Day 6 Caesarea Philippi

March 28, 2006
After leaving Gamla we continued north in the Golan Heights, stopping briefly along the Syrian border for a look at one of the border crossings.

Continuing north we could see the snow covered peak of Mount Hermon in the distance. We turned west and arrived at Caesarea Philippi.

Here are the ruins of a temple built into a caverous hillside to the god "pan". This place is also known to the Rabbi's as the "gates of hell", because of all the vile idolatress things that were practiced here in Christ's time.

Notice in the passage below where in verse 26 Christ was in Bethsaida (on the Sea of Galilee), then the passage continues to Him being in Caesarea Philippi, a distance 25 miles away. It leads me to believe this time between these places, somewhat alone with his disciples, he was preparing them for what was to come in Jerusalem 300 miles away. And to speak directly to the evil practices of this place.

Mark 8:22-38
22 They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. 23 He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spit on the man's eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, "Do you see anything?" 24 He looked up and said, "I see people; they look like trees walking around." 25 Once more Jesus put his hands on the man's eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. 26 Jesus sent him home, saying, "Don't go into the village."

27 Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, "Who do people say I am?" 28 They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets." 29 "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" Peter answered, "You are the Christ." 30 Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him. 31 He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. 32 He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33 But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. "Get behind me, Satan!" he said. "You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men."

34 Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 35 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. 36 What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? 37 Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? 38 If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels."

We learned here that Jesus was caring for his disciples, that He is unwilling to leave us unwell, unclear, and uncalled.