What is a synagogue?
The synagogue is a well-attested institution during the first century and was particularly important in the small villages and towns of Galilee, separated from the Jerusalem temple and its officiating priests. This importance was even greater in the outlying towns and cities of the Roman Empire, where the synagogue helped preserve Jewish identity in the face of a hostile world dedicated to pagan civic religion and emperor worship.
The term synagogue, meaning a ‘gathering’ or ‘gathering places’ in Greek, sometimes referred to an assembly and not to a specific building dedicated solely to Sabbath worship. Because meetings could be held in a large home, courtyard, town square, or even near a river, archaeologists may never identify a particular location as a synagogue, especially in a small town like Nazareth.
Throughout the Mediterranean basin, the synagogue is usually called proseuche, or ‘house of prayer,’ in Greek. Archaeological and literary evidence, including references in the second half of the New Testament (Acts through Revelation), provides a picture of the importance of the synagogue as both a religious and community center for Diaspora Jews and those Gentiles who attached themselves to synagogue life (for example, “God fearers”).
For the New Testament authors, the synagogue played an important role as the place where Jesus Christ announced his messianic ministry (Luke 4:16-30); where he preformed miracles and taught and preached the “gospel of the kingdom” (Matthew 4:23); where Christian missionaries found an audience and converts (Acts 9:20); and also as a center of opposition to the “good news” (Acts 17:1-6;13).
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