What Is the Significance of the Sea of Galilee in the Bible?

The Sea of Galilee was an integral part of Jesus’s ministry. On the shores of the water, Jesus performed miracles, demonstrating he was the Son of God. He shared teachings. Some of the ideas were countercultural to the people of the day. Jesus was setting the foundation of the Gospel. What exactly happened at the Sea of Galilee? Let’s dig deeper and find out how the events at this place played a key role in forever changing our world.

Where Is the Sea of Galilee Located?

The Sea of Galilee is located in the Jordan Valley in Israel. It’s east of the Bay of Acre, which is now known as the Bay of Haifa. The pear-shaped lake is thirteen miles long from north to south and seven miles wide from east to west. Syria sits east of the Sea of Galilee. The water sits between mountains on the east and the west, which reach about 2,000 feet. To the north are the hills of Naphtali and Mount Hermon. To the south is present-day Israel in the southwest and Jordan in the southeast. And interestingly, despite its name, the Sea of Galilee is freshwater, not saltwater.

What Miracles Did Jesus Perform at the Sea of Galilee?

Jesus miraculously fed five thousand people at the Sea of Galilee. A crowd had gathered there with him for three days. Jesus was concerned that they had nothing to eat. His disciples found a boy with seven loaves of bread and a few fish. Jesus gave thanks for the food and broke it. Then, he told the disciples to feed the people. They were able to serve everyone and had seven baskets of bread left over.

After the feeding of the five thousand, Jesus sent the disciples ahead of him while he went up the mountain to pray. Later, he came to the sea, but by this time, the disciples’ boat was far from the shore. Jesus walked on the water to reach the boat. At first, the disciples were afraid and thought he was a ghost. Peter called out to Jesus. Matthew 14:28 says, "Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water." Jesus invited him to come, and Peter walked on the surface. He was steady until he saw the wind and became afraid. He began to sink, but Jesus reached out his hand and caught him.

Jesus also healed a deaf and mute man at the Sea of Galilee. A group of people brought the man to him and begged Jesus for healing. Jesus took the man aside and placed his fingers in the man’s ears. He spit, touched the man’s tongue, and cried out “Ephphatha!” to the heavens, which means “Be opened.” Then, the man was healed. He could hear and speak.

After his resurrection, Jesus appeared to the disciples by the Sea of Galilee. They were out fishing but hadn’t caught anything. They didn’t recognize Jesus at first. He told them to put their net in the water, and it filled with fish. John realized it was Jesus. The disciples brought their huge hauls to shore, and John 21:12 says, “None of the disciples dared ask him, 'Who are you?’ They knew it was the Lord.”

What Parables Did Jesus Teach by the Sea of Galilee?

One parable Jesus taught by the Sea of Galilee was the Parable of the Sower found in Matthew 13. The parable talks about a farmer who was sowing his seed. The seeds fell in four places: the path, rocky places, among thorns, and good soil. Jesus explains what happened to each of the seeds. The birds ate the seeds on the path. The ones in rocky places couldn’t grow because the shallow soil didn’t provide enough space for their roots. The plants that grew among thorns were choked out, and the seeds on the good soil grew strong. 

Later in the chapter, Jesus explains the parable. He explains that the seeds on the path represent people who have heard about the kingdom but don’t take it in, so their knowledge remains surface level and is easily taken away. The seed amongst the rocks represents people who initially show enthusiasm for the kingdom, but their roots don’t go deep, so when hardship comes, they are easily withered. The plants growing amid thorns are people who hear about the kingdom but let worries and troubles in the world diffuse their hope. The seeds growing in good soil have a sturdy foundation, can thrive, and produce a bountiful harvest. 

Jesus also tells the Parable of the Weeds in Matthew 24:30. In this story, a man plants good seed in his field, but at night enemies come to plant weeds among the crops. The workers ask the man if they should dig up the weeds, but he says no because then they will also dig up the good plants. This story represents the coexistence of good and evil in our world. In any community, there can be sincere followers of Christ and those who try to thwart them. Therefore, we must be diligent and discerning. 

Next, Jesus tells the crowd at the Sea of Galilee the Parables of the Mustard Seed and the Leaven. In these stories, a tiny mustard seed represents our faith. When we plant it, the seed is small, but it will grow to be prosperous and strong. In the same way, our faith can grow as well as the belief of others. Similarly, leaven, or yeast, can represent our faith. Again, it starts small, but the Holy Spirit works slowly and silently, crafting our hearts and communities to be more in line with Christ.

A string of short parables comes next. In the Parable of the Hidden Treasure, Jesus compares the kingdom of heaven to treasure buried in a field. A man finds the treasure, reburies it, and sells all he has to buy the field. This story represents the priceless value of the kingdom and how we may need to sacrifice other things to acquire it. The Parable of the Pearl of Great Value has a similar meaning. In this story, a merchant searching for pearls is compared to the kingdom of heaven. When he finds one of great value, the merchant needs to sell everything he has to obtain it. 

The Parable of the Net comes next. Jesus compares the kingdom of God to a net set out to collect fish. Many types of fish fill the net and need to be sorted into good and bad. Similarly, in the end times, those who do not accept Christ will be separated from true Christians. Jesus finishes this set of parables with a story about the master of a house who has old and new treasures. This emphasizes that Christians need to be reminded of old truths as well as learn new lessons. 

How Did the Sea of Galilee Shape Jesus’ Ministry?

Four of the apostles grew up near the Sea of Galilee. Peter, Andrew, James, and John were all fishermen. In Matthew 4:18-22, Jesus calls Simon Peter and Andrew to come and follow him, and they obey. He then finds James and John, who also join Jesus when he calls them. It was on the Sea of Galilee that Jesus called the first four disciples. The remaining apostles were also all from the town of Galilee.

The city of Galilee was the primary location for Jesus’ ministry. The book of Isaiah prophesies about the future Messiah. Isaiah 9:1 reads, “Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the nations, by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan—” John Gill’s Exposition of the Bible explains that some think of “the Way of the Sea” as “the Mediterranean sea, and of that part of the land of Israel which lay next it; but it seems rather to design the sea of Tiberias or Galilee, as Jarchi rightly interprets it.” Jarchi, also known as Rashi, was a well-known scholar of the Bible. He was known for his commentary that drew both literal and nonliteral meaning from the text.  Isaiah 9 predicts the birth of the coming Messiah, the historical event that forever changed the world. The town of Galilee, including its sea, had a front row seat to Jesus' miracles and teachings. 

What Spiritual Lessons Can We Learn from the Sea of Galilee?

1. Be bold in our faith.

Jesus performed many miracles near the Sea of Galilee. The story where Peter walks on water shows us that we need to step out in faith and believe God can perform a miracle. Peter believed Jesus could allow him to walk on water and literally stepped out of the boat and onto the sea. When he became afraid and took his eyes off Jesus, he began to sink. When he trusted Jesus, he walked in his miracle. 

Similarly, a group of people brought the deaf and mute man to Jesus. They believed he could be healed. Traveling with a man with certain challenges probably made for an even more difficult journey. Still, the people persisted. They got the man to Jesus, and he was healed. 

2. Stories share the Gospel.

Jesus shared his truth through stories. He used context that was familiar to the people of the time and taught them in a way they would understand. Our own stories can share the gospel. We can tell people what God has done in our lives and show them he can work in theirs too. When we relate to people in a way they understand, it provides a clearer picture of the Gospel. 

3. A strong foundation provides a strong faith.

In many of his parables, Jesus talks about growing seeds. He emphasizes how the seeds need good soil to reach their full potential. Jesus acknowledges that there will be weeds, or scoffers, who try to steer us away from our faith. Instead of growing in a space with no skeptics, we need to stand strong and flourish among them.

Our faith may start small, but it can grow to be mighty. Jesus hasn’t left us alone on this earth. The Holy Spirit resides with his believers every day. We can give our tiny hope to Jesus, and he can help it grow firm and strong. In his teachings at the Sea of Galilee, Jesus doesn’t promise following him will be easy, but he does promise he can take the little faith we have and grow it insurmountably to cover any hardship we have.

Photo Credit: © Getty Images/RnDmS

Jenna Brooke Carlson is an elementary dual language teacher in the Chicago suburbs. As a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Word Weavers, she enjoys spending time with other writers and perfecting her craft. Her debut novel, Falling Flat, spreads the message that healing can occur, even after tragedy. Along with writing, she’s pursuing her dreams of creating a community of brave young women, who she can encourage to live out their dreams amid challenges and imperfection. Her days are busy, but she’s determined she can conquer anything with a fuzzy blanket and a hot cup of tea. To find out more about Jenna, visit her website at jennabrookecarlson.com.