Magdala, Where Bible Comes to Life

Magdala Stone
Magdala Stone |

Magdala Stone
(Photo : CBN)
Magdala Stone

Recent archeological discoveries at the city of Magdala (Migdal in Hebrew) in Israel stirred up a great deal of excitement among both scholars and Christians around the globe. Archeologists reported that they may have discovered the place where Jesus started his earliest ministry along with several other significant artifacts.

Arfan Najar, an Israeli archeologist explained about a synagogue they uncovered in Magdala, which is where Mary Magdalene lived and met Christ. He expressed great excitement at the discovery: "She lived here and she met Jesus here and she continued with Him. Yes, it's that place."

The synagogue is estimated to be about two thousand years old, right around the time Christ was actively preaching to the people. Father Solona, the director of the Galilee center pointed us to an expression that shows up constantly throughout the New Testament: "Jesus went around Galilee preaching in their synagogues." He added that this place of worship was the closest to Galilee, so Jesus would have visited quite a few times.

Another important discovery was the Magdala Stone, which was found inside the synagogue. It carries the first carved image of a Menorah (a candelabrum with six lamps) which dates back to before the destruction of the temple in 70 A.D.

Christian pilgrims from all over the world expressed their excitement at seeing physical evidence of the ministry of Christ before their very eyes.