“Maye kuwe, Betsayida!” UJesu wasola esiqeshini seTestamente Elisha, ekhononda ngokuthi izakhamuzi zalomuzi waseBhayibhelini azizange ziwamukele umyalezo wakhe ngemva kwezimangaliso ababezibonile. Kulo muzi waseGalile okukhulunywa ngawo izikhathi eziningana emaVangelini, kunenkolelo yokuthi umphostoli uSimoni Petru nomfowabo u-Andreya bazalelwa nokuthi izinkwa nezinhlanzi zanda eduze. UFlavius Josephus utshela ku-'Jewish Antiquities' (18:28) ukuthi idolobhana lokudoba elithobekile laba idolobha elincane laseRoma elibizwa ngokuthi uJulias, elalikhona kwaze kwaba sekhulwini lesi-XNUMX AD izinga lamanzi oLwandle lwaseGalile. Namuhla izingosi eziningana zisebenza njengezindlalifa zakhe. Enye yazo indawo yokuhlala yase-El Araj, phakathi kweKapernawume neKursi, eGolan Heights. Izinsalela zezindlu zamaRoma nezamaJuda ziye zatholakala lapho, kanye nezinsalela zesonto laseByzantium, okukholakala ukuthi iSonto LabaPhostoli, elakhiwe ngokwesiko lobuKristu endlini kaSan Pedro noSan Andrés. Umbhalo oqoshiwe wesiGreki otholwe emivubukulweni yakamuva usuzogcizelela lo mbono.
Abavubukuli baseKinneret College kwa-Israel naseNyack College eNew York, beholwa osolwazi uMordechai Aviam noSteven Notley, ababene-mosaic ku-diaconicon (i-sacristy) yethempeli, enezithombe zezimbali nokubhala okufakwe kwindondo eyindilinga eyenziwe nge-reverse i-black teserae. Ngokokuhunyushwa kosolwazi uLeah Di Segni (iNyuvesi yesiHebheru) kanye noJacob Ashkenazi (Kinneret College), kubhekiselwa kumnikeli, “uConstantine, inceku kaKristu”, futhi iqukethe isicelo sokuncenga esivela kuSaint Peter, “induna nomkhuzi. labaphostoli basezulwini.
Ababhali abangamaKristu baseByzantine babevame ukusebenzisa lesi sihloko esithi "induna nomkhuzi wabaphostoli" ukuze babhekisele kuSaint Peter, i-El Araj Excavation Project, exhaswe yiCentre for the Study of Ancient Judaism and Origins, esitatimendeni. (CSAJCO), iMuseum of the Bible, iLanier Theological Library Foundation kanye noHaDavar Yeshiva (HK).
Mhlawumbe uzinikele kuSaint Peter
“Lokhu okutholakele kuyinkomba entsha kodwa ukuthi uPedro ubenobudlelwane obukhethekile nesonto, futhi kungenzeka ukuthi uzinikele kuye. Njengoba isiko lobuKristu baseByzantium lalivame ukukhomba umuzi kaPetru njengeBhetsayida, hhayi iKapernawume, njengoba kuvame ukucatshangwa namuhla, isonto cishe lalikhumbula ikhaya lakhe,” kusho uSteven Notley, umqondisi wezemfundo wale nhlangano.
Ukutholwa futhi kusekela ukuhlonzwa kwe-basilica neBandla labaPhostoli elachazwa nguMbhishobhi uWillibald wase-Eichstätt ngekhulu lesi-XNUMX, phakathi nohambo lwakhe lokuya eZweni Elingcwele. Ohambweni lwakhe olusuka eKapernawume luya eKursi, wachitha ubusuku endaweni, ngokwalokho ayekutsheliwe, “iBetsayida lapho uPedro no-Andrés baphetha khona. Manje kunesonto lapho indlu yakhe yayihlala khona.
UMordechai Aviam, umqondisi wezemivubukulo wemisebenzi, ubike ukuthi "enye yezinjongo zalokhu kumbiwa kwakuwukuqinisekisa ukuthi sinalo yini ungqimba lwekhulu lokuqala esizeni" futhi bakuzuzile. "Asigcini nje ngokuthola izinsalela ezibalulekile zalesi sikhathi, kodwa naleli sonto elibalulekile nesigodlo sezindela esilizungezile."
Ngokuhlangene, lezi zizoqinisa ukuhlonzwa kwe-El Araj/Beit haBek nedolobhana lasendulo lamaJuda i-Betsaida.
