John 6:1
After these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias.
After these things,.... After Christ's curing the man at Bethesda's pool, and the vindication of himself for doing it or the sabbath day, and for asserting his equality with God; near a year after these things: for these were done at the feast of the passover, and now it was near another; and what is related here, was after the death of John the Baptist, and when the disciples had returned from preaching in the several cities and towns, where Christ afterwards went, and had given an account of their success; see Matthew 14:12. Quickly after the passover was ended, Christ departed from Jerusalem, and went into Galilee, and preached in the several cities and towns in those parts, and wrought many miracles: and after these things, in process of time,
Jesus went over the sea of Galilee; the same with the lake of Gennesaret, Luke 5:1;
which is the sea of Tiberias; and is frequently so called by the Jewish writers {x}, who often make mention of lv hmy hyrbj, "the sea of Tiberias"; and by other writers, it is called the lake of Tiberias {y}; Pliny, who calls it the lake of Genesara {z}, says,
"it was sixteen miles long, and six broad, and was beset with very pleasant towns; on the east were Julias and Hippo, and on the south Tarichea, by which name some call the lake, and on the west Tiberias, wholesome for the hot waters.''
And these are the waters which the Jews call ayrbjd Nyowmyd, or,
ymx, the hot baths of Tiberias {a}; and from the city of Tiberias built by Herod, and called so in honour of Tiberius Caesar, the sea took its name.
{x} T. Bab. Bava Kama, fol. 81. 2. & Bava Bathra, fol. 74. 2. Becorot, fol. 55. 1. Megilla, fol. 5. 2. & 6. 1. Moed. Katon, fol. 18. 2. & T. Hieros. Kilaim, fol. 32. 3. & Erubin, fol. 25. 2.
{y} Solin, c. 48. Pausan. l. 5. p. 298.
{z} Lib. 5. c. 15.
{a} T. Hieros. Peah, fol 21. 2. & Sheviith, fol. 38. 4. Kiddushin, fol. 61. 1. R. Benj. Itinerar. p. 53.