Tabgha also has another church built around another significant stone. The experience of being there, and praying, Dave and both knew Capharnaum was the right next place to visit.
Tabgha
What if the place where Jesus fed the five thousand was also the place Jesus went to, soon after His resurrection, to cook a breakfast of fish and hot bread for His disciples, after they had spent a long night of fishing?
The Magdala Stone
Scholars are still studying and thinking about the meaning of the Magdala Stone. As I searched for explanations, I turned to the Biblical Archaeology Society's article written in 2021, as well as a few other sources,
Magdala
As we walked through the chapel, we admired the frescoes of scenes from scripture, read the names of women disciples on the marble pillars, and stopped in the sanctuary to gaze at the replica of the Galilee Boat, thinking about Jesus and His ministry.
The Sea of Galilee Boat
The first place Jesus wanted to go, after His resurrection, was to Galilee.
Abraham’s Gate
So far I've been talking about Iron Age and Bronze Age archaeological sites. But this structure dates even further back to the Chalcolithic period.
Tel Dan
Before being given to the tribe of Dan for their inheritance in the Promised Land, the city of Dan was known as Laish, also sometimes written Leshem, meaning jewel.
Tel Hazor
Unlike the other cities of Canaan, including even Megiddo, Hazor was the master. Like Rome would be millennia later, all roads led to and from Hazor, the largest fortified city in the country.
Tel Megiddo
Megiddo’s history reaches far back into the distant past, having been a continuous settlement down through thousands of years, from Neolithic times through to Persian occupation.
Tel Beit Shemesh
So Dave and I were looking at a map of archaeological sites in the Negev, southern Israel, ancient Judah’s territory, and we saw that Tel Beit Shemesh was near us. “Wonderful,” we said. “Let’s go see Beit Shemesh!