REEDCG
 Village of Galilee, located North of
LESSON #3
Geography of PALESTINE
Land of Jesus
 what we call today as Palestine
 145 miles from north to south, and anywhere
from 25 to 85 miles from its western coast at
the Mediterranean sea to its eastern boarder
 This land is often referred to in the
Scriptures as the Land of Israel, and in Jesus
' time it was most often called the Land of
Canaan, The Promised land, or the Land
of Judah. The Greeks named it Palestine
after the Philistines who had inhabited the
coastal area at one time. Palestine is
considered the Heart of the Orient because
it was here that most biblical events took
place
Galilee
 The most Northerly region of Palestine
and the most favored by nature. Among its
flourishing towns were Cana, Chorazin,
Nazareth, Capernaum, Bethsaida and,
Tiberias. The population was mostly
Jewish, but there was a distinct Galilean
dialect ( Mt. 26: 73 ). The Galileans were
totally loyal to their religion and nation,
despite being regarded as ignorant and
lawless by the Judeans ( Jn 7:41 ; Mk
14:70). Our Lord was reared in Galilee,
where he spent the majority of his time
preaching there, and all but one of his
apostles were from Galilee. -Judah From
Judea
Galilee in the time of Jesus
Bethsaida
 A fishing village, north of the Lake of
Tiberius (Lk 9-10 ) and the birthplace of
Peter, Andrew and Philip. Jesus cured a
blind man in this town (Mk 8:22 - 26)
Chorazin
 A town in Galilee c. 2.5 miles north of
Capernaum. Because it remained
unrepentant, Jesus denounced it (Mt
11:21; Lk 10:13). In the ruins of the local
synagogue archaeologist found a "Moses
seat" (Mt 23:2)
Cana
Nazareth, and the site of Jesus' first
miracle (Jn 2:1-11)
Synagogue
 Jesus would have taught here frequently.
 It has an ornamental shell which would have
been the top part of the cabinet where the
Torah and Old Testament Scrolls would have
been kept.
Seat of Moses
 An unusual find in the ruins of the
synagogue was a Seat of Moses carved out
of a single basalt block.
 -The "Seat of Moses” was a phrase used by
Jesus to signify the place of authority that
the Scribes and Pharisees had in interpreting
the Law and exercising their authority over
the Jewish people.
Capernaum
 Little town located northwest of lake
Tiberias which served as headquarters for
Jesus' ministry in Galilee (Mt 4:13). He
cured a paralytic man (Mk 2:1) and servant
of centurion (Mt 28:5-13).
Gennesaret
 Plain to the northwest of the Sea of Tiberias.
It gave its name to a town close to
Capernaum. Jesus sojourned there for a
long time (Mt 14:34).
Magdala
 A small port on the shore of Lake of
Tiberias; Mary Magdalene was from this
city (Lk 8: 2).
Mt. Tabor
 Tradition has placed the transfiguration of
Jesus on this mountain (Lk 9: 28- 36) Mt.
Tabor stands majestically alone in a wide
valley—it is the most prominent thing on
the landscape for miles and miles.
Nain
 A city of Galilee where Jesus raised to life
a widow's only son who was being brought
to burial and restored him to her ( Lk 7: 11-
16)
Nazareth
 The largest city in the Northern District
of Israel. Nazareth is known as "the Arab
capital of Israel. A town in Galilee where
Jesus spent his early life ( Mt 2:23; Lk 2: 39-
46) and the site of the annunciation of
Gabriel to Mary (Lk 1: 26- 38)
Sea of Galilee
 A lake that formed the eastern boundary of
Galilee. It was also called the Lake of
Gennesaret, from the plain on its northwest
corner ( Lk 5:1), and the Sea of Tiberias,
from the city of this name, the residence of
Herod Antipas (Jn 6: 1). The lake is about
13 miles long and six broad. In the shore,
Jesus called Simon Peter; performed a
miraculous catch of fish; and walked on the
water.
Tiberias
 Tiberias is an Israeli city on the western
shore of the Sea of Galilee. Its Old City
holds important Jewish and Christian
pilgrimage sites including the Tomb of
Maimonides and Abulafia (Etz Chaim)
Synagogue. City situated on the left bank of
the sea of Galilee which is thus called the
Sea of Tiberias ( Jn 6: 1; 21:1)
Samaria
 Capital of the Kingdom of Israel
 Founded by Omri in 885 B.C ( 1 Kings
16:24), and destroyed by Sargon in 721 B.C
( 1 kings 18: 9- 12). It was rebuilt by Herod
the Great who named it Sebaste in honor of
Augustus who gave it to him. The
inhabitants of Samaria were mixed race,
descended from the intermarriage of
Israelites and Assyrian colonists. The enmity
between the Jews and the Samaritans was so
great that travelers between Galilee and
Judea often had to cross the Jordan into
Perea for Safety. In various uprisings, this
race was almost exterminated, and only a
small remnant survives today.
Samaria in the time of Jesus
Samaria
 Our Lord passed through their country more
than once, and preached and worked
miracles among the people (Lk 17: 1- 19).
He spoke well of them (Lk 10: 30- 37),
defended them (Lk 9: 51- 56), and
commanded that the gospel be preached to
them. This was done with success, and a
Christian community was early fromed
among the Samaritans (Acts 8: 4- 17; 9: 31;
15: 3)
Sychar
 A place named only in John 4:5, as "a city of
Samaria called Sychar, near the ground
which Jacob gave to Joseph his son; and
there was the well of Jacob."
Mount Gerizim
 The center of Samaritan during the time of
Jesus. In religion, the Samaritans
acknowledged the Pentateuch, Joshua, and
Judges, but not the additional revelation or
Jewish traditional doctrine. They looked for
Messiah who would teach all truth (Jn 4:25).
In practice they worshipped the same God as
the Jews, and in such matters as Sabbaths
and feasts, circumcision, and worship, they
did not dissent. But though vying with the
Jews in the strict observance of Mosaic
regulations, they disowned the Jerusalem
temple and priesthood. The rival sanctuary
of Gerizim they revered as their holy place
(Jn 4: 20)
JUDEA
 The most southern of the three district of
Palestine west of Jordan.
 Capital: Jerusalem
 Places under the territory of Judea;
Arimathea, Bethany, Bethlehem,
Bethpage, Emmaus, Ephraim and
Jericho.
 The seat of Roman procurator was
Caesarea
 From its high rocky plateau it sloped toward
the east through the Judean desert and
toward the west through hills that led down
to the philistine plain.
ARIMATHEA
 Native City of Joseph, who buried the body
of Jesus in a new sepulchre on hiw own.
BETHANY
 Located two miles from jerualem.
 Jesus spent nights in this town during his
last week in jerusalem area
 He also dined in the house of Simon the
leper
 a village where Martha, Mary and their
brother Lazarus lived.
BETHLEHEM
 Little town located in Judea, five miles to
the south of Jerusalem. It is the birthplace of
David and Jesus
 Bethlehem is an extremely old city During
this time, Bethlehem was known as
“Ephrath”
DEAD SEA
 In the Bible, it is called the Salt Sea and Sea
of Arabah
 the border of the Promised Land, Israel.
 makes any marine life impossible.
 has no outlet and so is subject to intense
evaporation leaving the waters with an
unusual high level percentage of salts of
magnesium, sodium and calcium.
EMMAUS
 Village situated about twenty miles from
Jerusalem.
 Two disciples were on the way there when
Jesus appeared to them on the evening of the
resurrection.
GETHSEMANE
 The word, which signifies "oil press,"
became the name for the plantation of olive
trees located opposite the temple of
Jerusalem, east of the torrent of Kidron.
 This is the "Mount of Olives," scene of
Christ's agony and betrayal (Mt 26:36-56)
GOLGOTHA
 Aramaic word signifying "skull place,". It
was the name of hill located in the northwest
of the city of Jerusalem.
 Those condemned executed there, and it was
here that Jesus suffered crucifixion (Mt
27:33).
 The latin rendering of this word is Calvaria
which is the origin of the word "Calvary".
JERICHO
 City of Palestine made famous by Joshua's
victory (Jos 6:1-20).
 Jesus encountered Zaccheus there (Lk 19:1-
10) and situated his parable of the Good
Samaritan (Lk 10:29-33).
RIVER JORDAN
 The foremost river of Palestine. From the
Lebanons to the Dead Sea it covers a
distance of 125 miles, though its
meanderings the stream itself is more than
double that. The width varies from 80-150
feet and the depth in summer from 4 to 12
feet.
 The river is generally hidden by a thick
growth of willow. - There were many fords
which allow passage from the one bank to
the other. - John the Baptist baptized Jesus in
the river. - acted as both an obstacle and
pathway. - Jordan River played an important
role in preparing people for the ministry of
Jesus Christ.
DECAPOLIS
 A confederation of ten or more pagan cities,
each of which had its own suburban
territory, lying mostly east of Jordan, from
Damascus on the north almost to the region
of the Dead Sea.
 The cities of Decapolis were the site of some
of Jesus' miracles.
o Scythopolis
o Philadelphia
o Raphanae
o Gadara
o Hippos
o Dios
o Pella
o Gerasa
o Canatha
o Damascus
JERUSALEM
 The form "Yerushalaim" or "Yerushalayim"
first appears in the Hebrew Bible which
means a vision of peace.
 The origin of the name seems to be
"Ursalim" which signifies foundation of
Salem, a Canaanite divinity.
QUMRAN
 Qumran was inhabited by a Jewish
community of the late Second Temple
period, which most scholars identify with
the mystic sect of the Essenes.
IDUMEA
 In New Testament times, it's a district to the
south and east of Judea occupied by the
descendants of the ancient Edomites (Mk
3:8).
 Herod the Great belonged to a leading
Idumean family.
PHOENICIA
 Region comprising Mount Lebanon and the
coastal area from Carmel along the
Mediterranean. It belonged to the province
of Syria. Known as Tyre and Sidon in the
Old Testament, it was included in the
promised land but never conquered (Jos
13:4-6).
 The healing of the Canaanite
(Syrophoenician) woman's daughter
tormented by a demon took place in this
region (Mt 15:21-28).

CAESARIA
 A port restored by Herod the Great on the
Mediterranean between Carmel and Jaffia.
This Town was the residence of the Roman
procurator of Judea and the home of Philip
and Cornelius (Acts 8:40; 10:1)
 Caesarea was originally called Straton's
Tower after its founder Straton( ruler of
Sidon)in the 4th century BCE, Herod
renamed the city Caesarea in honor of the
emperor, Augustus BCE—died 34 CE), son
of Herod I the Great and Cleopatra of
Jerusalem.

PHILIP'S TETRARCHY
 It designates the territories given by Herod
the Great to his son Philip
 Philip, also called Philip the Tetrarch or
Herod Philip, (born 20 BCE—died 34 CE),
son of Herod I the Great and Cleopatra of
Jerusalem. (Picture)

CAESAREA PHILIPPI
 Situated to the North, near the sources of the
Jordan River, it was founded by Philip, son
of Herod the Great founded and built it in
honor of the Roman Emperor