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. ↩︎
1He said to them, “Most certainly I tell you, there are some standing here who will in no way taste death until they see God’s Kingdom come with power.”
2After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John, and brought them up onto a high mountain privately by themselves, and he was changed into another form in front of them. 3His clothing became glistening, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them. 4Elijah and Moses appeared to them, and they were talking with Jesus.
5Peter answered Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let’s make three tents: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 6For he didn’t know what to say, for they were very afraid.
7A cloud came, overshadowing them, and a voice came out of the cloud, “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.”
8Suddenly looking around, they saw no one with them any more, except Jesus only.
9As they were coming down from the mountain, he commanded them that they should tell no one what things they had seen, until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead. 10They kept this saying to themselves, questioning what the “rising from the dead” meant.
11They asked him, saying, “Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?”
12He said to them, “Elijah indeed comes first, and restores all things. How is it written about the Son of Man, that he should suffer many things and be despised? 13But I tell you that Elijah has come, and they have also done to him whatever they wanted to, even as it is written about him.”
14Coming to the disciples, he saw a great multitude around them, and scribes questioning them. 15Immediately all the multitude, when they saw him, were greatly amazed, and running to him, greeted him. 16He asked the scribes, “What are you asking them?”
17One of the multitude answered, “Teacher, I brought to you my son, who has a mute spirit; 18and wherever it seizes him, it throws him down; and he foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they weren’t able.”
19He answered him, “Unbelieving generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him to me.”
20They brought him to him, and when he saw him, immediately the spirit convulsed him and he fell on the ground, wallowing and foaming at the mouth.
21He asked his father, “How long has it been since this has been happening to him?”
He said, “From childhood. 22Often it has cast him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”
23Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”
24Immediately the father of the child cried out with tears, “I believe. Help my unbelief!”
25When Jesus saw that a multitude came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to him, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him, and never enter him again!”
26After crying out and convulsing him greatly, it came out of him. The boy became like one dead, so much that most of them said, “He is dead.” 27But Jesus took him by the hand and raised him up; and he arose.
28When he had come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we cast it out?”
29He said to them, “This kind can come out by nothing but by prayer and fasting.”
30They went out from there and passed through Galilee. He didn’t want anyone to know it, 31for he was teaching his disciples, and said to them, “The Son of Man is being handed over to the hands of men, and they will kill him; and when he is killed, on the third day he will rise again.”
32But they didn’t understand the saying, and were afraid to ask him.
33He came to Capernaum, and when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you arguing among yourselves on the way?”
34But they were silent, for they had disputed with one another on the way about who was the greatest.
35He sat down and called the twelve; and he said to them, “If any man wants to be first, he shall be last of all, and servant of all.”36He took a little child and set him in the middle of them. Taking him in his arms, he said to them, 37“Whoever receives one such little child in my name receives me; and whoever receives me, doesn’t receive me, but him who sent me.”
38John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone who doesn’t follow us casting out demons in your name; and we forbade him, because he doesn’t follow us.”
39But Jesus said, “Don’t forbid him, for there is no one who will do a mighty work in my name and be able quickly to speak evil of me. 40For whoever is not against us is on our side. 41For whoever will give you a cup of water to drink in my name because you are Christ’s, most certainly I tell you, he will in no way lose his reward.
42“Whoever will cause one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble, it would be better for him if he were thrown into the sea with a millstone hung around his neck. 43If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having your two hands to go into Gehenna, into the unquenchable fire, 44‘where their worm doesn’t die, and the fire is not quenched.’ 45If your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life lame, rather than having your two feet to be cast into Gehenna, into the fire that will never be quenched—46‘where their worm doesn’t die, and the fire is not quenched.’ 47If your eye causes you to stumble, throw it out. It is better for you to enter into God’s Kingdom with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into the Gehennaof fire, 48‘where their worm doesn’t die, and the fire is not quenched.’ 49For everyone will be salted with fire, and every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt. 50Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its saltiness, with what will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”