In Matthew 4:23, we read:

And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people.

In the first century, synagogues were the religious, social, and cultural centers of a Jewish community. The complex usually consisted of a larger, central room with many smaller rooms surrounding it. The central room was normally devoted to public, group worship. As the passage above states, Jesus frequently visited synagogues to talk about His kingdom.

Given the long amount of time that has passed, finding a synagogue from the time of Jesus is extremely rare. However, in September of 2009, excavators in the ancient town of Magdala did exactly that. They uncovered the remains of a synagogue from the first century.

Located on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee, the small fishing village of Magdala (in Hebrew, Migdal) welcomed travelers as they walked along the Via Maris (“Way of the Sea”) through the region. Coming down from the hills of Galilee, Magdala would have been the first town travelers would have come to for several miles. The city itself is never mentioned in the Bible. However, it is likely the home town of Mary Magdalene.

When I first visited the site in 2010, there was very little to see outside of a couple of bulldozers and a chain link fence. When I went back in 2012, we were allowed to walk around on the site, but much of the area was covered with tarp and photography was not allowed. However, when I returned this past June, I was delighted to see that they had transformed the area, protected the grounds, and were offering tours.

The central room of the Magdala synagogue is approximately 1200 square feet, with each side being about 35 feet long. General seating areas can still be seen around the perimeter of the room. Amazingly, large sections of the original mosaic floor have also been found. And for the most part, they are undamaged. At full capacity, over one hundred people could have joined together in worship and study. With the popularity that Jesus had while preaching in the area, a synagogue like this would have been filled to capacity to hear him.

Did Jesus teach in the synagogue that has been found at Magdala? Honestly, we simply do not know. However, given the fact that He frequently taught in the synagogues of this area and had friends from this area, it is a reasonable conclusion to say that He did.

Archaeology is not just about digging up bones and pottery. Archaeology is learning about the lands, the cultures and the people that lived there. And, by learning and understanding these things, it helps us to understand the Bible even more.