SIGNIFICANCE OF JEWISH
SYNAGOGUE
1.
Synagogues
had their beginning in the Jewish Exile Period also known as the
Inter-Biblical Period which was between the writing of Malachi and Matthew.
2.
The only reference to the word synagogue in the Old Testament is
an incorrect translation (synagogues did not come into existence until after
the writing of this Psalm) found in Psalms 74:8 “They have burnt up all the
synagogues(Hebrew mioed= appointed place of meeting) of God in the land.”
3.
The word for synagogue in the New Testament Greek is sunagoge= place
where people are led together.
4.
Matthew 4:23
“And Jesus went about all Galilee,
teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom,
and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the
people.”
5.
Matthew 9:35
“And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their
synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every
sickness and every disease among the people.”
6.
Matthew 10:17
“But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they
will scourge you in their synagogues;”
7.
Mark 1:39
“Jesus preached in their synagogues throughout all
Galilee,
and cast out demons.”
8.
Luke 4:16
“And Jesus came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his
custom was, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and
stood up for to read from the prophet Isaiah: The Spirit of the Lord is upon
me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent
me to heal the broken hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and
recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to
preach the acceptable year of the Lord. And He began to say unto them, This
day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.”
9.
Luke 12:11
“And when they bring you into the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and
powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall
say: For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to
say.”
10.
Luke 21:12
“They shall lay their hands upon you, and persecute you, delivering you up to
the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers
for my name’s sake.”
11.
John 12:42
“Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of
the Pharisees they did not confess Him, let they should be put out of the
synagogue:”
12.
John 16:2
“They shall put you out of the synagogues; yea, the time cometh, that
whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.”
13.
John 18:20
“Jesus answered him, I spake openly to the world; I ever taught in the
synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in
secret have I said nothing.”
14.
Acts 6:9
“Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the
synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them
of Cilicia and of
Asia, disputing with Stephen.”
15.
Acts 8:3
“As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering into every house,
and haling men and women committed them to prison.”
16.
Acts 9:1-2
“And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples
of the Lord, went unto the high priest, and desired of him letters to Damascus
to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were
men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.”
17.
Acts 9:20
“And straightway Paul preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the
Son of God.”
18.
Acts 13:5
“And when Barnabas and Saul were at Salamis, they preached the word of God in
the synagogues of the Jews:”
19.
Acts 13:42,
46 “And when the Jews were gone out
of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be
preached to them the next Sabbath. Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and
said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to
you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of
everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.”
20.
Acts 17:1-3
“Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to
Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews: and Paul, as his manner was,
went in unto them, and three Sabbath days reasoned with them out of the
Scriptures, opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and
risen again form the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you is
Christ.”
21.
Acts 17:17
“Therefore disputed Paul in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the
devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him.”
22.
Acts 18:4, 6-7
“And Paul reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded the
Jews and the Greeks. And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, Paul
shook his raiment, and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am
clean: from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles. And Paul
departed thence, and entered into a certain man’s house, name Justus, one that
worshipped God, whose house joined hard to the synagogue.”
23.
Acts 18:26
“And Apollos began to speak boldly
in the synagogue: whom when Aquilla and Priscilla had heard, they took
him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly.”
24.
Acts 19:8
“And Paul went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three
months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of
God.”
25.
Acts 22:19-21
“And I said, Lord, they know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue
them that believed on thee; and when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed,
I also was standing by, and consenting unto his death, and kept the raiment of
them that slew him. And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee far
hence unto the Gentiles.”
26.
Acts 26:11
“And I Paul punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to
blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto
strange cities.”
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