Lecture Listening Guides

by David  Capes

Lecturer: Steven Notley

Title: Has Bethsaida-Julias Finally Been Found?

Date: 04/13/2019

Prepared by Dr. John Beukema

1. What is historical geography?

2. What are some of the “lost cities” of the Bible?

3. Why does Notley consider the Et-Tell site an unlikely possibility for Bethsaida?

4. How did some archaeologists address that problem of distance from water, and why was their solution inadequate?

5. What is an archaeological reason Notley cites for not identifying Et-Tell as Bethsaida?

6. When Notley looked at ancient sources about Bethsaida, and compared that to what he found at Et-Tell, what did he determine?

7. Why is Josephus’ mention of Bethsaida important?

8. Who are the three Roman authors cited by Notley who reference Bethsaida?

9. In the 4^th century, the only information about Bethsaida that Eusebius records is from the Bible. What does that indicate?

10. What is Willibald’s testimony about Bethsaida?

11. What is a “shovel survey”?

12. How does Notley see Bethsaida’s gap in history explained at the El-Araj site?

13. What did the excavation at El-Araj indicate about the level of the lake?

14. When roof tiles, mosaic floor tiles, and vents of a Roman Bath were found, it provided evidence of what?

15. Under the Roman bath, coins were found which dated to which time period?

16. What is the significance of the “Lioness of El-Araj”?

17. Which languages did Jesus likely speak?

18. What does El-Araj mean?

19. How does Notley explain the possible origin of that name?

20. What were the two assumptions about identifying Et-Tell as Bethsaida that were shattered by geologists?