Earlier, I offered Capernaum as one of my favorite sites to visit. A popular magazine recently listed the town as one of the ten most important archaelogical sites in the Holy Land.
Let's revisit Capernaum! I enjoy everything about the site from strolling along the long approach to the entrance, to the smells of springtime from the adjacent fields, to the impressive remains of the synagogue, to the house of Peter's mother-in-law, to the hovering modern church.
If not a favorite of Jesus, Capernaum was certainly the town of choice as his headquarters for the Galilean ministry. When the gospel writers tell us that Jesus left Nazareth and took up residence in Capernaum, the move is significant. Obviously, Capernaum was larger than Nazareth and more strategically located on the International Highway. You might say that the world passed by the town, making it easier for the gospel of the kingdom of God to be proclaimed to the nations.
Perhaps less obvious, the transition to Capernaum marked a shift in Jesus' interpretation of Torah and an embrace of a more inclusive Judaism. Capernaum's synagogue followed the teachings of Hillel.
Capernaum provided great opportunities for Jesus and his ministry! The events and his teachings there hold promise for our instruction and future discipleship.
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