Archaeologists have uncovered what is believed to be the oldest known inscription referring to Jesus as God.
The discovery, dated to approximately 230 AD, was made beneath the floor of a prison in Megiddo, northern Israel, during excavations led by the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA).
This find sheds new light on the practices of early Christian communities.
The inscription, written in ancient Greek and embedded in a mosaic floor, reads: “The god-loving Akeptous has offered the table to God Jesus Christ as a memorial.” Experts identify this as one of the earliest affirmations of Jesus’ divinity, predating the formal establishment of Christianity as the Roman Empire’s official religion.
The mosaic was part of a prayer hall, considered one of the earliest Christian worship spaces. The site, near a Roman military camp, reflects a diverse community that included Roman soldiers. Another inscription credits a centurion named Gaianus, who funded the mosaic, while the craftsmanship is attributed to an artist named Brutius.
Significantly, the mosaic features fish imagery, an early Christian symbol, and mentions five women, including Akeptous. The inscription calls on the community to remember them, showing the role of women in the early church.
This artifact is currently on display at the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C., until July 2025.
Photo credit: Vesafis Tzferris, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
