Reference: Synagogue
American
A word which primarily signifies an assembly; but, like the word church, came at length to be applied to the buildings in which the ordinary Jewish assemblies for the worship of God were convened. From the silence of the Old Testament with reference to these places of worship, many commentators and writers of biblical antiquities are of opinion that they were not in use till after the Babylonish captivity; and that before that time, the Jews held their social meetings for religious worship either in the open air or in the houses of the prophets. See 2Ki 4:23. In Ps 74:8, it is at least very doubtful whether the Hebrew word rendered synagogues, refers to synagogue-buildings such as existed after the captivity. Properly the word signifies only places where religious assemblies were held. In the time of our Savior they abounded. Synagogues could only be erected in those places when ten men of age, learning, piety, and easy circumstances could be found to attend to the service, which was enjoined in them. Large towns had several synagogues; and soon after the captivity their utility became so obvious, that they were scattered over the land, and became the parish churches of the Jewish nation. Their number appears to have been very considerable; and when the erection of a synagogue was considered a mark of piety, Lu 7:5, or a passport to heaven, we need not be surprised to hear that they were multiplied beyond all necessity, so that in Jerusalem alone there were not fewer than 460 or 480. They were generally built on the most elevated ground, and consisted of two parts. The westerly part of the building contained the ark or chest in which the book of the law and the section of the prophets were deposited, and was called the temple by way of eminence. The other, in which the congregation assembled, was termed the body of the synagogue. The people sat with their faces towards the temple, and the elders in the contrary direction, and opposite to the people; the space between them being occupied by the pulpit or reading desk. The seats of the elders were considered more holy than the others, and are spoken of as "the chief seats in the synagogues," Mt 23:6. The women sat by themselves in a gallery secluded by latticework.
The stated office-bearers in every synagogue were ten, forming six distinct classes. We notice first the Archisynagogos, or ruler of the synagogue, who regulated all its concerns and granted permission to address the assembly. Of these there were three in each synagogue. Dr. Lightfoot believes them to have possessed a civil power, and to have constituted the lowest civil tribunal, commonly known as "the council of three," whose office it was to judge minor offences against religion, and also to decide the differences that arose between any members of the synagogue, as to money matters, thefts, losses, etc. To these officers there is perhaps an allusion in 1Co 6:5. See also JUDGMENT. The second officer-bearer was "the angel of the synagogue," or minister of the congregation, who prayed and preached. In allusion to these, the pastors of the Asiatic churches are called "angels," Re 2:3.
The service of the synagogue was as follows: The people being seated, the "angel of the synagogue" ascended the pulpit, and offered up the public prayers, the people rising from their seats, and standing in a posture of deep devotion, Mt 6:5; Mr 11:25; Lu 18:11,13. The prayers were nineteen in number, and were closed by reading the execration. The next thing was the repetition of their phylacteries; after which came the reading of the law and the prophets. The former was divided into fifty-four sections, with which were united corresponding portions from the prophets; (see Ac 13:15,27; 15:21) and these were read through once in the course of the year. After the return from the captivity, an interpreter was employed in reading the law and the prophets, Ne 8:2-8, who interpreted them into the Syro-Chaldaic dialect, which was then spoken by the people. The last part of the service was the expounding of the Scriptures, and preaching from them to the people. This was done either by one of the officer, or by some distinguished person who happened to be present. The reader will recollect one memorable occasion on which our Savior availed himself of the opportunity thus afforded to address his countrymen, Lu 4:20; and there are several other instances recorded of himself and his disciples teaching in the synagogues. See Mt 13:54; Mr 6:2; Joh 18:20; Ac 13:5,15,44; 14:1; 17:2-4,10; 18:4,26; 19:8. The whole service was concluded with a short prayer or benediction.
The Jewish synagogues were not only used for the purposes of divine worship, but also for courts of judicature, in such matters as fell under the cognizance of the Council of Three, of which we have already spoken. On such occasions, the sentence given against the offender was sometimes, after the manner of prompt punishment still prevalent in the East, carried into effect in the place where the council was assembled. Hence we read of persons being beaten in the synagogue, and scourged in the synagogue, Mt 10:17; Mr 13:9; Ac 22:19; 26:11; 2Co 11:24. To be "put out of the synagogue," or excommunicated from the Jewish church and deprived of the national privileges, was punishment much dreaded, Joh 9:22; 12:42; 16:2. In our own day the Jews erect synagogues wherever they are sufficiently numerous, and assemble on their Sabbath for worship; this being conducted, that is, the reading or chanting of the Old Testament and of prayers, in the original Hebrew, though it is a dead language spoken by few among them. Among the synagogues of Jerusalem, now eight or ten in number, are some for Jews of Spanish origin, and others for German Jews, etc., as in the time of Paul there were separate synagogues for the Libertines, Cyreians, Alexandrians, etc., Ac 6:9.
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And he said - Wherefore art thou going unto him, to-day, neither new moon nor sabbath? And she said - Peace!
So then Ezra the priest brought the law, before the convocation of both men and women, and all that had understanding to hearken, - on the first day of the seventh month; and read therein, before the broad place which was before the water-gate, from the time it was light, until the noon of the day, in presence of the men and the women, and such as had understanding, - and, the ears of all the people, were unto the book of the law. read more. And Ezra the scribe stood upon a lofty platform of wood, which they had made for the purpose, and there stood, beside him, Mattithiah and Shema and Anaiah and Uriah and Hilkiah and Maaseiah, on his right hand, - and, on his left, Pedaiah and Mishael and Malchijah and Hashum and Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, Meshullam. And Ezra the scribe opened the book before the eyes of all the people, for, above all the people, was he, - and, when he opened it, all the people, stood up. And Ezra blessed Yahweh the great God, - and all the people responded, Amen! Amen! with the lifting up of their hands, - and they bent their heads and bowed themselves down unto Yahweh, with their faces to the ground. And, Jeshua and Bani and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, did cause the people to understand the law, the people, remaining in their places. So they read in the book of the law of God, distinctly, - and, giving the sense, caused them to understand the reading.
They have said in their heart, Let us suppress them altogether, They have burned up all the meeting-places of GOD in the land.
And, when ye may be praying, ye shall not be as the hypocrites, because they love, in the synagogues, and at the corners of the broad ways, to take their stand and pray, that they may shine before men; Verily, I say unto you, they are getting back their reward.
But beware of men; for they will deliver you up into high-councils, and, in their synagogues, will they scourge you, -
and, coming into his own city, began teaching them in their synagogue, so that with astonishment were they being struck, and were saying - Whence, hath, this one, this wisdom, and the mighty works?
And dearly love the first couch in the chief meals, and the first seats in the synagogues,
And, when it was Sabbath, he began to be teaching in the synagogue, and, the greater part, as they heard, were being struck with astonishment, saying - Whence hath this man these things? - and - What the wisdom which hath been given to this man? - and - Such mighty works as these, through his hands, are coming to pass!
And, when ye stand praying, forgive, if aught ye have against any, - that, your Father also, who is in the heavens, may forgive you your offences.
A beginning of birth-pangs, are these things. But be, ye, taking heed, unto yourselves: they will deliver you up into high-councils, and, in synagogues, shall ye be beaten, - and, before governors and kings, shall ye be set, for my sake, for a witness unto them.
And, folding up the scroll, he handed it to the attendant, and sat down; and, the eyes of all, in the synagogue, were intently fixed upon him;
The Pharisee, taking his stand, these things unto himself was praying: O God! I thank thee, that I am not like the rest of men, - extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or, even as this tax-collector;
But, the tax-collector, afar off, standing, - would not so much as lift up, his eyes, unto heaven, but kept smiting his own breast saying - O God! be propitiated unto me, the sinner!
These things, said his parents, because they were in fear of the Jews, - for, already, had the Jews agreed together, that, if anyone should confess, him, to be Christ, an, excommunicant from the synagogue, should he be made.
Nevertheless, however, even from among the rulers, many believed on him; but, because of the Pharisees, they were not confessing him, lest, excommunicants from the synagogue, they should be made;
Excommunicants from the synagogue, will they make you; Nay! there cometh an hour, that, every one who killeth you, shall think to be rendering, divine service, unto God!
Jesus answered him - I, openly, have spoken, unto the world, - I, ever, taught, in synagogue, and in the temple, where all the Jews gather together; and, in secret, spake nothing:
But there rose up certain of those out of the synagogue which is called the synagogue of them of Libertium and Cyrene and Alexandria, and certain of them from Cilicia and Asia, - disputing with Stephen;
And, coming to be in Salamis, they declared the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews; - and they had, John also, as an attendant.
And, after the reading of the law and the prophets, the synagogue-rulers sent unto them, saying - Brethren! if there is in you a word of exhortation unto the people, say on.
And, after the reading of the law and the prophets, the synagogue-rulers sent unto them, saying - Brethren! if there is in you a word of exhortation unto the people, say on.
For, they who were dwelling in Jerusalem, and their rulers, not recognising him, have, by judging him, fulfilled, the very voices of the prophets which every sabbath are being read;
And, on the coming sabbath, almost all the city, was gathered together, to hear the word of God.
And it came to pass in Iconium that they together entered into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spake that there believed, both of Jews and Greeks, a great throng.
For, Moses, out of ancient generation, hath, in every city, them who proclaim him; seeing, that in the synagogues, every sabbath, he is read.
and, according to Paul's custom, he went in unto them, and, for three sabbaths, reasoned with them from the Scriptures, - opening up, and setting forth, that it was needful for, the Christ, to suffer, and to arise from among the dead; and saying , This, is the Christ, - Jesus, whom, I, am declaring unto you. read more. And, some from among them, were persuaded, and cast in their lot with Paul and Silas; also, of the devout Greeks, a great throng, and, of the chief women, not a few.
But, the brethren, straightway, during the night, sent away both Paul and Silas unto Beroea, who, indeed, arriving, unto the synagogue of the Jews, went off;
And he began reasoning in the synagogue every sabbath, and was persuading both Jews and Greeks.
The same, also began speaking boldly in the synagogue; and Priscilla and Aquila, hearing him, took him unto them, and, more accurately, expounded unto him the way of God.
And, entering into the synagogue, he was speaking boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading concerning the kingdom of God.
And, I, said - Lord! they themselves, well know that I was imprisoning and beating in every synagogue them who were believing on thee.
and, throughout all the synagogues, ofttimes punishing them, I would fain have compelled them to defame; and, being excessively maddened against them, I went on to pursue them as far as even the outlying cities.
With a view to shame you, am I speaking. So, is it possible that there is among you - not so much as one wise man, who shall be able to judge between his brethren, -
And thou hast, endurance, and hast borne for the sake of my name, and hast not grown weary.
Easton
(Gr. sunagoge, i.e., "an assembly"), found only once in the Authorized Version of Ps 74:8, where the margin of Revised Version has "places of assembly," which is probably correct; for while the origin of synagogues is unknown, it may well be supposed that buildings or tents for the accommodation of worshippers may have existed in the land from an early time, and thus the system of synagogues would be gradually developed.
Some, however, are of opinion that it was specially during the Babylonian captivity that the system of synagogue worship, if not actually introduced, was at least reorganized on a systematic plan (Eze 8:1; 14:1). The exiles gathered together for the reading of the law and the prophets as they had opportunity, and after their return synagogues were established all over the land (Ezr 8:15; Ne 8:2). In after years, when the Jews were dispersed abroad, wherever they went they erected synagogues and kept up the stated services of worship (Ac 9:20; 13:5; 17/1/type/emb'>17:1,17; 18:4). The form and internal arrangements of the synagogue would greatly depend on the wealth of the Jews who erected it, and on the place where it was built. "Yet there are certain traditional pecularities which have doubtless united together by a common resemblance the Jewish synagogues of all ages and countries. The arrangements for the women's place in a separate gallery or behind a partition of lattice-work; the desk in the centre, where the reader, like Ezra in ancient days, from his 'pulpit of wood,' may 'open the book in the sight of all of people and read in the book of the law of God distinctly, and give the sense, and cause them to understand the reading' (Ne 8:4,8); the carefully closed ark on the side of the building nearest to Jerusalem, for the preservation of the rolls or manuscripts of the law; the seats all round the building, whence 'the eyes of all them that are in the synagogue' may 'be fastened' on him who speaks (Lu 4:20); the 'chief seats' (Mt 23:6) which were appropriated to the 'ruler' or 'rulers' of the synagogue, according as its organization may have been more or less complete;", these were features common to all the synagogues.
Where perfected into a system, the services of the synagogue, which were at the same hours as those of the temple, consisted, (1) of prayer, which formed a kind of liturgy, there were in all eighteen prayers; (2) the reading of the Scriptures in certain definite portions; and (3) the exposition of the portions read. (See Lu 4:15,22; Ac 13:14.)
The synagogue was also sometimes used as a court of judicature, in which the rulers presided (Mt 10:17; Mr 5:22; Lu 12:11; 21:12; Ac 13:15; 22:19); also as public schools.
The establishment of synagogues wherever the Jews were found in sufficient numbers helped greatly to keep alive Israel's hope of the coming of the Messiah, and to prepare the way for the spread of the gospel in other lands. The worship of the Christian Church was afterwards modelled after that of the synagogue.
Christ and his disciples frequently taught in the synagogues (Mt 13:54; Mr 6:2; Joh 18:20; Ac 13:5,15,44; 14:1; 17/2/type/emb'>17:2-4,10,17; 18:4,26; 19:8).
To be "put out of the synagogue," a phrase used by John (Joh 9:22; 12:42; 16:2), means to be excommunicated.
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And I gathered them together, unto the river that cometh into Ahava, and we encamped there three days, - and I informed myself among the people and the priests, and, of the sons of Levi, found I none there.
So then Ezra the priest brought the law, before the convocation of both men and women, and all that had understanding to hearken, - on the first day of the seventh month;
And Ezra the scribe stood upon a lofty platform of wood, which they had made for the purpose, and there stood, beside him, Mattithiah and Shema and Anaiah and Uriah and Hilkiah and Maaseiah, on his right hand, - and, on his left, Pedaiah and Mishael and Malchijah and Hashum and Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, Meshullam.
So they read in the book of the law of God, distinctly, - and, giving the sense, caused them to understand the reading.
They have said in their heart, Let us suppress them altogether, They have burned up all the meeting-places of GOD in the land.
And it came to pass, in the sixth year in the sixth month, on the fifth of the month, I being seated in my house, and the elders of Judah being seated before me, then fell upon me there the hand of My Lord Yahweh.
But beware of men; for they will deliver you up into high-councils, and, in their synagogues, will they scourge you, -
and, coming into his own city, began teaching them in their synagogue, so that with astonishment were they being struck, and were saying - Whence, hath, this one, this wisdom, and the mighty works?
And dearly love the first couch in the chief meals, and the first seats in the synagogues,
And there cometh one of the synagogue-rulers, by name Jairus, and, seeing him, falleth at his feet,
And, when it was Sabbath, he began to be teaching in the synagogue, and, the greater part, as they heard, were being struck with astonishment, saying - Whence hath this man these things? - and - What the wisdom which hath been given to this man? - and - Such mighty works as these, through his hands, are coming to pass!
And, folding up the scroll, he handed it to the attendant, and sat down; and, the eyes of all, in the synagogue, were intently fixed upon him;
And, all, were bearing witness to him, and marvelling at the words of favour which were proceeding out of his mouth; and they were saying - Is not, this, the, son of Joseph?
But, whensoever they shall be bringing you in before the synagogues, and the rulers, and the authorities, do not be anxious how, or whatye shall answer, or what ye shall say;
And before, all these things, they will thrust upon you their hands, and persecute you, delivering you up into the synagogues and prisons, - when ye have been led away before kings and governors, for the sake of my name;
These things, said his parents, because they were in fear of the Jews, - for, already, had the Jews agreed together, that, if anyone should confess, him, to be Christ, an, excommunicant from the synagogue, should he be made.
Nevertheless, however, even from among the rulers, many believed on him; but, because of the Pharisees, they were not confessing him, lest, excommunicants from the synagogue, they should be made;
Excommunicants from the synagogue, will they make you; Nay! there cometh an hour, that, every one who killeth you, shall think to be rendering, divine service, unto God!
Jesus answered him - I, openly, have spoken, unto the world, - I, ever, taught, in synagogue, and in the temple, where all the Jews gather together; and, in secret, spake nothing:
And, straightway, in the synagogues, he began proclaiming Jesus, that, This, is the Son of God.
And, coming to be in Salamis, they declared the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews; - and they had, John also, as an attendant.
And, coming to be in Salamis, they declared the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews; - and they had, John also, as an attendant.
They, however, passing through from Perga, arrived at Antioch of Pisidia; and, going into the synagogue on the sabbath-day, sat down. And, after the reading of the law and the prophets, the synagogue-rulers sent unto them, saying - Brethren! if there is in you a word of exhortation unto the people, say on.
And, after the reading of the law and the prophets, the synagogue-rulers sent unto them, saying - Brethren! if there is in you a word of exhortation unto the people, say on.
And, on the coming sabbath, almost all the city, was gathered together, to hear the word of God.
And it came to pass in Iconium that they together entered into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spake that there believed, both of Jews and Greeks, a great throng.
And, travelling through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews; and, according to Paul's custom, he went in unto them, and, for three sabbaths, reasoned with them from the Scriptures, - read more. opening up, and setting forth, that it was needful for, the Christ, to suffer, and to arise from among the dead; and saying , This, is the Christ, - Jesus, whom, I, am declaring unto you. And, some from among them, were persuaded, and cast in their lot with Paul and Silas; also, of the devout Greeks, a great throng, and, of the chief women, not a few.
But, the brethren, straightway, during the night, sent away both Paul and Silas unto Beroea, who, indeed, arriving, unto the synagogue of the Jews, went off;
So then, he began reasoning in the synagogue with the Jews, and with them who worshipped; and, in the market-place, every day, with them who happened to be at hand.
So then, he began reasoning in the synagogue with the Jews, and with them who worshipped; and, in the market-place, every day, with them who happened to be at hand.
And he began reasoning in the synagogue every sabbath, and was persuading both Jews and Greeks.
And he began reasoning in the synagogue every sabbath, and was persuading both Jews and Greeks.
The same, also began speaking boldly in the synagogue; and Priscilla and Aquila, hearing him, took him unto them, and, more accurately, expounded unto him the way of God.
And, entering into the synagogue, he was speaking boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading concerning the kingdom of God.
Fausets
Hebrew eedah, "a congregation" or "appointed solemn meeting," in the Pentateuch; qaahaal, "a meeting called", represents ekklesia the "Church". (See CHURCH.) In the New Testament synagogue (Greek) is used of the Christian assembly only by the most Judaic apostle (Jas 2:2). The Jews' malice against Christianity caused Christians to leave the term "synagogue" to the Jews (Re 2:9). The first hints of religions meetings appear in the phrases "before the Lord," "the calling of assemblies" (Isa 1:13). The Sabbaths were observed from an early time by gatherings for prayer, whether at or apart from the tabernacle or temple (1Sa 20:5; 2Ki 4:23).
Jehoshaphat's mission of priests and Levites (2Ch 17:7-9) implies there was no provision for regular instruction except the septennial reading of the law at the feast of tabernacles (De 31:10-13). In Ps 74:4,8 (compare Jer 52:13,17, which shows that the psalm refers to the Chaldaean destruction of the sanctuary) the "congregations" and "synagogues "refer to the tabernacle or temple meeting place between God and His people; "mo'eed mo'adee" in the psalm is the same word as expresses "the tabernacle of congregation," or meeting between God and His people, in Ex 33:7, compare Ex 29:42-43. So in La 2:6, "He (the Lord) hath destroyed His places of assembly." But the other places of devotional meetings of the people besides the temple are probably included. So Ps 107:32, "the congregation of the people ... the assembly of the elders" (Ezr 3:1). The prophets' assemblies for psalmody and worship led the way (1Sa 9:12; 10:5; 19:20-24).
Synagogues in the strict and later sense are not mentioned until after the desecration of the temple by Antiochus Epiphanes. The want of the temple in the Babylonian captivity familiarized the exiles with the idea of spiritual worship independent of locality. The elders often met and sat before the prophet, Ezekiel to hear Jehovah's word (Eze 8:1; 11:15-16; 14:1; 20:1); in Eze 33:31 the people also sit before him to hear. Periodic meetings for hearing the law and the prophets read were customary thenceforth on the return (Ezr 8:15; Ne 8:2; 9:1; Zec 7:5; Ac 15:21). When the Jews could not afford to build a synagogue they built "an oratory" (proseuchee) by a running stream or the seashore (Ac 16:13). The synagogue was the means of rekindling the Jewish devotion and patriotism which shone so brightly in the Maccabean struggle with Antiochus.
The synagogue required no priest to minister; this and the reading of the Old Testament prepared the way for the gospel. Sometimes a wealthy Jew or a proselyte built the synagogue (Lu 7:5). The kibleh or "direction" was toward Jerusalem. The structure, though essentially different from the temple (for it had neither altar nor sacrifice), resembled in some degree that of the temple: the ark at the far end contained the law in both; the lid was called the kopereth or "mercy-seat"; a veil hung before it. Here were "the chief seats" sought by the Pharisees and the rich (Mt 23:6; Jas 2:2-3). In the middle was a raised platform on which several could be together, with a pulpit in the middle for the reader to stand in when reading and to sit when teaching. A low partition separated men on one side from women on the other. Besides the ark for "the law" (torah) there was a chest for the haphtaroth or "roll of the prophets". In the synagogue a college of elders was presided over by the chief or ruler of the synagogue (Lu 7:3; 8:41,49).
The elders were called parnasiym, "pastors," "shepherds" (Eph 4:11; 1Pe 5:1), ruling over the flock (1Ti 5:17; Heb 13:7); they with the ruler managed the affairs of the synagogue and had the power of excommunication. The officiating minister was delegate (sheliach, answering to the term apostle, "sent") of the congregation, the forerunner of "the angel (messenger sent) of the church" (Re 1:20; 2:1). The qualifications required were similar to those of a bishop or presbyter; he must be of full age, father of a family, apt to teach (1Ti 3:1-7; Tit 1:6-9). The chazzan or "minister" (Lu 4:16-20, where Christ by rising indicated that as a member of the synagogue at Nazareth. He desired to undertake the office of maptir or "reader of the lesson from the prophets", and was at once permitted owing to His fame) answered to our deacon or subdeacon; besides getting the building ready for service he acted as schoolmaster during the week.
There were also the ten batlaniym or "men of leisure", permanently making up a congregation (ten being the minimum (minyan "quoram") to constitute a congregation), that no single worshipper might be disappointed; also acting as alms collectors. Three were archisunagogai, "chiefs of the synagogue"; then also the "angel" or "bishop" who prayed publicly and caused the law to be read and sometimes preached; and three deacons for alms; the interpreter of the old Hebrew Testament, who paraphrased it; also the theological schoolmaster and his interpreter (Lightfoot, Horae. 4:70). The government of the church evidently came from the synagogue not from the Aaronic priesthood. So also did the worship; with the addition of the new doctrines, the gifts of the Spirit, and the supper of the Lord; fixed liturgical forms, creeds, as the shema, "Hear O Israel," etc. (De 6:4), and "prayers", the kadish, shemoneh 'esreh, berachoth; (compare brief creeds, 1Ti 3:16; 2Ti 1:13, the "Lord's prayer" (Luke 11), the "order" (1Co 14:40);) the teaching out of the law, which was read in a cycle, once through in three years.
The prophets were similarly read as second lessons; the exposition (derash) or "word of exhortation" followed (Ac 13:15; 15:21). The psalms were selected to suit "the special times"; "the times of prayer" (shacharit, minchah, 'arabit) were the "third", "sixth", and "ninth" hours (Ac 3:1; 10:3,9); so in Old Testament, Ps 55:17; Da 6:10. Clemens Alex. (Strom.) and Tertullian (Orat. 25) state the same in the church of the second century. Sunday, Wednesday, and Friday were the devotional days of the synagogue as of the church. The custom of ending the Saturday Sabbath with a feast formed the connecting link between the seventh day Jewish sabbath and the first day, Christian Lord's day and Lord's supper (1Co 11:20; Re 1:10).
Preparatory ablutions (Heb 10:22; Joh 13:1-15; Tertullian, Orat. 11), standing in prayer, not kneeling (Lu 18:11; Tertullian 23), the arms stretched out (Tertullian 13), the face toward the E. (Clemens Alex., Strom.), the Amen in responses (1Co 14:16), the leaping as if they would rise toward heaven in the Alexandrian church (Clemens Alex., Strom. 7:40) as the Jews at the tersanctus of Isaiah 6 (Vitringa 1100, Buxtorf 10), are all reproductions of synagogue customs. However the Hebrew in prayer wears the talith ("prayer shawl") drawn over his ears to the shoulders (a custom probably later than apostolic times), whereas the Christian man is bareheaded (1Co 11:4). The synagogue officers had judicial power to scourge, anathematize, and excommunicate (Mt 10:17; Mr 13:9; Lu 12:11; 21:12; Joh 12:42; 9:22): so the church (1Co 6:1-8; 16:22; Ga 1:8-9; 1Co 5:5; 1Ti 1:20; Mt 18:15-18); also to seize and send for trial before the Sanhedrin at Jerusalem (Ac 9:2; 22:5).
The Great Synagogue (Mr 7:3 "the elders"; Mt 5:21-27,33, "they of old time") is represented in the rabbinical book, Pirke Aboth ("The Sayings of the [Jewish] Fathers"), of the second century A.D., to have succeeded the prophets, and to have been succeeded by the scribes, Ezra presiding; among the members Joshua, the high priest Zerubbabel, Daniel, the three children Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi, Nehemiah, Mordecai; their aim being to restore the crown or glory of Israel, the name of God as great, mighty, and terrible (Da 9:4; Jer 32:18; De 7:21); so they completed the Old Testament canon, revising the text, introducing the vowel points which the Masorete editors have handed down to us, instituting "the feast" Purim, organizing the synagogue ritual. Their motto, preserved by Simon high-priest, was "set a hedge about the law." (See SCRIBES.)
The only Old Testament notice of anything like such a body is Ne 8:13, "chiefs of the fathers of all the people, the priests; and
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a continual ascending-sacrifice to your generations, at the opening of the tent of meeting, before Yahweh, where will meet with you, to speak unto thee there. So will I meet there with the sons of Israel, and it shall be hallowed by my glory.
And, Moses, proceeded to take a tent, and pitch it by itself outside the camp, afar off from the camp, and he called it, The Tent of Meeting, - and so it came to pass that whosoever was seeking Yahweh went out unto the tent of meeting, which was on the outside of the camp.
Hear, O Israel: Yahweh, is our God, - Yahweh alone.
Thou shalt not be affrighted at their presence, - for Yahweh thy God in thy midst is a Go great and to be revered.
And Moses commanded them, saying, - At the end of seven years in the appointed season of the year of release, during the festival of booths; when all Israel cometh in to see the face of Yahweh thy God, in the place which he shall choose, thou shalt lead this law before all Israel, in their hearing. read more. Call together the people - the men and the women and the little ones, and thy sojourner who is within thy gates, - that they may hear, and that they may learn, so shall they revere Yahweh your God, and observe to do all the words of this law; and that their children who know not, may hear and learn, that they may revere Yahweh your God, - all the days that ye are living upon the soil, which ye are passing over the Jordan to possess.
And the young women answered them and said: He is, lo! before you now, even as, to-day, hath he entered the city, for the people have a sacrifice, to-day, in the high place.
After that, shalt thou come unto the hill of God, where is the garrison of the Philistines, - and it shall be, as thou comest in thither into the city, thou shalt light upon a band of prophets, coming down from the high place, and, before them, a harp, and a timbrel, and a flute, and a lyre, they having been moved to prophesy.
So Saul sent messengers to take David, but, when they saw the assembly of prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as head over them, then came the Spirit of God upon the messengers of Saul, and, they also, were, moved to prophesy. And, when they told Saul, and he sent other messengers, then were, they also, moved to prophesy. And, when Saul again sent messengers a third time, then were, they also, moved to prophesy. read more. Then went, he also himself, to Ramah, and came in as far as the well of the threshing-floor which is in Sephi, and asked and said, Where are Samuel and David? And one said - Lo! in Naioth, in Ramah. And, when he departed from thence towards Naioth in Ramah, then came upon, him also, the Spirit of God, and he went on and on, and was moved to prophesy, until he entered Naioth in Ramah. And, even he, stripped off his upper garments, and, even he, was moved to prophesy before Samuel, and lay prostrate, disrobed, all that day, and all the night. For this cause, do they say, Is, even Saul, among the prophets?
And David said unto Jonathan - Lo! the new moon, is to-morrow, and, I, must not sit with the king, to eat, - let me go then, and hide myself in the field, until the evening.
And, in the third year of his reign, he sent to his rulers, even to Ben-hail and to Obadiah and to Zechariah, and to Nethanel, and to Micaiah, - that they were to teach throughout the cities of Judah; and, with them, Levites, Shemaiah and Nethaniah and Zebadiah and Asahel and Shemiramoth and Jehonathan, and Adonijah and Tobijah and Tob-adonijah, Levites, - and, with them, Elishama and Jehoram, priests; read more. and they taught throughout Judah, and, with them, was the book of the law of Yahweh, - so they went round throughout all the cities of Judah, and taught the people.
But, when the seventh month was come, and the sons of Israel were in cities, then did the people gather themselves together as one man, unto Jerusalem.
And I gathered them together, unto the river that cometh into Ahava, and we encamped there three days, - and I informed myself among the people and the priests, and, of the sons of Levi, found I none there.
So then Ezra the priest brought the law, before the convocation of both men and women, and all that had understanding to hearken, - on the first day of the seventh month;
And, on the second day, were gathered together - the ancestral heads of all the people, the priests and the Levites, unto Ezra the scribe, - even to give attention unto the words of the law.
Now, on the twenty-fourth day of this month, were the sons of Israel gathered together, with fasting and with sackcloth, having earth upon them.
At evening and morning and high noon, have I been wont to lament and complain, And he hath heard my voice!
Thine adversaries have roared in the midst of thine appointed meeting, They have set their ensigns as tokens!
They have said in their heart, Let us suppress them altogether, They have burned up all the meeting-places of GOD in the land.
Yea let them extol him in the convocation of the people, and, in the seated company of elders, let them praise him.
Ye shall not again bring in an empty, present, Incense, an abomination, is that unto me! New moon, and sabbath calling an assembly - I cannot endure, iniquity and sacred festival!
Executing lovingkindness unto thousands, But recompensing the iniquity of fathers, into the bosom of their children, after them, Thou GOD, the great the mighty, Yahweh of hosts, is his name:
and he burned the house of Yahweh and the house of the king, - yea all the houses of Jerusalem even every great man's house, burned he with fire;
And the pillars of bronze that pertained to the house of Yahweh and the stands and the sea of bronze which was in the house of Yahweh, did the Chaldeans, break in pieces, - and they carried away all the bronze of them to Babylon;
Thus hath he destroyed, like a garden, his pavilion, hath laid waste his place of assembly, - Yahweh, hath caused to be forgotten, in Zion, the appointed assembly and the sabbath, and hath spurned, in the indignation of his anger, the king and the priest.
And it came to pass, in the sixth year in the sixth month, on the fifth of the month, I being seated in my house, and the elders of Judah being seated before me, then fell upon me there the hand of My Lord Yahweh.
Son of man Thine own brethren, thine own brethren the men of thy kindred, even all the house of Israel all of it are they to whom the inhabitants of Jerusalem have said, Get you far away from Yahweh, To us, it is that the land, hath been given, for a possession! Therefore, say, Thus saith My Lord. Yahweh, Although I have removed them far away among the nations, And although I have dispersed them throughout the lands Yet have I become to them a sanctuary for a little while, in the lands which they have entered
And it came to pass in the seventh year in the fifth month, on the tent of the month, that there came in men of the elders of Israel to enquire of Yahweh, - and they sat before me.
That they may come unto thee as people do come And may sit before thee as my people, And they will hear thy words, But the, words themselves, they not do, - though fond with their mouths, they seem to be, After their unjust gain, their heart is going.
But, Daniel, when he knew that the writing, was signed, went to his own house, and, the windows being opened to him, in his chamber, toward Jerusalem, three times a day, was he kneeling upon his knees, and praying and giving thanks before his God, in like manner as he had been doing aforetime.
yea I prayed unto Yahweh my God, and made confession, - and said - I beseech thee, O Lord, the GOD great and to be revered, keeping the covenant and the lovingkindness, to them who love him, and to them who keep his commandments.
Speak thou unto all the people of the land, and unto the priests, saying, - When ye fasted and lamented in the fifth and in the seventh, even these seventy years, did ye, really fast, unto, me?
Ye have heard, that it was said, to them of olden time, - Thou shalt not commit murder, and, whosoever shall commit murder, shall be, liable, to judgment. But, I, say unto you, that, every one who is angry with his brother, shall be, liable, to judgment, - and, whosoever shall say to his brother, Worthless one!, shall be, liable, to the high council; and, whosoever shall say, Rebel!, shall be, liable, unto the fiery gehenna. read more. If, therefore, thou be bearing thy gift towards the altar, and, there, shouldst remember that, thy brother, hath aught against thee, leave, there, thy gift before the altar, and withdraw, - first, be reconciled unto thy brother, and, then, coming, be offering thy gift. Be making agreement with thine adversary, quickly, while thou art with him, in the way, - lest once thine adversary deliver thee up unto the judge, and the judge, unto the officer, and, into prison, thou be cast. Verily, I say unto thee, In nowise, mayest thou come out from thence, until thou pay the last halfpenny. Ye have heard, that it was said, Thou shalt not commit adultery:
Again, ye have heard that it was said, to them of olden time, Thou shalt not swear falsely, - but shalt render unto the Lord, thine oaths.
But beware of men; for they will deliver you up into high-councils, and, in their synagogues, will they scourge you, -
But, if thy brother sin, withdraw, convince him, betwixt thee and him, alone, - If unto thee he hearken, thou hast gained thy brother; But, if he do not hearken, take with thee, yet one or two, that, at the mouth of two witnesses or three, every declaration, maybe established; read more. But, if he hear them amiss, tell it to the assembly, - And, if, even the assembly, he hear amiss, Let him be unto thee, just as the man of the nations and the tax-collector. Verily, I say unto you - Whatsoever things ye shall bind on the earth, shall be bound in heaven; and, whatsoever things ye shall loose on the earth, shall be loosed in heaven.
And dearly love the first couch in the chief meals, and the first seats in the synagogues,
For, the Pharisees, and all the Jews, unless with care they wash their hands, eat not, holding fast the tradition of the elders;
A beginning of birth-pangs, are these things. But be, ye, taking heed, unto yourselves: they will deliver you up into high-councils, and, in synagogues, shall ye be beaten, - and, before governors and kings, shall ye be set, for my sake, for a witness unto them.
And he came into Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and entered, according to his custom, on the sabbath day, into the synagogue, - and stood up to read. And there was handed to him a scroll of the prophet Isaiah; and unfolding the scroll, he found the place where it was written: read more. The Spirit of the Lord, is upon me, because he hath anointed me - to tell glad tidings unto the destitute; He hath sent me forth, - To proclaim, to captives, a release, and, to the blind, a recovering of sight, - to send away the crushed, with a release; To proclaim the welcome year of the Lord. And, folding up the scroll, he handed it to the attendant, and sat down; and, the eyes of all, in the synagogue, were intently fixed upon him;
But, hearing about Jesus, he sent forth unto him elders of the Jews, requesting him that he would come and bring his servant safely through.
And lo! there came a man, whose name was Jairus, and, the same, was, a ruler of the synagogue, - and, falling down near the feet of Jesus, he began beseeching him to enter into his house;
While yet he is speaking, there cometh one from the synagogue ruler's, saying - Thy daughter, is dead: No further, be troubling the teacher.
But, whensoever they shall be bringing you in before the synagogues, and the rulers, and the authorities, do not be anxious how, or whatye shall answer, or what ye shall say;
The Pharisee, taking his stand, these things unto himself was praying: O God! I thank thee, that I am not like the rest of men, - extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or, even as this tax-collector;
And before, all these things, they will thrust upon you their hands, and persecute you, delivering you up into the synagogues and prisons, - when ye have been led away before kings and governors, for the sake of my name;
These things, said his parents, because they were in fear of the Jews, - for, already, had the Jews agreed together, that, if anyone should confess, him, to be Christ, an, excommunicant from the synagogue, should he be made.
Nevertheless, however, even from among the rulers, many believed on him; but, because of the Pharisees, they were not confessing him, lest, excommunicants from the synagogue, they should be made;
Now, before the feast of the passover, Jesus, knowing that his hour had come, that he should remove out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own that were in the world, unto the end, loved them. And, supper, being in progress, the adversary, having already thrust into the heart of Judas son of Simon Iscariot, that he should deliver him up, - read more. Jesus knowing that, all things, the Father had given unto him, into his hands, and that, from God, he had come, and, unto God, he was going, rouseth himself out of the supper, and layeth aside his garments, and taking a linen cloth, girded himself. Next, he poureth water into the wash-basin, and began to be washing the feet of the disciples, and to be wiping them with the linen cloth wherewith he was girded. So he cometh unto Simon Peter. He saith unto him - Lord, dost, thou, wash my feet? Jesus answered, and said unto him - What, I, am doing, thou, knowest not, as yet; howbeit, thou shalt got to know, hereafter. Peter saith unto him - In nowise shalt thou, ever, wash my feet. Jesus answered him - If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. Simon Peter saith unto him - Lord! not my feet only, but my hands also, and my head. Jesus saith unto him - He that hath bathed himself, hath no need save as to the feetto get washed; but is pure, as a whole. And, ye, are, pure, but not ye, all. For he know the man that was delivering him up; therefore, said he - Not ye all, are pure. When, therefore, he had washed their feet, and taken his garments, and reclined, again said he unto them - Are ye taking note, what I have done unto you? Ye, call me, The Teacher, and, The Lord, - and, well, say, for I am. If then, I, have washed your feet, - I The Lord, and, The Teacher, ye also, ought to wash, one another's, feet; For, an example, have I given you, - that, just as, I, did unto you, ye also, should be doing.
Now, Peter and John, were going up into the temple, for the hour of prayer - the ninth;
But there rose up certain of those out of the synagogue which is called the synagogue of them of Libertium and Cyrene and Alexandria, and certain of them from Cilicia and Asia, - disputing with Stephen;
asked from him letters for Damascus, unto the synagogues; to the end that, if he should find, any, who were of The Way, whether men or women, he might bring them, bound, unto Jerusalem.
Saw, in a vision, manifestly, as if about the ninth hour of the day, a messenger of God, coming in unto him, and saying unto him - Cornelius!
Now, on the morrow, as those men were journeying, and, unto the city, drawing near, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour;
And, after the reading of the law and the prophets, the synagogue-rulers sent unto them, saying - Brethren! if there is in you a word of exhortation unto the people, say on.
For, Moses, out of ancient generation, hath, in every city, them who proclaim him; seeing, that in the synagogues, every sabbath, he is read.
For, Moses, out of ancient generation, hath, in every city, them who proclaim him; seeing, that in the synagogues, every sabbath, he is read.
and on the day of rest, we went forth outside the gate, beside a river, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, - and, sitting down, we went on to speak unto the women who had come together.
as, even the High-priest, beareth me witness, and all the Eldership, - from whom, letters also, accepting to the brethren, unto Damascus, was I journeying, to bring them who were there bound unto Jerusalem, that they might be punished.
Dare any of you, having, a matter against his brother, sue for judgment before the unrighteous, and not before the saints? Or know ye not that, the saints, shall judge the world? And, if, by you, the world, is to be judged, unworthy are ye of the smallest judgment-seats? read more. Know ye not that we shall judge, messengers? and not, then, matters of this life? If, then, for matters of this, life ye have judgment-seats, them who are of no account in the assembly, these, are ye seating thereupon? With a view to shame you, am I speaking. So, is it possible that there is among you - not so much as one wise man, who shall be able to judge between his brethren, - But, brother with brother, sueth for judgment, and that before unbelievers? Already, indeed, it is an utter defeat for you, that ye are having, law-suits, one with another. Wherefore are ye not rather taking wrong? Wherefore are ye not rather suffering yourselves to be defrauded? Nay! but, ye, are doing wrong, and defrauding, - and that your brethren.
Every man, praying, or prophesying, having anything upon his head, putteth to shame his head;
When, therefore, ye come together into one place, it is not to eat, a supper unto the Lord;
Else, if thou be blessing in a spirit, he that filleth up the place of the ungifted person, how shall he say the Amen upon thy thanksgiving? since indeed, what thou art saying, he knoweth not;
But let, all things, with comeliness, and by arrangement, be done.
If anyone doth not dearly love the Lord, let him be anathema that is, "accursed" : Maran atha that is, "The Lord, cometh" .
But, even if, we, or, a messenger out of heaven, announce a glad-message unto youaside from that which we announced unto you, accursed, let him be! As we have said before, even now, again, I say: If anyone is announcing unto you a glad-message aside from that which ye accepted, accursed, let him be!
And, he, gave - some, indeed, to be apostles, and some, prophets, and some, evangelists, and some, shepherds and teachers, -
If anyone, for oversight, is eager, a noble work, doth he covet: - It is needful, then, for, the overseer, to be irreproachable, a husband, of one wife, sober, of sound mind, orderly, hospitable, apt in teaching, read more. Not given to wine, not ready to wound, but considerate, averse to contention, not fond of money, Over his own house, presiding, well, having, children, in submission, with all dignity; Whereas, if anyone, over his own house, cannot, preside, how, of an assembly of God, shall he take care? Not a new convert, lest, being beclouded, into the sentence of the adversary, he fall; It is needful, moreover, to have, an honourable testimony also, from them who are without, lest, into reproach, he fall, and the snare of the adversary.
And, confessedly great, is the sacred secret of godliness, - Who was made manifest in flesh, was declared righteous in spirit, was made visible unto messengers, was proclaimed among nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory.
Let, the well presiding elders, of double honour, be accounted worthy, especially they who toil in discourse and teaching;
If anyone is unaccusable, a husband of, one wife, having children that believe, who are not charged with riotous excess, nor insubordinate; For it is needful that the overseer be - unaccusable, as God's steward, not self-willed, not soon angry, not given to wine, not ready to wound, not seeking gain by base means, read more. But hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober-minded, just, kind, possessing self-control, Holding fast, in the matter of his teaching, the faithful word, that he may be able both to encourage with his healthful instruction, and, the gainsayers, to refute.
This witness, is true, - for which cause, be reproving them sharply, that they may be healthy in their faith,
Let us approach with a genuine heart, in full assurance of faith, having been sprinkled, as to our hearts, from an evil conscience, and bathed, as to our bodies, with pure water;
Be mindful of them who are guiding you, who, indeed, have spoken unto you, the word of God: the outgoing of whose behaviour, reviewing, be imitating, their faith.
For, if there enter into your synagogue a man wearing gold rings in gay clothing, and there enter a destitute man also, in soiled clothing, -
For, if there enter into your synagogue a man wearing gold rings in gay clothing, and there enter a destitute man also, in soiled clothing, - And ye eye him that hath on the gay clothing, and say, Thou, be sitting here, pleasantly, - and, unto the destitute man, say - Thou, stand, or sit there under my footstool,
I came to be, in Spirit, in the Lord's Day, and heard, behind me, a loud voice, as of a trumpet,
The sacred secret of the seven stars, which thou sawest upon my right hand, and the seven lamps of gold: - The seven stars, are, messengers of the seven assemblies, and, the seven lamps, are, seven assemblies
Unto the messenger of the assembly, in Ephesus, write: - These things, saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, he that walketh in the midst of the seven lamps of gold:
I know thy tribulation, and destitution, nevertheless, thou art, rich, and the profane speech from among them who affirm that they themselves are, Jews, and they are not, but a synagogue of Satan.
Hastings
SYNAGOGUE
1. Meaning and history.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
Yahweh bless thee, and keep thee: Yahweh cause his face to shine upon thee and be gracious unto thee: read more. Yahweh lift up his face unto thee, and appoint unto thee peace.
Speak unto the sons of Israel, and thou shalt say unto them, That they shall make them fringes on the corners of their garments unto their generations - and shall put upon the fringe of the corner a cord of blue: so shall they serve you as fringes, and when ye see then, then shall ye call to mind all the commandments of Yahweh, and shall do them, - and shall not spy out, after your own hearts, and after your own eyes for things, after which, ye, are ready to go unchastely away: read more. to the intent ye may call to mind, and do all my commandments, and be holy unto your God. I - Yahweh, am your God - who brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, to become your God, - I, - Yahweh, am your God.
Hear, O Israel: Yahweh, is our God, - Yahweh alone. Thou shalt therefore love Yahweh thy God, - with all thy heart and with all thy soul, and with all thy might; read more. so shall these words which I am commanding thee to-day, be upon thy heart; and thou shalt impress them upon thy sons, and shalt speak of them, - when thou sittest in thy house and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down and when thou risest up; and thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thy hand, - and they shall serve for bands between thine eyes; and thou shalt write them upon the pests of thy house and within thy gates.
And it shall come to pass, if ye will hearken, unto my commandments, which, I am commanding you to-day, - to love Yahweh your God, and to serve him, with, all your heart, and with all your soul, then saith he I will give the rain of your land in it season, the early rain and the latter rain; so shalt thou gather in thy corn, and thy new wine and thine oil; read more. and I will give grass in thy field for thy cattle, - and thou shalt eat and be satisfied. Take heed to yourselves, lest your heart be befooled, - and ye turn aside and serve other gods, and bow down to them. So would the anger of Yahweh kindle upon you and he would shut up the heavens, that them should he no rain, and the ground, would not yield her increase, - so should ye perish speedily, from off the good land, which Yahweh is giving unto you. Therefore shall ye lay these my words upon your heart, and upon your soul, - and bind them for a sign upon your hand, and they shall serve as bands between your eyes; and ye shall teach them unto your children by speaking of them, - when thou sittest in thy house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down and when thou risest up; and thou shalt write them upon the door-posts of thy house and within thy gates: that your days may multiply, and the days of your children, upon rite soil which Yahweh sware unto your fathers, to give unto them, - like the days of the heavens upon the earth.
And, Jeshua and Bani and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, did cause the people to understand the law, the people, remaining in their places.
They have said in their heart, Let us suppress them altogether, They have burned up all the meeting-places of GOD in the land.
And it came to pass, in the sixth year in the sixth month, on the fifth of the month, I being seated in my house, and the elders of Judah being seated before me, then fell upon me there the hand of My Lord Yahweh.
And it came to pass in the seventh year in the fifth month, on the tent of the month, that there came in men of the elders of Israel to enquire of Yahweh, - and they sat before me. Then came the word of Yahweh unto me saying:- read more. Son of man, Speak thou with the elders of Israel, and say unto them, Thus, saith My Lord. Yahweh, To enquire of me, are ye coming in. As I live, very I will no be enquired of by you, Declareth My Lord Yahweh.
For, many days, shall the sons of Israel tarry, without king, and without ruler, and without sacrifice, and without pillar; and without ephod, or household gods.
They shall not dwell in the land of Yahweh, but Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and, in Assyria - that which is unclean, shall they eat.
And Jesus was going round throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and proclaiming the glad-message of the kingdom, - and curing every disease, and every infirmity, among the people.
And Jesus was going round throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and proclaiming the glad-message of the kingdom, - and curing every disease, and every infirmity, among the people.
When, therefore, thou mayest be doing an alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, just as, the hypocrites, do in the synagogues and in the streets - that they may be glorified by men, - Verily, I say unto you, they are getting back their reward.
But beware of men; for they will deliver you up into high-councils, and, in their synagogues, will they scourge you, -
But, all their works, they do, to be gazed at, by men, - for they make broad their amulets, and make large their fringes,
For this cause, lo! I, send unto you, prophets and wise men and scribes, - some from among them, ye will slay and crucify, And some from among them ye will - scourge in your synagogues, and pursue from city to city:
And they journey into Capernaum. And, straightway, on the Sabbath, entering into the synagogue, he began teaching;
And there cometh one of the synagogue-rulers, by name Jairus, and, seeing him, falleth at his feet,
And, when it was Sabbath, he began to be teaching in the synagogue, and, the greater part, as they heard, were being struck with astonishment, saying - Whence hath this man these things? - and - What the wisdom which hath been given to this man? - and - Such mighty works as these, through his hands, are coming to pass!
And he came into Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and entered, according to his custom, on the sabbath day, into the synagogue, - and stood up to read. And there was handed to him a scroll of the prophet Isaiah; and unfolding the scroll, he found the place where it was written: read more. The Spirit of the Lord, is upon me, because he hath anointed me - to tell glad tidings unto the destitute; He hath sent me forth, - To proclaim, to captives, a release, and, to the blind, a recovering of sight, - to send away the crushed, with a release; To proclaim the welcome year of the Lord. And, folding up the scroll, he handed it to the attendant, and sat down; and, the eyes of all, in the synagogue, were intently fixed upon him;
And, folding up the scroll, he handed it to the attendant, and sat down; and, the eyes of all, in the synagogue, were intently fixed upon him;
And lo! there came a man, whose name was Jairus, and, the same, was, a ruler of the synagogue, - and, falling down near the feet of Jesus, he began beseeching him to enter into his house;
But the synagogue-ruler, answering, being greatly displeased that, on the Sabbath, Jesus had healed, began saying unto the multitude - Six days, there are, in which men ought to get their work done; On them, therefore, come and be healed, and, not on the day of rest.
The Jews, therefore, said unto themselves - Whither, is, this one, about to go, that we shall not find him? Unto the dispersion of the Greeks, is he about to go, and teach the Greeks?
But there rose up certain of those out of the synagogue which is called the synagogue of them of Libertium and Cyrene and Alexandria, and certain of them from Cilicia and Asia, - disputing with Stephen;
asked from him letters for Damascus, unto the synagogues; to the end that, if he should find, any, who were of The Way, whether men or women, he might bring them, bound, unto Jerusalem.
And, coming to be in Salamis, they declared the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews; - and they had, John also, as an attendant.
And, after the reading of the law and the prophets, the synagogue-rulers sent unto them, saying - Brethren! if there is in you a word of exhortation unto the people, say on.
And, after the reading of the law and the prophets, the synagogue-rulers sent unto them, saying - Brethren! if there is in you a word of exhortation unto the people, say on.
For, Moses, out of ancient generation, hath, in every city, them who proclaim him; seeing, that in the synagogues, every sabbath, he is read.
and on the day of rest, we went forth outside the gate, beside a river, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, - and, sitting down, we went on to speak unto the women who had come together.
Else, if thou be blessing in a spirit, he that filleth up the place of the ungifted person, how shall he say the Amen upon thy thanksgiving? since indeed, what thou art saying, he knoweth not;
James, a servant, of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, - unto the twelve tribes that are in the dispersion, Wishes joy.
I know thy tribulation, and destitution, nevertheless, thou art, rich, and the profane speech from among them who affirm that they themselves are, Jews, and they are not, but a synagogue of Satan.
Lo! I give them of the synagogue of Satan, who are affirming themselves to be, Jews, and are not, - but say what is false, - lo! I will cause them, that they shall have come, and shall bow down before thy feet, and shall get to know that, I, loved thee.
Morish
This word occurs but once in the A.V. of the Old Testament, Ps 74:8, but the same Hebrew word (moed) is many times translated 'congregation.' Mr. Darby, and the R.V. margin translate in Ps 74:8 "places of assembly." The word ???????? occurs very often in the LXX, but as a translation of some twenty different Hebrew words: 'congregation' or 'gathering' is the main thought. As far as is known there were no buildings called synagogues in Old Testament times. It has been judged that they arose after the captivity, and may perhaps have been occasioned by a desire to perpetuate the work begun by the people calling upon Ezra to read to them the book of the law, when those who heard were deeply affected. Neh. 8, Neh. 9.
In the exploration of Palestine remains of buildings have been discovered, which are judged to have been synagogues. They are uniform in plan, and differ from the ruins of churches, temples, and mosques. In two of them an inscription in Hebrew was over the main entrance, one in connection with a seven-branched candlestick, and the other with figures of the paschal lamb. A plain rectangular building answered the purpose. They were often erected by general contributions, though at times by a rich Jew, or in some instances by a Gentile, as the one built by the centurion at Capernaum. Lu 7:5.
An ark was placed at one end, in which were deposited the sacred books. Near this was the place of honour, or the 'chief seats,' which some sought after, Mt 23:6, and Jas 2:2-3 (where the word translated 'assembly' is 'synagogue'). Nearer the centre of the building was a raised platform with a kind of desk or pulpit, where the reader stood. A screen separated the women from the men.
It is known that a portion of the law and of the prophets was read every Sabbath, and it is clear from Ac 13:15 that if any one was present who had a "word of exhortation for the people," the opportunity was given for its delivery. Prayers also were doubtless offered, but how far these resembled the modern Jewish ritual is not known. The Lord spoke of the hypocrites who loved to pray standing in the synagogues, where they also ostentatiously offered their alms. Mt 6:2,5.
It was the custom of the Lord to visit the synagogues, and in them He wrought some of His miracles and taught the people. Mt 4:23. In Luke 4 the Lord, in the synagogue at Nazareth, stood up to read, and there was handed to Him the book of the prophet Isaiah. After reading a portion which set forth His own attitude among them (stopping in the middle of a sentence), He sat down and spake "gracious words" to them. His exposition of the passage is not given except "This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears." It is recorded that the people were in the habit of freely expressing their opinions respecting what was taught, and here they said, "Is not this Joseph's son?" In Ac 13:45 the Jews "spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming."
Paul also was permitted to speak in the synagogue at Damascus, when he showed the Jews that Jesus was the Son of God, Ac 9:20; and often afterwards he 'reasoned' or 'disputed' (??????????) with the Jews in their synagogues. Ac 18:4,19; 19:8.
It is important to see that everywhere in their own buildings a clear testimony was borne by the Lord Himself as to the significance of His appearance among them; and afterwards by Paul and others to the work He had accomplished by His death and resurrection for them
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They have said in their heart, Let us suppress them altogether, They have burned up all the meeting-places of GOD in the land.
They have said in their heart, Let us suppress them altogether, They have burned up all the meeting-places of GOD in the land.
And Jesus was going round throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and proclaiming the glad-message of the kingdom, - and curing every disease, and every infirmity, among the people.
When, therefore, thou mayest be doing an alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, just as, the hypocrites, do in the synagogues and in the streets - that they may be glorified by men, - Verily, I say unto you, they are getting back their reward.
And, when ye may be praying, ye shall not be as the hypocrites, because they love, in the synagogues, and at the corners of the broad ways, to take their stand and pray, that they may shine before men; Verily, I say unto you, they are getting back their reward.
But beware of men; for they will deliver you up into high-councils, and, in their synagogues, will they scourge you, -
And dearly love the first couch in the chief meals, and the first seats in the synagogues,
And there cometh one of the synagogue-rulers, by name Jairus, and, seeing him, falleth at his feet,
While yet he is speaking, they come from the synagogue-ruler's, saying - Thy daughter, is dead! Why, further, annoy the teacher? But, Jesus, overhearing the word being spoken, saith unto the synagogue-ruler - Do not fear, only have faith!
And they come into the house of the synagogue-ruler, and he observeth a tumult, and persons weeping and wailing greatly;
And, folding up the scroll, he handed it to the attendant, and sat down; and, the eyes of all, in the synagogue, were intently fixed upon him;
But, hearing about Jesus, he sent forth unto him elders of the Jews, requesting him that he would come and bring his servant safely through.
While yet he is speaking, there cometh one from the synagogue ruler's, saying - Thy daughter, is dead: No further, be troubling the teacher.
But the synagogue-ruler, answering, being greatly displeased that, on the Sabbath, Jesus had healed, began saying unto the multitude - Six days, there are, in which men ought to get their work done; On them, therefore, come and be healed, and, not on the day of rest.
These things, said his parents, because they were in fear of the Jews, - for, already, had the Jews agreed together, that, if anyone should confess, him, to be Christ, an, excommunicant from the synagogue, should he be made.
They answered and said unto him - In sins, wast, thou, born, altogether; and art, thou, teaching, us? And they cast him out. Jesus heard that they had cast him out: and, finding him, said - Dost, thou, believe on the son of Man? read more. He answered and said- And, who, is he, Sir, that I may believe on him? Jesus said unto him - Thou hast both seen him and, he that is speaking with thee, is, he. And, he, said - I believe, Sir! and worshipped him.
Nevertheless, however, even from among the rulers, many believed on him; but, because of the Pharisees, they were not confessing him, lest, excommunicants from the synagogue, they should be made; for they loved the glory of men, more than the glory of God.
Excommunicants from the synagogue, will they make you; Nay! there cometh an hour, that, every one who killeth you, shall think to be rendering, divine service, unto God!
Pilate, therefore, said unto them - Ye, take him, and, according to your law, judge ye him. The Jews said unto him - Unto us, it is not allowed, to kill anyone! -
And, straightway, in the synagogues, he began proclaiming Jesus, that, This, is the Son of God.
And, after the reading of the law and the prophets, the synagogue-rulers sent unto them, saying - Brethren! if there is in you a word of exhortation unto the people, say on.
And, after the reading of the law and the prophets, the synagogue-rulers sent unto them, saying - Brethren! if there is in you a word of exhortation unto the people, say on.
But, the Jews, seeing, the multitudes, were filled with jealousy, - and began speaking against the things which, by Paul, were being spoken, defaming them.
And he began reasoning in the synagogue every sabbath, and was persuading both Jews and Greeks.
But, Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord, with all his house. And, many of the Corinthians, hearing, were believing, and being immersed.
But they all, laying hold of Sosthenes the ruler of the synagogue, began to strike him before the judgment-seat; and, for none of these things, did Gallio care.
And they came down to Ephesus; and, as for them, he left them there, - but, himself entering into the synagogue, he reasoned with the Jews.
And, entering into the synagogue, he was speaking boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading concerning the kingdom of God.
And, I, said - Lord! they themselves, well know that I was imprisoning and beating in every synagogue them who were believing on thee.
From Jews, five times, forty-save-one, have I received,
For, if there enter into your synagogue a man wearing gold rings in gay clothing, and there enter a destitute man also, in soiled clothing, - And ye eye him that hath on the gay clothing, and say, Thou, be sitting here, pleasantly, - and, unto the destitute man, say - Thou, stand, or sit there under my footstool,
I know thy tribulation, and destitution, nevertheless, thou art, rich, and the profane speech from among them who affirm that they themselves are, Jews, and they are not, but a synagogue of Satan.
Lo! I give them of the synagogue of Satan, who are affirming themselves to be, Jews, and are not, - but say what is false, - lo! I will cause them, that they shall have come, and shall bow down before thy feet, and shall get to know that, I, loved thee.
Smith
Synagogue.
1. History. --The word synagogue (sunagoge), which means a "congregation," is used in the New Testament to signify a recognized place of worship. A knowledge of the history and worship of the synagogues is of great importance, since they are the characteristic institution of the later phase of Judaism. They appear to have arisen during the exile, in the abeyance of the temple-worship, and to have received their full development on the return of the Jews from captivity. The whole history of Ezra presupposes the habit of solemn, probably of periodic, meetings.
Ezr 8:15; Ne 8:2; 9:1; Zec 7:5
After the Maccabaean struggle for independence, we find almost every town or village had its one or more synagogues. Where the Jews were not in sufficient numbers to be able to erect and fill a building, there was the proseucha (proseuche), or place of prayer, sometimes open, sometimes covered in, commonly by a running stream or on the seashore, in which devout Jews and proselytes met to worship, and perhaps to read.
Juven. Sat. iii. 296. It is hardly possible to overestimate the influence of the system thus developed. To it we may ascribe the tenacity with which, after the Maccabaean struggle, the Jews adhered to the religion of their fathers, and never again relapsed into idolatry.
2. Structure. --The size of a synagogue varied with the population. Its position was, however, determinate. If stood, if possible, on the highest ground, in or near the city to which it belonged. And its direction too was fixed. Jerusalem was the Kibleh of Jewish devotion. The synagogue was so constructed that the worshippers, as they entered and as they prayed, looked toward it. The building was commonly erected at the cost of the district. Sometimes it was built by a rich Jew, or even, as in
Lu 7:5
by a friend or proselyte. In the internal arrangement of the synagogue we trace an obvious analogy to the type of the tabernacle. At the upper or Jerusalem end stood the ark, the chest which, like the older and more sacred ark contained the Book of the Law. It gave to that end the name and character of a sanctuary. This part of the synagogue was naturally the place of honor. Here were the "chief seats," for which Pharisees and scribes strove so eagerly,
and to which the wealthy and honored worshipper was invited.
Here too, in front of the ark, still reproducing the type of the tabernacle, was the eight-branched lamp, lighted only on the greater festivals. Besides this there was one lamp kept burning perpetually. More toward the middle of the building was a raised platform, on which several persons could stand at once, and in the middle of this rose a pulpit, in which the reader stood to read the lesson or sat down to teach. The congregation were divided, men on one side, women on the other a low partition, five or six feet high, running between them. The arrangements of modern synagogues, for many centuries, have made the separation more complete by placing the women in low side-galleries, screened off a lattice-work.
3. Officers. --In smaller towns there was often but one rabbi. Where a fuller organization was possible, there was a college of elders,
Lu 7:3
presided over by one who was "the chief of the synagogue."
The most prominent functionary in a large synagogue was known as the sheliach (= legatus), the officiating minister who acted as the delegate of the congregation and was therefore the chief reader of prayers, etc.., in their name. The chazzan or "minister" of the synagogue,
Lu 4:20
had duties of a lower kind, resembling those of the Christian deacon or sub-deacon. He was to open the doors and to prepare the building for service. Besides these there were ten men attached to every synagogue, known as the ballanim, (--otiosi). They were supposed to be men of leisure not obliged to labor for their livelihood able therefore to attend the week-day as well as the Sabbath services. The legatus of the synagogues appears in the angel,
perhaps also in the apostle of the Christian Church.
4. Worship. --It will be enough, in this place, to notice in what way the ritual, no less than the organization, was connected with the facts of the New Testament history, and with the life and order of the Christian Church. From the synagogue came the use of fixed forms of prayer. To that the first disciples had been accustomed from their youth. They had asked their Master to give them a distinctive one, and he had complied with their request,
Lu 11:1
as the Baptist had done before for his disciples, as every rabbi did for his. "Moses" was "read in the synagogues every Sabbath day,"
the whole law being read consecutively, so as to be completed, according to one cycle, in three years. The writings of the prophets were read as second lessons in a corresponding order. They were followed by the derash
the exposition, the sermon of the synagogue. The conformity extends also to the times of prayer. In the hours of service this was obviously the case. The third, sixth and ninth hours were in the times of the New Testament,
and had been probably for some time before,
the fixed times of devotion. The same hours, it is well known, were recognized in the Church of the second century, probably in that of the first also. The solemn days of the synagogue were the second, the fifth and the seventh, the last or Sabbath being the conclusion of the whole. The transfer of the sanctity of the Sabbath to the Lord's day involved a corresponding change in the order of the week, and the first, the fourth the sixth became to the Christian society what the other days had been to the Jewish. From the synagogue, lastly, come many less conspicuous practices, which meet us in the liturgical life of the first three centuries: Ablution, entire or partial, before entering the place of meeting,
Joh 13:1-15; Heb 10:22
standing, and not kneeling, as the attitude of prayer,
Lu 18:11
the arms stretched out; the face turned toward the Kibleh of the east; the responsive amen of the congregation to the prayers and benedictions of the elders.
5. Judicial functions. --The language of the New Testament shows that the officers of the synagogue exercised in certain cases a judicial power. If is not quite so easy, however to define the nature of the tribunal and the precise limits of its jurisdiction. In two of the passages referred to--
they are carefully distinguished from the councils. it seems probable that the council was the larger tribunal of twenty-three, which sat in every city, and that under the term synagogue We are to understand a smaller court, probably that of the ten judges mentioned in the Talmud. Here also We trace the outline of a Christian institution. the Church, Either by itself or by appointed delegates, was to act as a court of arbitration in all disputes its members. the elders of the Church were not however to descend to the trivial disputes of daily life. for the elders, as for those of the synagogue, were reserved the graver offences against religion and morals.
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And I gathered them together, unto the river that cometh into Ahava, and we encamped there three days, - and I informed myself among the people and the priests, and, of the sons of Levi, found I none there.
So then Ezra the priest brought the law, before the convocation of both men and women, and all that had understanding to hearken, - on the first day of the seventh month;
Now, on the twenty-fourth day of this month, were the sons of Israel gathered together, with fasting and with sackcloth, having earth upon them.
At evening and morning and high noon, have I been wont to lament and complain, And he hath heard my voice!
But, Daniel, when he knew that the writing, was signed, went to his own house, and, the windows being opened to him, in his chamber, toward Jerusalem, three times a day, was he kneeling upon his knees, and praying and giving thanks before his God, in like manner as he had been doing aforetime.
Speak thou unto all the people of the land, and unto the priests, saying, - When ye fasted and lamented in the fifth and in the seventh, even these seventy years, did ye, really fast, unto, me?
But beware of men; for they will deliver you up into high-councils, and, in their synagogues, will they scourge you, -
And dearly love the first couch in the chief meals, and the first seats in the synagogues,
A beginning of birth-pangs, are these things. But be, ye, taking heed, unto yourselves: they will deliver you up into high-councils, and, in synagogues, shall ye be beaten, - and, before governors and kings, shall ye be set, for my sake, for a witness unto them.
And, folding up the scroll, he handed it to the attendant, and sat down; and, the eyes of all, in the synagogue, were intently fixed upon him;
But, hearing about Jesus, he sent forth unto him elders of the Jews, requesting him that he would come and bring his servant safely through.
And lo! there came a man, whose name was Jairus, and, the same, was, a ruler of the synagogue, - and, falling down near the feet of Jesus, he began beseeching him to enter into his house;
While yet he is speaking, there cometh one from the synagogue ruler's, saying - Thy daughter, is dead: No further, be troubling the teacher.
And it came to pass, when he was in a certain place praying, as he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him - Lord! teach us to pray, as, John also, taught his disciples.
But the synagogue-ruler, answering, being greatly displeased that, on the Sabbath, Jesus had healed, began saying unto the multitude - Six days, there are, in which men ought to get their work done; On them, therefore, come and be healed, and, not on the day of rest.
The Pharisee, taking his stand, these things unto himself was praying: O God! I thank thee, that I am not like the rest of men, - extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or, even as this tax-collector;
Now, before the feast of the passover, Jesus, knowing that his hour had come, that he should remove out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own that were in the world, unto the end, loved them. And, supper, being in progress, the adversary, having already thrust into the heart of Judas son of Simon Iscariot, that he should deliver him up, - read more. Jesus knowing that, all things, the Father had given unto him, into his hands, and that, from God, he had come, and, unto God, he was going, rouseth himself out of the supper, and layeth aside his garments, and taking a linen cloth, girded himself. Next, he poureth water into the wash-basin, and began to be washing the feet of the disciples, and to be wiping them with the linen cloth wherewith he was girded. So he cometh unto Simon Peter. He saith unto him - Lord, dost, thou, wash my feet? Jesus answered, and said unto him - What, I, am doing, thou, knowest not, as yet; howbeit, thou shalt got to know, hereafter. Peter saith unto him - In nowise shalt thou, ever, wash my feet. Jesus answered him - If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. Simon Peter saith unto him - Lord! not my feet only, but my hands also, and my head. Jesus saith unto him - He that hath bathed himself, hath no need save as to the feetto get washed; but is pure, as a whole. And, ye, are, pure, but not ye, all. For he know the man that was delivering him up; therefore, said he - Not ye all, are pure. When, therefore, he had washed their feet, and taken his garments, and reclined, again said he unto them - Are ye taking note, what I have done unto you? Ye, call me, The Teacher, and, The Lord, - and, well, say, for I am. If then, I, have washed your feet, - I The Lord, and, The Teacher, ye also, ought to wash, one another's, feet; For, an example, have I given you, - that, just as, I, did unto you, ye also, should be doing.
Now, Peter and John, were going up into the temple, for the hour of prayer - the ninth;
Saw, in a vision, manifestly, as if about the ninth hour of the day, a messenger of God, coming in unto him, and saying unto him - Cornelius!
Now, on the morrow, as those men were journeying, and, unto the city, drawing near, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour;
And, after the reading of the law and the prophets, the synagogue-rulers sent unto them, saying - Brethren! if there is in you a word of exhortation unto the people, say on.
For, Moses, out of ancient generation, hath, in every city, them who proclaim him; seeing, that in the synagogues, every sabbath, he is read.
and on the day of rest, we went forth outside the gate, beside a river, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, - and, sitting down, we went on to speak unto the women who had come together.
But, Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord, with all his house. And, many of the Corinthians, hearing, were believing, and being immersed.
But they all, laying hold of Sosthenes the ruler of the synagogue, began to strike him before the judgment-seat; and, for none of these things, did Gallio care.
Else, if thou be blessing in a spirit, he that filleth up the place of the ungifted person, how shall he say the Amen upon thy thanksgiving? since indeed, what thou art saying, he knoweth not;
Let us approach with a genuine heart, in full assurance of faith, having been sprinkled, as to our hearts, from an evil conscience, and bathed, as to our bodies, with pure water;
For, if there enter into your synagogue a man wearing gold rings in gay clothing, and there enter a destitute man also, in soiled clothing, - And ye eye him that hath on the gay clothing, and say, Thou, be sitting here, pleasantly, - and, unto the destitute man, say - Thou, stand, or sit there under my footstool,
Watsons
SYNAGOGUE, ????????, "an assembly," Re 2:9; 3:9. The word often occurs in the Gospels and in the Acts, because Jesus Christ and his Apostles generally went to preach in those places. Although the sacrifices could not be offered, except in the tabernacle or the temple, the other exercises of religion were restricted to no particular place. Accordingly we find that the praises of God were sung, at a very ancient period, in the schools of the prophets; and those who felt any particular interest in religion, were assembled by the seers on the Sabbath, and the new moons, for prayers and religious instruction, 1Sa 10:5-11; 19:18-24; 2Ki 4:23. During the Babylonish captivity, the Jews, who were then deprived of their customary religious privileges, were wont to collect around some prophet or other pious man, who taught them and their children in religion, exhorted to good conduct, and read out of the sacred books, Eze 14:1; 20:1; Da 6:11; Ne 8:18. These assemblies, or meetings, became, in progress of time, fixed to certain places, and a regular order was observed in them. Such appears to have been the origin of synagogues. In speaking of synagogues, it is worthy to be noticed, that there is nothing said in respect to the existence of such buildings in Palestine, during the reign of Antiochus Epiphanes. They are, therefore, by some supposed to have been first erected under the Maccabean princes, but that, in foreign countries, they were much more ancient. Whether this statement be correct or not, it is nevertheless certain, that in the time of the Apostles, there were synagogues wherever there were Jews. They were built, in imitation of the temple of Jerusalem, with a court and porches, as is the case with the synagogues in the east at the present day. In the centre of the court is a chapel, supported by four columns, in which, on an elevation prepared for it, is placed the book of the law, rolled up. This, on the appointed days, is publicly read. In addition to the chapel, there is erected within the court a large covered hall or vestry, into which the people retire, when the weather happens to be cold and stormy, and each family has its particular seat. The uppermost seats in the synagogue, that is, those which were nearest the chapel where the sacred books were kept, were esteemed peculiarly honourable, Mt 23:6; Jas 2:3. The "proseuchae," ?????????, are understood by some to be smaller synagogues, but by others are supposed to be particular places under the open sky, where the Jews assembled for religious exercise. But Josephus calls the proseucha of Tiberias a large house, which held very many persons. See Proseuchae. The Apostles preached the Gospel in synagogues and proseuchae, and with their adherents performed in them all the religious services. When excluded, they imitated the Jews in those places, where they were too poor to erect these buildings, and held their religious meetings in the houses of individuals. Hence we not only hear of synagogues in houses in the Talmud, but of churches in houses in the New Testament, Ro 16:5; 1Co 16:19; Col 4:15; Php 2; Ac 3:26; 5:42. The Apostles sometimes hired a house, in which they performed religious services, and taught daily, Ac 19:9; 20:8. ???????? means literally a convention or assembly, but by metonymy, was eventually used for the place of assembling; in the same way that ????????, which means literally a calling together, or convocation, signifies also at the present time the place of convocation. Synagogues were sometimes called by the Jews schools; but they were careful to make an accurate distinction between such, and the schools, properly so called, the ??????, or "sublimer schools," in which the Talmud was read, while the law merely was read in the synagogues, which they placed far behind the Talmud.
The mode of conducting religious instruction and worship in the primitive Christian churches, was derived for the most part from the practice which anciently prevailed in synagogues. But there were no regular teachers in the synagogues, who were officially qualified to pronounce discourses before the people; although there were interpreters who rendered into the vernacular tongue, namely, the Hebraeo-aramean, the sections, which had been publicly read in the Hebrew.
The "synagogue preacher," ????, whose business it is, in consequence of his office, to address the people, is an official personage that has been introduced in later times; at least we find no mention of such a one in the New Testament. On the contrary, in the time of Christ, the person who read the section for the Sabbath, or any other person who was respectable for learning and had a readiness of speech, addressed the people, Lu 4:16-21; Ac 13:5,15; 15:21; Mt 4:23.
The other persons who were employed in the services and government of the synagogue, in addition to the one who read the Scriptures, and the person who rendered them into the vernacular tongue, were as follows:
1. "The ruler of the synagogue," ?????????????, ??? ?????, who presided over the assembly, and invited readers and speakers, unless some persons who were acceptable voluntarily offered themselves, Mr 5:22,35-38; Lu 8:41; 13:14-15; Ac 13:15.
2. "The elders of the synagogue," ?????, ???????????. They appear to have been the counsellors of the head or ruler of the synagogue, and were chosen from among the most powerful and learned of the people, and are hence called ?????????????, Ac 13:15. The council of elders not only took a part in the management of the internal concerns of the synagogue, but also punished transgressors of the public laws, either by turning them out of the synagogue, or decreeing the punishment of thirty- nine stripes, Joh 12:42; 16:2; 2Co 11:24.
3. "The collectors of alms," ???? ????, ????????, "deacons." Although every thing which is said of them by the Jews was not true concerning them in the time of the Apostles, there can be no doubt that there were such officers in the synagogues at that time, Acts 6.
4. "The servants of the synagogue," ???, ????????, Lu 4:20; whose business it was to reach the book of the law to the person who was to read it, and to receive it back again, and to perform other services. The ceremonies which prevail in the synagogues at the present day in presenting the law were not observed in the time of our Saviour.
5. "The messenger or legate of the synagogue," ???? ????. This was a person who was sent from synagogues abroad, to carry alms to Jerusalem. The name, messenger of the synagogue, was applied likewise to any person, who was commissioned by a synagogue, and sent forth to propagate religious knowledge. A person likewise was denominated the messenger, or angel, ????????, ??? ???????? ?????????, &c, who was selected by the assembly to recite for them the prayers; the same that is called by the Jews of modern times the synagogue singer, or cantilator, Re 2:1,8,12,18; 3:1,7,14.
The Jews anciently called those persons who, from their superior erudition, were capable of teaching in the synagogue, ??????, "shepherds," or "pastors." They applied the same term, at least in more recent times, to the elders of the synagogue, and also to the collectors of alms, or deacons. The ground of the application of this term in such a way, is as follows: the word ???? is, without doubt, derived from the Greek word ??????, "bread," or "a fragment of bread;" and, as it is used in the Targums, it corresponds to the Hebrew verb ???, "to feed." It is easy to see, therefore, how the word ???? might be applied to persons who sustained offices in the synagogue, in the same way as ??? is applied to kings, &c.
We do not find mention made of public worship in the synagogues, except on the Sabbath, Mt 12:9; Mr 1:21; 3:1; 6:2; Lu 4:16,32-33; 6:6; 13:10; Ac 13:14; 15:21; 16:13-25; 17:2; 18:4. What is said of St. Paul's hiring the school of one Tyrannus at Ephesus, and teaching in it daily, is a peculiar instance, Ac 19:9-10. Yet there can be no doubt that those Jews who were unable to go to Jerusalem attended worship on their festival days, as well as on the Sabbath, in their own synagogues. Individuals sometimes offered their private prayers in the
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After that, shalt thou come unto the hill of God, where is the garrison of the Philistines, - and it shall be, as thou comest in thither into the city, thou shalt light upon a band of prophets, coming down from the high place, and, before them, a harp, and a timbrel, and a flute, and a lyre, they having been moved to prophesy. Then will come suddenly upon thee, the Spirit of Yahweh, and thou shalt be moved to prophesy with them, - and shalt be changed into another man. read more. And it shall be, when these signs shall come unto thee, then act thou for thyself, as thou shalt find occasion, for, God, is with thee. And thou shalt go down before me to Gilgal, for lo! I am coming down unto thee, to offer up ascending-offerings, to sacrifice peace-offerings, - seven days, shalt thou tarry, until I come unto thee, then will I let thee know what thou shalt do. And so it was, that, when he turned away to depart from Samuel, God gave him another heart, - and all these signs came to pass that day. And, when they came thither to the hill, lo! a band of prophets coming to meet him, - then came suddenly upon him, the Spirit of God, and he was moved to prophesy in their midst. And it came to pass, that, all who knew him aforetime, looked, and lo! with the prophets, he did prophesy. So the people said, one to another - What, now, hath befallen the son of Kish? Is, even Saul, among the prophets?
So, David, fled, and escaped, and came in unto Samuel in Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him, - and he and Samuel departed, and dwelt in Naioth. And it was told Saul, saying, - Lo! David, is in Naioth, in Ramah. read more. So Saul sent messengers to take David, but, when they saw the assembly of prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as head over them, then came the Spirit of God upon the messengers of Saul, and, they also, were, moved to prophesy. And, when they told Saul, and he sent other messengers, then were, they also, moved to prophesy. And, when Saul again sent messengers a third time, then were, they also, moved to prophesy. Then went, he also himself, to Ramah, and came in as far as the well of the threshing-floor which is in Sephi, and asked and said, Where are Samuel and David? And one said - Lo! in Naioth, in Ramah. And, when he departed from thence towards Naioth in Ramah, then came upon, him also, the Spirit of God, and he went on and on, and was moved to prophesy, until he entered Naioth in Ramah. And, even he, stripped off his upper garments, and, even he, was moved to prophesy before Samuel, and lay prostrate, disrobed, all that day, and all the night. For this cause, do they say, Is, even Saul, among the prophets?
So he read in the book of the law of God, day by day, from the first day unto the last day, and they kept the festival seven days, and, on the eighth day, a closing feast, according to the regulation.
And it came to pass in the seventh year in the fifth month, on the tent of the month, that there came in men of the elders of Israel to enquire of Yahweh, - and they sat before me.
Then, these men, crowded together, and found Daniel, - praying and making supplication, before his God.
And Jesus was going round throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and proclaiming the glad-message of the kingdom, - and curing every disease, and every infirmity, among the people.
And dearly love the first couch in the chief meals, and the first seats in the synagogues,
And they journey into Capernaum. And, straightway, on the Sabbath, entering into the synagogue, he began teaching;
And he entered again into a synagogue, and there-was there, a man having, his hand, withered;
And there cometh one of the synagogue-rulers, by name Jairus, and, seeing him, falleth at his feet,
While yet he is speaking, they come from the synagogue-ruler's, saying - Thy daughter, is dead! Why, further, annoy the teacher? But, Jesus, overhearing the word being spoken, saith unto the synagogue-ruler - Do not fear, only have faith! read more. And he suffered no one to follow with him, save Peter and James and John the brother of James. And they come into the house of the synagogue-ruler, and he observeth a tumult, and persons weeping and wailing greatly;
And, when it was Sabbath, he began to be teaching in the synagogue, and, the greater part, as they heard, were being struck with astonishment, saying - Whence hath this man these things? - and - What the wisdom which hath been given to this man? - and - Such mighty works as these, through his hands, are coming to pass!
And he came into Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and entered, according to his custom, on the sabbath day, into the synagogue, - and stood up to read.
And he came into Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and entered, according to his custom, on the sabbath day, into the synagogue, - and stood up to read.
And he came into Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and entered, according to his custom, on the sabbath day, into the synagogue, - and stood up to read.
And he came into Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and entered, according to his custom, on the sabbath day, into the synagogue, - and stood up to read.
And he came into Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and entered, according to his custom, on the sabbath day, into the synagogue, - and stood up to read.
And he came into Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and entered, according to his custom, on the sabbath day, into the synagogue, - and stood up to read. And there was handed to him a scroll of the prophet Isaiah; and unfolding the scroll, he found the place where it was written:
And there was handed to him a scroll of the prophet Isaiah; and unfolding the scroll, he found the place where it was written: The Spirit of the Lord, is upon me, because he hath anointed me - to tell glad tidings unto the destitute; He hath sent me forth, - To proclaim, to captives, a release, and, to the blind, a recovering of sight, - to send away the crushed, with a release; read more. To proclaim the welcome year of the Lord. And, folding up the scroll, he handed it to the attendant, and sat down; and, the eyes of all, in the synagogue, were intently fixed upon him;
And, folding up the scroll, he handed it to the attendant, and sat down; and, the eyes of all, in the synagogue, were intently fixed upon him; and he began to be saying to them - This day, is fulfilled this scripture, in your ears.
and they were being struck with astonishment at his teaching, because, with authority, was his word. And, in the synagogue, was a man having a spirit of an impure demon; and he cried out with a loud voice -
And it came to pass, on another Sabbath, that he entered into the synagogue, and was teaching, and there was a man there, and, his right hand, was withered.
And lo! there came a man, whose name was Jairus, and, the same, was, a ruler of the synagogue, - and, falling down near the feet of Jesus, he began beseeching him to enter into his house;
But the synagogue-ruler, answering, being greatly displeased that, on the Sabbath, Jesus had healed, began saying unto the multitude - Six days, there are, in which men ought to get their work done; On them, therefore, come and be healed, and, not on the day of rest. The Lord answered him, and said - Hypocrites! Doth not, each one of you, on the Sabbath, loose his ox or ass from the manger, and, leading it away, give it drink?
Nevertheless, however, even from among the rulers, many believed on him; but, because of the Pharisees, they were not confessing him, lest, excommunicants from the synagogue, they should be made;
Excommunicants from the synagogue, will they make you; Nay! there cometh an hour, that, every one who killeth you, shall think to be rendering, divine service, unto God!
And they went on to give constant attention - unto the teaching of the apostles, and unto the fellowship, unto the breaking of bread, and unto the prayers.
Unto you first, God - having raised up his Servant - hath sent him forth, ready to bless you, when ye are turning away, each one, from your wickednesses.
And, every day in the temple, and at home, they ceased not to be teaching, and telling the good news as to the Anointed Jesus.
But there rose up certain of those out of the synagogue which is called the synagogue of them of Libertium and Cyrene and Alexandria, and certain of them from Cilicia and Asia, - disputing with Stephen;
And, coming to be in Salamis, they declared the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews; - and they had, John also, as an attendant.
They, however, passing through from Perga, arrived at Antioch of Pisidia; and, going into the synagogue on the sabbath-day, sat down. And, after the reading of the law and the prophets, the synagogue-rulers sent unto them, saying - Brethren! if there is in you a word of exhortation unto the people, say on.
And, after the reading of the law and the prophets, the synagogue-rulers sent unto them, saying - Brethren! if there is in you a word of exhortation unto the people, say on.
And, after the reading of the law and the prophets, the synagogue-rulers sent unto them, saying - Brethren! if there is in you a word of exhortation unto the people, say on.
And, after the reading of the law and the prophets, the synagogue-rulers sent unto them, saying - Brethren! if there is in you a word of exhortation unto the people, say on.
And, after the reading of the law and the prophets, the synagogue-rulers sent unto them, saying - Brethren! if there is in you a word of exhortation unto the people, say on.
For, Moses, out of ancient generation, hath, in every city, them who proclaim him; seeing, that in the synagogues, every sabbath, he is read.
For, Moses, out of ancient generation, hath, in every city, them who proclaim him; seeing, that in the synagogues, every sabbath, he is read.
and, when they read it, they rejoiced for the consolation.
and on the day of rest, we went forth outside the gate, beside a river, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, - and, sitting down, we went on to speak unto the women who had come together. And, a certain woman, by name Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, devout towards God, was hearkening, whose heart, the Lord, fully opened, to be giving heed unto the things being spoken by Paul. read more. And, when she was immersed, and her house, she besought us , saying - If ye have judged me to be a believer in the Lord, come into my house, and abide there . And she constrained us. And it came to pass, as we were on our way unto the place of prayer, a certain damsel, having a spirit of Python, met us, - who, indeed, much gain, was presenting unto her masters, by divining. The same, following after Paul and us, kept crying aloud, saying - These men, are servants of the Most High God, - who, indeed, are declaring unto you a way of salvation. And, this, she continued to do for many days. But Paul, worn out, and turning unto the spirit, said - I charge thee, in the name of Jesus Christ, to come out from her. And it came out the same hour. And, her masters, seeing that their hope of gain had gone out, laying hold on Paul and Silas, dragged them into the market-place, unto the rulers; and, leading them forward unto the magistrates, said - These men, are exceedingly troubling our city, they, being Jews, And are declaring customs, which it is not allowable for us either to accept or to observe, being Romans. And the multitude rose up together against them, and, the magistrates, rending off them their mantles, were giving orders to beat them with rods; and, laying upon them many stripes, they thrust them into prison, charging the prison-keeper, safely, to be keeping them: who, a charge like this receiving, thrust them into the inner prison, and, their feet, made he fast in the stocks. And, at midnight, Paul and Silas, being at prayer, began singing praise unto God; and the prisoners unto them, did hearken.
and, according to Paul's custom, he went in unto them, and, for three sabbaths, reasoned with them from the Scriptures, -
And he began reasoning in the synagogue every sabbath, and was persuading both Jews and Greeks.
But, when some were hardening themselves, and refusing to be persuaded, speaking evil of the Way before the throng, withdrawing from them, he separated the disciples; day by day, reasoning in the school of Tyrannus.
But, when some were hardening themselves, and refusing to be persuaded, speaking evil of the Way before the throng, withdrawing from them, he separated the disciples; day by day, reasoning in the school of Tyrannus. And, this, took place for two years, so that, all who dwelt in Asia, heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.
And, on the first of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul went on to discourse with them, being about to depart on the morrow; and he prolonged his discourse until midnight.
And, on the first of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul went on to discourse with them, being about to depart on the morrow; and he prolonged his discourse until midnight. Now there were a good many torches in the upper room, where we were gathered together.
Now there were a good many torches in the upper room, where we were gathered together.
Now there were a good many torches in the upper room, where we were gathered together. And there sat, a certain young man by name Eutychus, in the window, who was getting overpowered by a deep sleep; and, while Paul was discoursing yet further, being overpowered by his sleep, he fell, from the third story, down, and was taken up dead.
And there sat, a certain young man by name Eutychus, in the window, who was getting overpowered by a deep sleep; and, while Paul was discoursing yet further, being overpowered by his sleep, he fell, from the third story, down, and was taken up dead. Going down, however, Paul fell upon him, and, embracing him, said - Be not making confusion; for, his soul, is, in him.
Going down, however, Paul fell upon him, and, embracing him, said - Be not making confusion; for, his soul, is, in him. And, going up, and breaking the loaf, and tasting, - for a good while also conversing, until dawn, thus, he departed.
And, going up, and breaking the loaf, and tasting, - for a good while also conversing, until dawn, thus, he departed.
Salute also the assembly at their house. Salute ye Epaenetus, my beloved, who is a first-fruit of Asia unto Christ.
But, every woman, praying, or prophesying, with her head, unveiled, putteth to shame her head, - for it is, one and the same, with her having been shaven.
Howbeit, neither is woman apart from man, nor man apart from woman - in the Lord; For, just as the woman is of the man, so, also the man, is through means of the woman; - but, all things, are of God. read more. Among your own selves, judge ye, - Is it becoming for a woman, - unveiled, to be praying unto God? Doth not, even nature herself, teach you - that, if, a man, have long hair, it is a dishonour to him; But, if, a woman, have long hair, it is a glory to her, for, her long hair, instead of a veil, hath been given to her. But, if anyone thinketh to be contentious, we, have no such custom, - nor yet the assemblies of God.
Pursue love; nevertheless be envious of the spiritual gifts, - and, rather, that ye may be prophesying. For, he that speaketh with a tongue, not unto men, doth speak, but, unto God, - for, no one, understandeth, although, in spirit, he is speaking sacred secrets; read more. But, be that prophesieth, unto men, doth speak - edification, and exhortation, and comfort. He that speaketh with a tongue, buildeth up, himself, whereas, he that prophesieth, buildeth up, an assembly. Howbeit I wish you all to speak with tongues, but, rather, that ye may prophesy, - moreover, greater, is he that prophesieth, than he that speaketh with tongues, - unless indeed he translate, that, the assembly, may receive upbuilding. But, now, brethren - if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit, you, except I speak, unto you, either by way of revelation, or knowledge, or prophesying, or teaching? In like manner, the things without life giving sound, whether pipe or harp, if, a distinction in the sounds, they do not give, how shall it be known, what is being piped or harped? For, if also, an uncertain sound, a trumpet, should give, who shall prepare himself for battle? So, also, ye, through means of the tongue, except ye give intelligible discourse, how shall it be known what is being spoken? for ye will be speaking, to the air. There may happen to be so many kinds of languages in the world, and, not one, unspoken: - If, then, I do not know the meaning of the language, I shall be, unto him that is speaking, a foreigner, and, he that is speaking, shall be, in my case, a foreigner. So, ye, also - since ye are, envious, of spirits, unto the upbuilding of the assembly, seek to be pre-eminent. Wherefore, he that speaketh with a tongue, let him pray that he may translate; For, if I am praying in a tongue, my spirit, is praying, but, my mind, is unfruitful. What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, but I will pray also with the mind, - I will strike the strings with the spirit, butI will strike the strings also with the mind. Else, if thou be blessing in a spirit, he that filleth up the place of the ungifted person, how shall he say the Amen upon thy thanksgiving? since indeed, what thou art saying, he knoweth not; For, thou, indeed, excellently art giving thanks, but, the other, is not being built up. I give thanks unto God! - More than ye all, am I speaking with tongues; But, in assembly, I desire to speak five words with my mind, that, others also, I may instruct, than myriads of words in a tongue. Brethren! do not become children, in your understandings; but, in baseness, become babes, while, in your understandings, ye become, full-grown. In the law, it is written - With strange tongues, and with lips of strangers, will I speak unto this people; and, not even so, will they hearken unto me, - saith the Lord. So that, the tongues, are for a sign - not unto them that believe, but, unto them that believe not; whereas, prophesying, is not for them that believe not, but, for them that believe. If, then, the whole assembly come together with one consent, and, all, are speaking with tongues, - and there come in persons unskilled or unbelieving, will they not say that ye are raving? But, if, all, be prophesying, - and there come in one who is unbelieving or unskilled, he is convicted by all, he is searched by all, the secrets of his heart, become manifest, And, so, falling down upon his face, he will do homage unto God, reporting that, in reality, God is, among you. What, then, is it, brethren? Whensoever ye are coming together, each one, hath a psalm, hath a teaching, hath a revelation, hath a tongue, hath a translation: - let, all things, be done, unto building up. If, with a tongue, one is speaking, let it be by two, or, at the most, three, - and by turns; and let, one, be translating; But, if there be none to translate, let him keep silence in assembly, and, unto himself, be speaking, and, unto God! Prophets, moreover, let two or three speak, and let, the others, judge. If, however, unto another, a revelation be made, as he is sitting, let the first be silent; For, one by one, ye can, all, be prophesying, - that, all, may learn, and, all, be encouraged. And, spirits of prophets, unto prophets, do submit themselves; For God is not a God of confusion, but, of peace: - as in all the assemblies of the saints. As for the women, in the assemblies, let them be silent, for it is not permitted them to be speaking; but let them be in submission, - even as, the law, saith. If, however, they are wishing to learn something, at home, their own husbands, let them question; for it is a shame for a woman to be speaking in assembly. Or, from you, did the word of God come forth? Or, unto you alone, did it extend? If anyone thinketh himself to be a prophet, or spiritually gifted, let him acknowledge the things which I am writing to you, - that they are, a commandment, of the Lord. But, if anyone knoweth not, he is unknown! So, then, my brethren, - be zealous to prophesy, and do not forbid, to be speaking with tongues; But let, all things, with comeliness, and by arrangement, be done.
But, until this day, whensoever Moses is read, a veil upon their heart, doth lie;
Salute ye the brethren, in Laodicea, also Nymphas, and the assembly, which meeteth at her house.
And ye eye him that hath on the gay clothing, and say, Thou, be sitting here, pleasantly, - and, unto the destitute man, say - Thou, stand, or sit there under my footstool,
Unto the messenger of the assembly, in Ephesus, write: - These things, saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, he that walketh in the midst of the seven lamps of gold:
And, unto the messenger of the assembly, in Smyrna, write: - These things, saith the first and the last, who became dead, and lived: I know thy tribulation, and destitution, nevertheless, thou art, rich, and the profane speech from among them who affirm that they themselves are, Jews, and they are not, but a synagogue of Satan.
And, unto the messenger of the assembly, in Pergamum, write: - These things, saith he that hath the sharp, two-edged sword:
And, unto the messenger of the assembly, in Thyatira, write: - These things, saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like a flame of fire, and his feet like unto glowing copper:
And, unto the messenger of the assembly, in Sardis, write: - These things, saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars: I know thy works, - that, a name, thou hast, that thou art living, and art, dead.
And, unto the messenger of the assembly, in Philadelphia, write: - These things, saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth and no one shall shut, and shutteth and no one openeth:
Lo! I give them of the synagogue of Satan, who are affirming themselves to be, Jews, and are not, - but say what is false, - lo! I will cause them, that they shall have come, and shall bow down before thy feet, and shall get to know that, I, loved thee.
And, unto the messenger of the assembly, in Laodicea, write: - These things, saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness the beginning of the creation of God: