Biblical History and Archaeology of the town of Capernaum
Keywords:
Archaeology, Capernaum, Galilee, Synagogue, Women, Historical JesusAbstract
This work focused on the town of Capernaum. The town is relevant because it is where Jesus exercised most part of his ministry. The aim of the study was to see if there are archaeological finds there, whether texts or inscriptions that would shed light to a better understanding of the historical Jesus. Two major excavated structures seen in Capernaum are the synagogue and the house of Peter. Also, two major titles given to Jesus in the gospels were isolated, namely, Jesus as exorcist and as Son of Man. The method used for the research is archaeologico-historical investigation. There was no written text or inscription found that pointed to those titles. The study therefore concluded by asserting that the early church gave those titles to Jesus.
References
[1] Boring, E. (1996). ―The ―Third Quest‖ and the Apostolic Faith‖ in Interpretation 50, Pp. 339 – 393.
[2] Breytenbach, C. (1999). ―Mark and Galilee: Text World and Historical World‖ in Myers, E. M. (Ed.). Galilee Through the Centuries: Confluence of Cultures. Winona Lake, Indiana: Eisenbrauns.
[3] Brooten, B. J. (1982). Women Leaders in Ancient Synagogues: Inscriptional Evidence and 25 Background Issues. Brown Judaic Studies: Scholars Press.
[4] Cornfeld, G. (1976). Archaeology of the Bible: Book by Book. Freedman, D. N. (Ed.). New York: Harper and Row.
[5] Finegan, J. (1992). The Archaeology of the New Testament: The Life of Jesus and the Beginning of the Early Church: Revised Edition. Princeton, New Jersy: Princeton University Press.
[6] Freyne, S. (2004). Jesus, a Jewish Galilean: A New Reading of the Jesus-Story. London: T&T Clark.
[7] Horsley, R. A. (1995). Galilee: History, Politics, People. Velley Forge, Pennsylvania: Trinity Press International.
[8] Horsley, R. A. (1996). Archaeology, History, and Society in Galilee: The Social Context of Jesus and the Rabbis. Valley Forge, Pennsylvania: Trinity Press International.
[9] Illan, D. (1995). ―The Dawn of Internationalism – The Middle Bronze Age in Thomas E. Levy. (Ed.). The Archaeology of Society in the Holy Land. New York: Facts on Life.
[10] King, P.J. (1990) ―Biblical Archaeology‖ in The Catholic Study Bible: New American Bible. (NAB) New York: Oxford University Press, 467 – 472.
[11] Levine, L.I. (Ed.). (1992). The Galilee in Late Antiquity.New York and Jerusalem:The Jewish 26 Theological Seminary of America
[12] Levy, T.E. (1995). (Ed.). The Archaeology of Society in the Holy Land. New York: Facts on File. Negev, A. (1986). (Ed.). The Archaeological Encyclopedia of the Holy Land: Revised Edition. New York: Thomas Nelson Publishers.
[13] O‘Connor, J.M. (1998). The Holy Land: Oxford Archaeological Guides: Revised and Expanded Edition. Oxford: University Press. Reddish, M.G. (1990). (Ed.). Apocalyptic Literature: A Reader. Peabody, Massachusetts: Henrickson.
[14] Tuckett, C.M. (890). ―Mark‖ in John Barton and John Muddiman (Eds.). The Oxford Bible Commentary. Oxford: University Press.
