The Life of Jesus in Harmony |
Index
Galilee
Northern Province of
Israel (50 miles N to S and 30 miles E to W).
Galilee was the "garden" of Palestine, well-watered and fertile. It was
thickly populated and had many good roads leading in every direction. The main
highway was the one that connected Damascus and the
Mediterranean and crossed Galilee, through
Capernaum where
Matthew (Levi) had sat at its custom-house. Galilee was largely influenced by Greek
culture, as the
prophet Isaiah had said "Galilee of the gentiles," and many non-Jews lived there.
The Galileans were very bold and rough of whom the historian Josephus said
learned "war from infancy," and from Galilee sprang most of the Zealots who were
always anxious to drive out the Romans from their land. The people of Galilee
were very religious, although the Jews in the south doubted their orthodoxy and
despised their northern accent.
- Galilee was the most beautiful and fertile section of Palestine.
- Lots of agriculture (Corn, grapes, olives, and fruits) also flowers
- Animals (domestic and wild), great variety of birds,
- numerous springs and brooks and green pastures
- A population estimated as high as three million (numerous villages and
towns) industries flourished
- According to sources the people were generous, impulsive, simple in manners,
full of intense nationalism, free, and independent of the traditionalism of
Judea. There were lots of gentiles there.
- Rabbis of
Jerusalem held the Galilean in contempt (manner of speech, colloquialisms, lack of a
certain type of culture characteristic of the Jerusalemite). Probably envy since
Galilee was so beautiful.
- They were accused of neglecting the traditions and preferred the Haggadah to
the Halakkah.
- The Judeans were accustomed to say that no prophet ever arose from Galilee.
But such was not the case, since Jonah and probably Nahum were born there and
the ministry of both Elijah and Elisha was cast in that section though Elijah
was born in Tisbeli of Gilead and Elisha in
Abel-Meholah.