“When Jesus came to the area of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say that the Son of Man is?’ They answered, ‘Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’ He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’” (Matt 16:13-16 NET)

What do we know of the locale where this stunning dialogue took place?

Location

Caesarea Philippi was on the scenic southern slopes of Mount Hermon, at 350 m (1150 ft) elevation. It was located on the Wadi Banias, one of three major sources for the Jordan River.

Philip’s Capital

The city of Caesarea Philippi was founded in 2 BC by Philip the Tetrarch (first husband of the infamous Herodias!). Philip named the city in honour of Caesar, with his own name tacked on the end. That differentiated it from Caesarea Maritima, the seaside capital of Judea and Samaria. Philip made this city his residence and capital.

Ancient Site of Pagan Worship

By the time Jesus and his disciples visited, this area had a pagan reputation. A local cave was dedicated to the Greek nature god Pan. Echo (Pan’s consort) and Hermes (Pan’s father) were also worshipped at this site. Furthermore, a nearby Herod-built temple glorified Caesar Augustus. This was pagan territory. Isn’t it awesome, then, that Jesus was here proclaimed “Son of the living God”? Pan was not son of the living God, nor was Caesar. Jesus — the real Son of God — was acknowledged as such by Peter in Pagansville.

References

Algie, Brian. “Caesarea Philippi,” in The Lexham Bible Dictionary. Edited by John D. Barry. Bellingham, WA: Lexham, 2016. Logos edition.

“Caesarea Philippi,” in Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible. 2 vols. Edited by Walter A. Elwell. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 1988. Logos edition.

DeVries, LaMoine F. “Caesarea Philippi,” in Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible. Edited by David Noel Freedman. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2000. Logos edition.

Kutsko, John. “Caesarea Philippi,” in Anchor Bible Dictionary. 6 vols. Edited by David Noel Freedman. New York, NY: Doubleday, 1992. Logos edition.

Milne, Mary K., and Mark Allan Powell. “Caesarea Philippi,” in The HarperCollins Bible Dictionary: Revised and Updated. 3rd ed. Edited by Mark Allan Powell. New York, NY: HarperOne, 2011. Logos edition.