CAPERNAUM
Capernaum is on the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee. Though a small village, Capernaum was part of Galilee, where most Jews lived. It had favorable factors like water for fishing, fertile land for agriculture, and a hub of international trade routes, especially connecting Egypt and Damascus by the ancient highway “Via Maris.” Since Capernaum had roads that led to faraway cities, Jesus could meet all kinds of people. The trade routes helped Jesus to spread his message and his fame to all the neighboring regions. Jesus could also travel easily from Capernaum to neighboring cities around the Sea of Galilee by walking on the seashore or traveling by boat.
Capernaum is known as “The town of Jesus” because he did most of his ministry in that village. When Jesus started his public ministry in Nazareth where he grew up, his own people rejected him and even tried to throw him down the hill (Lk 4:28-30). He evaded that assassination attempt and moved to Capernaum, making it his base for preaching and serving the needy. After preaching in the synagogues of nearby villages for some days, Jesus returned to Peter’s house at Capernaum. Jesus was in high demand there because of the miracles he had previously done. Because of the wide popularity Jesus gained, especially because of the miracles he performed, the news of Jesus’ arrival spread fast in Capernaum. People there eagerly waited for his return, as is clear from Simon Peter’s words to Jesus, “Everyone is looking for you” (Mk 1:37).
Just as Capernaum was known as Jesus’ own city (Mt 9:1), people considered Peter’s house as Jesus’ home because that is where Jesus stayed while he was in Capernaum. Peter’s mother- in-law, whom Jesus had healed before (Mk 1:29-31), might have been hospitable to him and his disciples.
Out of his 12 apostles, Peter, Andrew, James, John, and Matthew were from Capernaum. It had roads that led to different cities and so it was a hub where Jesus could meet many people, including the gentiles. Though Capernaum was a small village, it was part of Galilee, where many Jews lived. Despite the preaching and miracles of Jesus in Capernaum, that city greatly lacked faith and was thus cursed by Jesus later (Mt 11:23).
CAPERNAUM AND JESUS’ MINISTRY
Jesus made Capernaum the centre of his public ministry because it had some favorable conditions to him.
1. Since Capernaum is on the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee, there were fishermen, farmers, and travelers from neighboring cities. So, Jesus had access to the Jews and Gentiles there.
2. The Jews in Capernaum were more open to the preaching of Jesus because of their multicultural background whereas the Jews in Jerusalem, Judaea, and Nazareth were conservative and hostile to him.
3. Jesus could travel easily from Capernaum to the neighboring cities around the Sea of Galilee by walking on the seashore or sailing by boat.
4. Out of his 12 apostles, Peter, Andrew, James, John, and Matthew were from Peter offered his house, which was close to the synagogue, for Jesus to stay.
5. Besides preaching in the synagogue and the house of Peter, he could also preach on the shore of the Sea of Galilee to accommodate the enormous crowds that came to meet him.
REFLECTION
The ministry of Jesus and his disciples was a blessing for the people in Capernaum. Despite the miraculous favors they received from Jesus, the conversion was less among them. In the modern age, many leave the church and lead a worldly life. Our faith in Jesus is the precious treasure we have to keep and make use of for the building of the kingdom of God.