|
by
Doug Ward |
On a tour of Israel in June 2023, my wife Sherry and I had the opportunity to
visit a number of archaeological sites. For example, at Bet Alfa Synagogue
National Park we saw the mosaic floor of a synagogue from the sixth century AD.
In
the center of this mosaic are two concentric circles. The area between the
circles is divided into twelve parts containing pictures for each of the twelve
signs of the zodiac. Inside the inner circle is a picture of the sun,
represented by the Greek sun god Helios riding in a chariot driven by four
horses.
Bet
Alfa is not the only synagogue mosaic that includes the zodiac and Helios in a
chariot. We now know of nine such synagogue mosaics in Israel from the early
Byzantine period. Like many people, I was initially surprised to learn about
these mosaics. What were the zodiac and a sun god doing in synagogues?
In
considering this question, we should avoid jumping to conclusions. An episode
recorded in Joshua 22 comes to mind. In the days of Joshua, after Israel had
established itself in the land of Canaan, Joshua released the men from the
tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh to return to their allotted territory
east of the Jordan. As those men headed east, they stopped near the banks of
the Jordan and built "an altar of imposing size" (verse 10).
When
the other tribes saw this altar, they initially assumed that the eastern tribes
had abandoned the God of Israel and the tabernacle at Shiloh and were
establishing a rival worship center. They prepared for a military
confrontation. Before attacking, however, they sent a delegation to talk with
the eastern tribes.
The
men from Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh explained that the large altar was not meant
for worship. Instead, it was intended as an expression of Israelite solidarity.
The eastern tribes were going to be separated from the rest of the nation by
the Jordan River, and they wanted their countrymen west of the Jordan to
understand that all twelve tribes were united in following the true God.
The
meaning of the large altar, in other words, was the opposite of what the
western tribes had feared. By meeting to discuss their fears, the tribes
avoided an unnecessary confrontation. Joshua 22 illustrates the wisdom of
Proverbs 18:13: "If one gives an answer before he hears, it is his folly
and shame."
We
cannot send a delegation to ask the leaders of the Bet Alfa synagogue about
their mosaic, but we can guess what they might have told us. Their synagogue
was built during the reign of the Christian emperor Justinian. By this time
Jews had been staunch monotheists for centuries, and the influence of paganism
was waning.
For
Jews in the early Byzantine period, the zodiac and sun representations
portrayed, in images familiar to that culture, the order and beauty of the
Universe designed by a sovereign Creator. The mosaic expressed their thanks to God for abundant crops and the regular cycle
of the seasons. Despite initial appearances, this mosaic was not promoting
worship of Helios. Beware of jumping to conclusions!
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On 20 Oct 2023, 14:19.
