TEXT: Matthew 11:20 – “Then He began to rebuke the cities in which most of His mighty works had been done, because they did not repent:”
Continuing our study in the Book of Matthew. We have started looking at Jesus as He reassures the disciples of John the Baptist, rebukes several cities, rejoices in His Father’s wisdom, and reveals that He is the only way to the Father in Chapter 11. We saw that even the strongest of Saints can be affected by Doubt, Despair, and Depression.
Today, let us look at Matthew’s account of the Rebuking by the Savior. We are going to see His rebuke of three Galilean cities of His day – Korazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum. Let’s take time today to identify these three cities.
We will start with Korazin (Chorazin). It is located on the side of a large hill about two and one-half miles north of Capernaum. This city is remembered as one of the three key cities in which Jesus spent much of his ministry. These cities, Capernaum, Chorazin and Bethsaida formed what is called the “Evangelical Triangle,” the small area where most of Jesus’ miracles were displayed (Matt. 11:20). The city is mentioned only twice in the New Testament (Matt. 11:21; Lk. 10:13), and both instances concern the curse that Jesus placed upon it.
We know a little about the city from Jewish writings and from history. The city and its surroundings are mentioned in the Jewish Talmud. It is praised as an area famous for its very early harvest of grain. This is no doubt due to an abundance of black basalt stones and dark volcanic soil in the area. Chorazin’s steep sun-exposed hillside, with its dark coloration, tends to warm up in the springtime, much earlier than surrounding areas. We learn from history that the city was destroyed, probably by an earthquake, in the fourth century AD and rebuilt in the fifth century.
The excavations in the city have yielded numerous archaeological treasures. The most outstanding of course is the well-preserved synagogue made of local black basalt stone. The synagogue measures about 50 feet by 70 feet (15 x 21 m.) in size. Prominently displayed in the synagogue is the “seat of Moses,” likely referred to by Jesus in Matthew 23:2. Near the synagogue can be seen what remains of the city’s commercial area plus several dwellings.
Next, consider Bethsaida which is located just three miles from
Korazim. Known as a fishing village, the city was founded in the tenth century
BCE and was apparently destroyed in 734 BCE, by the Assyrian,
Tiglath-pileser III and was later revived in the Hellenistic
period (332-37 BCE).
The disciples Peter, Phillip, and Andrew made their home here according to the Gospel of John.
Some events linked to the Bethsaida area include:
- Jesus walking on the water – Mark 6:45-51
- Jesus cured a blind man – Mark 8:22-25
- The feeding of the Five Thousand – Luke 9:12-17
The city bearing this name today is two miles to the East of the Sea of Galilee, possibly the result of an earthquake in 363 BC.
Let us finish with Capernaum. Capernaum was the center of Jesus' activities in Galilee and his town during that time. Jesus taught in the local synagogue. It was also the hometown of the apostles Peter, James, Andrew and John, and the tax collector Matthew.
Located at the north corner of the Sea of Galilee, on the side of the ancient road from Tiberias to the east of the Sea of Galilee. The village prospered in the Roman and Byzantine periods, and its citizens were mainly fishermen (as most of Jesus apostles), farmers, and people that provided services to the Roman road and caravans, including tax collection (as was Matthew).
Tomorrow we will ponder Jesus’ rebuke to Korazin and Bethsaida.
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