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Capernaum
Peter's House in Capernaum Synagogue in Capernaum Synagogue Ornamentation Fragments in Capernaum Industrial Park in Capernaum Basalt Stone Equipment in Capernaum Residential Area in Capernaum view of the Sea of Galilee from Capernaum

Peter's
House

Synagogue Synagogue
Ornamentation
Industrial
Park
Basalt Stone
Equipment
Residential
Area
View of Sea
of Galilee
  Overview of Capernaum with Synagogue, Peter's House, Residential Area

In the Bible:
Matthew 4:13-16, Jesus moved to Capernaum;
Matthew 4:18; Mark 1:16
, Jesus called Peter, Andrew, James, John to be disciples near here;
Matthew 9:9; Mark 2:14
, Jesus called Matthew from the office of the tax house;
Mark 1:21; Luke 4:31, Jesus taught in this synagogue; Jesus ate at Peter’s house in Capernaum; healed Peter’s mother-in-law;
Matthew 8:5-13; Luke 7:1-10
, Jesus healed centurion’s servant;
Matthew 9:1; Mark 2:1; Luke 5:17, a roof was removed and a paralyzed man was lowered to Jesus;
Matthew 9:18; Mark 5; Luke 8:40
, Jairus’ daughter was raised and a woman healed of bleeding;
John 4:46, Jesus healed nobleman’s son;
Matthew 9:27; 12:22; Mark 3:20; Luke 11:14
, Jesus healed two blind men and one mute demoniac.

Capernaum Map

Capernaum sat on the International Highway running from Egypt to Babylon. Capernaum controlled trade along this route and would have added tax and tolls to travelers, traders and merchandise coming and going. This combined with the fishing industry and the industrial park’s manufacturing of equipment such as grinding stones and olive presses from basalt stone made Capernaum rich.

The Bible mentions Capernaum 16 times presenting it as an important, large and wealthy city that was the base for:
1) Roman troops and their centurion who helped pay for the synagogue that Jesus taught in and whose NT foundation can still be seen today. (Mt.8:5-9)
2) Customs station where Matthew worked to collect taxes on goods coming from Damascus/Mesopotamia heading to Egypt and vice versa. (Matt.9:9)
3) High officer of the king (John 4:46)
4) Peter’s home and family (Mark 1:21; Luke 4:31)
5) Jesus ministry headquarters (Matthew 4:13-16)

Christians helped build the synagogue seen today on the NT foundation in 300-400 AD for their Jewish neighbors while they worshiped at a church built over Peter’s house. But, both were destroyed in the 600’s by Arabs.
Peter's House (back to top) Peter's House in Capernaum
  Peter's House in Residential area of Capernaum
Phases of building around Peter's house in Capernaum (Click HERE) Phases of Building around Peter's House since 30 AD in the First Century
Click here for a LARGER image of the Phases of Building Around Peter's House
  Modern Church viewing first century residence
  Peter's House in Capernaum
  Peter's House in Capernaum
  Peter's House in Capernaum
  Peter's House in Capernaum
  Peter's House in Capernaum
  Peter's House in Capernaum
   
Synagogue (back to top) Capernaum Synagogue
  Capernaum Synagogue
  Capernaum Synagogue
  Capernaum Synagogue basalt and limestone walls from 30 AD and 300's AD
  Capernaum Synagogue basalt walls from 30 AD first century
  Capernaum Synagogue basalt walls of Jesus time
  Capernaum Synagogue
  Capernaum Synagogue first century remains
  Capernaum Synagogue
  Capernaum Synagogue
  Capernaum Synagogue
  Capernaum Synagogue pillar inscription
  Capernaum Synagogue pillar
   
Synagogue Ornamentation (back to top) Synagogue Capernaum Decoration fragment
Seven branched menorah with tripod and incense shovel and ram's horn (shophar) in white limestone on a Corinthian capital for synagogue in Capernaum. Seven Branched Menorah with tripod and incense shovel and ram's horn shophar
  Keystone from white limestone synagogue in Capernaum
  Engraved pillars in white limestone
  Synagogue Fragments from Capernaum
  Fragments group 1
  Synagogue fragments in Capernaum
  Fragments group 3
 
  Lintel Fragment
 
 
  Synagogue Fragments
  White Limestone Pillar from synagogue in Capernaum
   
   
Industrial Park (back to top) Capernaum industrial park
The industrial park in Capernaum produced basalt equipment such as grinders and olive presses. Here equipment remains can be seen. Industrial Park in Capernaum
  Industrial Park in Capernaum
  Industrial Park in Capernaum
   
Basalt Stone Equipment (back to top) Press
  Olive press made of basalt stone
Lever press base Lever base for pressing
Olive Press Olive Press
  Basalt Industrial Equipment
  Basalt Equipment in Capernaum
   
   
   
Residential Area (back to top) Residential in Capernaum
  Residential Area of Capernaum
  Residential Area of Capernaum

Residential Area of Capernaum -

Looking across homes from Peter's house at the Synagogue in Capernaum

Residential Area of Capernaum looking across homes from Peter's house at the Synagogue in Capernaum
   
View of the Sea of Galilee (back to top) View of the Sea of Galilee from Capernaum
  Sea of Galilee from Capernaum
  Sea of Galilee from Capernaum
  Sea of Galilee from Capernaum
   
Rome mile marker along a major highway through Capernaum. Roman Mile Marker from Hadrian 117-138 AD in Capernaum
   

Industry in Capernaum producing basalt equipment such as grinders.

Notice the remains of equipment. Most cities would have one or two. Capernaum had an idustrial park of their remains.

Industry in Capernaum producing basalt equipment such as grinders
More industry. Notice the cone shaped rollers made of basalt stone.
More Industry
Carvings from the buildings and synagogue. The white stone is clearly from the synagogue when compare to the local basalt stone.
Carvings from the buildings and synagogue
Many of these stone carved pieces came from the synagogue
Many of these stone carved pieces came from the synagogue
Here a Jewish menorah (lampstand) can be seen
Here a Jewish menorah (lampstand) can be seen

This is the lintel of the entrance into the synagogue. The base of this synagogue dates back to the days when Jesus would have preached here.

 

(back to top)

This is the door way into the synagogue.  The base of this synagogue dates back to the days when Jesus would have preached here.
A decorative pilaster on the outside of the synagogue wall
A pilaster on the outside of the synagogue wall

Pilasters on the inside of the synagogue.

Notice the white stone of the wall that stands on the darker basalt stone of the foundation and floor.

The dark basalt stone is from the synagogue that Jesus preached in.

The white stone synogogue is from the 400's AD.

Pilasters on the inside of the synagogue
Toni beside a synogogue pillar.
Toni

These are the remains of homes and buildings in Capernaum.

Peter's residence was here in Capernaum. Jesus visited Peter's house but Jesus also had his own place in Capernaum. This city became the headquarters for Jesus' ministry.

 

Peter's residence was here in Capernaum.  Jesus visited Peter's house but Jesus also had his own place in Capernaum.  This city became the headquarters for Jesus' ministry.

Toni sits in the church that covers Peter's house.

2,000 years of building churches on top of Peter's house makes it difficult to see, let alone visualize, the way it was in 30 AD.

Toni is understandably clearly not impressed.

 

 

 

(back to top)

Toni sits in the church that covers Peter's house.  2,000 years of building churches on top of Peter's house makes it difficult to see let alone visualize the way it was in 30 AD.  Toni is understandably clearly not impressed.
 
Visit Carl Rasmussen's great site for better pictures and discussion of Capernaum: http://www.holylandphotos.org/browse.asp?s=1,2,5,14,37
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