Jesus Inscription Unearthed in Megiddo Prison

Ron Ross
BFP News
Email: ronrossbfp@hotmail.com

17th August 2006


This week I joined a contingent of Christian leaders and we all went to prison.

We were hosted by the Israel Ministry of Tourism on an inspection tour of the amazing archaeological discovery made earlier this year, inside the walls of the Megiddo Prison.

The project is sponsored by the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA). The IAA were required by Israeli law to investigate areas where the Prison authorities wanted to build extensions to the jail. It is a rare cultural group - village-camp-city located near the biblical Tel Megiddo.

Archaeologist Yotam Tepper, the excavation director, supervised the search. He and his team have unearthed an amazing 3rd century village.It is an outstanding discovery in that the village housed Jews, pagans, Roman soldiers and Christians in close community.

Earlier 20th century archaeological excavations discovered a Roman fort on a hilltop overlooking the village.

In the excavations which began in 2003 the remains of a large settlement were uncovered revealing buildings, courtyards and alleys. Numerous miqveot (ritual baths) were found which revealed a Jewish community. Idols were found in another area. These traced to pagan or Samaritan presence.

On one afternoon a prisoner working on the `dig' discovered a section of a mosaic floor.

When Tepper and his crew gently investigated the area, they found a beautiful mosaic floor of a Christian prayer hall.

The room, which appears to have been in the private home of a Roman officer, occupies an area of 10 x 5 metres. The floor is decorated with geometric patterns with a medallion with fish and three inscriptions in ancient Greek.

One inscription identifies the Roman Tribune officer who contributed to the construction of the mosaic. A second inscription honours the memory of four women. That design begins by saying, "Remember Them."

The third pattern mentions the woman who donated a table which she dedicated "To the God Jesus Christ."

Yotam Tepper enthusiastically explained that this was the earliest discovery of the phrase "the God Jesus Christ" to be found in a mosaic anywhere in the world.

(I shudder at the thought of a Katyusha rocket landing in the middle of this amazing discovery!)

Also in the mosaic design there are two fish. The fish became a symbol of early Christianity and we know that the Christians attributed to the word 'fish" (ichthys in Greek), a combination of letters meaning "Jesus Christ, the son of God, Saviour."

As we sat around the mosaic floor we bubbled with excitement.

Tour guide Tom Brimmer said he found the mosaic beautiful and a certain attraction for Christians touring the holy land. He also noted that the mosaic showed no Christian symbols which might be offensive to their Jewish neighbours. He wondered if Jews and Christians actually met together in this home.

Rev Dr Petra Heldt, the executive director of the Ecumenical Council of Israel, cannot wait to bring her students to the site. She was thrilled to see the prominent place given to women in the mosaic. She speculated that the mosaic seemed to say the Christian church had very different standards in the third century to those which are considered normal today.

She was also excited to study the role of the Roman army in spreading the Christian faith in those early years.

It is important to note that this mosaic predates the recognition of Christianity as an official religion.

Near the inscription which announced a lady had donated a table to `The God Jesus Christ" are two very solid stone structures.

Yotam Tepper was prepared to speculate about their purpose. They were not the base of a large or tall structure, he said. He ruled out the fact they might be an altar. But he preferred that they formed the base of a table around which the community `reclined at table' for food and fellowship.

Officials from the Israel Antiquities Authority described the discovery as the most significant in ten years. The date was determined from coins and pottery found at the site.

Now the Ministry of Tourism, the Israel Antiquities Authority will consult with the Prime Ministers Office to develop a plan for the future.

Already there are strong suggestions the entire Megiddo Prison will have to be relocated so that Tepper can dig under the buildings there.

He knows the government has budgetary concerns. The transfer of the prison is a very expensive project. Tepper emphasised that the preservation of the mosaic is costly as well.

It is a miracle the mosaic remains in tact. Builders when looking for an extension site drove corner posts into the grounds. They missed the Greek inscriptions by millimetres.

As we gathered at Megiddo we heard of Katyusha rockets falling not so far away. It seemed appropriate that God wanted to show His longevity and His Presence even while the enemy protested so maliciously.

Ron Ross resigned as Senior Pastor of Noosa Baptist Church to become National Director of Bridges for Peace Australia. Three years ago he joined Bridges for Peace in Jerusalem to establish international radio news and an audio service webcast at www.bridgesforpeace.com Ron was Sports Editor of WINTV for 20 years before joining the full-time missions. You can contact Ron at : ronrossbfp@hotmail.com