What is Bethsaida?:
Bethsaida was a small fishing village on the Sea of Galilee that was made a “city” by tetrarch Philip and renamed Bethsaida-Julias after the daughter of Caesar Augustus some time before 2 BCE. Philip himself spent a lot of time here and died in Bethsaida in 34 CE.
Where is Bethsaida?:
The exact location of Bethsaida is unknown. It was located on the Sea of Galilee somewhere around where the Jordan River empties into it and archaeological excavations at the mouth of the Jordan have revealed a site which some have tentatively identified as Bethsaida.
Why is Bethsaida important?:
Bethsaida plays an important role in a number of gospel stories. According to the Gospel of John, three disciples were born here: Peter, Andrew, and Philip. Mark and Luke claim that he fed the five thousand nearby and Mark claims that he healed a blind man here. Matthew and Luke, however, claim that Jesus cursed the town for not accepting him.
