Jesus and the Fishing Boat

Paper Summary:

This research paper focuses on the 27-foot fishing boat from the first century BC found in the Sea of Galilee that is believed to be connected to the historical Jesus. The paper relates that the topic is linked to the ideas surrounding the historical Jesus, his life, activities, involvements, relationships, and view. The paper further relates that the information it contains also describes the artifact and looks at how and where it was discovered. The writer concludes that without the Sea of Galilee, used as an allegory in many of the parables of Jesus, these stories might have been much more difficult for the disciples to understand however, the references to the Sea of Galilee and specifically to the fishermen's trade lends comprehension to many of the sayings of Jesus, that otherwise would have been more difficult for the people of that time to discern and comprehend.

Outline:
Objective
Introduction
Was This The boat That Jesus Sat, Slept and Taught In?
The Fishing Economy & The Sea of Galilee
The Historical Jesus
Jesus was a Fisher of Men
Why the Sea of Galilee?
Summary & Conclusion

From the Paper:

"In many ways, the Sea of Galilee is centric to the life and story of the historical Jesus as he called several of his disciples from the shorelines of the Sea of Galilee and they followed him without question. The Sea of Galilee was an important part of the economy in this area of the world during the time that Jesus walked upon the earth and fishing was an important livelihood as well as being important insofar as the food market in this area of the world. Jesus used the symbolism of the fish in many of his teachings, parables and sermons. In fact, the Christian symbol known as the Ichthus is the symbol of a fish, and it is know that during time of Christian persecution following the life, crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus that when two Christians would meet they would identify themselves one to the other by one tracing half of the fish symbol in the sand with his foot, and the other, if a Christian, would then trace the other half of the symbol in the sand with his foot thus completing the symbolic 'Ichthus' and both would know that they were in the company of another Christian and that it was safe to talk about Jesus and his ministry."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Arav, Rami (2000) Bethsaida and the Ministry of Jesus Around the Sea of Galilee. The Bible and Interpretation 2000.
• Davies, W.D. (1971) I Am the Resurrection and the Life - Great Religions of the World. National Geographic. 1971. National Geographic Society.
• Did Jesus Really Sit on this Ancient Boat from the Sea of Galilee (1995) Christian Answers Online available at: http://www.christiananswers.net/q-abr/abr-a003.html
• Freyne 1992:900; Josephus, War 3.506; as cited in Hanson, K.C. (1997) The Galilean Fishing Economy and the Jesus Tradition. Biblical Theology Bulletin 27 (1997) 99-111.
• Galilean Fishing Boat (nd) Online available at: http://www.abu.nb.ca/courses/NTIntro/images/FishingBoat.htm

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