Ancient Entrance Gate Found In Biblical City Of Bethsaida (Zer) Where Jesus Performed His Deeds Of Power

AncientPages.com - The ancient entrance gate to the Biblical city of Zer (also known as Bethsaida) in Israel, has been unearthed during two fruitful weeks of excavations in the Golan Heights, Israel.

The ancient fishing village, Zer (Bethsaida ) is mentioned several times in the New Testament as a city where Jesus lived and where he miraculously fed the 5,000 people with five loaves and two fish, writes The Jerusalem Post.

"There are not many gates in this country from this period. Bethsaida was the name of the city during the Second Temple period, but during the First Temple period it was the city of Zer," said Dr. Rami Arav, director of the Bethsaida Project. According to Joshua 19:35: “the fortified towns were Ziddim, Zer, Hammath, Rakkath, Kinnereth.”

Archaeologists said the size, wealth and impressive fortifications indicate that Zer was a large city.

Excavations which are conducted in two different areas of Bethsaida, have resulted in the growing popularity of the region and large masses of Christian pilgrims visit the site. The miraculous deeds of Jesus were widely known and popular.

The feeding of the 5,000 most likely took place on the Plain of Bethsaida. Mark 6:30 says the feeding took place at a “solitary place” and verse 39 says that the people sat down on “the green grass.” After this, however, Jesus made his disciples “go over to Bethsaida.”

In recent weeks, archaeologists have also found coins, beads, jugs, a house key, along with a shield that belonged to a Roman soldier. One of the coins was dated back to 35 BC, or not long before the birth of Christ.

Among other recent findings are coins, the floor of a Roman temple built by Herod’s son Philip, which he dedicated to Julia, the daughter of Augustus and diverse jugs, beads and house keys as well as a shield that belonged to a Roman soldier. The most significant finding was a coin dated to 35 BCE, which was minted in Acre on the occasion of the arrival of Cleopatra and Marc Antony. There is a total of 12 of these coins.

Several years ago, a gold coin bearing the portrait of Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius, who reigned from 138 to 161 CE, was discovered by an excavator working with Arav.

"The staff at the Jordan Park and the Golan Tourism are happy for the tens of thousands of visitors who visit the park every day. The wonderful park is also an impressive archaeological site. I [am] amazed each time by the arrival of thousands of evangelical visitors to Bethsaida. I am confident that the latest discoveries will bring more visitors to the park from around the world and from Israel," Lieberman said.

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