Post by Mark on Feb 23, 2008 7:11:27 GMT -8
It was asked on another thread, and I hope she finds this, that some suggest that gentiles were not allowed into the synagogue of Jewish worship. This is probably because of the sharp anamosity toward early believers in Jerusalem, that believers were cast out of the synagogue for their declaration of Yeshua as the Messiah. These are two completely separate ideas. First, being a gentile does not necessarily mean being a believer in Messiah; yet, it is commonly forgotten that all believers in Messiah were initially Jews.
There has been no time in history when the foreigner (the goy) was excluded from the synagogue. He (or she) was never forbidden. Even today, anyone is welcome to come in and attend a synagogue service (provided you are not disruptive to the propriety of the worship). Some synagogues appear to be more exclusive than others; but if you had the opportunity to understand why, it is normally because someone had recently or people had repeatedly attempted to mend them of their ways and caused problems. The Jewish people are by nature extremely hospitabkle.
In larger, more Orthodox synagogues, there is often a balcony where women, children and non-Jews are allowed to go and observe without necessarily participating in the service. This is for their benefit, so that they are more comfortable and so that they can understand what is going on down on thew floor before trying to stumble through the experience in ignorance. This is sometimes interpretted by the outsider as not being allowed in; but dialogue will usually clear up these mis-understandings.
In the New Testament there is a term that is used that describe observant non-Jews as "God-fearers". These are gentiles who have not (yet) fully converted to Judaism; but have attached themselves to the Israel as the people of Adonai. Cornelius, the Centurion in Acts 10 fits this definition.
There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band, A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God always.
(Act 10:1-2 KJV)
Understanding this term "God-fearer" to be a common idiom for a gentile who has attached himself to the Jewish faith, we find them present in the synagogue at Antioch in Acts 13:16 where Paul addresses the gentiles specifically present in the audience.
It would be difficult to argue that goyim were not present in the synagogues throughout the New Testament.
The same thing occurred in Iconium, where Paul and Barnabas went into the Jewish synagogue and spoke in such a way that a great number of both Jews and Greeks became believers (Acts 14:1).
That very night the believers sent Paul and Silas off to Beroea; and when they arrived, they went to the Jewish synagogue. These Jews were more receptive than those in Thessalonica, for they welcomed the message very eagerly and examined the scriptures every day to see whether these things were so. Many of them therefore believed, including not a few Greek women and men of high standing (Acts 17:10-12).
While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was deeply distressed to see that the city was full of idols. So he argued in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and also in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there (Acts 17:16-17).
Every sabbath [Paul] would argue in the synagogue and would try to convince Jews and Greeks. (Acts 18:4).
Now, if someone is bent on their position, these verses may be dissected to argue that the discussions with Jews and gentiles were separate; but this does not fit historical evidence.
Falvius Josephus records Greeks being invited to participate in Jewish worship and festivals during the Antiochan period (before the Judaims was illegal and the Maccabean revolt).
There are several sources to confirm this; but I'm having a little trouble finding on-line materials that will be helpful. Alfred Edersheim's Sketches in Jewish Social Life may be helpful. Less accessible works that give positive historical evidence are "The God-Fearers Meet the Beloved Disciple" by A.T. Kraabel and "Jews, Gentiles and Synagogues in the Book of Acts" by (I think Norman) Gaber. These are some guys with a whole bunch of letters behind their names that will confirm that gentiles were invited to participate in synagogue worship.
Mark
There has been no time in history when the foreigner (the goy) was excluded from the synagogue. He (or she) was never forbidden. Even today, anyone is welcome to come in and attend a synagogue service (provided you are not disruptive to the propriety of the worship). Some synagogues appear to be more exclusive than others; but if you had the opportunity to understand why, it is normally because someone had recently or people had repeatedly attempted to mend them of their ways and caused problems. The Jewish people are by nature extremely hospitabkle.
In larger, more Orthodox synagogues, there is often a balcony where women, children and non-Jews are allowed to go and observe without necessarily participating in the service. This is for their benefit, so that they are more comfortable and so that they can understand what is going on down on thew floor before trying to stumble through the experience in ignorance. This is sometimes interpretted by the outsider as not being allowed in; but dialogue will usually clear up these mis-understandings.
In the New Testament there is a term that is used that describe observant non-Jews as "God-fearers". These are gentiles who have not (yet) fully converted to Judaism; but have attached themselves to the Israel as the people of Adonai. Cornelius, the Centurion in Acts 10 fits this definition.
There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band, A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God always.
(Act 10:1-2 KJV)
Understanding this term "God-fearer" to be a common idiom for a gentile who has attached himself to the Jewish faith, we find them present in the synagogue at Antioch in Acts 13:16 where Paul addresses the gentiles specifically present in the audience.
It would be difficult to argue that goyim were not present in the synagogues throughout the New Testament.
The same thing occurred in Iconium, where Paul and Barnabas went into the Jewish synagogue and spoke in such a way that a great number of both Jews and Greeks became believers (Acts 14:1).
That very night the believers sent Paul and Silas off to Beroea; and when they arrived, they went to the Jewish synagogue. These Jews were more receptive than those in Thessalonica, for they welcomed the message very eagerly and examined the scriptures every day to see whether these things were so. Many of them therefore believed, including not a few Greek women and men of high standing (Acts 17:10-12).
While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was deeply distressed to see that the city was full of idols. So he argued in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and also in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there (Acts 17:16-17).
Every sabbath [Paul] would argue in the synagogue and would try to convince Jews and Greeks. (Acts 18:4).
Now, if someone is bent on their position, these verses may be dissected to argue that the discussions with Jews and gentiles were separate; but this does not fit historical evidence.
Falvius Josephus records Greeks being invited to participate in Jewish worship and festivals during the Antiochan period (before the Judaims was illegal and the Maccabean revolt).
There are several sources to confirm this; but I'm having a little trouble finding on-line materials that will be helpful. Alfred Edersheim's Sketches in Jewish Social Life may be helpful. Less accessible works that give positive historical evidence are "The God-Fearers Meet the Beloved Disciple" by A.T. Kraabel and "Jews, Gentiles and Synagogues in the Book of Acts" by (I think Norman) Gaber. These are some guys with a whole bunch of letters behind their names that will confirm that gentiles were invited to participate in synagogue worship.
Mark