Changes

As the use of Peter’s house expanded from a meeting room to a more formal house church, archaeological exploration has revealed many examples of the progression of simple “churches” to dedicated house churches during the second and third centuries. Evidence of these house churches have been found throughout the Mediterranean area: in Greece and Rome, on the island of Delos, and in Dion in southern Macedonia for example.

In the past ten years, a domus ecclesia from the mid third century has been unearthed near the base of Tel Megiddo in northern Israel. What is most striking about the discovery is that a church room has been identified as part of the remains of the headquarters base for Roman legions. The decorations of the room mark it as for Christian use. The mosaic paneled floor of the room shows two fish, the sign that Christians of that day used, and dedicatory inscriptions noting the names, including a centurion, of those who paid for the work. The inscriptions within the room includes the earliest reference to “God Jesus Christ” thus far found. The building containing the house church appeared to have been abandoned, perhaps when the legion headquarter was moved away. Since the mosaic floor appears to have been carefully protected with an overlay of plaster and no evidence has been found of destructive debris, it appears that the abandonment was peaceful. As in the Dura-Europos house church the walls of the Meggido church are covered with Christian symbology: fish, scenes from the Bible, and an offertory inscription of ''offered the table to God Jesus Christ as a memorial''.