Mount Arbel path leads to Sea of Galilee view

The Gospels repeatedly tell us that Jesus often withdrew to “lonely places” to pray. Naturally, we don’t know if Jesus went to different locations for this purpose or if he had a favorite place in the hills around the Sea of Galilee. The lake is, in fact, surrounded by hills. The tallest “mountain” that overlooks the Sea of Galilee is Mt. Arbel. About six miles from Capernaum, Arbel offers a dramatic view of the area where Jesus based his ministry. Magdala, for instance, is just below the peak of Arbel. It would have been an ideal place to be alone and to pray. It also serves as a visual illustration that if Jesus went to so much trouble to be undisturbed for seasons of prayer, so should his followers. One more possible use of this video would be Matthew’s description of Jesus giving his followers the Great Commission. After his resurrection, Jesus told his followers to meet him on a mountain in Galilee (Matthew 28:10, 16), which they did. As with references to Jesus praying, Arbel can only be used as an example of where such an event might have happened.