4th c. synagogue at
Capernaum

Capernaum

Hebrew: Kefar Nahum ("Village
of Nahum")
Town on the northwestern
shores of the Sea of Galilee,
about 2.5 miles from Bethsaida. Its location on the
"sea road" from Damascus to Ptolemaïs gave it new strategic
& economic importance when Herod's kingdom was divided among
his sons [4 BCE]. As the Galilean village nearest the border with the Golan, barely 2 miles from the
influx of the Jordan, Capernaum was the most likely site on the west side of
the lake for a toll station with a military garrison to be maintained by Antipas. This temporary
strategic importance as a border post disappeared, however, when Galilee was united to the kingdom
of Agrippa [37 CE].

The gospels identify Capernaum as a center for the
public activity of Jesus [Mark 1-3, John 4 & 6]. But modern archaeological
excavations do not justify the synoptic gospels' characterization of the town
as a "city" [polis; Matt 9:1, Mark 1:33, Luke 4:31]. The most
significant of the sparse remains of 1st c. structures at the site are: (a) a
large plastered room venerated by early Christian pilgrims as the house of
Peter & (b) a black basalt foundation under the massive 4th c. synagogue.
Scholars disagree whether this foundation belonged to the synagogue mentioned
in the stories of Jesus. The 4th c. synagogue built over it is the largest yet
found in Israel, too large to be justified by the size or significance of the
town for local Jews. This synagogue was never mentioned by Galilean rabbis
& is right next to the Byzantine church that Constantine constructed over
the reputed "house of Peter." Together these facts suggest that this
"synagogue" was constructed for Christian pilgrims. If so, the foundation
beneath it may also not have belonged to a functioning Jewish
synagogue.

For further recent information about
archaeological & historical evidence, see:

Rousseau, John J. & Rami Arav.
Jesus & His World. (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1995) pp.
39-46.

Horsley, Richard A. Archaeology,
History & Society in Galilee. (Valley Forge PA: Trinity Press
International, 1996) pp. 112-117, 137-138.

Capernaum.
Donald Binder posts photos & archaeological sketches of the
Capernaum synagogues [Second
Temple Synagogues].

Capernaum:
the Town of Jesus. Extensive well-illustrated guide to Franciscan
excavations.

Capernaum.
High resolution views of site, synagogue & reputed house of Peter
with links to related web sites [BiblePlaces.com].

Perspective on the World of Jesus

Copyright © 1999-2003 by Mahlon H.
Smith
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