Tag: synagogue

Synagogues, Not Churches

For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment;

James 2:2 (KJV)

Assembly – James is the brother of Yeshua. He was also the most influential leader of Yeshua’s believers in the 1st century after the death and resurrection of Yeshua. As the leader of the “Christian” sect of Jews, he even instructed Apostle Paul to bring a sin offering to the temple under the law of the Nazarite vow (Acts 21:26), and Paul obeyed. Despite all of this, little is mentioned of him.

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Church or Synagogue?

Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace.

1 Thessalonians 1:1 (ESV)

Church – was it really a church as we know it today?  The Greek word is ekklēsia, perhaps you’ve heard it before.  The most accepted western definition for ekklēsia is “church”, but unfortunately that’s not what it means.  Ekklēsia in Classical Greek was used as a “town assembly” unrelated to a religious gathering.  It’s a town hall meeting.  This should come as a surprise.  With that common understanding during the time of Paul’s letter writing, how did it become so tightly linked with the followers of Yeshua? Continue reading “Church or Synagogue?”