In a recent article in Prophecy Today, we provided an overview of an exciting spate of recent archaeological discoveries in Israel that give support to numerous passages in the Old Testament. We felt it would be appropriate to follow that up by disclosing some recent archaeological discoveries relating to the time of Jesus and the New Testament era.
Before doing so, it’s worth recalling the closing words of John’s Gospel, “This is the disciple who testifies of these things and we know that his testimony is true” (21:24). John’s Greek expressions regarding testimony reek of the courtroom, of providing evidence, of bearing witness to truth.
In our day, before our very eyes, that testimony is being reinforced.
Siloam street
Those of us who have had the privilege of visiting Israel within the past fifteen years or so will probably have walked through a tunnel on part of the ancient route between the Temple Mount and the Pool of Siloam. Formerly buried beneath the Arab district of Silwan, this passageway has been progressively exposed as a paved, stepped street. It is in fact the very street along which the High Priest would have walked with the golden pitcher from the Pool of Siloam for the water-pouring element of the Feast of Tabernacles, symbolising the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
It is in fact the very street along which the High Priest would have walked with the golden pitcher from the Pool of Siloam for the water-pouring element of the Feast of Tabernacles ...
Jesus himself would have walked along this road, and that same Jewish Feast was chosen by Him, on the last day of the event, to declare; “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.” (John 7:37–38).
Har Hotzvim quarry
Now, archaeologists in Jerusalem have discovered a quarry, some 2½ miles north-north-west of the Siloam road, where the stones paving that route on which Jesus walked would have been mined. As one archaeologist working on the site exulted: “Amazingly, it turns out that the paving stones of this street are exactly the same size and thickness, and share the identical geological signature as the stone slabs that were extracted from the quarry now being exposed in Har Hotzvim.”1
The slabs measure approximately 2.5 m by 1.2 m, and are 40 cm in thickness, and relate to the building programme of Herod the Great.2 The site also revealed two stone vessels which, according to Jewish law, are impervious to ritual defilement (below; compare with John 2:6-8).
Chorazin
Further archaeological news from Israel relates to the Galilee region, and the latest dig at the late 3rd-century elaborate basalt synagogue remains at Korazin. Israeli archaeologist Achia Kohn-Tavor recently found beneath that synagogue floor an area paved with rather rough boulders which seems to have formed the basis of an earlier structure.
How on earth the writer came to make this erroneous assertion beggars imagination.
In the cracks and cavities between the closely-set boulders are pottery fragments and coins of the first century AD, strongly suggesting that this was the site of Korazin’s first-century synagogue.3 The final report of Kohn-Tavor’s work is awaited. To me, a remarkable element of this is that the lead archaeologist is excited with working where Jesus once walked – the ‘Kohn’ element of his name indicating priestly descent (in Hebrew, ‘kohen’). Do pray that he will come to believe in his Messiah!
Some journalists have taken the story a bit too far. One news agency revelled in the discovery of a “lost temple hidden beneath synagogue where Jesus performed miracles”. Another claimed that, “From across the world, the Jews travelled to this holy site in Korazim National Park where the temple's historical records are placed.”4 How on earth the writer came to make this erroneous assertion beggars imagination.
In New Testament terms, the Korazin site is significant through the prophetic word of Jesus, “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.” Matthew tells us that these were places in which “most of His mighty works were done” (11:20-21).
How tragic that judgment had to be given and was fulfilled right there!
However, most of the recorded activities of the disciples in Galilee suggest that during the ministry of Jesus, their base was in Capernaum
Bethsaida
A report late in 2023, in the Israeli daily, Ha’arez, throws a little more light on the Galilee, under the title, ‘Archaeologists May Have Found Traditional Home of Jesus' Apostles by the Sea of Galilee’5. It’s a striking and sensational claim, although the issue is somewhat complicated by several factors. First of all, the site of Bethsaida is not ‘by the sea’ and its access to that Sea of Galilee for fishing boats at the time of Jesus’ ministry is unknown.
Interest in the ancient village of Bethsaida comes from three of the Gospels. According to John 1:44, it was the hometown of Peter, Andrew and Philip. However, most of the recorded activities of the disciples in Galilee suggest that during the ministry of Jesus, their base was in Capernaum, where the remains of Peter’s house were found and can still be seen today.
Nonetheless, Mark’s gospel contains the story of Jesus restoring a blind man's sight just outside Bethsaida (chap 8). In Luke 9, Jesus miraculously fed five thousand near Bethsaida.Northeast of the lake are two possible sites for the biblical town; namely et-Tell and El-Araj. But neither are located by the lake shore, a basic requirement for the fishing business of 'Zebedee & Sons'! The following 
photo6 probably explains a move to Capernaum – the sedimentation that the River Jordan has for centuries been bringing to build its delta. The site of Bethsaida now lies off to the right, in the far distance.
Yet another factor causing the disciples’ departure from Bethsaida may have been the increasing Gentile culture of the Decapolis region. Indeed, according to the Jewish historian Josephus, the village expanded to become the Roman city of Bethsaida-Julias, which existed from the first to third centuries Antiquities 18.28). The relative merits and demerits of the two proposed sites for Bethsaida are too complex to relate fully here, but can be explored at length in articles at Bible Archaeology Report website.7
... it’s a fascinating and tantalising possibility, which draws thousands of people to the Upper Room site every year.
Site of the Last Supper
We return to Jerusalem, where, in recent years, archaeologists have been channelling their efforts to find the exact location of the building where the Last Supper took place, when Jesus sat and ate with his twelve apostles. They believe that that famed biblical meeting occurred in the 'Upper Room' (also known as the Cenacle) of a two-story house with limestone walls and a red, sloped roof that still stands in the city. The location has been documented in several artworks dating to at least the fourth century AD.
By 2017 researchers were further moved to believe that the Upper Room was indeed the site of the Last Supper. The Israel Antiquities Authority set out to test the theory in 2019 by using laser technology and advanced photographic imaging to strip away all the updates made to the Cenacle over the years and reveal what it originally looked like during the Last Supper. They mapped every corner of the room, and the newly created imagery showed 'obscure' artwork such as the symbols of the Agnus Dei, or 'Lamb of God,' and the Lion of Judah on the ceiling – thought to be the symbol of King David, of whom Jesus was a notable descendent.
Researchers admit they still need to conduct further studies, for there still isn't conclusive archaeological evidence that the Cenacle was the site of the Last Supper. But it’s a fascinating and tantalising possibility, which draws thousands of people to the Upper Room site every year.
A recent update concerning the location of Bethsaida is that et-Tell is now disqualified and the Israeli tourist signs there will need to be amended.
Earliest 'Jesus is God' inscription
An ancient mosaic located near what's believed to be the site of the prophesied battle of Armageddon in the early years of this century contains a reference to Jesus as God, providing insights into early Christian worship during a time when the Roman Empire still persecuted followers of Christ.8 It marks the earliest 'Jesus is God' inscription found in Israel and has been deemed ‘the greatest discovery since the Dead Sea Scrolls'. The Megiddo Mosaic, also includes some of the earliest images of fish, an early Christian symbol. The mosaic is currently on public display for the very first time at the Museum of the Bible in Washington DC.
Chief of the Apostles
One of the most up-to-date New Testament era discoveries relates to el-Araj, where first-century wall(s) have been discovered beneath the ruins of a third century Byzantine church. Also found there is a large mosaic Greek inscription, naming a local benefactor and imploring “the chief of the Apostles and the keeper of the keys of Heaven” (i.e. Peter). 
The apse of the basilica is shown below, with the floor removed and the former house wall exposed in the lowest layer (left of centre).9
The work goes on
And so the work continues, and, every now and then, another exciting ‘find’ occurs, giving further evidence of the historical reliability of the Bible. A recent update concerning the location of Bethsaida is that et-Tell is now disqualified and the Israeli tourist signs there will need to be amended. Professor Notley’s latest discovery should confirm Bethsaida (el-Araj) as the early hometown of Peter and Andrew. What his work fails to do is to prove that Capernaum was not where they were living at the time of the ministry of Jesus.
Announcements of discoveries like those referred to above encourage us not only in our trust in the historical reliability of Scripture, but also warn us to beware of journalists’ overstated or even misleading conclusions. To provide another example, whether or not the much fussed over Turin Shroud truly IS the cloth that Jesus was buried in, as The Daily Mail claims,10 remains a point of contention.
It is truth that matters and truth that sets us free. May we be encouraged in our faith and in our outreach to unbelievers!
Endnotes
1. https://premierchristian.news/en/news/article/archaeologists-discover-origins-of-road-jesus-walked-every-day 18 Aug 2024
2. Massive Second Temple Period Quarry Uncovered On Jerusalem’s Mt. Scopus - The Judean 01 Aug 2024
3. https://www.ancient-origins.net/news-history-archaeology/chorazin-temple-0021248 12 Aug 2024
4. THIS lost temple was hidden beneath synagogue where Jesus performed miracles, archaeologists suspect... Trending News (wionews.com) 11 Aug 2024
5. https://www.haaretz.com/archaeology/2023-11-08/ty-article-magazine/archaeologists-find-site-early-christians-venerated-as-apostle-peters-home/0000018b-ae8c-d3c1-a39b-beedd7520000 08 Nov 2023
6. https://www.bluebird-electric.net/oceanography/Rivers/River_Jordan.htm
7. https://biblearchaeologyreport.com/2019/09/05/biblical-sites-is-et-tell-bethsaida/ 05 Sept 2019; and https://biblearchaeologyreport.com/2019/09/11/biblical-sites-is-el-araj-bethsaida/ 11 Sept 2019
8. https://www.christianpost.com/news/ancient-christian-mosaic-from-era-of-roman-persecution-unveiled.html. 19 Nov 2024
9. https://library.biblicalarchaeology.org/article/the-house-of-peter-capernaum-or-bethsaida/ Winter 2023
10. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-13932731/Turin-Shroud-cloth-Jesus-buried-scientist.html 07 Oct 2024