Day 6: Jesus's Ministry - Tabgha and the Feeding of the 5000

After lunch we moved on up the Sea of Galilee towards Capernaum.  We stopped at place by the lake called Tabgha, said to be the site of Christ’s miracle of the feeding of the 5000.  On the site is an exact replica of a Byzantine church complex to commemorate the miracle.  Tabgha is also known as Seven Springs and these can be seen within an atrium inside the complex. Under the altar table is the rock on which Christ is said to have performed his miracle. 

Matthew 14:13-21

Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand 

13 When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns.

14 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.

15 As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.”

16 Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.”

17 “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered.

18 “Bring them here to me,” he said.

19 And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people.

20 They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.

21 The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.

Seven Springs

The rock upon which Christ is said to have performed his miracle

Baptismal font. In Byzantine times, those coming here had to be baptised before entering the church