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First Day Out
on February 23, 2011 by
Tuesday – First Day Out
We’ve got a tour bus to ourselves, just the 26 of us. We are color coded “tan.” Nadar is our Guide. He is an Arab Christian from Palestinian stock. He knows his scriptures, the history and archaeology, and is a very pleasant guy. “I say this for you to know…” he says often, and we should. Everyone is enjoying his contribution to the trip.
Today we went to Beit Shean, one of the best Greco-Roman sites in Israel. It was destroyed by an earthquake in the 700, but has been wonderfully uncovered to reveal life at that time. Jesus visited this place as one of the Decapolis. Caesarea Maritime was the next stop. An incredible harbor city built by Herod the Great in which a stone tablet honoring Pontius Pilot was discovered – outside collaboration of this biblical character’s presence. Megiddo was next, with it 20+ strata of settlements, Canaanite gate and Solomon gate, and incredibly creative ancient water system. Falafuls for lunch – not too bad. We pulled into Nazareth next, touring the Church of the Annunciation, a beautiful modern basilica built over Byzantine and Crusader ruins and honoring the Angel Gabriel’s announcement to Mary of the Incarnation. The Cave of the Annunciation is deep within. Our last stop was Cana, where Jesus is remembered turning water into wine at a wedding, his first miracle. The biblical Cana is thought to be a few miles north, yet for over 1500 years pilgrims have been coming here to honor our Lord’s act. We stopped in a shop and got some Cana Wine for an upcoming wedding of a clergy friend’s daughter. We’ll see if miracles continue to be connected with this town’s product.
Everyone reports a good day, though the pace was quick and information full. Tomorrow we’ll have more energy and take on the northern coast of the Sea of Galilee – Mount of the Beatitudes, Capernaum. Today oriented us to the area and history, tomorrow we’ll get deep into Jesus – where he walked, boated, healed, and taught.