernaum, the river itself always serving as a port and shelter for the boats of Bethsaida on stormy days on the lake. This is not for you, for whom this matters little, but for the difficult scholars. And now go forward."[1]
Its name
הבית ציד (Bethsaida)[2], The house of the fisherman
Also known as Beit Tsaida, Beth-Saida, Bathesda, Bethsaida Julia. The exact location is controversial.
Where is it mentioned in the work?
EMV 50 EMV 51 EMV 60 EMV 61 EMV 62 EMV 96
EMV 102 EMV 152 EMV 179
Learn more about this place
The Gospel mentions only one miracle of Jesus at Bethsaida, the healing of a blind man (Mk 8:22)[3]. But Jesus' rebuke (Mt 11:21)[4] clearly shows that this was not the only miracle there!
Excerpt from the Geographical Dictionary of the Gospel according to Maria Valtorta, by Jean-François LavèreAt Capernaum, Jairus is amazed by the small number of converts: “Is it not a fault in the eyes of God? And will He not punish all this stubbornness and malice? Speak, Master...” “Yes, it is a fault and it will be punished. For the gift of God must never be despised or used to do evil. Woe to you, Chorazin, woe to you Bethsaida, you who make bad use of God's gifts.”[5].Renamed Julias by Philip in the year 30, (after Livia Julia, the wife of Augustus), the city rapidly disappeared (around 324), following an earthquake. Its location was sought in vain for nearly 1700 years.
The village’s location was confirmed in 1987 by archaeologist R. Arav, 4 km north of the current mouth of the Jordan, north of the Sea of Galilee. Jesus had given the explanation to Maria Valtorta more than forty years earlier. “Now the city no longer seems to be on the shores of the lake but somewhat inland, and this confuses the scholars.”[6].
Explore
• 32° 54’ 35’’ N / 35° 37’ 40’’ E
• -180m
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