Caesarea Philippi- Israel Pilgrimage 2

Large cave- Grotto of Pan- 

The center of pagan worship.
Known as Banias- in the Golan Heights.

 This was Baal Hermon,

 Baal Gad of Old testament times.

Here is where 3rd century BC sacrifices

 were made to flute playing god Pan-

half-man, half-goat.

Numerous temples were built here

 in the Hellenistic and Roman periods.

The city was known as Panias 

or in Arabic- Banias.

2.5 miles north of the Sea of Galilee

at the base of Mt Herman

Location of one of the largest springs

 feeding the Jordan River.

Close up of the rock 

at the base of Mt. Herman.

 Sacred Niches - a rocky escarpment

with a series of hewn niches

Statues of the deities were placed here.

Here is the backdrop setting 

to where Jesus brought

 His disciples in Mark 8:27.

With the vivid pagan world around Him, 

He asked-

"Who do people say that I am?"

 The world says- 

John the Baptist or Elijah, or a prophet.

"But, who do YOU say that I am?"

You can almost imagine Peter's gaze 

around the stone niches as he says, 

"You are the Christ."

The popular, pagan culture

 visually blared denial.

Just as our visually blaring

 culture still denies today.

Caesarea Philippi was once a great city.

In 20 BC it was annexed

 to the Kingdom of Herod the Great.

In 3 BC Philip (the Tretarch)

 founded a city here at Paneas.

He named it Caesarea-
 in honor of Caesar Augustus

 and made many improvements to the city.

In later history this area moved from 
Arab caliphate control,
was pillaged by the crusaders in 1148, 
and later ruled by the 
 Ottoman Turks.

Today only ruins hold this place 

in history in a National Park.

And a quietness surrounds

 with the simple question 

we must all still answer today-

"Who do you say that I am?"