Kheresa 

Kheresa was a little village atop the cliffs on the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee. It is significant because two of Jesus’ apostles, twins named James and Judas Alpheus, grew up there. A year after the twins became apostles, Jesus led all twelve of them to Kheresa for a few days’ rest. On the way to their campsite, in Kheresa’s cemetery, they encountered a madman named Amos. This man believed he was possessed by demons and when Jesus cured him, Amos saw a herd of swine go over a cliff. He assumed his demons went into the pigs and broadcast this story across the land. Although it was a pack of dogs that chased the unattended pigs to their death, the false story created great interest in Jesus and his teachings.

Aside from the swine incident, Kheresa, being in the territory of a friendly ruler named Philip, provided a safe haven for Jesus when he was being pursued by the authorities in Judea and Galilee. More than once, Jesus and his apostles roamed and taught in Philip’s domain without restraint or threat of arrest. Kheresa is also noteworthy because it was nearby that Jesus fed the five thousand. And Kheresa was where Jesus launched his last year’s ministry, although the name of the town faded into obscurity as time passed.

Jesus chose six apostles and asked each of them to choose one more. The second and third to be chosen by Jesus, James and John Zebedee, nominated twin brothers from Kheresa to be the ninth and tenth apostles. These twins were fishermen-farmers named James and Judas Alpheus.

Each of Jesus’ twelve apostles was given an area of responsibility. The Alpheus twins were assigned the management of the multitudes. It was their task to maintain order among the crowds and, when needed, to deputize assistant ushers. Because there was another James and Judas in the twelve apostles, the twins were also called Thaddeus and Lebbeus, the fishermen twins from Kheresa.

Many swine herders were living and working around Kheresa, a village of gentiles at that time. In March, 29 CE, Jesus and his apostles rowed their boats to the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee for a few days’ rest. They landed on the steep hills below Kheresa. On the way to a campsite, they passed by a cemetery where a man rushed up to Jesus. This demented man, Amos, was well-known in Kheresa and had been chained in a cave after one of his spells of lunacy. He broke loose and roamed the cemetery possessed in madness.

There were periods when Amos was sane and lucid. During one of these periods, he traveled to Bethsaida and listened to the teachings of Jesus. He was so impressed that he became a believer. But then he descended into madness once again and returned to the cemetery where he moaned, cried out, and terrorized all who chanced to meet him.

When Amos saw Jesus approaching, he fell at his feet and declared that he was possessed by demons. Jesus said to him: “Amos, you are not possessed of a devil; you have already heard the good news that you are a son of God. I command you to come out of this spell.” After Jesus spoke, there occurred such a transformation in his intellect that he was immediately restored to his right mind and the normal control of his emotions. Some from Kheresa saw this and were astonished, so much so that they ran to tell others.

In the commotion, one of the swine herders left his herd unattended and a pack of dogs charged the pigs driving thirty of them to their death off a nearby cliff. Jesus knew the truth about this incident, but the miracle-minded people insisted Amos’ demons went into the pigs and sent them over the cliff. Amos also believed the story and this belief contributed to the permanency of his cure.

A legend was born that day about Jesus casting demons out of Amos and into a herd of suicidal pigs. Amos never suffered another period of madness and went to Kheresa and other towns declaring what great things Jesus did for him. Many were led to Jesus on hearing about this odd incident. After hearing Amos' account, a man by the name of Aden organized a sizable congregation of believers in Kanata, Syria, and subsequently brought Jesus' teachings to Mesopotamia.

In May of 29 CE, while Jesus was teaching on the western shore of Galilee, an order to arrest him was issued by the governing authorities. Word of the order came just before the arresting officers arrived. Jesus and his apostles narrowly evaded the officers; they took to their boats and rowed across the Sea of Galilee landing near Kheresa. This village was on the border of a friendly region governed by Philip, son of Herod the Great. This event marked the beginning of the last year of Jesus' life. For a time, they remained in the domains of Philip, going from Kheresa up to Caesarea-Philippi, then over to the coast of Phoenicia. Jesus and his apostles then traveled through the territories north of Galilee, teaching and preaching along the way, then returned to Galilee’s western shore after the order to arrest Jesus was rescinded.

One evening during the first week of August, 29 CE, Jesus learned that many leaders were gathered on the opposite side of the Sea of Galilee, near Kheresa. That evening, he and his apostles once more rowed across the sea. And again, they camped close to Kheresa. They rested one day and then went to a nearby park where the Master performed one of his most famous miracles, feeding a crowd of five thousand with “loaves and fishes.”

Jesus and his apostles repeatedly went to Kheresa, either for rest or to escape their pursuers. It was a real and safe place where they camped and Jesus taught the people of Kheresa. After the spread of rumors about curing Amos, great crowds awaited Jesus when he later went to Bethsaida and Capernaum.

This little, apparently unimportant village of gentiles on the outskirts of the Decapolis, Kheresa, was also the beginning of the last year of Jesus' ministry. However, Kheresa's name faded into oblivion as history passed.