A Very Pagan City
Biblical Israel Ministries & Tours (BIMT) is all about teaching the Bible in the context of the land of Israel and other biblical countries (Jordan, Egypt, Turkey, Greece, and Italy). There are over 100 biblical sites in Israel alone that have been excavated. Caesarea Philippi is one of them.
Below you will see one of our latest YouTube Bible teachings. In this video we drive about 35 miles north of the Sea of Galilee. Caesarea Philippi was named, in part, after one of the three sons of Herod the Great in honor of the emperor Caesar. The city was very pagan. It had multiple temples, the Temple of Augustus being the largest. The site also celebrated Pan, the Greek and Roman shepherding god. Later, shrines also were dedicated to Zeus, Nemesis, and the dancing goats.
Jesus took His disciples to the region of this city. Most likely Jesus would not have gone into this city. Somewhere in this northern region Jesus asked, “Who do you say I am?” Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” Jesus placed authority upon Peter (and the other disciples) to lead His Church after Jesus’ death, resurrection, and ascension. Six days later, Jesus was transfigured. It may have been on the nearby slopes of Mt. Hermon or back in the Galilee area.
“Jesus’ ‘final exam’ question He shared with His disciples was, ‘Who do you say I am?’ Wow, what a zinger of a question, yet a very important one. Jesus was preparing His disciples for being leaders in the early church!!”
