Summary: A second synagogue has been discovered in Migdal (Magdala), near the Sea of Galilee, the hometown of Mary Magdalene. This new find is exciting because it is the first time two synagogues have been found in the same town, shedding light on the social and religious life of Jewish people living during the time of Jesus.
Soon afterward he [Jesus] went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with him, and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out and Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s household manager, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their means. – Luke 8:1-3 (ESV)
Road Work Leads to Surprising Find
New construction to expand a busy highway in northern Israel led to the surprising discovery of a second synagogue at Migdal (Magdala), dating back to some 2,000 years ago. Migdal is located on the northwestern side of the Sea of Galilee and is near the place where the famous biblical stories of Jesus walking on the water and the miracle of the fish took place.
Anytime new infrastructure is planned in Israel it is required by law that the area first be excavated by the Israeli Antiquities Authority (IAA) to make sure nothing valuable is destroyed.
Because of these salvage excavations, archeologists have learned that this was a site of a large Jewish fishing community during the second temple era, large enough to have a stone-paved road. Today, there is a modern moshava, a cooperative community of farmers, in the area.
First Synagogue Discovery in Migdal, Israel
This is not the first synagogue to have been unearthed in this town. In 2009, a synagogue was found on the residential side of Migdal, ornately decorated with bright colored frescoes on the walls and mosaic tiles patterned on the floors.
In the middle of this synagogue archeologists found the “Migdal Stone.” This unique stone was inscribed with a menorah, the seven-branched candlestick found in the Temple. Never before had a menorah inscription been discovered outside of Jerusalem. The stone was most likely used as a base for the bima, the table where the Torah scrolls were placed when being read.
“Men would take the scrolls and read aloud from them in the main sanctuary of the synagogue. So they were reading and studying in this beautiful (building),” explained Dina Avshalom-Gorni of the University of Haifa, one of the directors of the excavation, to Haaretz.
Newly Discovered Synagogue
The new unearthed synagogue is located in the western quarter of Migdal at the foot of Mount Arbel, according to Nathaniel Alfassi, the mayor of Migdal. This synagogue is smaller and simpler than the first, with white-plastered walls and a compacted earthen floor. Two of the six stone bases are still intact and would have been used for pillars to support the ceiling, which would most likely be made of wood.
Both synagogues were made of volcanic basalt and limestone found locally and were designed with the same basic plan: a square meeting hall and two rooms on the side. Each synagogue had a plastered stone shelf in the southwestern corner side room suspected by archeologists to be used to store Torah scrolls.
“The discovery of a second synagogue at the Galilee community sheds light on social life and religion of Galilean Jews at that time, and shows the need for a special building to study and read Torah and hold social gatherings,” explained Avshalom-Gorni.
This is the first time two synagogues have been found in the same Jewish community at the time when the Second Temple was still in use. “These are both from the Roman-period and existed from about 50 BCE until the Jewish rebellion in 67 CE,” explained Avshalom-Gorni.
“Many findings such as clay lamps, glass bowls formed from molds, coins, and stone vessels used for purification rites, show the Migdal Jews’ ties to Jerusalem and the Temple,” Avshalom-Gorani said. Other clues found in the town’s destroyed houses point to a large Jewish community such as baths called mikvahs, used for Jewish ritual purification.
What Happens in Synagogues?
Today, synagogues function similar to churches and serve as places for rituals, worship, learning and community, but during the Second Temple period it was the Jerusalem Temple where ceremonies, sacrifices, rituals and worship were centered. During this time, neighborhood synagogues were likely used for learning Torah and as “meeting houses,” mentioned in Jewish and early Christian sources. It was only after the destruction of the Temple that synagogues started to be used for worship also.
“The fact we have found two synagogues shows that the Jews of the Second Temple period were looking for a place for religious, and perhaps also social, gatherings,” says Prof. Adi Erlich, head of the Zinman Institute of Archeology at the University of Haifa. “The stone bearing a relief of the menorah from the other synagogue at Migdal suggests that the local Jews saw Jerusalem as their religious center, and their local activities took place under this centrality,” she adds.
Why Would Migdal Need Two Synagogues?
There could be several reasons for having two synagogues in one town. Since they were located on opposite ends of the town, it’s possible each building catered to a different community in the same town. Perhaps the more decorated one served the upper class and the smaller, simpler one, the lower class.
Another likely option is that the population was too high for one synagogue. Recent archeological discoveries show biblical Migdal to be a much larger and more prosperous place than originally thought.
Migdal was founded in the second century BC during the Hasmonean period according to Jewish historical sources. Located on the freshwater Sea of Galilee, the Babylonian Talmud refers to the town as “Magdala Nunayya” which means “Town of Fishes.”
During the first Jewish War with the Romans, historian Josephus was made chief commander of the Galilean rebels and used Migdal as a main base. In Josephus’ writings he describes Migdal as having a huge population of 40,000 and a large fleet of 230 fishing boats.
Even if this is an exaggeration, a tenth of that number would be 4,000 people and would still be considered big, said Avashlom-Gorni. One synagogue in the east and one in the north may have been necessary for the town’s population.
“It’s a huge neighborhood, with roads, buildings, shops and so on; this is adding to the information and the story of Magdala from the early Roman period to the time of the Second Temple Period in Jerusalem. Here we have a community that could not visit the Temple. And this is beautiful,” Avshalom-Gorni explained.
Even though it is unique, finding two synagogues in the same town isn’t shocking, pointed out Avshalom-Gorni. “The more we study this time, the more we realize that synagogues were very common,” she said.
Mary Magdalene’s Birthplace
The ancient town of Migdal, also referred to as Magdala or Magadon, is mentioned in the Bible as being Mary Magdalene’s birthplace. Names were often derived from the community where someone was from. Texts dating back to the 6th century AD recognize Migdal as Mary’s birthplace. Later Christian sources from the 8th and 10th century talk about a church in Migdal that was once Mary Magdalene’s house.
“We can imagine Mary Magdalene and her family coming to the synagogue here, along with other residents of Magdala, to participate in religious and communal events,” said Avshalom-Gorni.
The Bible tells us in Matthew 15:39 that Jesus traveled to Migdal. “And after sending away the crowds, he got into the boat and went to the region of Magadan (Migdal). At some point, early in his ministry, Jesus freed Mary from seven demons and she became a loyal follower of his. She traveled with Jesus and his disciples and helped support his ministry.
Mary was at Jesus’ crucifixion and saw where he was buried. At a time when women were not valued, the Bible records Mary Magdalene as being the first eye witness of Jesus’ resurrection and she was the one who went and told the disciples that he was risen (Mark 15:40; John 20:11-18).
But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her. – John 20:11-18
Mary the “Tower” or the Prostitute
There is another possible interpretation of Mary’s name. The word Migdal in Aramaic means “tower” or “magnificent” and could have been a title Jesus used for Mary to describe her character, similar to calling Peter, “rock” (Matt. 16:18). It could have been a play on words, possibly her hometown and her nickname.
Contrary to popular belief, the Bible does not say that Mary Magdalene was a prostitute. This idea came in AD 591 from Pope Gregory I who, in a sermon, erroneously and detrimentally linked her with the unnamed woman who washes Jesus’ feet with her hair in Luke 7:36-38. Ever since then this myth has stuck. Any movie or TV show that features Mary Magdalene today usually portrays her as a prostitute and as a result people think she was, without actually checking the facts in the Bible.
Mary, Mary or Mary
There are six Mary’s mentioned in the Bible so it can get confusing. It was a popular name.
- The mother of Jesus – Matt. 1:18
- The sister of Martha and Lazarus – John 11:1-2
- Mary Magdalene – Luke 8:2
- The mother of James and Joseph – Matt 27:56
- The mother of John Mark – Acts 12:12
- A Christian in Rome who worked on behalf of the congregation there – Rom 16:6
Mary Magdalene is mentioned twelve times in the Bible (more than most of the apostles) and this is what we know about her.
- Jesus cast 7 demons out of her – Luke 8:2
- She followed Jesus with the disciples and supported them out of her means – Luke 8:1-3
- She was at the cross when Jesus died – John 19:25
- She saw where his body had been laid – Mark 15:47
- She came to the tomb in the dark and saw that the grave stone was rolled away – John 20:1
- She was the first to see Jesus alive – Mark 16:9, and tell the disciples about it – Luke 24:10
Conclusion
The new synagogue discoveries in Migdal help us understand the Jewish community that lived there during New Testament times. It’s exciting to imagine Jesus visiting the village and Mary Magdalene growing up there, attending the synagogues. Keep Thinking!
TOP PHOTO: Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene after his resurrection. The Life of Jesus of Nazareth, 1906 (credit: William Hole, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)
