John 6:23

Verse 23. There came other boats. After the disciples had departed. This is added because, from what follows, it appears that they supposed that he had entered one of those boats and gone to Capernaum after his disciples had departed.

From Tiberias. This town stood on the western borders of the lake, not far from where the miracle had been wrought. It was so called in honour of the Emperor Tiberius. It was built by Herod Antipas, and was made by him the capital of Galilee. The city afterward became a celebrated seat of Jewish learning. It is now called Tabaria, and is a considerable place. It is occupied chiefly by Turks, and is very hot and unhealthy. Mr. Fisk, an American missionary, was at Tiberias (Tabaria) in 1823. The old town is surrounded by a wall, but within it is very ruinous, and the plain for a mile or two south is strewed with ruins. The Jordan, where it issues from the lake, was so shallow that cattle and asses forded it easily. Mr. Fisk was shown a house called the house of Peter, which is used as the Greek Catholic church, and is the only church in the place. The number of Christian families is thirty or forty, all Greek Catholics. There were two sects of Jews, each of whom had a synagogue. The Jewish population was estimated at about one thousand. On the 1st of January, 1837, Tiberias was destroyed by an earthquake. Dr. Thomson (The Land and the Book, vol. it. p. 76, 77) says of this city:

"Ever since the destruction of Jerusalem, it has been
chiefly celebrated in connection with the Jews, and
was for a long time the chief seat of rabbinical
learning. It is still one of their four holy cities.
Among the Christians it also early rose to
distinction, and the old church, built upon the spot
where our Lord gave his last charge to Peter, is a
choice bit of ecclesiastical antiquity. The present
city is situated on the shore, at the north-east
corner of this small plain. The walls inclose an
irregular parallelogram, about 100 rods from north
to south, and in breadth not more than 40.
They were strengthened by ten round towers on the west,
five on the north, and eight on the south. There were
also two or three towers along the shore to protect the
city from attack by sea. Not much more than one-half of
this small area is occupied by buildings of any kind,
and the north end, which is a rocky hill, has nothing
but the ruins of the old palace. The earthquake of
1837 prostrated a large part of the walls, and they
have not yet been repaired, and perhaps never will be.
There is no town in Syria so utterly filthy as Tiberias,
or so little to be desired as a residence. Being 600 feet
below the level of the ocean, and overhung on the west
by a high mountain, which effectually shuts off the
Mediterranean breezes, it is fearfully hot in summer.
The last time I was encamped at the Baths the
thermometer stood at 100� at midnight, and a steam
went up from the surface of the lake as from some
huge smouldering volcano. Of course it swarms with
all sorts of vermin. What can induce human beings
to settle down in such a place? And yet some two
thousand of our race make it their chosen abode.
They are chiefly Jews, attracted hither either to
cleanse their leprous bodies in her baths, or to
purify their unclean spirits by contact with her
traditionary and ceremonial holiness."

(i) "nigh unto the place" Jn 6:11

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Verse 23 There came other boats - After Jesus and his disciples had departed. From Tiberias - Herod Antipas built this city near the lake of Genesaret, in the best parts of Galilee, and called it Tiberias, in honor of Tiberius, the Roman emperor: see Jos. Ant. book xviii. chap. 2. sect. 3.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain