{"id":2412,"date":"2011-10-26T09:49:39","date_gmt":"2011-10-26T13:49:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.fbclafayette.org\/?p=2412"},"modified":"2014-07-21T10:15:30","modified_gmt":"2014-07-21T14:15:30","slug":"bible-background-the-synagogues","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.faithlafayette.org\/church\/bible-background-the-synagogues\/","title":{"rendered":"Bible Background: The Synagogues"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">These gathering spaces served as first-century community centers.\u00a0\u00a0Regarded as places of prayer and worship, synagogues also provided\u00a0venues for education, public meeting, local governance,\u00a0and community hospitality.\u00a0 They also hosted some of the most heated debates between Jesus and His critics.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Throughout the gospels, we read about\u00a0sites that played a significant role in the land of Palestine during the first century.\u00a0 These places influenced the culture in which Christ ministered, and He tailored His message to reach and respond to the people who met there.\u00a0 Learning more about these\u00a0meeting spaces\u00a0can add greater detail and deeper understanding to our study of the gospels. What follows is a thumbnail sketch of <em><strong>the synangogues<\/strong><\/em>.\u00a0<!--more--> <\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Historical Development (After 200 BC)<\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Synagogues were the regular Jewish assemblies for worship and prayer.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The word \u201csynagogue\u201d is derived from the Greek &#8220;<em>synagoge<\/em>,&#8221;\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\">which originally meant assembly.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The term also came to be applied to the structure in which Jewish meetings for prayer and worship took place.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Though it is difficult to trace the origin of the institution, many believe that synagogues came to exist, in part, as a means of meeting the need for local worship at a time when travel to Jerusalem <\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\">was prohibitive.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Most scholars date the rise of the synagogue to the postexilic period, developing most significantly during the second century B.C. as the Pharisees grew in prominence.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Most synagogues were located in houses, which appeared to be private dwellings. <\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The Talmud records the existence of 480 synagogues in Jerusalem <\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\">prior to 70 A.D.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Function and Importance in the Time of Christ<\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Synagogues were regarded as places of prayer.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Synagogues were Jewish centers of religious instruction, described by Philo as \u201cschools of prudence, courage, temperance, justice, piety, holiness and every virtue\u201d (Evans, 1148).<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Synagogues supported the function of the Temple <\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\">by collecting taxes for the <\/span><span style=\"font-family: Century Gothic;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Temple<\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u2019s maintenance.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Synagogues also served to administer justice through the assembly of elders.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Synagogues supported the poor.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Synagogues met a number of needs in Jewish society.<span style=\"font-family: Century Gothic;\">\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\">They served as spaces for public meeting, adjudication, education, local administration, community hospitality, etc.<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Century Gothic;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u00a0 <\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\">In many ways, synagogues were a central component of Jewish life.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The ritual and ceremonial administration of the synagogues were directed by the Levitical priesthood.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Unlike the Sadducees, whose involvement in Jewish society was primarily centered around the\u00a0Temple<\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\">, the Pharisees held prominent positions in many of the synagogues throughout <\/span><span style=\"font-family: Century Gothic;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Palestine<\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Synagogue worship featured several elements including \u201cthe recitation of the <em>Shema <\/em><\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\">(Deuteronomy 6:4-9; 11:13-21; Numbers 15:37-41), prayer facing <\/span><span style=\"font-family: Century Gothic;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Jerusalem<\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\">, the &#8216;Amen&#8217; response from the congregation, the reading of excerpts from the scrolls of the Torah (Acts 15:21) and of the Prophets, translation of the Scriptures into Aramaic paraphrases, a sermon and a benediction\u201d (Evans, 1146).<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Significance in the Ministry of Christ<\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Jesus taught and performed miracles in the Galilean synagogues of Nazaraeth<\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> (Matthew 13:54; Mark 6:2; Luke 4:16) and <\/span><span style=\"font-family: Century Gothic;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Capernaum<\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> (Mark 1:21; Luke 7:5; John 6:59).<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">In the synagogue at Nazareth<\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\">, Jesus read from the text of Isaiah 61:1-2, claiming that He was the messianic fulfillment of Isaiah\u2019s prophecy (Luke 4:16-21).<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The synagogues served as a venue for Jesus to demonstrate His wisdom and divine power to do miracles (Matthew 13:54; Mark 1:21).<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The synagogues also provided a natural setting for Jesus to confront the unbiblical ideology of the Pharisees so prevalent in that day with truth concerning real righteousness and the necessity of faith. (Matthew 12:9-14; Mark 3:1-6; Luke 6:6-11; 13:10-17; 14:1-6).<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Resources for Further Study<\/span><\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Evans, C. and Porter, S. (eds.) <\/span><span style=\"font-family: Century Gothic;\"><em><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><a title=\"Dictionary of New Testament Background\" href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/0830817808\/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=faithminis-20&amp;camp=0&amp;creative=0&amp;linkCode=as4&amp;creativeASIN=0830817808&amp;adid=0Y50CQ9DGXK28JA1HWEJ&amp;\">Dictionary of New Testament Background<\/a><\/span><\/em><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> (<\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Century Gothic;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Downers Grove<\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\">, <\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\">IL<\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\">:<\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Century Gothic;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u00a0 <\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\">InterVarsity Press, 2000)<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Green, J., McKnight, S., and <\/span><span style=\"font-family: Century Gothic;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Marshall<\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\">, I.H. (eds.) <\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Century Gothic;\"><em><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><a title=\"Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels\" href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/0830817778\/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=faithminis-20&amp;camp=0&amp;creative=0&amp;linkCode=as4&amp;creativeASIN=0830817778&amp;adid=08GVH4P8H8CYVPG8J27W&amp;\">Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels<\/a> <\/span><\/em><span style=\"color: #000000;\">(Downsers Grove, IL:<\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Century Gothic;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u00a0 <\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\">InterVarsity Press, 1992)<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Tenney, Merrill C.<\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-family: Century Gothic;\">\u00a0 <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/0310331889\/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=faithminis-20&amp;camp=0&amp;creative=0&amp;linkCode=as4&amp;creativeASIN=0310331889&amp;adid=01YP01K68GRMH1GD07WE&amp;\">The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible<\/a><\/em><\/span><\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/0310331889\/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=faithminis-20&amp;camp=0&amp;creative=0&amp;linkCode=as4&amp;creativeASIN=0310331889&amp;adid=01YP01K68GRMH1GD07WE&amp;\">, vol. 4<\/a> (Grand Rapids:<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Century Gothic;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u00a0 <\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Zondervan, 1975)<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Throughout the gospels, we read about sites that played a significant role in the land of Palestine during the first century.  These places influenced the culture in which Christ ministered, and He tailored His message to reach and respond to the people who met there.  Learning more about these meeting spaces can add greater detail and deeper understanding to our study of the gospels. What follows is a thumbnail sketch of the synangogues.  <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":2529,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[4242],"tags":[198,4166,145,4124],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v19.14 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Bible Background: The Synagogues - Faith Church Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.faithlafayette.org\/church\/bible-background-the-synagogues\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Bible Background: The Synagogues - Faith Church Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Throughout the gospels, we read about sites that played a significant role in the land of Palestine during the first century. These places influenced the culture in which Christ ministered, and He tailored His message to reach and respond to the people who met there. Learning more about these meeting spaces can add greater detail and deeper understanding to our study of the gospels. What follows is a thumbnail sketch of the synangogues.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/blogs.faithlafayette.org\/church\/bible-background-the-synagogues\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Faith Church Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"-0001-11-30T00:00:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2014-07-21T14:15:30+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/faith-blog-assets.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/20170523133656\/Bible-Basics-The-Synagogues.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"800\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"600\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Trey Garner\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Trey Garner\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blogs.faithlafayette.org\/church\/bible-background-the-synagogues\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/blogs.faithlafayette.org\/church\/bible-background-the-synagogues\/\",\"name\":\"Bible Background: The Synagogues - Faith Church Blog\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blogs.faithlafayette.org\/church\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"-0001-11-30T00:00:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2014-07-21T14:15:30+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blogs.faithlafayette.org\/church\/#\/schema\/person\/d97312e41428aa529c70105e859f763e\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blogs.faithlafayette.org\/church\/bible-background-the-synagogues\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/blogs.faithlafayette.org\/church\/bible-background-the-synagogues\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blogs.faithlafayette.org\/church\/bible-background-the-synagogues\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/blogs.faithlafayette.org\/church\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Bible Background: The Synagogues\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blogs.faithlafayette.org\/church\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/blogs.faithlafayette.org\/church\/\",\"name\":\"Faith Church Blog\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/blogs.faithlafayette.org\/church\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blogs.faithlafayette.org\/church\/#\/schema\/person\/d97312e41428aa529c70105e859f763e\",\"name\":\"Trey Garner\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blogs.faithlafayette.org\/church\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/faith-blog-assets.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/20200408121956\/GarnerTrey.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/faith-blog-assets.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/20200408121956\/GarnerTrey.jpg\",\"caption\":\"Trey Garner\"},\"description\":\"Trey Garner is the Pastor of Children's Ministries at Faith Church. He has been married to his wife Deb since 2001. They have two children named Noah and Lauren. Originally from Texas, Trey appreciates barnwood, armadillos, and Blue Bell Ice Cream.\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/blogs.faithlafayette.org\/church\/author\/tgarner\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Bible Background: The Synagogues - Faith Church Blog","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/blogs.faithlafayette.org\/church\/bible-background-the-synagogues\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Bible Background: The Synagogues - Faith Church Blog","og_description":"Throughout the gospels, we read about sites that played a significant role in the land of Palestine during the first century. These places influenced the culture in which Christ ministered, and He tailored His message to reach and respond to the people who met there. Learning more about these meeting spaces can add greater detail and deeper understanding to our study of the gospels. What follows is a thumbnail sketch of the synangogues.","og_url":"https:\/\/blogs.faithlafayette.org\/church\/bible-background-the-synagogues\/","og_site_name":"Faith Church Blog","article_published_time":"-0001-11-30T00:00:00+00:00","article_modified_time":"2014-07-21T14:15:30+00:00","og_image":[{"width":800,"height":600,"url":"https:\/\/faith-blog-assets.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/20170523133656\/Bible-Basics-The-Synagogues.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Trey Garner","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Trey Garner","Est. reading time":"3 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/blogs.faithlafayette.org\/church\/bible-background-the-synagogues\/","url":"https:\/\/blogs.faithlafayette.org\/church\/bible-background-the-synagogues\/","name":"Bible Background: The Synagogues - Faith Church Blog","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/blogs.faithlafayette.org\/church\/#website"},"datePublished":"-0001-11-30T00:00:00+00:00","dateModified":"2014-07-21T14:15:30+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/blogs.faithlafayette.org\/church\/#\/schema\/person\/d97312e41428aa529c70105e859f763e"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/blogs.faithlafayette.org\/church\/bible-background-the-synagogues\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/blogs.faithlafayette.org\/church\/bible-background-the-synagogues\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/blogs.faithlafayette.org\/church\/bible-background-the-synagogues\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/blogs.faithlafayette.org\/church\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Bible Background: The Synagogues"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/blogs.faithlafayette.org\/church\/#website","url":"https:\/\/blogs.faithlafayette.org\/church\/","name":"Faith Church Blog","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/blogs.faithlafayette.org\/church\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/blogs.faithlafayette.org\/church\/#\/schema\/person\/d97312e41428aa529c70105e859f763e","name":"Trey Garner","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/blogs.faithlafayette.org\/church\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/faith-blog-assets.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/20200408121956\/GarnerTrey.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/faith-blog-assets.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/20200408121956\/GarnerTrey.jpg","caption":"Trey Garner"},"description":"Trey Garner is the Pastor of Children's Ministries at Faith Church. He has been married to his wife Deb since 2001. They have two children named Noah and Lauren. Originally from Texas, Trey appreciates barnwood, armadillos, and Blue Bell Ice Cream.","url":"https:\/\/blogs.faithlafayette.org\/church\/author\/tgarner\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.faithlafayette.org\/church\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2412"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.faithlafayette.org\/church\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.faithlafayette.org\/church\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.faithlafayette.org\/church\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.faithlafayette.org\/church\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2412"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.faithlafayette.org\/church\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2412\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2764,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.faithlafayette.org\/church\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2412\/revisions\/2764"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.faithlafayette.org\/church\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2529"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.faithlafayette.org\/church\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2412"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.faithlafayette.org\/church\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2412"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.faithlafayette.org\/church\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2412"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}