CAPERNAUM.—Crossing the pebbly strand of Bethsaida, we ascend a rocky promontory which shuts it in on the S.W., and soon find ourselves on the edge of a cliff along which the road is cut in the rock. Here we pause, for we have before us, like an open map, one of the most interesting and most sacred regions on earth. The cliff on which we stand dips its eastern end into the sea, and its western into a green meadow on the shore. From its base, not far from the water-line, springs a large fig-tree, which spreads its branches over a fountain, called from this circumstance ’Ain et-Tin, “The Fountain of the Fig.” Beside it are a few old foundations ; and about 300 yds. southward is a low mound of black ruins, almost hid by thorn-bushes and thistles. This is the site of Capernaum, the home of Christ. A green, crescent-shaped plain extends along the shore for 3 m., its greatest breadth being about 1. The plain is called by the Arabs el-Ghuweir, “The Little Ghér;” but to the traveller its Scripture name, “the land of Gennesaret” (Matt. xiv. 34 ; Mark vi. 53), sounds more familiar. The eye follows its wavy coast-line—here a tangled thicket of nubk and oleander, and there revealing a stretch of pearly sand— until at its southern end it rests on a little hamlet, still retaining in an Arabic form its ancient name Magdala ; it is the birthplace of Mary Magdalene. Behind the village rises a steep round-backed hill, breaking down precipitously to the shore on the E. and to a wild ravine on the W. On the side of this ravine are the ruins of Irbid, the ancient Beth-Arbel (Hosea x. 14); and through its vista we see the double top of Hattîn. The hills on the W. of the plain are low, bleak, and rocky ; while those on the N. rise up behind us, in steep acclivities, to their culminating point at Safed.
On descending to the spot where Capernaum once stood, we come in sight of an old ruined khan, lying under the western brow of the cliff, some 300 yards from Ain et-Tîn. It has been known as Khan Minyeh for 300 years or more, and was originally intended, like those near Tabor, Lejjûn, and Ramleh, for the accommodation of caravans on the great road from Damascus to Egypt.
The site of Capernaum is only marked by shapeless heaps of stones and rubbish, scarcely distinguishable amid thickets of thorn- bushes and gigantic thistles. Besides the few foundations at the fountain, and the low mound away on the plain to the S.W. of it, there are many vestiges of ruins between the latter and the shore; but it requires a careful scrutiny to find them. In fact, traces of the débris of buildings—dim and indistinct it is true—can be seen over a space several acres in extent; part of it is now cultivated, but the greater part is overrun by the rank luxuriance of nature. The hill behind Ain et-Tîn rises in the form of a truncated cone to a height of about 300 ft. Its sides are terraced, and its top perfectly flat ; and though now under cultivation, it has the appearance of having been once occupied by buildings. In looking over this site— at the utter ruin, we might say annihilation, of the ancient city, the fearful doom pronounced by our Lord is ever present to our minds—“ And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell.” (Matt. xi. 23.) The arguments by which this is proved to be the site of Capernaum are given at length in Robinson's ‘ Researches’ (2nd ed. vol. iii.), and need not be repeated here. It appears indeed that there was scarcely a doubt entertained on the subject by any writer before the 17th centy., when tradition began to think of transferring it to Tell Hûm.
Is it not strange that, while every important fact of Gospel history, and every insignificant myth that has sprung from it, has obtained in one place or other of Palestine “a local habitation and a name,” the home of Christ during the three most eventful years of his life has been overlooked ? No other spot— not even Jerusalem—witnessed so many of His mighty works. No other place — not even Olivet—witnessed so many of His discourses, His parables, and His prayers. To no other region in the whole country could his disciples have returned with such fond and familiar recollections as that where they had first seen Him, and heard his words, and wondered at His miracles; and where, too, they had enjoyed the longest and the sweetest intercourse with Him. But for 16 centuries it was neglected, and then it was totally forgotten.
After our Lord had been rejected by his fellow townsmen at Nazareth, “He came and dwelt in Capernaum ” (Matt. iv. 13), which was thence called “ His own city.” (Matt. ix.1.) Here He healed the demoniac in the synagogue (Mark i. 21-28), cured Peter’s mother-in-law (Luke iv. 38-41), restored the paralytic (Matt. ix. 2-8), called Matthew (id. ver. 9), cured the centurion’s servant (Luke vii. 1-10), raised Jairus’ daughter from the dead (Mark v. 22-43), and miraculously obtained the “ tribute money ” from the mouth of a fish (Matt. Xvii. 24-27). And near Capernaum He chose His twelve Apostles (Mark iii. 13-19), delivered the ‘“ Sermon on the Mount” (Matt. v.), spoke the parables of the “ Sower,” the “ Tares,” the “ Treasure hid in a field,” the “Merchant seeking goodly pearls,” and the “Net cast into the sea” (Matt. xiii.). In Capernaum He gave a lecture on “ Fasting” at ‘“ Levi's Feast’ (Matt. ix. 10-17), on “ Formality” to the hypocritical Pharisees (Matt. xv. 1-20), on “ Faith” to the people in the synagogue (John vi. 22-71), and on “ Humility,” ‘ Forbearance,” and “ Brotherly love” to His disciples (Mark ix. 33-50). Well might Christ, after such acts of love and power, and such words of wisdom and mercy, pronounce woe upon the city that had witnessed and heard, and yet rejected—* And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell; for if the mighty works which have been done in thee had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say unto you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for thee.” (Matt. xi. 23, 24.)
(pages 429-31)