Page 87 - Bible Geography and Near East Studies - Textbook w videos short

The ruins of Capernaum (above) stand on the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee

(seen in top right of this photo). A walk through the synagogue ruins (right) today gives

the sensation of stepping back into the town Jesus knew as his ministry home.

The synagogue at Capernaum: Proof
that Jesus lived?

The ruins of Capernaum offer solid evidence
that the town was not all that big when Jesus
lived there. Yet the synagogue in the center of
the village is huge! Some experts speak of it as
being three times larger than the building needed
to be in such a community. Without doubt, it is
the largest synagogue ever found in Israel!

So why would the people of a small village
need such a large place to worship and learn?

History offers only one answer. Jesus lived
there, drawing huge crowds to hear him speak
and see the miracles he performed.

The synagogue so visible today, however, was built in the Fourth Century. An earthquake had knocked the old structure down. This synagogue was

built on top of the synagogue foundation Jesus had known. The darker foundation stones of the first synagogue can be easily seen today (top left).

So why would there be a need for such a large synagogue 300 years after Jesus lived? The only plausible answer is that people were still coming

to the town to meet people whose ancestors had known Jesus. And perhaps they were hoping there was still a miracle left for them in the

synagogue where Jesus had preached!

In short, if there needs to be evidence that Jesus lived, the synagogue of Capernaum offers rock-solid proof that he did.

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