From wars and rumors of war abroad, to the rise of anti-Christian, "woke" ideology here at home, it’s clear that Americans are living in perilous and unprecedented times. Some would even say that we’re witnessing biblical prophecy unfold in real time. Stakelbeck Tonight will make sense of these stunning developments through a bold and biblical lens.
#Israel
#Bible
#JewishHistory
#WorldHistory
#History
#BibleHistory
#Archaeology
#BiblicalArtifacts
#ErickStakelbeck
#News
#inActive
#MordechaiAviam
Closed captions
Show Timecode
Stakelbeck Tonight | Erick Stakelbeck: December 27, 2024 | Stakelbeck Tonight | December 19, 2024
- Coming up on stakelbeck tonight,
- 00:00:01.024 --> 00:00:02.592
- A stunning archeological discovery
- 00:00:02.592 --> 00:00:05.028
- On the shores of the sea of galilee.
- 00:00:05.028 --> 00:00:07.530
- We'll take you inside the ancient site
- 00:00:07.530 --> 00:00:09.399
- That many believe was biblical bethsaida hometown of
- 00:00:09.399 --> 00:00:13.369
- The apostles, peter, andrew and philip, and the very place
- 00:00:13.369 --> 00:00:16.940
- Where jesus worked, some of his greatest miracles.
- 00:00:16.940 --> 00:00:20.110
- Mark's
- 00:00:20.310 --> 00:00:21.544
- Gospel gives us the account of the healing of the blind man.
- 00:00:21.544 --> 00:00:24.447
- Luke is very clear about the feeding of the 5000
- 00:00:24.447 --> 00:00:27.951
- Takes place in the wilderness in bethsaida.
- 00:00:27.951 --> 00:00:30.420
- We have fishing.
- 00:00:30.420 --> 00:00:31.387
- We have people coming through here transiting.
- 00:00:31.387 --> 00:00:34.290
- A lot of jesus's ministry took place in this area.
- 00:00:34.290 --> 00:00:37.460
- See the gospels come alive.
- 00:00:37.460 --> 00:00:39.062
- And one of the very places where it all happened right here
- 00:00:39.062 --> 00:00:42.599
- On stakelbeck tonight.
- 00:00:42.599 --> 00:01:31.314
- Gentlemen.
- 00:01:31.614 --> 00:01:32.582
- Hello.
- 00:01:32.782 --> 00:01:34.017
- Hello, mochti great to see you.
- 00:01:34.017 --> 00:01:36.986
- Steven. great to be with you both.
- 00:01:36.986 --> 00:01:38.087
- Shalom. shalom.
- 00:01:38.087 --> 00:01:39.422
- Yes, in a very, very special place. gentlemen.
- 00:01:39.422 --> 00:01:41.991
- One of my favorite places in all the world.
- 00:01:41.991 --> 00:01:44.327
- We are near the shores
- 00:01:44.327 --> 00:01:45.361
- Of the sea of galilee, not far from the jordan river.
- 00:01:45.361 --> 00:01:48.498
- Where are we right now, and why is it so significant?
- 00:01:48.498 --> 00:01:51.734
- We're in the area of bethsaida, which is
- 00:01:51.734 --> 00:01:54.804
- One of the three cities that is mentioned in the gospels
- 00:01:54.804 --> 00:01:58.541
- With capernaum and chorazin sort of outlines
- 00:01:58.541 --> 00:02:01.711
- The ministry of jesus.
- 00:02:01.711 --> 00:02:03.279
- And we're right near some excavations
- 00:02:03.279 --> 00:02:06.249
- That have been going on
- 00:02:06.249 --> 00:02:07.483
- Trying to locate the exact site of that new testament city.
- 00:02:07.483 --> 00:02:10.420
- As an archeologist, i have to mention that steven
- 00:02:10.420 --> 00:02:13.122
- Was an historian.
- 00:02:13.122 --> 00:02:14.324
- Came to me and said, because
- 00:02:14.924 --> 00:02:16.292
- I believe this is the right place.
- 00:02:16.292 --> 00:02:18.027
- So bethsaida you'll be ready to come and dig.
- 00:02:18.027 --> 00:02:20.463
- We got to the roman layer.
- 00:02:20.463 --> 00:02:22.665
- It yielded pottery and coins and glass and fresco and marble
- 00:02:22.665 --> 00:02:27.870
- Made the story of the new excavations of el-araj
- 00:02:27.870 --> 00:02:31.741
- An important story
- 00:02:31.741 --> 00:02:33.910
- In the in the field of archeology,
- 00:02:33.910 --> 00:02:35.178
- As well as in religion. yeah.
- 00:02:35.178 --> 00:02:36.946
- And we're about to go inside and see all of this.
- 00:02:36.946 --> 00:02:39.082
- It is so exciting.
- 00:02:39.082 --> 00:02:40.316
- And by the way, folks, moti is very modest.
- 00:02:40.316 --> 00:02:42.118
- He's done incredible archeological work here
- 00:02:42.118 --> 00:02:44.087
- Throughout the galilee region for years now.
- 00:02:44.087 --> 00:02:46.322
- But, steven, in 2016, you said,
- 00:02:46.322 --> 00:02:48.358
- Hey, i think this is the spot for a biblical bethsaida.
- 00:02:48.358 --> 00:02:52.195
- Now, you're a historian, obviously a professor.
- 00:02:52.195 --> 00:02:55.398
- What made you so convinced that this was the spot
- 00:02:55.398 --> 00:02:58.801
- Where, as we'll detail when we go inside,
- 00:02:58.801 --> 00:03:00.937
- Jesus performed some of his greatest miracles?
- 00:03:00.937 --> 00:03:03.373
- I look at the lay of the land with history and language
- 00:03:03.373 --> 00:03:07.810
- Being brought into the into the mix.
- 00:03:07.810 --> 00:03:10.413
- And then, of course, the last stages is archeology,
- 00:03:10.413 --> 00:03:13.950
- Because until we excavate and i realized that
- 00:03:13.950 --> 00:03:16.252
- Unless excavation went on,
- 00:03:16.252 --> 00:03:18.321
- You couldn't actually prove
- 00:03:18.921 --> 00:03:20.723
- That this that all of these theories
- 00:03:20.723 --> 00:03:22.325
- About the possibility of it being located here
- 00:03:22.325 --> 00:03:24.727
- Could be confirmed.
- 00:03:25.194 --> 00:03:26.095
- My questions were raised primarily
- 00:03:26.095 --> 00:03:28.197
- By reading the descriptions in the gospels.
- 00:03:28.197 --> 00:03:30.333
- Josephus flavius and his descriptions.
- 00:03:30.333 --> 00:03:33.036
- Early rabbinic literature
- 00:03:33.036 --> 00:03:34.537
- Describing the location on the lake.
- 00:03:34.537 --> 00:03:37.840
- And so we began to explore here and found that it actually fit
- 00:03:37.840 --> 00:03:42.378
- Very much in terms of the archeology
- 00:03:42.378 --> 00:03:44.147
- Fit the historical description.
- 00:03:44.147 --> 00:03:46.182
- Yeah, we're going to talk more about it inside, gentlemen.
- 00:03:46.182 --> 00:03:48.151
- But on the shores of the sea of galilee,
- 00:03:48.151 --> 00:03:49.886
- Hey, we've got a professor and an archeologist,
- 00:03:49.886 --> 00:03:52.088
- A christian, a jew,
- 00:03:52.088 --> 00:03:53.323
- An american and israeli together doing this incredible work.
- 00:03:53.323 --> 00:03:56.859
- It█s such a special site. you're doing great things here.
- 00:03:56.859 --> 00:03:59.595
- Can we go inside and take a closer look?
- 00:03:59.595 --> 00:04:01.664
- Be our guest. lead the way.
- 00:04:01.664 --> 00:04:26.122
- So we are going down to the
- 00:04:26.723 --> 00:04:28.057
- Remains of a fifth century byzantine church.
- 00:04:28.057 --> 00:04:31.260
- Exactly.
- 00:04:31.260 --> 00:04:32.929
- Wow. but there are some older gems underneath.
- 00:04:32.929 --> 00:04:36.799
- Yes, there are.
- 00:04:36.799 --> 00:04:38.634
- Stephen, when we talk about a fifth century byzantine
- 00:04:38.634 --> 00:04:41.671
- Church, people might say,
- 00:04:41.671 --> 00:04:42.672
- Okay, fifth century jesus was first century.
- 00:04:42.672 --> 00:04:46.509
- Why was this church so significant in piecing together
- 00:04:46.509 --> 00:04:50.279
- The puzzle of ancient bethsaida?
- 00:04:50.279 --> 00:04:53.483
- I think it's because the church is associated with a tradition
- 00:04:53.483 --> 00:04:56.252
- Of being built over the house of peter and andrew.
- 00:04:56.252 --> 00:04:58.454
- And so and of course, when we speak about byzantine churches,
- 00:04:58.454 --> 00:05:02.725
- There are a number of byzantine churches that are built
- 00:05:02.725 --> 00:05:05.294
- In the wrong place i'd say.
- 00:05:05.294 --> 00:05:07.063
- They start having pilgrimages in the fourth century.
- 00:05:07.063 --> 00:05:10.233
- They need to remember events. remember sites.
- 00:05:10.233 --> 00:05:12.735
- Sometimes they don't know.
- 00:05:12.735 --> 00:05:14.504
- But it seems that this church, because this church happens
- 00:05:14.504 --> 00:05:18.408
- To be built on top of roman period, remains.
- 00:05:18.408 --> 00:05:21.677
- It seems that when they came and built this church,
- 00:05:21.677 --> 00:05:24.347
- They actually remembered the site of first century
- 00:05:24.347 --> 00:05:28.017
- Bethsaida and constructed the church here
- 00:05:28.017 --> 00:05:31.320
- To commemorate the house, the home of peter and andrew.
- 00:05:31.320 --> 00:05:34.590
- People say, okay, you're saying,
- 00:05:34.590 --> 00:05:35.691
- Bethsaida has biblical significance. wow.
- 00:05:35.691 --> 00:05:38.561
- A lot.
- 00:05:38.761 --> 00:05:39.796
- The gospels lay out a lot that happened here.
- 00:05:39.796 --> 00:05:41.697
- Very significant signpost in jesus's ministry.
- 00:05:41.697 --> 00:05:44.967
- But there is an inscription that you guys
- 00:05:44.967 --> 00:05:48.271
- Uncovered on the el-araj excavation.
- 00:05:48.271 --> 00:05:51.541
- Why is that inscription from the fifth century
- 00:05:51.541 --> 00:05:54.310
- So significant?
- 00:05:54.310 --> 00:05:55.578
- Because that inscription sort of ties peter to this church.
- 00:05:55.578 --> 00:05:58.981
- There were those who said, okay, you have a byzantine church,
- 00:05:58.981 --> 00:06:02.251
- But how do we know that it's the one that we read about
- 00:06:02.251 --> 00:06:06.222
- In the pilgrims and the pilgrim reports that it's
- 00:06:06.222 --> 00:06:08.791
- Built over the house of peter and the inscription was found.
- 00:06:08.791 --> 00:06:12.595
- It was a medallion inscription, and it was a dedication
- 00:06:12.595 --> 00:06:16.799
- And honor of the benefactor who financed the the mosaic floor.
- 00:06:16.799 --> 00:06:22.672
- And within it it there's an entreaty, a petition
- 00:06:22.672 --> 00:06:26.142
- For seeking intercession from the chief of the apostles,
- 00:06:26.142 --> 00:06:30.213
- And that is routinely the person of saint peter
- 00:06:30.213 --> 00:06:33.916
- The apostle, and asking for him to
- 00:06:33.916 --> 00:06:37.954
- Intercede for the benefactor.
- 00:06:38.588 --> 00:06:41.390
- His name was constantine, not the emperor,
- 00:06:41.390 --> 00:06:43.292
- Probably some other figure and his children.
- 00:06:43.292 --> 00:06:47.363
- And so that was the, if you will, the smoking gun
- 00:06:47.363 --> 00:06:50.800
- Or the connection to peter, to this church.
- 00:06:50.800 --> 00:06:54.537
- And again, if this is the church that's built over the house
- 00:06:54.537 --> 00:06:58.074
- Of peter and andrew,
- 00:06:58.074 --> 00:06:59.342
- It's also clearly a sign that this is byzantine.
- 00:06:59.342 --> 00:07:03.346
- Bethsaida.
- 00:07:03.346 --> 00:07:04.213
- All of those sort of come together,
- 00:07:04.213 --> 00:07:07.083
- The inscription sort of brings those all together in one point
- 00:07:07.083 --> 00:07:10.887
- And again strengthens the continuing evidence
- 00:07:10.887 --> 00:07:14.323
- That we're unearthing to suggest that we're on the site of
- 00:07:14.323 --> 00:07:18.494
- The lost city from from the gospels.
- 00:07:18.494 --> 00:07:20.796
- Bethsaida which is the last city that we had not yet located.
- 00:07:20.796 --> 00:07:24.867
- Stephen, hold that thought. i want you to break down more.
- 00:07:24.867 --> 00:07:27.069
- What exactly happened here?
- 00:07:27.069 --> 00:07:28.571
- What? jesus did here, and the disciples.
- 00:07:28.571 --> 00:07:30.606
- Moti i wanted to ask you.
- 00:07:30.606 --> 00:07:32.341
- Okay. people see right now these ancient ruins.
- 00:07:32.341 --> 00:07:35.011
- They said, wow, a bunch of ancient rocks.
- 00:07:35.011 --> 00:07:36.679
- This is very interesting.
- 00:07:36.679 --> 00:07:38.047
- What did this look like in the fifth century
- 00:07:38.047 --> 00:07:40.383
- When this church was thriving, i assume, and you've uncovered
- 00:07:40.383 --> 00:07:43.686
- Many churches like this in the galilee region.
- 00:07:43.686 --> 00:07:46.889
- What would this have looked like?
- 00:07:46.889 --> 00:07:48.190
- We're standing in the middle right now, right? that's right.
- 00:07:48.190 --> 00:07:51.060
- You can see over the northern wall,
- 00:07:51.060 --> 00:07:53.563
- The western wall, southern wall and the eastern wall.
- 00:07:53.563 --> 00:07:57.400
- And in the center of the eastern wall, there's a big apse.
- 00:07:57.400 --> 00:08:01.604
- This was the center for the the place for the altar.
- 00:08:01.604 --> 00:08:06.342
- This is where the
- 00:08:06.776 --> 00:08:09.011
- Were sitting around in front of it
- 00:08:09.011 --> 00:08:12.181
- Usually was a chancel screen we found in the excavation
- 00:08:12.181 --> 00:08:15.718
- Pieces of a decorated marble chancel screen.
- 00:08:15.718 --> 00:08:19.589
- And the floors are covered with mosaic floor
- 00:08:20.523 --> 00:08:23.459
- With a floral and geometric design
- 00:08:23.459 --> 00:08:26.762
- And the walls were always plaster.
- 00:08:27.530 --> 00:08:29.365
- What what people see now are stones.
- 00:08:29.365 --> 00:08:31.434
- But that's not the way it looked like when people came here.
- 00:08:31.434 --> 00:08:34.537
- It was the walls were plastered, maybe even decorate
- 00:08:34.537 --> 00:08:38.074
- The colors or other decorations.
- 00:08:38.074 --> 00:08:41.077
- So it was a very nice place.
- 00:08:41.077 --> 00:08:44.013
- There was a lot of respect, a lot of honor to the building.
- 00:08:44.013 --> 00:08:47.583
- It had two rows of columns
- 00:08:47.583 --> 00:08:50.353
- All at the edges of the apse.
- 00:08:50.353 --> 00:08:53.823
- From here is one of the bases to the west.
- 00:08:53.823 --> 00:08:58.294
- Two rows of columns.
- 00:08:58.294 --> 00:08:59.795
- The supported wooden structure was a triangle roof
- 00:08:59.795 --> 00:09:03.032
- Made of covered was with roof tiles,
- 00:09:03.032 --> 00:09:06.068
- Clay roof tiles that we found thousands of them over here.
- 00:09:06.068 --> 00:09:09.205
- So it was an impressive building
- 00:09:09.839 --> 00:09:12.541
- We excavated here in the center.
- 00:09:12.541 --> 00:09:14.844
- We found a an inscription, a greek inscription.
- 00:09:14.844 --> 00:09:18.414
- We were we were so happy, but
- 00:09:18.414 --> 00:09:21.283
- The inscription was cut by a little wall in the middle.
- 00:09:21.283 --> 00:09:24.320
- So we have only the upper part of the medallion.
- 00:09:24.320 --> 00:09:26.455
- Yeah, this wasn't the inscription
- 00:09:26.455 --> 00:09:27.757
- That stephen just told us about? this is a different one.
- 00:09:27.757 --> 00:09:28.891
- Different one in the century one was probably very important
- 00:09:30.059 --> 00:09:33.029
- Because it's in the center.
- 00:09:33.029 --> 00:09:34.230
- The upper part that preserved is the less important one.
- 00:09:34.230 --> 00:09:38.401
- It is dedicated to the bishop and it is talking about
- 00:09:38.401 --> 00:09:41.804
- Rebuilding the structure here and then it's cut
- 00:09:41.804 --> 00:09:45.007
- Because usually the second part was a
- 00:09:45.007 --> 00:09:48.444
- And then we rebuild this church which is dedicated to this
- 00:09:48.444 --> 00:09:51.414
- And this and this.
- 00:09:51.414 --> 00:09:53.049
- We couldn't say you couldn't tell what it is.
- 00:09:53.049 --> 00:09:55.284
- And we found in
- 00:09:55.284 --> 00:09:56.352
- Front of the apse, we found another inscription.
- 00:09:56.352 --> 00:10:00.022
- This was probably a at least five meters long inscription.
- 00:10:00.022 --> 00:10:03.092
- What's left is 30 centimeters.
- 00:10:03.092 --> 00:10:05.695
- Wow. and again, we were weeping,
- 00:10:05.695 --> 00:10:09.231
- But but that's what archeology is about.
- 00:10:09.231 --> 00:10:12.435
- We we we find what we what's what's left.
- 00:10:12.435 --> 00:10:14.804
- Well, folks, you hear it.
- 00:10:14.804 --> 00:10:15.938
- Moti, stephen and i are saying about this amazing site.
- 00:10:15.938 --> 00:10:18.808
- You see why we are so excited to be standing in the remains
- 00:10:18.808 --> 00:10:22.111
- Of what very likely was biblical bethsaida. but
- 00:10:22.111 --> 00:10:24.980
- What do the gospels say about this site?
- 00:10:25.781 --> 00:10:28.784
- What exactly went down here?
- 00:10:28.784 --> 00:10:30.453
- What did jesus do here?
- 00:10:30.453 --> 00:10:32.688
- You're going to hear about it after the break.
- 00:10:32.688 --> 00:10:34.290
- And when you do,
- 00:10:34.290 --> 00:10:35.091
- I think you're going to want to
- 00:10:35.091 --> 00:10:36.959
- Come here and stand where we are standing.
- 00:10:36.959 --> 00:10:57.006
- Come here and stand where we are standing.
- 00:10:57.006 --> 00:11:17.400
- Gentlemen, during the time of jesus,
- 00:11:18.201 --> 00:11:19.836
- This place would have been a thriving fishing village.
- 00:11:19.836 --> 00:11:22.472
- We're right on the north
- 00:11:22.472 --> 00:11:23.673
- Side of the sea of galilee, by the way, here is a remnant.
- 00:11:23.673 --> 00:11:26.543
- Here's an example of how this place was thriving.
- 00:11:26.543 --> 00:11:29.246
- Moti, what do we see inside of this square?
- 00:11:29.246 --> 00:11:31.715
- This is one square.
- 00:11:32.182 --> 00:11:33.049
- The square is our frame of excavating.
- 00:11:33.049 --> 00:11:35.852
- It's nothing to do with the edge of buildings.
- 00:11:35.852 --> 00:11:37.788
- We decide on 4x4 meters square,
- 00:11:37.788 --> 00:11:40.457
- And we dug here
- 00:11:40.824 --> 00:11:41.825
- Because we wanted to know how large the site
- 00:11:41.825 --> 00:11:44.261
- Is, where we can find more and more houses.
- 00:11:44.261 --> 00:11:46.163
- So we dug over here.
- 00:11:46.163 --> 00:11:47.364
- That's about 100 meters away from the church
- 00:11:47.364 --> 00:11:50.600
- We have seen earlier and 30 centimeters below surface
- 00:11:50.600 --> 00:11:55.038
- A wall of a house dated to the roman period.
- 00:11:55.038 --> 00:11:58.542
- 3rd - 2nd century ce.
- 00:11:58.542 --> 00:12:01.011
- What you see here is the paving of the courtyard
- 00:12:01.011 --> 00:12:04.181
- Was a tabun,
- 00:12:04.514 --> 00:12:05.649
- A cooking oven in the in the in the in the courtyard.
- 00:12:05.649 --> 00:12:09.252
- Then there was
- 00:12:09.586 --> 00:12:10.720
- An entrance to the room, one of the room themselves.
- 00:12:10.720 --> 00:12:14.124
- And in there was covered are two cooking bowls,
- 00:12:14.124 --> 00:12:19.296
- One jar, 2, 3, bronze bowls,
- 00:12:19.896 --> 00:12:26.536
- Oil lamp and a bottle.
- 00:12:27.003 --> 00:12:29.072
- And just yesterday we took from here a an iron pick axe.
- 00:12:29.072 --> 00:12:34.344
- An ax.
- 00:12:34.344 --> 00:12:35.078
- Yeah. and too.
- 00:12:35.078 --> 00:12:36.246
- And this morning we found here an weight, fishing weight.
- 00:12:36.246 --> 00:12:42.552
- So that's not a surprise.
- 00:12:42.552 --> 00:12:43.920
- We have hundreds already this on the shore.
- 00:12:43.920 --> 00:12:45.655
- People were fishermen.
- 00:12:45.655 --> 00:12:46.489
- This is a fishing village.
- 00:12:46.489 --> 00:12:49.492
- And we are going next week
- 00:12:49.492 --> 00:12:50.594
- To expand the dig with another square over there
- 00:12:50.594 --> 00:12:53.864
- To get a little bit more from the from the house.
- 00:12:53.864 --> 00:12:56.533
- And coming here we do want to enlarge our excavation.
- 00:12:56.533 --> 00:13:00.503
- We finished the church this time.
- 00:13:00.503 --> 00:13:02.505
- I will go to to see more about the roman village.
- 00:13:02.505 --> 00:13:06.142
- You█ll be digging this place up and it's exciting.
- 00:13:06.142 --> 00:13:08.511
- This is an active archeological dig, a rare privilege for me
- 00:13:08.511 --> 00:13:13.283
- To be here.
- 00:13:13.617 --> 00:13:14.985
- And you didn't have to dig very deep,
- 00:13:14.985 --> 00:13:16.253
- By the way, to uncover that treasure trove, moti.
- 00:13:16.253 --> 00:13:18.288
- Fascinating. who knows what is next here?
- 00:13:18.288 --> 00:13:20.390
- We'll talk about that in a minute, too.
- 00:13:20.390 --> 00:13:21.625
- 30 centimeters below.
- 00:13:21.625 --> 00:13:23.026
- We'll get into the first century.
- 00:13:23.026 --> 00:13:24.561
- You get into the first century,
- 00:13:24.561 --> 00:13:25.762
- And that's the time of jesus, steven.
- 00:13:25.762 --> 00:13:27.464
- And look, there are places in israel
- 00:13:27.464 --> 00:13:30.000
- Where you could see where maybe jesus walked here.
- 00:13:30.000 --> 00:13:32.903
- Pretty high likelihood that he walked here
- 00:13:33.770 --> 00:13:36.273
- Where we are standing right now, biblical bethsaida.
- 00:13:36.273 --> 00:13:39.576
- Okay.
- 00:13:39.576 --> 00:13:40.677
- Why was this site so significant in jesus' ministry?
- 00:13:40.677 --> 00:13:45.448
- And what are some of the just incredible events,
- 00:13:45.448 --> 00:13:49.653
- Some of the most incredible
- 00:13:49.653 --> 00:13:50.921
- Events in the gospels that occurred right here?
- 00:13:50.921 --> 00:13:53.990
- I think one of the things that drew
- 00:13:54.758 --> 00:13:55.825
- Jesus here is a number of his followers.
- 00:13:55.825 --> 00:13:57.560
- We know, at least
- 00:13:57.560 --> 00:13:59.095
- According to john's gospel, peter, andrew and philip,
- 00:13:59.095 --> 00:14:02.565
- Probably others of the we don't know
- 00:14:02.565 --> 00:14:04.467
- Where all the apostles come from,
- 00:14:04.467 --> 00:14:06.369
- Likely others came from here as well.
- 00:14:06.369 --> 00:14:09.739
- So i think that's one of the things that drew jesus here,
- 00:14:09.739 --> 00:14:12.909
- Is that this was sort of their home base in a sense.
- 00:14:12.909 --> 00:14:16.146
- I mean,
- 00:14:16.379 --> 00:14:17.013
- He was also in capernaum,
- 00:14:17.013 --> 00:14:18.048
- But he seems to have spent significant time here.
- 00:14:18.048 --> 00:14:21.151
- Mark's gospel gives us the account
- 00:14:21.151 --> 00:14:23.153
- Of the healing of the blind man.
- 00:14:23.153 --> 00:14:26.122
- One of
- 00:14:26.323 --> 00:14:27.390
- The interesting things that sometimes is overlooked
- 00:14:27.390 --> 00:14:29.659
- That when jesus is on the northwest corner of the lake
- 00:14:29.659 --> 00:14:32.929
- And comes across the lake to the other side
- 00:14:32.929 --> 00:14:36.533
- In english, that's a relative term,
- 00:14:36.533 --> 00:14:38.868
- But in the in the direction
- 00:14:38.868 --> 00:14:40.337
- Of the gospels and the language there, that's always here,
- 00:14:40.337 --> 00:14:43.773
- It's always referring
- 00:14:43.773 --> 00:14:44.841
- When it uses it, it refers to coming here
- 00:14:44.841 --> 00:14:47.077
- To the northeast corner of the lake.
- 00:14:47.077 --> 00:14:48.745
- But side it is the other side.
- 00:14:48.745 --> 00:14:50.714
- They're referring to.
- 00:14:50.714 --> 00:14:51.848
- Yes, this is where he comes over here.
- 00:14:51.848 --> 00:14:54.517
- And of course, this is still jewish population here
- 00:14:54.517 --> 00:14:57.787
- Along the lake.
- 00:14:57.787 --> 00:14:59.055
- As as you move farther south, you have mainly gentile
- 00:14:59.055 --> 00:15:03.159
- Non-jews down there.
- 00:15:03.626 --> 00:15:05.495
- That's why when they're they're sort of blown off course
- 00:15:05.495 --> 00:15:08.631
- After the storm.
- 00:15:08.631 --> 00:15:09.933
- Remember the storm and the calming of the storm,
- 00:15:09.933 --> 00:15:12.335
- They they come into harbor at gergesa.
- 00:15:12.335 --> 00:15:15.171
- And you have the gergesean demoniac
- 00:15:15.171 --> 00:15:18.008
- And of course, the raising of the pigs.
- 00:15:18.008 --> 00:15:19.876
- And people always say, what are jewish
- 00:15:19.876 --> 00:15:21.211
- People doing raising pigs?
- 00:15:21.211 --> 00:15:22.612
- These are that's not jewish population there.
- 00:15:22.612 --> 00:15:25.081
- Up in here in the northeast corner of the lake.
- 00:15:25.081 --> 00:15:27.817
- If you think of the lake as a clock, like 1:00 on the lake,
- 00:15:27.817 --> 00:15:31.488
- Just on the other side of the
- 00:15:32.122 --> 00:15:33.423
- Jordan, we have bethsaida where we have fishing.
- 00:15:33.423 --> 00:15:36.426
- We have people coming through here transiting
- 00:15:36.426 --> 00:15:39.496
- From galilee over up onto the golan heights.
- 00:15:39.496 --> 00:15:42.465
- So this will be a main travel route through here.
- 00:15:42.465 --> 00:15:46.169
- And it seems that a lot of jesus's ministry
- 00:15:46.169 --> 00:15:48.938
- Took place in this area.
- 00:15:48.938 --> 00:15:50.807
- One of the events that luke is very clear about,
- 00:15:50.807 --> 00:15:54.444
- The feeding of the 5000 takes place in the wilderness
- 00:15:54.444 --> 00:15:57.313
- Of bethsaida which again, the area of midbar.
- 00:15:57.313 --> 00:16:01.017
- That's not a wilderness, it's not a desert.
- 00:16:01.017 --> 00:16:03.153
- This is the wilderness area.
- 00:16:03.153 --> 00:16:04.454
- The area that is not settled on the outskirts of bethsaida.
- 00:16:04.454 --> 00:16:07.891
- It's here,
- 00:16:07.891 --> 00:16:09.159
- That we have the multiplication of the loaves and the fishes.
- 00:16:09.159 --> 00:16:12.262
- So you have a lot of things that are taking place
- 00:16:12.262 --> 00:16:15.932
- In the gospels here, and that's why it's important
- 00:16:15.932 --> 00:16:19.069
- To try to locate where that site was.
- 00:16:19.069 --> 00:16:28.545
- Could the archaeological work in bethsaida unearth more
- 00:16:29.612 --> 00:16:32.582
- More absolute proof that the gospels are real?
- 00:16:32.582 --> 00:16:36.219
- We find out more next!
- 00:16:36.219 --> 00:16:46.010
- We find out more next!
- 00:16:46.010 --> 00:17:05.383
- Jesus walked on water right behind us here in this portion
- 00:17:06.518 --> 00:17:11.923
- Of the sea of galilee or the lake, all here.
- 00:17:11.923 --> 00:17:15.060
- I have to pinch myself, guys, what an honor and a privilege.
- 00:17:15.060 --> 00:17:17.963
- I can't thank you enough
- 00:17:17.963 --> 00:17:19.131
- For letting us in this active archeological dig, moti.
- 00:17:19.131 --> 00:17:20.432
- For letting us in this active archeological dig, moti.
- 00:17:20.432 --> 00:17:23.235
- Number one, what's next?
- 00:17:23.235 --> 00:17:24.703
- You touched on that a minute ago, actually.
- 00:17:24.703 --> 00:17:26.371
- But what are your look?
- 00:17:26.371 --> 00:17:27.372
- You're going to do a lot more digging here.
- 00:17:27.372 --> 00:17:29.407
- Secondly, for you, why does this site
- 00:17:29.407 --> 00:17:31.510
- And the potential of this site, what's still to come excite
- 00:17:31.510 --> 00:17:34.613
- You so much? in the future,
- 00:17:34.613 --> 00:17:36.481
- We want to enlarge the excavations on the roman
- 00:17:36.481 --> 00:17:41.353
- Remains of the
- 00:17:41.686 --> 00:17:43.555
- Village city from bethsaida to julius.
- 00:17:43.555 --> 00:17:48.360
- And there's a lot to be done, a lot to be to be learned.
- 00:17:48.360 --> 00:17:52.697
- For me, this is a large project, and
- 00:17:53.465 --> 00:17:58.837
- I have here some questions about
- 00:17:59.471 --> 00:18:04.609
- The historical issues
- 00:18:05.110 --> 00:18:07.846
- That as an archeologist,
- 00:18:07.846 --> 00:18:09.314
- I would like to solve the historical issues.
- 00:18:09.314 --> 00:18:11.616
- That's why i'm working with an historian
- 00:18:11.616 --> 00:18:15.053
- Finds from the ground here pottery and coins
- 00:18:15.053 --> 00:18:18.356
- Opened the door for historical questions
- 00:18:19.191 --> 00:18:22.594
- And we can, if we will, be lucky.
- 00:18:22.594 --> 00:18:25.096
- And of course, we don't know what's under the ground.
- 00:18:25.096 --> 00:18:27.199
- We dig and hope to find something.
- 00:18:27.199 --> 00:18:29.568
- We can answer this interesting question
- 00:18:29.568 --> 00:18:32.504
- Can we see a transfer
- 00:18:33.004 --> 00:18:35.106
- From a village of bethsaida to a city of julius?
- 00:18:35.106 --> 00:18:38.510
- To the polis of julius?
- 00:18:38.510 --> 00:18:40.378
- It's very interesting.
- 00:18:40.378 --> 00:18:41.613
- Yeah, that's a key point. look, you mentioned that earlier.
- 00:18:41.613 --> 00:18:43.315
- It was known as bethsaida
- 00:18:43.315 --> 00:18:44.583
- And then it was the name flipped to julius.
- 00:18:44.583 --> 00:18:48.053
- A more roman name.
- 00:18:48.053 --> 00:18:49.721
- Yes, it it's happened at the time
- 00:18:49.721 --> 00:18:52.724
- Of herod philip, who was the king of this area.
- 00:18:52.724 --> 00:18:57.329
- And that's a story that comes from
- 00:18:57.329 --> 00:18:58.964
- Josephus, tells us that the site
- 00:18:58.964 --> 00:19:00.565
- He upgraded the site and made it a polis gave it
- 00:19:00.565 --> 00:19:04.502
- A name of families of the the name of the emperor█s
- 00:19:04.502 --> 00:19:07.072
- Daughter. that's a key point, too.
- 00:19:07.072 --> 00:19:08.907
- I sorry to interrupt you, but josephus wow.
- 00:19:08.907 --> 00:19:11.576
- I mean, his account, the roman historian, famous
- 00:19:11.576 --> 00:19:14.713
- Historian, josephus from that period,
- 00:19:14.713 --> 00:19:16.982
- His account of this site, man, it just seems to really match up
- 00:19:16.982 --> 00:19:20.619
- With where we're standing right now,
- 00:19:20.619 --> 00:19:21.786
- Because there is another site not far away, et
- 00:19:21.786 --> 00:19:23.922
- Tel site,
- 00:19:23.922 --> 00:19:25.023
- Which also claims to be the site of biblical bethsaida.
- 00:19:25.023 --> 00:19:28.026
- But the josephus descriptions really seem
- 00:19:28.026 --> 00:19:31.229
- To add a lot of weight to this site.
- 00:19:31.229 --> 00:19:33.331
- Steven, as we wrap up, you're originally from oklahoma,
- 00:19:33.331 --> 00:19:36.067
- You're christian, originally from oklahoma.
- 00:19:36.067 --> 00:19:37.836
- You teach in new york city.
- 00:19:37.836 --> 00:19:39.337
- Yet you have a heart for this land and this region.
- 00:19:39.337 --> 00:19:42.841
- Why do you do what you do,
- 00:19:43.408 --> 00:19:45.410
- And what drew you here to this place?
- 00:19:45.410 --> 00:19:49.881
- I do what i
- 00:19:49.881 --> 00:19:51.249
- Came over here in 1983, moved my wife and children because i,
- 00:19:51.249 --> 00:19:54.552
- I as you've mentioned, i'm a christian.
- 00:19:54.552 --> 00:19:56.621
- I'm interested in the new testament
- 00:19:56.621 --> 00:19:58.223
- And the beginnings of christianity.
- 00:19:58.223 --> 00:20:00.125
- And i felt it was important to immerse myself in the land,
- 00:20:00.125 --> 00:20:03.295
- The culture and the language of the gospels
- 00:20:03.295 --> 00:20:06.064
- In order to understand them from the inside out.
- 00:20:06.064 --> 00:20:08.800
- For me, that's an important thing, is to try to understand
- 00:20:08.800 --> 00:20:11.803
- Sort of the contours of the gospel,
- 00:20:11.803 --> 00:20:13.838
- To hear more clearly
- 00:20:13.838 --> 00:20:14.973
- The message of the gospel jesus█ presence here
- 00:20:14.973 --> 00:20:18.977
- To again, to get a get a deeper
- 00:20:19.611 --> 00:20:22.347
- Understanding of what's going on in the gospel.
- 00:20:22.347 --> 00:20:24.616
- And i think to do that, you have to do it on site.
- 00:20:24.616 --> 00:20:27.352
- You can't do it from a distance.
- 00:20:27.352 --> 00:20:28.887
- Steven. moti. thank you very much.
- 00:20:28.887 --> 00:20:32.457
- Yes, as they say here in
- 00:20:32.457 --> 00:20:33.892
- The land of israel todah rabah thank you very much.
- 00:20:33.892 --> 00:20:37.796
- Amazing to be standing here in biblical bethsaida.
- 00:20:37.796 --> 00:20:40.732
- Coming up from this incredible new testament site.
- 00:20:40.732 --> 00:20:44.502
- Some final thoughts.
- 00:20:44.502 --> 00:20:46.137
- Stick around.
- 00:20:46.137 --> 00:21:09.008
- Stick around.
- 00:21:09.008 --> 00:21:16.836
- Folks, what a journey to what may be the very site
- 00:21:17.870 --> 00:21:20.773
- Where jesus healed a blind man and worked many more miracles,
- 00:21:20.773 --> 00:21:24.810
- Not to mention the hometown of peter, andrew and philip.
- 00:21:24.810 --> 00:21:26.779
- Not to mention the hometown of peter, andrew and philip.
- 00:21:26.779 --> 00:21:28.881
- Talk about favor with history like that.
- 00:21:28.881 --> 00:21:31.317
- You would think bethsaida
- 00:21:31.317 --> 00:21:32.485
- Would have been renowned for its belief in jesus and yet
- 00:21:32.485 --> 00:21:36.956
- In the gospel of matthew, jesus says,
- 00:21:36.956 --> 00:21:55.808
- Now, jesus also mentioned chorazin and capernaum,
- 00:21:56.809 --> 00:22:00.045
- Two other cities where he worked.
- 00:22:00.045 --> 00:22:01.814
- Mighty miracles.
- 00:22:01.814 --> 00:22:03.182
- Folks, this should be a wake up
- 00:22:03.182 --> 00:22:04.617
- Call for all of us as followers of jesus today.
- 00:22:04.617 --> 00:22:08.354
- As jesus said,
- 00:22:08.354 --> 00:22:12.591
- So let's never take
- 00:22:13.058 --> 00:22:14.360
- Jesus and what he's done for us for granted.
- 00:22:14.360 --> 00:22:17.763
- Thanks for watching and god bless.
- 00:22:17.763 --> 00:22:17.763
