CAESAREA PHILIPPI

Caesarea Philippi is located at the base of Mount Hermon northeast of the Sea of Galilee. It was most likely the farthest point north to which Jesus ever traveled. It is held as "holy ground," because this is where Simon Peter, speaking for the group of disciples, made his great confession of faith as recorded in Matthew 16:13-20. There is a spring here that forms one of the sources of the River Jordan. Caesarea Philippi was constructed by Philip, son of Herod the Great, while he was tetrarch in this region. It was a favorite site of the Greeks and Romans in their nature-cult worship of their god Pan. These were fertility deities worshipped in a cave from which came one of the main sources of the Jordan River. The name "Pan" was corrupted by those who could not say it, so it was called "Banias," the name by which it is often called today. Banias or Caesarea Philippi refer to the same place. Being here and letting this place speak to you as you read the Bible passage is an awesome experience.