The Galilean town of Capernaum is widely known to be the place where Jesus lived, and from which he launched his ministry in the Galilee. What is less known is that it was also the location of Peter's house. East of the synagogue is a group of twelve houses that date to the first century B.C. to the first century A.D. Each of the houses was built of basalt stones, quite common in this area of the Galilee, with floors that were made of beaten earth, very common in this period. Most likely the roofs were covered with tree branches on which was placed straw and mud. A number of kitchen items, such as jars, pans, and cooking pots, as well as lamps, were found.1 Based on the type of dwellings, it is likely that they belonged to a poor class of laborers.
The largest house among this group is especially important for the New Testament and early Christian history. In this house close to the Sea of Galilee were found fish hooks,2 indicating the inhabitant was probably a fisherman. Among items in the house was a Hellenistic and Herodian lamp, almost intact. In the largest room the walls were covered with plaster and decorated, quite different from the other houses in the complex, and also had a floor covered with beaten limestone. Consequently, the archaeologists believe that it is reasonable to conclude that this room was a venerated hall from the first century on, connected to the memory of Peter, the "house of the apostle."3 After the first century the house continued to be considered sacred and a traditional octagonal Byzantine basilica was placed over the house that focused on the aforementioned room. Visitors to Capernaum today will discover a Roman Catholic church covering this house that allows the visitor to clearly look down into the house.4
Virgilio Corbo, House of Saint Peter (Jerusalem: Franciscan Printing Press, 1968) 68. ↩︎
Virgilio Corbo, New Memoirs of Saint Peter by the Sea (Jerusalem: Franciscan Printing Press, 1968) 30. ↩︎
Village of Capernaum, Home of Jesus During His Ministry
Site Study
| Hershel Wayne House | Capernaum
Capernaum is about 2.5 miles from where the Jordan River enters the Sea of Galilee on the northwest shore of the lake. It was a busy fishing center, was the home of the local Roman garrison, and was a toll stop on the road from Damascus to the Mediterranean 1. It is almost universally accepted that Jesus made Capernaum the headquarters of His Galilean ministry. It was also the home of Peter. The text of Matt 4:13 seems to indicate that after the rejection he encountered in his hometown of Nazareth (Luke 4:16-30, but not in Matt 4:13), Capernaum became His new hometown, from which he ministered throughout the Galilee (Luke 4:44).
Excavations were conducted at Capernaum several different times, starting in 1838 and going on sporadically until 1982. Among the finds at the site are a large public building, a jetty with a pier on the lakeshore, and several first-century houses of the Roman insulae style.2 Perhaps the most interesting finds are the fourth-century synagogue built on top of the foundations of a first-century synagogue and what is widely believed to be Peter’s House nearby.
It is almost universally accepted that Jesus made Capernaum the headquarters of His Galilean ministry. It was also the home of Peter.
Capernaum is about 2.5 miles from where the Jordan River enters the Sea of Galilee on the northwest shore of the lake. It was a busy fishing center, was the home of the local Roman garrison, and was a toll-stop on the road from Damascus to the Mediterranean.1
Excavations were conducted at Capernaum several different times, starting in 1838 and going on sporadically until 1982. Among the finds at the site are a large public building, a jetty with a pier on the lakeshore, and several first-century houses of the Roman insulae style.2 Perhaps the most interesting finds are the fourth-century synagogue built on top of the foundations of a first-century synagogue and what is widely believed to be Peter’s House nearby.
Merrill F. Unger, Archaeology and the New Testament, (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1962) 126 ↩︎
Jack Finegan, The Archaeology of the New Testament: The Life of Jesus and the Beginning of the Early Church, (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1992), 98. ↩︎
1Now after these things, the Lord also appointed seventy others, and sent them two by two ahead of him into every city and place where he was about to come. 2Then he said to them, “The harvest is indeed plentiful, but the laborers are few. Pray therefore to the Lord of the harvest, that he may send out laborers into his harvest. 3Go your ways. Behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves. 4Carry no purse, nor wallet, nor sandals. Greet no one on the way. 5Into whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house.’ 6If a son of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you. 7Remain in that same house, eating and drinking the things they give, for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Don’t go from house to house. 8Into whatever city you enter and they receive you, eat the things that are set before you. 9Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘God’s Kingdom has come near to you.’ 10But into whatever city you enter and they don’t receive you, go out into its streets and say, 11‘Even the dust from your city that clings to us, we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that God’s Kingdom has come near to you.’ 12I tell you, it will be more tolerable in that day for Sodom than for that city.
13“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon which were done in you, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 14But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the judgment than for you. 15You, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades. 16Whoever listens to you listens to me, and whoever rejects you rejects me. Whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me.”
17The seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!”
18He said to them, “I saw Satan having fallen like lightning from heaven. 19Behold, I give you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy. Nothing will in any way hurt you. 20Nevertheless, don’t rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”
21In that same hour, Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit, and said, “I thank you, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for so it was well-pleasing in your sight.”
22Turning to the disciples, he said, “All things have been delivered to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is, except the Father, and who the Father is, except the Son, and he to whomever the Son desires to reveal him.”
23Turning to the disciples, he said privately, “Blessed are the eyes which see the things that you see, 24for I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see the things which you see, and didn’t see them, and to hear the things which you hear, and didn’t hear them.”
25Behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested him, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”
26He said to him, “What is written in the law? How do you read it?”
27He answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.”
28He said to him, “You have answered correctly. Do this, and you will live.”
29But he, desiring to justify himself, asked Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?”
30Jesus answered, “A certain man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who both stripped him and beat him, and departed, leaving him half dead. 31By chance a certain priest was going down that way. When he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32In the same way a Levite also, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33But a certain Samaritan, as he traveled, came where he was. When he saw him, he was moved with compassion, 34came to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. He set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the host, and said to him, ‘Take care of him. Whatever you spend beyond that, I will repay you when I return.’ 36Now which of these three do you think seemed to be a neighbor to him who fell among the robbers?”
37He said, “He who showed mercy on him.”
Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”
38As they went on their way, he entered into a certain village, and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. 39She had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard his word. 40But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she came up to him, and said, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister left me to serve alone? Ask her therefore to help me.”
41Jesus answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, 42but one thing is needed. Mary has chosen the good part, which will not be taken away from her.”