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. ↩︎
1The beginning of the Good News of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
2As it is written in the prophets,
“Behold, I send my messenger before your face,
who will prepare your way before you:
3the voice of one crying in the wilderness,
‘Make ready the way of the Lord!
Make his paths straight!’”
4John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching the baptism of repentance for forgiveness of sins. 5All the country of Judea and all those of Jerusalem went out to him. They were baptized by him in the Jordan river, confessing their sins. 6John was clothed with camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist. He ate locusts and wild honey. 7He preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and loosen. 8I baptized you in water, but he will baptize you in the Holy Spirit.”
9In those days, Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10Immediately coming up from the water, he saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11A voice came out of the sky, “You are my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
12Immediately the Spirit drove him out into the wilderness. 13He was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals; and the angels were serving him.
14Now after John was taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the Good News of God’s Kingdom, 15and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and God’s Kingdom is at hand! Repent, and believe in the Good News.”
16Passing along by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew, the brother of Simon, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 17Jesus said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you into fishers for men.”
18Immediately they left their nets, and followed him.
19Going on a little further from there, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who were also in the boat mending the nets. 20Immediately he called them, and they left their father, Zebedee, in the boat with the hired servants, and went after him.
21They went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath day he entered into the synagogue and taught. 22They were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as having authority, and not as the scribes. 23Immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, and he cried out, 24saying, “Ha! What do we have to do with you, Jesus, you Nazarene? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are: the Holy One of God!”
25Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet, and come out of him!”
26The unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. 27They were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? What can this new doctrine be? For with authority he commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him!” 28The report of him went out immediately into all the region of Galilee and its surrounding area.
29Immediately, when they had come out of the synagogue, they came into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. 30Now Simon’s wife’s mother lay sick with a fever, and immediately they told him about her. 31He came and took her by the hand and raised her up. The fever left her immediately, and she served them.
32At evening, when the sun had set, they brought to him all who were sick and those who were possessed by demons. 33All the city was gathered together at the door. 34He healed many who were sick with various diseases and cast out many demons. He didn’t allow the demons to speak, because they knew him.
35Early in the morning, while it was still dark, he rose up and went out, and departed into a deserted place, and prayed there. 36Simon and those who were with him searched for him. 37They found him and told him, “Everyone is looking for you.”
38He said to them, “Let’s go elsewhere into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because I came out for this reason.”39He went into their synagogues throughout all Galilee, preaching and casting out demons.
40A leper came to him, begging him, kneeling down to him, and saying to him, “If you want to, you can make me clean.”
41Being moved with compassion, he stretched out his hand, and touched him, and said to him, “I want to. Be made clean.”42When he had said this, immediately the leprosy departed from him and he was made clean. 43He strictly warned him and immediately sent him out, 44and said to him, “See that you say nothing to anybody, but go show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing the things which Moses commanded, for a testimony to them.”
45But he went out, and began to proclaim it much, and to spread about the matter, so that Jesus could no more openly enter into a city, but was outside in desert places. People came to him from everywhere.