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✿ Significance of Capernaum: ➊ The city "Capernaum" was exalted unto heaven (Mt. 11:23). It is a Hebraism for great prosperity. ➋ Capernaum is located on the west side of the Sea of Galilee, which is a fresh-water lake, called also the Sea of Tiberias, Gennesaret and Chinnereth (Lk. 5:1; Jn. 21:1; Josh. 12:3; 13:27; Dt. 3:17). ➌ When Christ was rejected at Nazareth--moved to Capernaum (Lk. 4:28) and began His ministry in Galilee (Mk. 1:14; Lk. 4:14) ➍ Call of Peter and Andrew (Mt. 4:18; Lk. 5:8), James and John (Mt. 4:21; Lk. 5:10) started in Capernaum. Peter's house is located in this city (Mt. 4:13; 8:13; Mk. 1:29). In Peter's house (Mark 2:1), He made headquarters at Capernaum (Mt. 4:13; 8:13; Mk. 1:29). Both Simon and Andrew] lived in the same house. (Mk. 1:29) ➎ This city Capernaum is on the north end of Galilee is where Jesus made His headquarters during His earthly ministry (Mt. 4:13; 17:24-27 Mk. 1:21-45; 2:1-6; 9:33; Lk. 4:31; 7:1-10; 10:15; Jn. 4:46-53; 6:17-25,59). This had been His headquarters ever since His rejection in His own home town (Mt. 4:13). Think of the wonderful things His home town people did not get to see and hear because of their stubbornness and unbelief! ➏ Remarkable miracles in this city are: ❖ Jesus casts out an unclean spirit (Lk. 4:33) ❖ Peter's mother-in-law healed (Mt. 8:14; Lk. 4:38) ❖ Demons cast out: many healed (Mt. 8:16; Lk. 4:40) ❖ Jesus heals a leper (Mt. 8:1; Lk. 5:12) ❖ Jesus healed a palsied man at this city (Mk. 2:1; Lk. 5:17; cp. Jn. 2:12) ➐ When the disciples were on a ship to Capernaum, He walked nearly 4 miles on water to help them in their new danger of choppy waters and full of waves. (Jn. 6:18). The disciples were afraid but Jesus said unto them not to afraid of. As they willingly received him into the ship: and immediately the ship was at the land whither they went (Jn. 6:21). This is one of the greatest miracles of all--a whole ship taken from a storm in the middle of the sea was suddenly at shore. It was no doubt carried by God's power like Philip was carried physically through the air (Acts 8:39-40). ➑ Even His mother Mary, and His brethren" are mentioned as following Him to Capernaum and seeking to hinder His work (Mt. 12:46-50 Mk. 3:31-35 Lk. 8:19-21 Jn. 2:12). ➒ Capernaum is NOT explicitly mentioned in the Old Testament. But Isaiah prophesied about this city. This city is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim. (Mt. 4:13). The Old Testament prophecy of Isaiah regarding this the City of Capernaum was fulfilled in Matthew (Mt. 4:14-16; Isa. 9:1-2). Jesus began to preach the Kingdom from Capernaum (Mk. 1:15; cp. Mt. 4:23; 10:7; 24:14). Because fishing was the source of income, Jesus compared evangelism to "fishing". To follow is an idiom of discipleship (Mt. 4:19; 2Ki. 6:19) ➓ Christ predicted that Capernaum shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. ⓫ Christ also added that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee. ⓬ All these cities Jesus highlighted including Capernaum were totally destroyed by the Romans and are no more. (Matthew 11:23)
Capernaum was a fishing village of Galilee on the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee (also known as the Lake of Gennesaret). As related in Luke 4:14-5:11, after Jesus was rejected as the Messiah by the inhabitants of Nazareth, the town in which He had grown up (which had even included their attempt to kill Him by throwing Him off the promontory on which Nazareth was built), He used Capernaum as the "home base" for His earthly ministry. At least five of His apostles (Simon Peter, Andrew, James, John, and Matthew) were living and working in Capernaum when He called them to be His followers. Another possible factor that has occurred to me with regard to Jesus relocating to Capernaum (aside from the fact of His rejection by the residents of Nazareth) may have been to avoid the type of reaction in potential disciples that Nathanael displayed when Philip informed Him that he had discovered that the long-awaited Messiah was Jesus of Nazareth (John 1:43-51).
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