Bethsaida
“House of fishing”
Summary
A town on or near the Sea of Galilee, home of the apostles Peter, Andrew, and Philip, and the site of several of Jesus' miracles.
☩Location and Identity
The name Bethsaida means 'house of fishing,' appropriate for a town on the lake. Scholars have long debated whether there were one or two places called Bethsaida. One view holds there was a Bethsaida of Galilee on the western shore, the hometown of Peter, Andrew, and Philip, and another called Bethsaida-Julias on the northeastern shore in Gaulanitis. The latter was a village that Philip the Tetrarch rebuilt and renamed Julias in honor of Julia, daughter of Augustus. Others argue all references point to a single location.
☩Feeding of the Five Thousand
Jesus withdrew by boat to a desert place belonging to Bethsaida, where a vast crowd followed Him on foot. Taking compassion on them, He taught them and then miraculously fed over five thousand people with five loaves and two fishes. The location was likely in the fertile plain near the northeastern shore where grass was plentiful, as all the Gospels note the people sat on green grass.
☩Healing of a Blind Man
At Bethsaida, Jesus healed a blind man in a unique two-stage process, first leading him outside the town, then applying saliva to his eyes. After the first touch, the man saw people looking like trees walking; after the second, his sight was fully restored. Jesus instructed him not to enter the town, perhaps indicating His avoidance of these Herodian cities with their pagan influences.
☩Woe Pronounced
Despite witnessing many of Jesus' mighty works, Bethsaida, along with Chorazin and Capernaum, failed to repent. Jesus pronounced woe upon these cities, declaring that Tyre and Sidon would have repented in sackcloth and ashes had they seen such miracles. The judgment upon Bethsaida would be more tolerable than upon these unbelieving Galilean towns.
Related Verses7 mentions
References
- 1.John McClintock and James Strong, "Bethsaida," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. I (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 2.James Orr (ed.), "Bethsaida," in International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, vol. I (Howard-Severance Company, 1915).
- 3.James Hastings (ed.), "Bethsaida," in Dictionary of Christ and the Gospels, vol. I (T. & T. Clark, 1906–1908).