Archaeology
Theodotus Synagogue Inscription
- Era
- 1st century AD (pre-70)
- Location
- Jerusalem (City of David)
- Discovered
- 1913
A Greek dedicatory inscription from a first-century synagogue in Jerusalem itself — confirming that synagogues really were active in Jerusalem during the lifetime of Jesus, exactly as Acts describes.
The find
Discovered in a cistern in the City of David, the limestone block records that Theodotus son of Vettenus, a priest and synagogue ruler, built a synagogue "for the reading of the Law and the teaching of the commandments, and the guest-room and the chambers and the water installations for the lodging of needy strangers." Paleographic and historical evidence dates it before the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70.
Why it matters
It directly corroborates the Gospel and Acts portrayal of synagogues active in Jerusalem in the time of Jesus and the early church (see Acts 6:9), as well as the practice of public Torah reading (Luke 4:16-21).
Cross-linked Scripture
Doctrine check
Sources
- ·Kloppenborg, J.S. (2000). The Theodotus Synagogue Inscription. In Evolution of the Synagogue, ed. Kee & Cohick
- ·Theodotos Inscription (Wikipedia, with photo)
See also
