“So when the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went across to Capernaum to look for him.” -John 6:24
When you walk through the gates of Capernaum, you’ll be greeted with the sign: “Capharnaum The Town of Jesus.” Indeed, it is in this place where Jesus could be found in many instances in the New Testament.
Where is Capernaum?
Capernaum is located in Northern Israel, at the Northwest tip of the Sea of Galilee, or Jordan River. It is surrounded by other Holy Sites such as Tabgha and The Church of the Beatitudes.
What Does ‘Capernaum’ Mean?
Before we talk about what you may find on your visit to Capernaum, let’s take a step back and discuss: What’s in a name? Capernaum is a transliteration from the Hebrew name, Kfar Nahum. In Hebrew, kfar is “village” and the root of the word Nahum means comfort. In other words, Capernaum means “the village of comfort”. How fitting, then, that this is where Jesus resided.
The Village of Capernaum is mentioned throughout the four Gospels. While visiting Capernaum on your Pilgrimage to Israel, you will be able to see the following historic and spiritual sites.
Byzantine Synagogue in Capernaum.
“Then he went down to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and on the Sabbath he taught the people. They were amazed at his teaching, because his words had authority.” - Luke 4:31-32
As indicated by the quote above, it was in this synagogue where Jesus would teach his disciples the Law in the scriptures. Amazingly, the ancient synagogue has been preserved in astounding form.
When you walk through the ancient synagogue, our tour guide will explain the importance of the place in dialogue with scripture. Here’s a clip of Capernaum featuring our guide Gavri.
