📖 Biblical Definition
City on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee, built by Herod Antipas around AD 20 and named for the Roman Emperor Tiberius (John 6:1, 23; 21:1). The Sea of Galilee is sometimes called the Sea of Tiberias (John 6:1; 21:1). Tiberias is significant in the NT narrative for several reasons. First, Herod Antipas (the same Herod who beheaded John the Baptist) built Tiberias as his administrative capital, on a site that Jewish sources later identified as containing a graveyard, rendering it ritually unclean for observant Jews — a fact that limited Jewish settlement. As a result, Tiberias was a predominantly Gentile-Hellenistic city in Jesus's day, and the Lord Jesus is not recorded as having entered the city (significant in light of His ministry concentrated in the Jewish towns around the lake). Second, after the feeding of the five thousand, other boats from Tiberias came near the place where they had eaten bread (John 6:23), connecting the multitudes from Tiberias to the bread-of-life discourse that followed. Third, the post-resurrection appearance to seven disciples by the Sea of Tiberias (John 21) is one of the great resurrection-narrative episodes: Peter's I go a fishing; the night of empty nets; the morning encounter with the Stranger on the shore; the miraculous catch of 153 fish; the breakfast on the shore; the threefold restoration of Peter (lovest thou me?) and the threefold commission (feed my sheep). The patriarchal-Reformed reader notes Tiberias's unusual position: a Roman-Hellenistic foundation in Galilee, avoided by the Lord Jesus during His earthly ministry, but the setting of one of His most pastorally rich post-resurrection encounters with Peter.
📜 Webster 1828 Definition
City on western shore of Sea of Galilee built by Herod Antipas c. AD 20; named for Emperor Tiberius; Sea of Galilee sometimes called Sea of Tiberias (John 6:1; 21:1); setting of post-resurrection appearance to Peter (John 21).
expand to see more
TIBERIAS, proper n. (NT place; Greek Tiberias, named for Emperor Tiberius) City on western shore of Sea of Galilee built by Herod Antipas c. AD 20. Sea of Galilee sometimes called Sea of Tiberias (John 6:1, 23; 21:1). Built on a site Jewish sources identified as containing a graveyard, rendering it ritually unclean; predominantly Gentile-Hellenistic in Jesus's day; Lord Jesus not recorded as having entered the city. Boats from Tiberias came near the bread-of-life feeding-site (John 6:23). Post-resurrection appearance to seven disciples by the Sea of Tiberias (John 21): empty nets, miraculous catch of 153 fish, breakfast on the shore, threefold restoration of Peter (lovest thou me?) and commission (feed my sheep).
📖 Key Scripture
John 6:1 — "After these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias."
John 21:1-2 — "After these things Jesus shewed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias; and on this wise shewed he himself. There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of his disciples."
John 21:11 — "Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken."
John 21:17 — "He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep."
⚠️ Modern Corruption
No major postmodern redefinition. The principal recovery is Tiberias as the Herod-Antipas Roman city avoided during Christ's earthly ministry but the setting of His pastoral restoration of Peter.
expand to see more
Tiberias as a place name does not undergo lexical corruption. The principal historical-pastoral recovery is the contrast between Tiberias-during-Christ's-earthly-ministry (Herod-Antipas's Roman-Hellenistic foundation, ritually unclean for observant Jews, avoided by the Lord Jesus during His Galilean labor) and Tiberias-as-post-resurrection-setting (the Sea of Tiberias as the place where the risen Lord met the seven disciples for the breakfast on the shore, the miraculous catch, and the threefold restoration of Peter). The patriarchal-Reformed reader notes the pastoral significance: the Lord Jesus's post-resurrection ministry includes the deliberate restoration of His apostles after their failures, in the very setting where He had earlier called them from their fishing nets. The morning breakfast on the shore is one of the most pastorally rich scenes in the entire Gospel narrative.
🔗 Greek & Hebrew Roots
Built by Herod Antipas c. AD 20; named for Emperor Tiberius; Sea of Tiberias = Sea of Galilee in John; post-resurrection setting (John 21).
expand to see more
['Greek', 'G5085', 'Tiberias', 'city / Sea of Tiberias']
['Latin', '—', 'Tiberius', 'Roman Emperor 14-37 AD']
['Greek', 'G2280', 'thalassa', 'sea, lake']
Usage
"Tiberias: city on western shore of Sea of Galilee; built by Herod Antipas."
"Sea of Tiberias = Sea of Galilee in John's usage."
"Setting of post-resurrection breakfast on the shore and Peter's restoration (John 21)."