Comment to 'The Synagogue'
Comment to The Synagogue
  • Hi dear readers and my dear brother Dan,

    Much can be said about the synagogue. Here's a good summary from James Gall:

    "We must next observe that the worship of the synagogues formed no part of the Levitical system that was done away. This worship was purely Abrahamic both in its character and purpose. There was nothing symbolic and nothing ritualistic in it. There were no sacred men connected with it, for the priests had no standing there. The synagogue itself was not a sacred building and its worship was purely spiritual and spontaneous. It was the glory of the temple that everything that was done in it was according to a prescribed law; it was the glory of the synagogue that there was no prescribed ritual, but only the spontaneous worship of the heart.

    We have already shown that the Christian Church was molded on the synagogue, or rather it was its continuation, and not on the temple system. The elders of the Church were the analog of the elders of the synagogue, their duties being the same. The worship of the Apostolic Church was the analog of the worship of the synagogue, for we look in vain throughout the New Testament for the slightest trace of temple worship in the synagogues or house churches. There were no priests in the Christian Church because the Church itself was a royal priesthood, and their High Priest was Christ.

    The adoption of the temple theory produced a complete revolution in the Christian Church, which changed its character, because it necessitated the introduction of the canonical element, in order to imitate the temple service."

    From Acts 13:15: And after the reading of the law and the prophets the rulers of the synagogue sent unto them, saying, Ye men and brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the people, say on. The 'say on' reminds us of the freedom there. Access which the apostles and the Christ made regular use of. But that friendly environment only lasted so long and we recall Jesus' words that some would later be driven out of the synagogues.

    I think I read somewhere that there were more than 300 synagogues in Jerusalem. It's perfectly conceivable to me that in a rare case a whole synagogue would believe in Jesus. So, they would have no reason to abandon their building. What we do know is that the synagogue served as a daily community center of sorts. Also in that day very few copies of the scriptures existed. The synagogue would have been the library for these scrolls and a learning center, too, for all ages.  

    When we consider the precision and detail of the temple and tabernacle, we can be amazed that the synagogue system just seem to emerge on it's own. As it should have - all those born again love the brethren. And they desire to be in fellowship with the ones whom they love.

    God no longer seeks those who will worship in this mountain or in this or that place but those who will worship him in truth. So, back to your question. Christians must honor the Lord with their substance. Proverbs 3:9. Just as the horses bells were to be "holiness to the Lord". So... If someone has a house or a tree house or a house boat or any kind of property or structure - of course it can and should be used for the Kingdom. Especially now that the world is becoming more and more urbanized and building dedicated "church buildings" is all but impossible in most major markets.

    In that day shall there be inscribed upon the bells of the horses, HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD. Zech. 14:20. In other words - everything dedicated to the Son of God and every thought in submission to Him.