Galilee

Jesus grew up in the town of Nazareth, in Galilee, a Northern Palestine region. His ministry commenced and was largely centered in the area surrounding the Sea of Galilee that contained many towns, including Bethsaida, Gennesaret, and Capernaum (which was His base). Few of these towns exist today.

The main feature of the area is the Sea of Galilee, also called Lake Gennesaret, Kinneret or Tiberias. It is some 21 km long by 13 km wide and is 209 m below sea level. The Jordan River flows into it from the North and then out of the Southern shore to the Dead Sea. The nature of the surrounding hills renders it liable to strong down draughts and sudden storms (Mt 8:24). It was here Jesus walked on the water (Mt 14:25-33).

Several of the disciples were former fishermen on the Sea of Galilee. Fishing parables and fish experiences featuring in the gospels with Jesus several times teaching the people from a boat anchored just offshore (Mt 13:47,48; Mk 4:1; Lk 5:2,6).