when the bus came to Capernaum, the thrill of walking on the ground where Jesus considered home was truly exhilarating. This was another place that had taken up much of my personal study time back home. I knew of the basalt rock that was prevalent in this area. And I also knew that the olive presses and other tools used for processing food were made in Capernaum and used throughout Israel. And I was there, gazing and walking upon  Jesus’ old stomping grounds. And it was really happening. I was really in Jesus’ hometown.

As we walked through the town of Capernaum, I looked around at the many millstones and olive presses that I had only seen in videos and pictures, and I wanted to take so many pictures, while, at the same time, I wanted to put away the camera and simply enjoy the moments. But I continued to take pictures so that I and others could enjoy them in the future. And there were moments when I handed the camera to my wife so that I could look at everything with my naked eyes. It was an awesome experience. One of the tools that I wanted to see for myself was the Γεθσημανὶ (Eng. Gethsemane meaning “olive press”), a large, heavy, stone pillar that was placed upon bags of broken, ripe olives and used to squeeze out the precious olive oil.

When we came up to a gethsemane in Capernaum, our guide pointed it out, but I was surprised that he was unaware of its significance in the story of Jesus. It is in the gospels of Matthew and Mark that the story of Jesus going to a place called “Olive Press” is told. And it is in the garden of the Olive Press where Jesus feels the heavy burden of our sins placed upon him like a giant gethsemane, and has his very precious blood squeezed from his body as his sweat was laced with drops of blood due to the stress of his impending Passion.

It was in the garden of the olive press where the priceless oil of our Savior was literally pressed from his body by the weight of our sins, which he bore for us all. How could that have been missed by our guide? I was saddened that more of us were not privileged to the metaphor of Jesus’ night in the garden of the Olive Press. I continued to look around at all of the ancient millstones and seas used by those who processed olives in Capernaum during the time of Jesus. Perhaps Jesus himself had used or even built some of the olive presses that were found in this ancient place. After all, Jesus was a τέκτων (Eng. Tekton), a construction worker. And though tekton is usually translated as “carpenter” in the New Testament, it actually means “construction worker”, which could also refer to a stone worker. Looking around at Capernaum, and all of its stone work, along with the fact that Capernaum was “the” city where these important tools were purchased, helped me to see that it is very possible that Jesus probably did much more work with stone than he did with wood.

This was indeed a life-changing, eye-opening occasion, even more than I had hoped for. It was here in Capernaum that the story of Matthew 17:24ff speaks of Jesus teaching his disciples a powerful message about humility and “littleness”. While they are in Capernaum, Jesus has children come to him, and he tells those who want to enter the Kingdom of Heaven that they must be like little children. And he goes on to tell them that if anyone causes a child to sin, then that person would be better off having a millstone hung around his neck and then be thrown into the sea. That story became so vivid as I stood there in Capernaum looking at the many millstones which must have been there as Jesus told this story. And then to look over my shoulder at the sea of Galilee, which was believed to be the Abyss, where the power of evil lurked beneath the waves, brings the entire teaching moment into full perspective. Jesus used that which was around him to teach a powerful message to those who were listening to him. With a child on his knee, a millstone beside him and the sea of Galilee in full view, his message must have left a significant picture on the minds of all who heard.

In His dust,

Johnny

© 2010 Jonathan P. Gainey and Flock’s Diner.
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This entry was posted on Saturday, May 8th, 2010 at 1:18 am and is filed under Theological Thoughts, Reflection, Hebraic Perspective. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.