THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN - Chapter 6 - Verse 23

Verse 23. There came other boats. After the disciples had departed. This is added because, from what follows, it appears that they supposed that he had entered one of those boats and gone to Capernaum after his disciples had departed.

From Tiberias. This town stood on the western borders of the lake, not far from where the miracle had been wrought. It was so called in honour of the Emperor Tiberius. It was built by Herod Antipas, and was made by him the capital of Galilee. The city afterward became a celebrated seat of Jewish learning. It is now called Tabaria, and is a considerable place. It is occupied chiefly by Turks, and is very hot and unhealthy. Mr. Fisk, an American missionary, was at Tiberias (Tabaria) in 1823. The old town is surrounded by a wall, but within it is very ruinous, and the plain for a mile or two south is strewed with ruins. The Jordan, where it issues from the lake, was so shallow that cattle and asses forded it easily. Mr. Fisk was shown a house called the house of Peter, which is used as the Greek Catholic church, and is the only church in the place. The number of Christian families is thirty or forty, all Greek Catholics. There were two sects of Jews, each of whom had a synagogue. The Jewish population was estimated at about one thousand. On the 1st of January, 1837, Tiberias was destroyed by an earthquake. Dr. Thomson (The Land and the Book, vol. it. p. 76, 77) says of this city: \-

"Ever since the destruction of Jerusalem, it has been

chiefly celebrated in connection with the Jews, and

was for a long time the chief seat of rabbinical

learning. It is still one of their four holy cities.

Among the Christians it also early rose to

distinction, and the old church, built upon the spot

where our Lord gave his last charge to Peter, is a

choice bit of ecclesiastical antiquity. The present

city is situated on the shore, at the north-east

corner of this small plain. The walls inclose an

irregular parallelogram, about 100 rods from north

to south, and in breadth not more than 40.

They were strengthened by ten round towers on the west,

five on the north, and eight on the south. There were

also two or three towers along the shore to protect the

city from attack by sea. Not much more than one-half of

this small area is occupied by buildings of any kind,

and the north end, which is a rocky hill, has nothing

but the ruins of the old palace. The earthquake of

1837 prostrated a large part of the walls, and they

have not yet been repaired, and perhaps never will be.

There is no town in Syria so utterly filthy as Tiberias,

or so little to be desired as a residence. Being 600 feet

below the level of the ocean, and overhung on the west

by a high mountain, which effectually shuts off the

Mediterranean breezes, it is fearfully hot in summer.

The last time I was encamped at the Baths the

thermometer stood at 100 at midnight, and a steam

went up from the surface of the lake as from some

huge smouldering volcano. Of course it swarms with

all sorts of vermin. What can induce human beings

to settle down in such a place? And yet some two

thousand of our race make it their chosen abode.

They are chiefly Jews, attracted hither either to

cleanse their leprous bodies in her baths, or to

purify their unclean spirits by contact with her

traditionary and ceremonial holiness."

{i} "nigh unto the place" Joh 6:11