Looking for the Bethsaida of the Gospels / Peter Kučera.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Kučera, Peter, author.

Series:

Ancient Judaism and Early Christianity ; 123.

Biblical Studies, Ancient Near East and Early Christianity E-Books Online, Collection 2026.

Ancient Judaism and Early Christianity ; 123

Biblical Studies, Ancient Near East and Early Christianity E-Books Online, Collection 2026

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Classical Studies.

Jews--Study and teaching.

Jews.

Ancient Near East and Egypt.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (448 pages)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Leiden ; Boston : Brill, 2026.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

In this volume, the modern scholarly consensus that the Bethsaida of the Gospels was east of the Jordan River and the concomitant negative assessment of the evangelists’ geographical knowledge is subjected to a meticulous multidisciplinary scrutiny. Recourse is made, inter alia, to textual criticism, archaeology, numismatics, odology, anemology and linguistics. The ancient literary record is scoured, in the original languages, for all and any relevant references: Josephus Flavius, Pliny, Ptolemy, Julian the Apostate, Origen, Eusebius, Jerome, Epiphanius, John Chrysostom, Augustine, rabbinic literature, apocryphal literature, pilgrim reports and finally the Gospels themselves. It is argued that the one-Bethsaida-east-of-the-Jordan-River-theory with all its implications does not withstand scrutiny.

Contents:

Front Cover

Half Title

Series Information

Title Page

Copyright Page

Contents

Acknowledgements

Figures and Tables

Abbreviations of Primary and Secondary Sources

Chapter 1 Introduction

1 Geographical References in the Canonical Gospels

2 Bethsaida in the Gospels: a Case Study on the Accuracy or Lack thereof of the Geographical References in the Gospels

3 The BEP, the EAEP and the Status Quaestionis

Chapter 2 The Toponym Bethsaida

1 Textual Variants of the Name Bethsaida

2 Βηθσαϊδά - Its Hebrew/Aramaic Root(s) and Its Resultant Etymology(ies)

3 The Nu-Form

Chapter 3 Extra-Biblical Sources on Bethsaida and Julias

1 Graeco-Roman Sources

1.1 Flavius Josephus (c. AD 37-c. 100)

1.2 Pliny the Elder (c. AD 23-79)

1.3 Claudius Ptolemy (c. AD 100-c. 178)

2 Early Church Writers (and also Julian the Apostate)

2.1 Origen (c. AD 185-c. 254)

2.2 Eusebius of Caesarea (c. AD 260-c. 339)

2.3 Julian the Apostate (c. AD 331-c. 363)

2.4 Jerome (c. AD 347-419/420)

2.5 Epiphanius of Salamis (c. AD 315-403)

3 Pilgrim Reports

3.1 General Introduction to the 'Genre' of Pilgrim Reports

3.2 Eucherius

3.3 Arculf/Adomnan

3.4 The Venerable Bede

3.5 'Theodosius'

3.6 Willibald/Hugeburc and Willibald/Anonymous

3.7 Bethsaida in Later (Crusader and Post-Crusader) Pilgrim Reports

Chapter 4 The Seven References to Bethsaida in the Canonical Gospels

1 Mark 6:30-56

1.1 The Status Quaestionis

1.2 Where Did the Reunion Related in Mark 6:30-32 Take Place?

1.3 The Voyage in Mark 6:32-34

1.4 A Text-Critical Study of Mark 6:33

1.4.1 The Headwind Rendering an East-West Crossing Impossible?

1.5 A Text-Critical Study of Mark 6:45

1.6 Mark 6:45 - a Crossing or Not?

1.7 Mark 6:45 and 6:53 - At Variance or Not?

2 Mark 7:31-8:27.

2.1 The Pharisees at Mark 8:11 - Topographically Significant or Not?

2.2 Dalmanoutha - East or West?

2.3 Mark 8:27 - an Eastern Starting Point?

3 Luke 9:10-17

3.1 Mark 6:45 and Luke 9:10 - Magna Crux Expositorum

3.2 The Variation Unit at Luke 9:10

3.3 Context in Luke

3.4 Luke 9:10 and 'the Big Omission'

4 John 12:20-22

4.1 The So-Called 'Loose Incorporation' Theory

4.2 Βηθσαϊδὰ τῆς Γαλιλαίας

5 John 1:43-46

6 Matthew 11:20-24 and Luke 10:13-15

7 The Non-Presence of Julias in the Gospels and the 'Numismatic Evidence'

7.1 The Renaming of Bethsaida in Gaulanitis - for Whom and When?

7.2 The Numismatic Theory Espoused by the BEP and the EAEP

7.3 Philip's Coinage

7.3.1 The Five Coins of Philip Unearthed at et-Tell

7.4 The So-Called Numismatic Evidence

7.4.1 Coin (4)

7.4.2 Coin (1) - the Jugate Coin

7.4.3 Coin (3) - Philip's Julia Coin

7.4.4 Coin (2) - the 'Ktistes Coin'

Chapter 5 Conclusion

Appendix 1 Appendix to the Introduction

1 The Two Biblical Bethsaidas Theory

2 The Bethsaida Excavations Project (BEP)

3 Excavations at et-Tell: a Presentation of the Seven Strata

Appendix 2 Appendix to Extra-biblical Sources

1.1 Aelius Herodianus (fl. c. AD 160-c. 180)

2 The Apocrypha

2.1 The Gospel of the Hebrews (Nazaraeans?)

2.2 The Fifth Book of Ezra

3 Rabbinic Sources and Bethsaida

3.1 The Dating of Rabbinic Sources

3.2 The Search for Bethsaida in Rabbinic Sources

3.3 Ṣaidan or Sidon? - Problems of Identification

3.4 Sifre Deuteronomy 80

3.5 Qohelet Rabbah 2:11

3.6 Yerushalmi Sheqalim 6:2, 50a

4 Post-1095 Pilgrim Reports - Texts and Translations

Bibliography

Index of Ancient Sources

Index of Places

Index of Persons

Author Index

Back Cover.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on publisher supplied metadata and other sources.

Description based on print version record.

ISBN:

90-04-74896-2

9789004748965

OCLC:

1564842636

Publisher Number:

10.1163/9789004748965 DOI