LAND of ISRAEL

Tag: nazareth

  • Nazareth: What kind of father was Joseph?

    Nazareth: What kind of father was Joseph?

    What kind of father was Joseph and what kind of home did Jesus grow up in?

    Mikve, St. Joseph church
    Mikve, St. Joseph church

    To answer this let’s have a closer look at what Joseph did for a living in Nazareth: In Matthew 13:55 we read in reference to Jesus: “Is this not the carpenter’s son?” In Greek the word used (and translated as “carpenter”) is actually “tectonus”, which means “builder”. In other words, Joseph had a building business of sorts, working not only in wood but also in stone. Indeed, building in the Holy Land has always been largely out of stone since wood is scarce (Solomon ordered Cedars from Hiram in Lebanon) and to this day old Nazareth is built out stone. Now, all you guys know that construction is a tough business that can go either way financially, belly up or success if you’re good at what you do.

    Mary’s private mikve ritual bath
    Now here’s some ARCHAEOLOGICAL evidence that suggests that Joseph (who we know so little about from the Bible) was indeed quite a successful builder:  That he made a good living, and provided a really nice home for his family.  Above is a photo of a bonafide “mikve” (Jewish ritual bath) taken by a friend of mine, Dr. Tom Winger (whose pastors tour I guided). It was discovered beneath the Church of St. Joseph in Nazareth which is built over the traditional home of Joseph and Mary, where Jesus grew up.

    To be kosher, the MIKVE ritual bath has to be cut out of solid rock (not constructed), hold a minimum of 40 seah (~40 gallons), and be fed by “living water” (non-drawn water) – usually rain water from the roof.  Here’s the thing: Such elaborate Jewish ritual baths are quite expensive and are therefore generally built by a Jewish community at the local synagogue.  Only the wealthy could afford to install a private one in their home.  This is evidenced by a 2000 year old mikve ritual bath we found in a 7,000 square foot Herodian style mansion in Jerusalem from the time of the Temple.

    Biblical home and family life
    So what kind of father was Joseph and what kind of home did Jesus grow up in? Joseph appears to have been quite a guy: The biblical role model of a father and “family man” who worked hard, made a good living, and provided a beautiful home for his wife Mary, who wouldn’t have had to “shlep” to the local synagogue on a cold rainy winter night to use the public mikve ritual bath. This and more… as a successful builder Joseph also had the means, coupled with the right priorities, to provide Jesus with a top notch biblical education: Jesus is called “Rabbi” in the Bible, which means he probably studied in a yeshiva (rabbinical school) but that’s another story.

  • Sea of Galilee

    Sea of Galilee

    Kinneret: Sea of Galilee

    The beautiful and pastoral Sea of Galilee with its majestic dates & palm groves, and fed by the Jordan River, is a favorite among Holy Land pilgrims. Jesus settled here in the Jewish fishing town of Capernaum after leaving Nazareth.

    Sea of Galilee
    Sea of Galilee

    Soulful sea…
    Ahh, yes, the Sea of Galilee… You may have sailed the “Seven Seas”, but if you haven’t sailed on the Sea of Galilee… What can I say- this one’s got SOUL brother! No wonder so many miracles happened in this spot and that it’s a favorite, not only among millions of pilgrims, but with locals too- finding in this place where G-d speaks, peace, tranquility, and inspiration.

    Kinneret or Sea of the Harp
    Actually, in Hebrew, the language of Scripture, the lake is called the “Sea of Kinneret”, which means “Sea of the Harp”. Look at the map on the blog site and you’ll see that it indeed has the shape of a harp, which is a reminder of the Harp of David. Indeed, according to biblical tradition the Messiah will come out of the House of David. No wonder, in the New Testament, Jesus leaves his hometown of Nazareth and comes down to the Sea of Galilee, where he spends the last three years of his life: He settles in the ancient lakeside Jewish town of Capernaum where he centers his public ministry as a roaming rabbi – teacher – miracle-worker.

    Jordan River
    The Sea of Galilee is a actually a freshwater lake, fed by the Jordan River on the northern end. The lake is bigger than most people imagine: 25 km X 15 km (~15 X 7 miles) and 50 meters (~150 feet) deep. It’s part of the Great Rift Valley extending from Turkey to East Africa and is about 200 meters (over 600 feet) below sea level. No wonder it’s so warm, lush, and brimming with tropical and subtropical vegetation: Bananas, Mango, Avocado, Bougainvillea.

    Dates & Date Palms
    At the southern end of the Sea of Galilee, where the Jordan River flows out of the lake and winds its way south to the Dead Sea, are beautiful date palm groves, famous since Bible times. The dates were brought to the Holy Temple in Jerusalem as a First Fruits offering and are today exported all over the world.

    Sail on the Sea of Galilee
    I invite you to join me in discovering the delight of the Sea of Galilee. Together we’ll set set sail aboard one of the wooden boats pictured on this page, cut the motor, and just listen to the silence, the wind, and gentle lapping of the water. Reflecting on the meaning of this very special place, that has little changed since Bible times, you may find yourself breaking out your Bible, singing a hymn, and even kicking up your heels in joy!