Caesarea Philippi is noted as the city where Jesus asked Peter, “Who do men say that I am?” The area is now called Banias, but it was once also known by the Greco-Roman name Panaes, named after the Greek god, Pan. Pan was believed to be a god whose lower half looked like a goat while his upper half looked like an ugly man with horns on his head. The myth says that Pan liked to frighten women by sneaking up on them as they were bathing in the springs. This is where we get our word, “Panic.”
Banias Springs: One of the sources of the Jordan River from Mt. Hermon –
Beyond the spring (what looks like a cave in the background) is the Sanctuary and Grotto of Pan, and beside that would have been gates to the city and temples to several gods.
This is an artist’s conception of the area:
Our guide speculated that Jesus and his disciples could have very easily been looking toward the pagan temples and these city gates – gates that could figuratively represent the “Gates of Hell,” when Jesus asked Peter the question about His identity.
Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the son of the living God.” Jesus said, “Upon this rock, I will build my church and the Gates of Hell shall not stand against it.” Jesus frequently used imagery in his teachings, and I could easily visualize a connection to what he taught them while in Caesarea Philippi.
Our next stosp will be just down the road at the ancient city of Dan and Tabgha