(Included are several pictures of the ruins still left standing.  Also included was a olive press, Peter’s mother inlaw house, and a Catholic statue of Peter, the impetuous fisherman holding the “Keys to the Kingdom”)

The Bible tells us that Jesus traveled to Capernaum with his disciples.  This would be very familiar terrain for his disciples and even Jesus.  They would know many people there.  The word was out about this Jesus, and these hometown guys were becoming more notice of them.  They probably told everyone to come out and hear Jesus.  They have experienced so much of Jesus that they just knew he make them true heroes before their families.  They came here to check on Peter’s mother inlaw. 

Capernaum was a working city on the shores of Galilee.  In Matthew 11, we see that Jesus finishes teaching with his disciples so he takes them to preach in the towns of Galilee.  Let’s pick up in Matthew 13:

“That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake.  Such large crowds gathered around him that he got in the boat.  and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore.” Matthew 13:1-2

The Disciples probably looked at each other and thought this is it!  Today, though we were once rejected, we are now going to become rockstars in our own territory.  When Jesus starts teaching, and blows everyone’s minds we will look so ahead of the curve. 

That day Jesus told them many things in parables.  Of all the stories he could have shared, he talked about planting seeds.  Come on, Jesus!  If you are going teach in parables, at least give them a metaphor they understand like fishing.  Capernaum knows all about fishing.  When he finished teaching all his disciples came to him and asked,

“Why do you speak in parables?” Matthew 13:10

Perhaps Jesus was giving his disciples a lesson in humility.  In the private time with the twelve after their disappointing day feeling foolish in front of their friends, Jesus explains the parable of the seeds.  The reality is that some people are blind to spiritual things, and will miss it to fulfill prophesy in Isaiah 6:9-10:

“You will be ever hearing, but not understanding; you will be every seeing but never perceiving.  For this people’s heart had become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes.  Otherwise they might see with their eyes and hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.” Matthew 13:14-15

“But blessed are your eyes because they see and your ears because they hear.  For I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see but do not see it, and to hear what you hear but do not hear it.” Matthew 13:16-17

This had to be discouraging words to hear about their friends and family, but then encouraging to hear about how the veil has been lifted from their eyes. 

The sobering part is that Jesus casts a woe upon three cities: Korazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum.  Listen to his hard words to Capernaum.

“And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to the skies?  No, you will go down the depths.  If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day.  But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.” Matthew 11:23-24

In visiting the towns of Galilee during the School of Ministry,  these three cities stand in ruin.  Rejecting Jesus, the Messiah is a dangerous act of rebellion.  It reminds me of how easy it is to become too comfortable with Jesus, that we forget to put our full faith in Him, and continue to worship Him.  The crowd had different priorities.  They were self focused.  They were family focused.  They job focused.  They were health focused.  But they were not Jesus focused or Kingdom focused. 

Woe to people in this place.  It is time to repent and return to a right relationship with Jesus!