Galileans

In the preaching and establishment of Christianity, the term Galilean has a very special meaning.

Christ the Savior Himself was called a Galilean. for from His infancy he grew up and lived in Galilee and later preached there extensively.

Julian the Apostate died crying out to Christ: "Galilean, Thou hast conquered!"

The first among the apostles of Christ to be called, who ever after remained the closest to the Savior, were all Galileans, with the sole exception of the traitor Judas, who was not a Galilean.

When Christ appeared on a mountain in Galilee to a large crowd of the faithful, the majority of them were Galileans who had followed the Lord, listened to His teaching, were witnesses to His miracles, and experienced the goodness of Jesus the merciful Healer.

And inasmuch as Galileans accepted and spread the teaching of Christ more zealously in general than the Jews of other provinces of Palestine, all followers of Christ were called "Galileans" in the beginning.

At the Ascension even the angels of God called all the faithful on the Mount of Olives "Galileans."

Galileans also distinguished themselves often and decisively from the Jews of the other provinces, just as the countryside of Galilee differed in contrast to that of southern Palestine. The country side in Galilee was cheerful, the populace lively and simple-hearted; in southern Palestine there was an arid wilderness and the people did not wish to acknowledge anything but the letter and form of the laws.

The inhabitants of Galilee willingly accepted the concept of the spirit of the Law; but among the Jews of Jerusalem ritual externals alone held sway. Galilee became the homeland and cradle of Christianity; Judea was desiccated by narrow Phariseeism and short-sighted Sadduceeism.

Galileans were fervent, responsive, impetuous, generous, honorable, valiant; they were ecstatically religious, loved to listen to teachings concerning the faith and God.

Lord help us to become true Galileans and give all glory to Thee.

Fr Mark Gilstrap, http://listserv.indiana.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind9408a&L=orthodox&F=&S=&P=19908