When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?" "Well," they replied, "some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets. Then he asked them, "Who do you say I am?" Simon Peter answered, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God." Jesus replied, "You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being. Now I say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it. And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you lock on earth will be locked in heaven, and whatever you open on earth will be opened in heaven." Then he sternly warned them not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah. Holy Bible : New Living Translation. 1997 (Mt 16:13-20). Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House.
Banias (Caesarea Philippi) sits at the foot of beautiful Mt. Hermon. The headwaters of the Jordan River consist of four streams, which join together and flow down through the Hula Valley, and into the Sea of Galilee, and that sea downhill to the Dead Sea. Banias sits on the eastern branch.
