Jesus

Israel 2022: Sea of Galilee

joannie65356 Comments

What can I say? It was definitely another “pinch yourself” kind of day.  We had arrived late in the afternoon tired and worn out from that day’s tour but I could feel the excitement in the tour group. We had arrived at the Sea of Galilee!

Sea of Galilee

Sure, Caesarea Maritima, Mount Carmel, Megiddo…. yes, all were great places we had visited already but THIS was the Sea of Galilee. Almost everything we know about Jesus and his three- year ministry happened right there around the Sea of Galilee.  We had seen places – mainly archaeological ruins – where Jesus might’ve, could’ve, maybe did, walk or sleep or perform miracles but you could never know if he really was there in those exact places. Was he? Really?

But, not this place. Here, you could know for sure. The Sea of Galilee is right there just like it was two thousand years ago. The sun rises and sets there day after day just like it has throughout the millennia. It is right there where it has been since time began. The landscaping might have changed, the towns he knew and traveled through may be gone, but the sea itself pretty much remains the same. Timeless. We saw it as he saw it.

Our tour day – pretty much like all the tour days – started early. We were on a 6-7-8 schedule – wake up call at 6:00 AM, breakfast at 7:00 AM and be on the bus by 8:00 AM. I called it the “up, eat, go” timeline and most of the time I was still trying to get enough coffee in me at breakfast so I could at least see to get on the bus before it left the hotel. But, this morning was special.  I was ready.

Old boat along the shore

We headed out early to a dock where a boat waited to take us on a cruise on the Sea. So, I’m thinking it will be a little touristy and maybe a little kitschy to go for a ride in a boat that was sort of built in the style of ancient fishing boats…. but not really…just another tourist thing. Right?  But it was a beautiful morning as we headed out, so I put all tourist thoughts aside and planned to just enjoy myself.  The sea was calm, and the sun was up on a cloudless day, we’re in the Holy Land…and, as they say, “God’s in His heaven” …. what’s not to enjoy?

What’s not to like about a sunny day on the lake?

I say the “sea”, but Galilee is actually a fresh-water lake about 64.4 square miles (166.7 km) in area, about 32 miles (53 km) in circumference, 13 miles (21 km) long, and 8.1 miles (13 km) wide. The lake has had many names through the centuries…Lake Kinneret or Kinnereth, Lake Tiberias, and the Sea of Minya, to name a few.

The name Kinneret comes from the name of a Bronze/Iron Age city of Kinneret, the remains of which lie on the northwest shore at Tell el’Oreineh. There is also a school of thought that the name is derived from the Hebrew word “Kinnor” which means a harp or lyre because the sea/lake has the shape of a lute. I think maybe the ancient city from the Bronze Age might trump the harp/lute theory although a lute-shaped sea is very appealing and easier to remember.  Oh, here’s something to think about – the “Kinnor” or lute is the first musical instrument to be mentioned in the Bible. (Do not ask me where.) One last theory. According to the Talmud, the lake is named for Kinnar trees which grow there1….which may refer to reeds or the jujube, neither of which sound much like a tree at all to me.

Heading down to the boat.

Christians generally refer to it as the Sea of Galilee which is derived from the Hebrew “Haggalil” which means “the district”. Gelil Haggoyim means “the district of nations”1.  Since the lake and the Jordon River have been denoted as the borders for Israel, Syria, and Jordan over the years, then Galilee being a district of nations makes sense.  But, enough on the names and enough history for now…..back to the tour.

The buses took us to the park and museum area where we would catch the boat. As we walked down to the pier, I wondered if a fishing boat could be large enough to hold our entire tour group….or would we have to split up into groups. I needn’t have worried about that at all. There was plenty of room. As we gathered on the boat and found a seat, the praise team, having set up at the front, began to sing. Others in the group soon joined in and the day that was already beautiful, became even more so.

I wish I could tell you what songs they were singing and that I sang along but I can’t. I was raised in the south right there in the Bible belt and I remember the old hymns which I dearly love…..so I tend to go to churches where they still sing the old songs….the ones that stir my heart.  I do know a few of the more contemporary songs but not too many….so that morning on the Sea of Galilee, I was listening to the music and not doing too much singing. 

And, of course, I was busy trying to get photos of everything…and I mean everything.  Branch sticking up out of the water, I got it.  Reeds growing on the shore, got that too.  And I won’t mention how many blurry pictures of boats and birds that I took.  I know that many of my memories will hinge on what I can capture with my camera. I’m getting to that age when, sadly, my memories are fading. If I see the photo, it helps me to remember (for now, at least) the place and the experience.

There are still fishermen on the sea.

And, the experience was wonderful. When our DTS guide, Dr. Yarbrough2, started to read from Mark chapter 4, I was hooked knowing that the events in the story he was reading took place right here in the middle of the Sea of Galilee in a boat not too different from the one we were in.  And it is a story I love (doesn’t everyone?) I know that you know the story – everyone who’s ever been to Sunday School knows it. 

The Primacy of St. Peter (Franciscan)

Jesus and the apostles were all in the boat crossing over the sea when a terrible storm arose. The twelve apostles were fighting to steer the boat and stay afloat. Meanwhile, Jesus slept peacefully in the stern on a cushion. (For some reason, I have always liked that Jesus had a cushion. I’m thinking most fishing boats at that time did not come equipped with cushions for sleeping. It reminds me that “the son of man” had no place to rest his head.)

When things got pretty rough, Peter woke Jesus up letting him know how perilous things were and asking how he (Jesus) could just sleep peacefully while the storm was raging and they were all in danger.  Jesus chided Peter a bit for not having faith and then He rebuked the storm commanding “Silence! – be still!” (Mark 4:35-41).  

And, it did. The storm just stopped…… just like that.

Now, when we set out in our boat that day, the sea was by no means stormy, but it was a bit choppy…nothing out of the ordinary for a lake…. pretty calm, in fact.  But when Dr. Yarbrough got to the point in the passage when Jesus rebuked the storm, I swear the water went dead calm…. not a ripple. The water was still.  I felt it right down to my toes. Everyone on the boat got quiet and I was sure that they felt it too. We were all having a “pinch yourself” moment.

Now, maybe it was just my heart that slowed for a minute or two; maybe it was just me hearing that old story and feeling it down deep knowing where I was at that moment and maybe it was not really the sea that calmed. I don’t know…. but one minute, I could feel the boat was rocking gently on the water, and the next minute it wasn’t. I felt it… I was not just hearing the words being read from scripture, I was feeling them…. and maybe I was really hearing those words for the first time.

No matter, in that moment, I was there. There. On the sea where Jesus walked.

Sunrise on the Sea of Galilee

Scriptural Cites Related to the Sea of Galilee:

  1. Numbers 34:11 – Shows Galilee as the boundary for the promised land/referred to as the Sea of Kinneret or Chinnereth (depending on the translation being used).
  2. Joshua 12:3 and Joshua 13:27 – Territories and cities listed in the kingdom of Sihon of Heshbon with the boundary running along the Jordan River as far north as the Sea of Galilee.
  3. Joshua 19:35 – The allotment for Naphtali included the fortified town of Kinnereth.
  4. Deuteronomy 3:17 – Land given to the Gadites & Reubenites from Kinnereth to the Dead Sea.
  5. Deuteronomy 33:23 – Naphtali reaches to the south from Lake Galilee.
  6. Isaiah 9:1 – God will honor Galilee of the nations by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan.
  7. Matthew 4:13 – Jesus left Nazareth and went to live at Capernaum.
  8. Matthew 4:18-22, Mark 1:16-20,  Peter, Andrew, James, & John become followers of Jesus
  9. Matthew 5 and Luke 6:20-23 – Sermon on the Mount overlooking the Sea of Galilee.
  10. Luke 5:1-11 – Jesus tells Peter to put out into deep water and the fishermen catch enough fish to fill their boat and another boat to the point of beginning to sink. Luke refers to the sea as Lake Gennesaret
  11. John 1:43 – Jesus decides to go to Galilee and finds Philip who is called to follow Jesus.
  12. Mark 3:7-12, Matthew 4:23-25, & Luke 6:17-19  – A large crowd from Galilee, Judea, Idumea, Tyre & Sidon follows Jesus to the sea area. Jesus went throughout Galilee teaching, preaching, and healing.
  13. Matthew 8:23-27, Mark 4:35-42, and Luke 8:22 – Jesus calms the storm.
  14. Mark 5:1-20, Matthew 8:28-34, and Luke 8:26-39  – On the sea in the region of the Gerasenes, Jesus removes the demons from a possessed man and allows them to go into a herd of pigs which threw themselves into the sea.
  15. Matthew 13:1 – Jesus went out and sat beside Lake Galilee.
  16. Matthew 14:22-33, Mark 6:45-52, and John 6:16-21 – Jesus walked on the waters of the sea.
  17. John 6:1-16,  Matthew 14:13-21, Luke 9:10-17 and Mark 6:30-42  – Jesus went to mountain and feeds 5000 with five loaves and two small fish. Sea of Galilee is referred to as the Sea of Tiberias. Luke refers to the town of Bethsaida.
  18. Matthew 15:29-38 and Mark 8:1-10 – Jesus feeds 4000 on a mountain near the Sea of Galilee
  19. Mark 7:31-36 and Matthew 9:27-34 – Jesus left Tyre and went to the Sea of Galilee to Decapolis where he healed a deaf and mute man.
  20. John 21:1-24 – Jesus meets with the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias after his death & resurrection  It is at this appearance that Jesus asks Peter, “Do you love me?”.

Sources for Additional Information About the Sea of Galilee:

(Other than the Biblical cites listed above, my research comes from Wikipedia as shown below.)

  1. Sea of Galilee – Wikipedia
  2. Dr. Mark Yarbrough – Dallas Theological Seminary
  3. Kinneret (archaeological site) – Wikipedia – Bronze Age/Iron Age city on northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee.
  4. Ginosar – Wikipedia
  5. Nahal Ein Gev II | The Institute of Archaeology (huji.ac.il) – Prehistoric Natufian site (hunter gatherer – pre-agricultural)
  6. Sea of Galilee Boat – Wikipedia
  7. Jesus Trail – Wikipedia – 40 Mile hiking trail “where Jesus walked”.
  8. Miracles of Jesus – Wikipedia
  9. Book of Signs – Wikipedia

ICYMI (In case you missed it) – Previous blogs in the Israel 2022 series:

Israel 2022: Pinch Yourself – April 4, 2022

Israel 2022: Caesarea Maritima – Birding Boomers – April 11, 2022

Israel 2022: Contested on Mount Carmel – Birding Boomers – April 20, 2022

Israel 2022: In This Valley – Birding Boomers – April 30, 2022

Stone’s Chapel

joannie65354 Comments

“This was the church I went to when I was a child. I remember going to church in the summer and it would be hot so they would open the windows to try to stir up a little breeze throughout the church. The church sat beside a pasture where cows grazed. When the congregation would start singing, the cows in the pasture would lope on over to the wooden fence and lean their heads over the fence and start to moo … singing right along with the people in church. I recall that they did not muuurrrr too much during the sermon but they certainly did seem to enjoy the hymns.” (Jerry Hanline)

Stone’s Chapel is still there on Crum’s Church Road in Clarke County near Berryville, Virginia. So is the pasture with its sturdy wood and wire fence. And there are still cows grazing in the field munching on clover and Queen Anne’s Lace and the native grasses that grow there. But the congregation is no longer there…..no longer gathering on Sunday morning for the worship service….no longer opening the windows to catch the breeze or to sing the old hymns from the old blue-backed Presbyterian hymnal. After more than two hundred years, the chapel is now as still and quiet as the graves in the cemetery outside.

There has been a church at this site since 1740. Historical records note that there was a log building on the site as early as 1785. The first meetings were held in an old barn owned by Jacob Mauser. The earliest settlers in the area were mostly German and Scotch-Irish who were members of the Reform Church of Europe who worshiped God under the teachings of Martin Luther and John Calvin. In the new world, here in Berryville, the church building was used by both the Lutherans and the Calvinists for the first twenty-five years (25) of its existence.

The first Lutheran minister of record was the Reverend Christian Streit, a Lutheran Revolutionary War chaplain, who served his congregation from 1785 to 1812. Pastor Streit held the first communion at the church on October 30, 1785. How wonderful to consider these early American Christians gathering in a barn….no more than a stable really….to worship and take communion.

The Lutheran congregation knew their church as the Stenkirche Lutheran Church. In 1810, the Lutheran congregation moved to Union Church in Smithfield (now Middleway, West Virginia) but they continued to use the cemetery at Stone’s Chapel throughout the 19th century.

As for the Calvinists, Stone’s Chapel was first mentioned in local Presbyterian records in 1878. Prior to 1853 when the Berryville Presbytery was established, pastors were provided by the Winchester Presbytery. The first pastor for Stone’s Chapel was Reverend J.H.C. Leach who was appointed in 1824. Over the years several more pastors were provided by the Winchester Presbytery. Then in September 1885, the local Berryville pastor agreed to conduct services twice a month at Stone’s Chapel – a morning service on the third Sunday of each month and an afternoon service on the first Sunday of each month. On July 31, 1886, Stone’s Chapel was established as a separate church starting with just fifteen (15) members, eleven (11) of which had transferred over from the Berryville Presbytery.

The chapel was named after Jacob Stone (formerly Stine) who donated land for the church cemetery which has about two hundred marked graves dating back to the 1700’s and includes the graves of at least three Revolutionary War soldiers. The first burial on record was the son of Daniel Hukedom on August 18, 1786. The deed which transferred the property from Jacob and Barbara Stone to the Trustees of the Lutheran and Calvinist Societies was recorded in 1793. Ownership and maintenance of the cemetery was taken over by the Clarke County Cemetery Association in the 1950’s. (Note: the church was also originally called Stine’s Chapel. The name was changed when Jacob Stine anglicized his name to Stone.)

The current building was constructed in 1848. In 1905, it was renovated to add the vestibule tower and the back addition for Sunday School. At that time a new slate roof was added along with stained glass windows, a mahogany pulpit and a pipe organ. (I think maybe what we thought was a choir loft or gallery must have been home to the pipe organ.)

Stone’s Chapel was an active Presbyterian church until it was decommissioned in 2000. The Chapel had its last meeting on Easter Sunday, April 24, 2000.

I had the opportunity to attend this last meeting along with other members of my husband’s family who all traveled up to Berryville to attend that final service with their mother. It was a warm spring day and a lovely way to end more than two centuries of worshipping God there with the local assembly although I have to admit that I was sorely disappointed that the cows didn’t come on over and sing along with us.

Today the church is owned and maintained by the Stone’s Chapel Memorial Association. Donations for the upkeep and preservation of the chapel can be made to:

Stone’s Chapel Memorial Association
Post Office Box 844
Berryville, VA 22611.

  1. Source information for this article was found at https://stoneschapel.org/history/ .
  2. For information about the Revolutionary War veterans buried at Stone’s Chapel, see https://stoneschapel.org/cemetery/ .
  3. Other historical information was taken from the Stone’s Chapel Program/Pamphlet handed out for the final service on April 24, 2000.
  4. Stone’s Chapel is located on Crum’s Church Road – Routes 632 and 761 in Clarke County.