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Bethsaida– The Bethsaida reference creates some confusion because the Gospel of Mark refers to a departure setting sail
to Bethsaida that follows the miracle of feeding the five thousand. (Mark 6:45) The account is resolved with the use of “a desert
place belonging to the city of Bethsaida” which means a village, city, or as stated, an uninhabited desert place, other than the
formal city of Bethsaida. There also exists historical controversy over the accurate geographic location. The oldest excavation
(1991) cites a location northeast of the Sea of Galilee a mile and a half from the shoreline. The most recent excavation (2016)
has less validated but better logistical evidence of Bethsaida on the western coastline along the shores of Galilee; aligning more
accurately with the city name of Bethsaida which means: house of fishing (or hunting). (Luke 9:10-11 / *John 12:21)
The reference in Luke 9:10 which pertains to the desert place being a city of Bethsaida is reference to Bethsaida of
Galilee, the home of the disciple Philip as mentioned in John 12:21. There are varying theories about multiple
locations for Bethsaida, each one having a different location. The proposed location in this study identifies with
Bethsaida-Galilee which is set on the north-west perimeters of the Lake.

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