Biblical synagogue breakthrough claim

Archaeologists in northern Israel believe they may have uncovered the remains of a first-century synagogue, a Biblical find labelled as possibly the most significant for decades.

The remains were found in Chorazin (or Korazin, among other possible spellings), an ancient settlement associated with the New Testament.

The site has been buried for centuries under another structure. The area of the site has often been linked to Jesus’s ministry.

A team led by archaeologist Achia Cohen-Taylor found a series of large boulders arranged in a particular way, as well as pottery, coins and cookware.

The ceramic shards were dated back to the first century, when Jesus travelled through Galilee. It may be the remains of the synagogue which Jesus taught in.

The evidence requires further confirmation to link it directly to Jesus, but it is the strongest evidence of Jewish worship in that area during His lifetime.

In Matthew 11v21, Jesus says: “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon which were done in you, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.”

Archaeologists have been excavating the ancient village of Chorazin, located in Israel, since the 19th century, with significant excavations occurring in the 1960s and 1980s. Key discoveries include a Third- to Fourth-century basalt synagogue with rich carvings, and evidence of pagan mythological imagery, such as a Medusa carving.

In 1926, archaeologists investigating Chorazin discovered an ornamented “Seat of Moses”, carved from a basalt block. According to the New Testament, this is where the reader of the Torah sat to deliver his message to the congregation. Jesus references this position of authority when He says: “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. So you must obey them and do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach” (Matt.23v2-3). A replica of the seat is pictured above – the original is on display at the Israeli museum in Jerusalem.