CAPERNAUM
“city of Nahum”, or also “city of consolation”.
City on the northwest bank of Lake Galilee, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali (Mt. 4:13-16; cp. Lk. 4:31; Jn. 6:17-24).
It was the residence of a tax collector (Mk. 2:1, 14) and undoubtedly there was a Roman garrison (Mt. 8:5-13; Luke 7:1-10).
At the beginning of his ministry from Nazareth, Jesus went to Capernaum, and made this city his headquarters so often that it came to be called “his city” (Matt. 9:1; cp. Mr. 2:1).
It was there that he healed: the paralysis of the centurion’s servant (Mt. 8: 5-13; Lk. 7: 1-10);
of fever to Peter’s mother-in-law (Mt. 8:14-17; Mark 1:29, 31).
Jesus also healed a demon-possessed man in this city (Mark 1:21-28; Luke 4:31-37);
a paralytic carried by 4 men (Mark 2:1-13; cp. Mt. 9:1-8);
the son of a royal official (John 4:46-54), and a large number of other sick people (Mt. 8:16, 17; Mark 1:32-34; Luke 4:23, 40, 41) .
The speech collected in Jn. 6:24-71, (after the miracle of the multiplication of bread with which 5,000 men ate, and after other addresses), was delivered in the synagogue of Capernaum or in some other place in the city (Mark 9:33 -fifty).
It was also in Capernaum that Jesus called Matthew (also called Levi) to the apostleship while he was in the tax collection office (Mt. 9: 9-13; Mark 2: 14-17; Luke 5: 27-32 ; cp. Mt. 17:24).
Despite the teachings and works of Jesus, the inhabitants of Capernaum did not repent.
The Lord announced the total ruin of his city (Mt. 11:23, 24; Luke 10:15), which was actually fulfilled. The OT does not mention Capernaum, and it may not have existed until after the captivity.
Capernaum is generally located in “Tell Hum”, about 4 km southwest of the mouth of the Jordan in the lake.
Important ruins have been found, near Bethsaida and Tabgha, with the remains of a synagogue from the 3rd century AD.
Not far from there is the fountain of Capernaum, whose abundant waters partially irrigated the plain of Gennesaret. Nowadays it is called “Ain et-Tabighah”.