The Relevance of Caesarea Philippi

When Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”^[1]

            Caesarea Philippi was “a town north of Galilee at the base of Mount Hermon.  Philip the tetrarch changed its name from Paneas to Caesarea.  Philippi was added to distinguish it from the better-known Caesarea on the coast of Samaria.”^[2]  The question that comes to mind: Why did the evangelist deem it necessary to mention the place?  Why does the Holy Spirit deem it important that we know this?  St. Luke does not mention the city in his gospel account, although St. Mark does.  Because the specific answer is nowhere to be found, we should contemplate upon it, and surmise how it will have a beneficial effect upon each of us.  The can be a myriad of answers; I will give mine.

            Philip, the tetrarch, named this city “in honor of Caesar Tiberius and himself.  The name distinguished Philip’s city from the coastal city of Caesarea (Antiquities 18.2.1 28; Jewish War 2.9.1 168).  Caesarea Philippi later became the capital city of the region and Philip’s place of residence.”^[3]  In this, we see can see pride, and this causes us to see this as the world.  Another interesting point is that Caesarea Philippi is near Mt. Hermon, which very possibly is the site of the mount of the Transfiguration.^[4] 

            It is in this world that we must decide who Jesus is (which I will discuss in another meditation).  If we say that he is the Son of God in this world, in Caesarea Philippi, then the following applies: From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer greatly from the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised. Then Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, “God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you.” He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.”

 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.^[5]  If Jesus, our Head, was made perfect through what he suffered,^[6] it needs be that the Body must also learn obedience through suffering and, thereby, be made perfect. 

           It is interesting to note that, in the name “Ceasarea Philippi,” “Caesar” means “severed” and “Philippi,” “lover of horses.”^[7]  Severed from what or who?  “Philippi:” lover of ____?  Let us fill in the blank.  If we do not think we are lovers of anything but God, let us reconsider.  Look around.  Are we not at least lovers of comfort, ease (convenience)?  Let us consider the accessories in our vehicles, in our homes.  We strive for comfort, for an “easy” life, an enjoyable life.  This is Caesarea Philippi, and we need to ascend from here.  It is here that Christ asks us who the Son of man is.  We need to ascend Mt. Hermon, the mount of transfiguration.

            Caesarea Philippi is relevant because it causes us to make a decision: What are we really striving for?  Caesarea Philippi “was enriched and embellished by Philip, the son of Herod, in honor of Cæsar Augustus.”^[8]  Our world continues to be enriched and embellished by men desiring wealth, status, and comfort.  Is this our desire, or do we desire to learn obedience through suffering, to be made perfect?

            The human race dies with Christ.  All of humanity is represented by the thieves crucified on either side of our Lord.  At first, both ridiculed the Lord.  We all are thieves because, in our sins, we attempt to steal the glory of God.  This is Caesarea Philippi.  Two thieves are set up on His right and left hand to signify that the entire human race is called to the Sacrament of the Lord’s Passion; but, because there shall be a division of believers to the right and unbelievers to the left, the one who is set on His right hand is saved by the justification of faith.[9]  This also can be viewed as seen by St. Remigius: “By the two thieves are denoted all those who strive after the continence of a strict life.  They who do this with a single intention of pleasing God are denoted by him who was crucified on the right hand; they who do it out of desire of human praise or any less worthy motive are signified by him who was crucified on the left.”[10]

            Caesarea Philippi is relevant in that it reminds us where we are and who we are.  Do we remain or ascend?

           

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^[1] New American Bible, Revised Edition., (Washington, DC: The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2011), Mt 16:13.

^[2] Steve W. Lemke, Holman Christian Standard Bible: Harmony of the Gospels, 2007, 109.

^[3] Brian Algie, The Lexham Bible Dictionary, 2016.

^[4] Steve W. Lemke, Holman Christian Standard Bible: Harmony of the Gospels, 2007, 112.

^[5] New American Bible, Revised Edition., (Washington, DC: The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2011), Mt 16:21–24.

^[6] New American Bible, Revised Edition., (Washington, DC: The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2011), Heb 5:8.

^[7] Stelman Smith and Judson Cornwall, The exhaustive dictionary of Bible names, 1998, 44.

^[8] John MacEvilly, An Exposition of the Gospels of Matthew and Mark, (Dublin; New York: M. H. Gill & Son; Benziger Brothers, 1898), 290.

[9] Aquinas, Thomas. Catena Aurea - Gospel of Matthew - Enhanced Version (Kindle Locations 17932-17934). Christian Classics Ethereal Library. Kindle Edition.

[10] Ibid., (Kindle Locations 17935-17937). Christian Classics Ethereal Library. Kindle Edition.