Context: The Confederation Report
Host: Steven R. Martins
Language: English
Part I: The Discovery of the Mosaic (0:05-4:12)
The Megiddo Mosaic, believed to be the oldest known Christian prayer hall from the early third century, has been temporarily moved from Israel to the Museum of the Bible in Washington, DC, where it’s on public display until mid-2025.
Part II: As Significant as the Dead Sea Scrolls (4:17-6:25)
The Mosaic offers a rare and bold glimpse into early Christian worship with its inscriptions, including “Jesus is God,” and its recognition of both Roman military members and women in the church.
Part III: The Testimony of the Early Church (6:29-11:12)
The Mosaic reinforces the early Church’s high Christology, aligning with New Testament teachings and historical evidence, and challenges revisionist claims by affirming that Christians worshipped Jesus as God incarnate from the beginning.
Did You Know? (11:15-12:21)
Before Canada’s unification in 1867, diverse Christian communities across its colonies shared a vision of Canada as “God’s dominion from sea to sea,” embedding a spiritual unity and Christian identity that shaped its cultural foundation long before political confederation.
Recommended Reading (12:36-13:48)
This week’s recommended reading, A Celebration of Faith: St. Athanasius by Cántaro Publications, highlights the courageous life of Saint Athanasius, known as “Athanasius Contra Mundum,” who steadfastly defended the biblical truth of Christ’s divinity and humanity against heresy and adversity, as celebrated in his timeless work On the Incarnation.
Transcript:
It’s Week 14 of 2025, and this is The Confederation Report, a weekly analysis of Canadian news and culture from a biblical worldview. I’m Steven R. Martins, and each week, we deconstruct the headlines, challenge secular narratives, and apply Scripture to the issues that matter. Because Christ is Lord—over Canada, over culture, over all of life.
Part I: The Discovery of the Mosaic (0:05-4:12)
You likely haven’t heard about it on Canadian news networks—and why would you, really? Canadian mainstream media has become one of the most anti-Christian and anti-religious institutions in secular North America. But this is something all Canadians should know: the Megiddo Mosaic, believed to be the oldest known Christian prayer hall, has been temporarily transported from northern Israel to Washington, DC, where it’s now on public display for the first time at the Museum of the Bible.
That’s right—you don’t need to fly to the Middle East to witness this historic piece. You don’t need to plan a trip to Jerusalem to see it in an Israeli museum. For a limited time, you can simply head down to Washington, DC—by flight or road—and experience it for yourself. And while we’ve all had our fill of tariff talk and cross-border tensions, don’t let the U.S. President’s arm-twisting antics distract you. Take this as a welcome reprieve from the usual news cycle—we’ll return to that next week.
Unearthed in 2005 during an archaeological dig near the Megiddo Prison, this intricate 1,800-year-old mosaic features Greek inscriptions and Christian symbols, including fish motifs and a dedication “To God Jesus Christ.” After careful preservation efforts, Israeli authorities arranged for the mosaic to be exhibited in the U.S. for nine months beginning in September 2024—which means time is running out. If you want to see it, the time is now.
So, what’s the big deal with this mosaic? Dating back to the early third century, it predates the legalization of Christianity in the Roman Empire, offering a rare and compelling glimpse into Christian worship during a time of persecution. Among the mosaic’s donors is a Roman centurion—a notable detail considering that they were supposed to be the enforcers against the illegal religion of Christianity. Even more striking, the names of several women appear in the inscriptions, highlighting their involvement in the life and worship of the early church. With detailed geometric patterns and unmistakable Christian symbolism, the mosaic likely formed part of a communal worship space—think of it as a house church, or something close to it. However you choose to label it, it’s an extraordinary find.
Plans are now underway to relocate the Megiddo Prison from where the mosaic was originally found and transform the site into a major archaeological park, which helped make this temporary loan possible. Whether or how this plan fully materializes remains to be seen, but the vision is to highlight the Megiddo region’s deep historical significance, both biblical and Roman. Officials expect the mosaic to return to Israel within the next couple of years, perhaps even sooner, once the new prison and a visitor center are completed. In the meantime, after its time in Washington, the mosaic will likely be moved to another exhibit.
Of course, not everyone is pleased with the decision to loan the mosaic. Some archaeologists and academics argue that removing it from its original setting risks undermining its historical integrity and may align it with a specific ideological agenda. Naturally, the critics were going to be up in arms about this. However, the Museum of the Bible, supported by evangelical donors, insists it will present the exhibit from a scholarly and archaeological perspective—without stripping it of its religious meaning, to the chagrin of critics. And let’s be honest: how could one possibly separate this artifact from the Christian religion?
Despite the pushback, the Israel Antiquities Authority stands by the collaboration, underscoring the museum’s commitment to scientific standards. The exhibit aims to raise global awareness of early Christian history while ensuring that the mosaic ultimately returns home to Israel. The project also mirrors precedents like the Lod Mosaic, which toured internationally before being permanently installed in a dedicated facility back in Israel.
Part II: As Significant as the Dead Sea Scrolls (4:17-6:25)
The Megiddo Mosaic is a monumental archaeological discovery that offers a rare glimpse into Christian worship nearly two centuries before the reign of Emperor Constantine. Measuring over 580 square feet, the mosaic has garnered international attention for both its artistic intricacy and its profound theological inscriptions.
Excavated over the course of four years by the Israel Antiquities Authority, the mosaic dates to around AD 230. Inscriptions etched into its surface credit members of the Roman military and the local Christian community with its creation and funding. Among them are a Roman centurion named Gaianus and a woman named Akeptous, whose title—“God-loving”—testifies of her visible and devoted role within the early church.
As mentioned, scholars have noted symbols such as the fish, a well-known emblem of Jesus and the early Christian movement, as clear indicators of the community’s deeply rooted Christian identity. The inclusion of five women by name further enriches the mosaic’s historical and theological value, challenging earlier assumptions about the roles women played in early Christian life. These details make the mosaic a priceless artifact for understanding the development of Christian worship and doctrine during a time of cultural marginalization and persecution.
What sets this mosaic apart, however, is its explicit proclamation of Jesus’ divinity. The inscription “Jesus is God” was not just a theological assertion—it was countercultural, bold, and dangerous. Historians believe this may be the earliest known physical declaration of Christ’s divine status. For scholars and believers alike, it underscores the unshakable convictions of early Christians. And yet, for those who trust the testimony of Scripture, the mosaic’s message is no surprise—only a remarkable confirmation of what it reveals.
Visitors can experience this extraordinary window into the early church at the Museum of the Bible in Washington, DC, up until July 2025. As part of the exhibition The Megiddo Mosaic: Foundations of Faith, this artifact invites meaningful reflection on the roots of Christian worship and the ordinary yet faithful individuals who shaped its earliest expressions.
Part III: The Testimony of the Early Church (6:29-11:12)
This recent archaeological discovery of a Christian mosaic in Megiddo has stirred renewed interest in the faith of the early Church and the extent to which historical artifacts affirm the theological convictions of pre-Nicene Christianity. Far from representing a rudimentary or undeveloped faith, the early Christians held to an extraordinarily high Christology rooted in the teachings of Jesus, the apostolic witness, and the life of the early Christian community. This discovery—an inscription explicitly mentioning Jesus Christ as God, dated to the third century—serves as physical corroboration of what the New Testament and other early sources have made clear for centuries: that the earliest Christians worshipped Jesus not merely as a moral teacher or a divine agent, but as God incarnate.
The Megiddo mosaic reminds us that Christianity was not a gradual evolution from low to high Christology, as some modern scholars have claimed, but from its inception possessed a robust understanding of Jesus’ divine nature. This aligns with the Pauline epistles, the earliest New Testament writings, which declare that Jesus is the eternal Son of God through whom all things were created (Colossians 1:15-16), and in whom “all the fullness of deity dwells bodily” (Colossians 2:9). As such, physical artifacts that reflect worship practices—whether inscriptions, church buildings, or devotional art—are not theological anomalies but natural historical products of the early Christian worldview. They are snapshots of what the Church believed, taught, and practiced since its inception.
Given this continuity, we should not be surprised when archaeology uncovers historical artifacts that affirm orthodox Christian faith. The reason is theological and historical. Theologically, Christians from the very beginning confessed that Jesus was God incarnate. This was not a later development, as I mentioned, but was intrinsic to their worship, as evidenced by the Carmen Christi of Philippians 2:5–11, which predates Paul’s letter and reflects the earliest Christian doxology.
Historically, Christianity did not spread as a private philosophy but as a public religion—one that left tangible footprints across the landscape of history: churches, graves, inscriptions, baptistries, and liturgical art. These are not the remnants of a faith still searching for its identity, but the enduring marks of a community boldly proclaiming its risen Lord. From the very beginning, the revelation of God in Jesus Christ was not kept hidden.
In light of this, the discovery at Megiddo is both theologically fitting and historically expected. It bears witness to a community that gathered in the name of Christ, confessed His divinity, and left behind material culture reflecting that faith. Far from being a surprising find, it confirms the claims made in the canonical texts. The mosaic does not invent something new—it reflects what Paul wrote, what the apostles preached, and what the earliest creeds confessed: that Jesus is the eternal Son, crucified and risen, worthy of worship.
Moreover, these archaeological affirmations expose the weakness of revisionist theories that claim high Christology was a product of the fourth century. While the Council of Nicaea (AD 325) clarified and defended orthodox doctrine against Arianism, it did not invent anything new. It simply gave formal expression to what Christians had always believed. The Apostles’ Creed and Hippolytus’ third-century baptismal formula confirm that Trinitarian worship and the deity of Christ were normative in Christian life well before Nicaea. Even pagan sources like Pliny the Younger and Lucian of Samosata bear testimony to the worship of Jesus “as to a god,” confirming that Christians were known, even by outsiders, for their unflinching devotion to Christ as God.
Therefore, the Megiddo mosaic should not be seen as a fortunate anomaly, but as part of a much larger mosaic—one made up of Scripture, creeds, hymns, and eyewitness testimony—attesting to the unbroken confession of Jesus Christ as Lord. From the pen of Paul to the lips of martyrs, from subterranean catacombs to mosaic floors, the message is the same: the early Church believed, lived, and died for the truth that Jesus is God incarnate. And we should fully expect that, in God’s providence, more of these historical affirmations will be uncovered in the dust of the ancient world.
Did You Know? (11:15-12:21)
Before Canada became a unified nation in 1867, its scattered colonies were already being shaped by a powerful religious vision. Anglicans, Presbyterians, Baptists, Lutherans, Methodists, and Roman Catholics all played pivotal roles in forming a Christian cultural foundation across Canada. Though separated by distance and governed as distinct British provinces, these communities shared a belief that Canada was to become “God’s dominion… from sea to sea.” This spiritual unity, long before political unity, helped lay the groundwork for the birth of the Canadian confederation.
From Jacques Cartier’s early voyages to Sir John A. Macdonald’s nation-building efforts, Christianity was deeply woven into the fabric of Canada’s identity. Contrary to modern revisionists, the country was widely seen as a “Christian nation,” especially through its ties to the Church of England and its commitment to biblical teaching. While the role of Christianity in shaping Canadian life has faded in recent decades, the spiritual legacy remains, waiting to be rediscovered.
Recommended Reading (12:23-13:22)
This week’s recommended reading is A Celebration of Faith: St. Athanasius, published by Cántaro Publications. Saint Athanasius was a bold defender of truth when it was most unpopular to be so. Known affectionately as Athanasius Contra Mundum (“Athanasius Against the World”), he stood firm in the face of heresy, political pressure, and exile, all to uphold the biblical doctrine of Christ’s divinity and humanity. His classic work, On the Incarnation, remains a timeless treasure, proclaiming the mystery of the eternal Son of God taking on human flesh for the glory of the Father and the salvation of mankind.
This volume is part of the Celebration of Faith series, which reflects on the lives of men and women transformed by grace—those who not only professed the Christian faith but contended for it with courage. Athanasius’ life challenges us to do the same: to live boldly and faithfully, rooted in the beauty and liberty of the gospel of Christ.
Closing Words
Thanks for listening to The Confederation Report, this podcast is brought to you by the Cántaro Institute. Visit our website at cantaroinstitute.org for more information. For books to read on worldview, philosophy, and theology, visit our store at cantaroinstitute.store
We’ll meet again next week.
Documentation and Additional Reading:
The Times of Israel (Gavriel Fiske)
Mosaic floor of early Christian prayer hall to be displayed at US evangelical museum
Yahoo News (Shay Trotter)
‘Jesus is God’ Mosaic: Biggest Find Since Dead Sea Scrolls—How to See It