Church Structure and Member Functions

Many Christians try to attend church every week or two.  Others attend only occasionally or just at Easter and Christmas.  Some are so turned-off with religion and churchianity…they just stay home.

Many atheists, Jewish anti-missionaries, Muslims, and other non-believers are opposed to people becoming believers in Jesus as Savior.  The institution of church and our assembling together provides a measure of protection for our belief in God and the truths of the Bible.  This topic is about church fundamentals and believer functions, from the New Testament (NT).

The saints of the early church assembled together.  Originally the NT church was a gathering of people…not the building where they met!  The Greek term for church is ekklésia, Strongs g1577, occurring 118 times in the NT.

Lk.4:16 it was Jesus’ custom to attend the formal style of service of His day at synagogue (g4864) on the sabbath (g4521).  This custom resulted from the instruction God gave to Moses/Israel in Le.23:3. “On the 7^th day there is a sabbath of complete rest, a holy convocation. It is a sabbath to the Lord in all your dwellings.”  Jewish synagogues were lay institutions with unpaid elders (h2205 zaqén, Hebrew).  see the topic “Synagogue Influence on the Church”.

Mt.18:15-20 Jesus authorized His own future assemblies or messianic Beit Din (‘House of Judgment’) with zaqen/elders overseeing decisions…to “bind and loose” (forbid and permit), Mt.16:19.  Two or three local elders helped resolve internal disputes and made legal decisions for each local congregation (ref Mt.18:15-18, 1Co.6:1-5).

But Jesus said church leaders aren’t to be lords (Mt.20:25-28).  Jesus is Lord (Ro.10:9).  He is the only Head of the church (Ep.5:23)!  He died and rose again…and His church was launched in Acts 2, ca 30 AD.

In the early church of the 1^st century, a group of believers usually met in a large room or courtyard of a believer’s house.  See Ro.16:5, Col.4:15, Philemon 1:2, 2Jn.1:10 for evidence of house churches.

The apostle Paul planted churches on his missionary journeys.  The churches Paul started were structured (similar to the synagogue pattern).  As Paul departed a city on his journey, a few local elders would emerge to lead & guide that new church group.

In Ac.20:17, 28 Paul instructed the elders [g4245 presbúteros] of Ephesus, “Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers [g1985 epískopos, bishops], to shepherd the church of God.”  Church overseers/bishops care for the figurative ‘sheep’.  Often one elder was the householder where that church met.

Ti.1:5 Paul instructed the church planter Titus to appoint elders who’d emerged in cities on the island of Crete.  After a period of time, Paul or another church planter (e.g. Peter, Timothy, Titus) would revisit the local group.  Churches grew & spread as believers shared the gospel with family, friends, associates.

Apostles/church planters had spiritual authority.  The Holy Spirit (HS) confirmed them.

Paul wrote to the Corinthian church in 1Co.4:21. “Shall I come to you with a rod, or with love and a spirit of gentleness?”  Later in 2Co.7:13-16, “He [Titus] remembers your obedience, how you received him [Titus] with fear and trembling”.  Also ref Philemon 1:8-9 and 1Ti.5:19-21 regarding authority.

By the time the 1Timothy letter was written, ca 63 AD, many churches were being established throughout the Roman Empire.

Guidelines were to be observed for each local NT assembly.  Although leading men should be honorable, the NT doesn’t indicate that local elders were imbued with the same degree of spiritual authority the apostles/church planters had.

Ti.1:5-9 and 1Ti.3:1-7 distinguish the characteristics of elders & overseers.  1Ti.3:8-13 distinguishes the characteristics of deacons (g1249 diákonos).  Dr. Spiros Zódiates “Deacons in this sense were helpers or servants of the bishops or elders.”  Php.1:1 Paul addressed this letter to the saints, overseers/bishops (plural) and deacons at Phílippi.

It appears the NT church government was more like an oligarchy, not a hierarchy.  Ga.2:7-9 Paul indicated that Peter, John, James apostled mostly physically circumcised Jews; whereas Barnábas & Paul went more to uncircumcised gentiles.

There was no Pope!  The HS is the ‘vicar of Christ’, so to speak.  The apostolic church wasn’t an immoral, indolent, corrupt monopoly.

The Lord gave Jewish and gentile Christians various spiritual gifts & functions via the HS.  Ep.4:11-13 “He gave some apostles, and prophets, and evangelists, and shepherds/pastors, and teachers; for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ. ‘Til we all come into the unity of the faith.”  Many of the functions indicated in Ep.4:11-13 are performed by elders.

In addition to the NT model eldership structure, the HS has also blessed and gifted the church.  Anointing with oil while praying for the sick to be healed is an example of a local function done by elders, Ja.5:14-16.

Yet, in a sense, all Christians are priests in God’s holy royal priesthood (1Pe.2:5, 9)!

Several believer functions are listed in 1Co.12:27-31.  These functions and gifts are distributed by the HS among the saints (in local areas).  1Co.12:27-31 “God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, gifts of healings, admins, tongues.”  Yes, miracles & healings are for the church (Ja.5:14-16).  see “Spiritual Gifts and ‘Tongues”.

Also Ro.12:4-8, 13 is in regards to believer functions. “Just as we have many members in one body and all the members don’t have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ. We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us.”  Here Paul includes serving, exhorting, giving, contributing to the needs of others, hospitality, etc.  also see “Female Roles in the Early Church.”

1Co.12:29-30 not all Christians are apostles, or prophets, or teachers, etc.; all aren’t pastors; all don’t speak in tongues.  All haven’t been given evangelistic gifts or talk about Jesus well one-on-one.  Those who don’t speak in tongues or evangelize well, for example, shouldn’t be made to feel inadequate.

Paul’s summation in 1Co.14:1, “Pursue love, yet desire spiritual gifts”.  It’s not one or the other.  It’s spiritual gifts and love…both.  The various gifts and love from the HS enables those so gifted to spread the gospel and knit the church together in godly love.  Personal evangelism (by those who have that gift) is key to a living and growing church.  Of note, it wasn’t the apostles who evangelized in Ac.8:1-4.  also see “Evangelism in the Apostolic Church”.

Gentile peoples come from backgrounds of different cultures, customs and beliefs.  Even the Jews had their own sects.  (see “Jewish Sects of the 1^st Century”.)  As the gospel went to the nations, the result was a much diverse group coming into the church at large.  And differing customs can cause some disunity.  Also see “Doctrinal Disunity Impacts Evangelism”.

Jesus prayed there would be unity.  Jn.17:11 “Holy Father, keep them in Your name, that they may be one.”  Continuing in Jn.17:22-23, “That they may be one, just as We are one, that they may be perfected in unity”.  Jesus prayed that all Christians would become unified, as one in Spirit with God.

Paul didn’t charge money for the gospel.  Nor did he cause division for the church in regards to points of Levitical ceremonial laws or Judaism’s oral traditions from his background.  1Co.9:18-23 “When I preach the gospel I offer the gospel without charge. To the Jews I became as a Jew, though not being myself under [man-made oral?] law; to those [gentiles] without law as without [oral?] law, though not being without the [written] law of God….that I may by all means save some.”  Paul was willing to set aside Jewish oral traditions (but not the Lord’s written principles) to help grow God’s Kingdom.

Our Christian journey is a process of personal growth and learning.  There were big differences and some problems, for example, among the seven churches of western Turkey (Rev.2–3)!  Yet they were all still Christ’s churches (Rev.1:13, 20), though some desperately needed to repent more fully.

All Christian churches today lay claim to the Bible as the written word of God.  This written word, as inspired by the HS, is the universal standard and unifying instruction guide for the Body of Christ.  As Jesus & Paul affirmed when referring to the Old Testament…“It is written!” (e.g. Mt.4:4, Ro.3:10.)

But to fully obey God’s word, we must be willing to lay aside traditional (and nationalistic) differences which contradict His word.  see “Governmental Loyalty for Christians”.  Also we should be willing to de-emphasize any differences regarding non-salvation issues so-called, and speculations.

Jesus said in Jn.13:34-35, “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love one for another”.  What is godly love?  1Jn.5:3 provides a definition of true godly love. “This is the love of God, that you keep His commandments.”  As we obey God while loving each other, and do our part to spread the gospel…the Kingdom of God will be expressed more and more.  The church has been called the Kingdom of God in miniature.  (see “Kingdom of God” and “Love – Godly Love”.)

Although there are apostles, elders, etc., the bottom line is…all believers are necessary parts of the Body of Christ…whether they’re an eye or a hand or a part less noticeable (1Co.12:20-25).  As our body parts come to the aid and defense of our physical body; the church provides protection from false teaching, and from those who reject Jesus as Savior.  Our local assembly is part of our spiritual immune system.

God’s people are exhorted to maintain the habit of gathering together regularly in an approved manner, based upon what we see in the NT.  Individually a believing member may be a figurative hand, or finger, foot, toe, ear, lung, etc., of the Body of Christ.  (Christ is the Head.)  But no body part can exist alone!  Each group or congregation is a local body where believers are to function in sync with each other.

The writer to the Hebrews urged believers to meet & commune together.  He.10:24-25 “Let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good works, not forsaking our own assembling together.”

We’re to share in a unified local body.  Through the HS within us, we can be living examples of God’s written principles in our thoughts, words, actions, conduct and habits.  Then our purpose and destiny will be…we ourselves unified together with God for all eternity!  What a glorious future we have!

So let’s look to spread the gospel as the opportunity arises…and carry-on the church practice of meeting together, as did the New Testament saints who went before us.

Chronology: the Exodus to Samuel

In this topic, Bible chronology is traced from the exodus out of Egypt until the judgeship of Samuel.  Earlier chronology is addressed in “Chronology: Abraham to the Exodus” and “Chronology: Septuagint versus Masoretic Text”.  My basic position is the so-called maximalist view, that Bible history is correct unless archaeology clearly proves it wrong.

However, exact dating cannot be done for Israel’s exodus, or for the years of the many judges which followed in the Land.  Also there’s no consensus among Bible historians regarding the dates when Saul, David, and Solomon were kings.  Their years cannot be pinpointed by dates from ancient histories.  (There’s no ‘BC’ or ‘BCE’ dates written in scripture.)  The dates in this topic are approximate.

A date of 1612 BC for the exodus of Israelites & the mixed multitude from Egypt was taken from Dr. Martin Anstey’s The Romance of Bible Chronology, v.2.  I use that date, 1612 BC.

Moses was born around (circa or c) 1692 BC.  Moses is the son of Amrám and the grandson of Koháth (who’d gone to Egypt with Jacob c 1827 BC, Ge.46:8, 11).  Moses’ father Amram was born in Egypt, while Joseph was still alive.  see “Levites and the Exodus Multitude (1)”.

Moses fled to Midian at age 40 (Ex.2:15, Ac.7:22-29), c 1652 BC.

Caleb was born in Egypt c 1651 BC.  (cf. Nu.13:25-30, the 2^nd year of the exodus…with Jsh.14:6-10.)

Moses is 80 when he returns to Egypt from Midian (Ac.7:30-34), c 1612 BC.  Ex.7:7 “Moses was 80 years old, and Aaron 83, at the time they spoke to Pharaoh.”  The exodus occurred then (Ex.12:39-41).

When they exited Egypt c 1612 BC, Joshua is a young man, compared to Moses (Ex.33:11, Nu.11:28).  Joshua is 44 or so.  Caleb is 39 (born c 1651 BC).

The Israelites left Egypt, and then had to spend 40 years in the wilderness (Nu.32:13), until c 1572 BC.

{Sidelight: Ge.41:51 Joseph fathered Manasséh.  Ge.50:23 Manasseh fathered Machír.  Machir’s son Gileád was the same generation as Moses/Aaron.  Joshua’s father Nun was the same generation as Gilead & Moses/Aaron.  Zelophehád, Hépher’s son, was Gilead’s grandson (1Ch.7:14-27, Nu.26:28-37, 27:1, Jsh.17:3).  Zelophehad’s daughters are seen in the 40^th year of the exodus (Nu.27:1-ff, 36:1-ff).}

Nu.21:23-26 & De.3:12 in the 40^th year Israel took Heshbón and Aroér, and began to dwell in that area east of the Jordan River.  (Nu.25:7 Phineás’ bold action occurred in the 40^th year in the wilderness.)

The Israelites entered the Promised Land c 1572 BC.  De.34:7-9 Moses died that year at age 120.

Jsh.11:15-19 Joshua then waged war with the kings in the Land for 5 years at least, and defeated them.

Jsh.13:1 Joshua is old, near 90.  Cambridge Bible Note Jsh.13:1 “The Hebrew leader was now about 90 years of age.”  Josephus Antiquities of the Jews 5:1:19 “The 5^th year was now past, and not one of the Canaanites remained.”  Josephus implied there were 5 years of conquest.  The supposed Book of Jasher 89:54, “For 5 years did Joshua carry on the war with these kings…the land became tranquil”.  The land of Canáan became relatively tranquil for a while.

Jsh.14:6-11 indicates there were 5 years of conquest.  Caleb says he’s 85.  45 years have passed since he was age 40 in the 2^nd year of the exodus (c 1611 BC), when he and Joshua spied out the Land.  Ellicott Commentary Jsh.14:7 “Caleb would be 40+38=78 years old when they crossed the Jordan. He was 85 when they began to divide the country.”  Joshua allotted the Land among the tribes of Israel c 1566 BC.

Jsh.23:1, 14 “a long time” (19-20 years) after the Land division, Joshua knows it’s his time to die.  Jsh.24:29 Joshua dies at age 110, c 1546 BC.  (Joseph previously also had died at age 110, Ge.50:26.)

Joshua was in the Land for around 25-28 years: 6-7 years of conquest/settlement, 19-20 years of ‘rule’.

Josephus op. cit. 5:1:29 “Joshua…became their commander after his [Moses’] death for 25 years.”  Jasher 90:32 indicates that Joshua died 28 years after crossing the Jordan, 68 years after leaving Egypt.  Eusebius Chronicles, p.111 “The Hebrews say that he [Joshua] was leader for 27 years, as so he was 43 years old when Moses went out of Egypt.”  Elihu Schatz “The traditional interpretation assumes that Joshua ruled for 28 years (Seder Olam Rabbah, ch. 12), which means that he was 83 when he began to rule, since he lived to be 110 years old (Jsh.24:29).”  Again, Joshua was 4 or 5 years older than Caleb.

Jsh.24:31 & Jg.2:7-10 the elders who outlived Joshua continued to serve the Lord…for several years.

Josephus op.cit. 6:5:4 “After the death of Joshua, for 18 years in all the multitude had no settled form of government, but were an anarchy; after which they then permitting themselves to be judged by…the best warrior…the Judges.”  The magistrate was usually a champion who delivered them from enemies.

bible.ca/archeology/chronology-of-judges “The 8 year oppression of Arám-naharáim (Jg.3:8) began…15 years after Joshua died.”  Jasher 91:12 “The elders judged Israel after the death of Joshua for 17 years.”

So Joshua and the elders who outlived him led the Israelites for 40 years or so in the Land, prior to the series of judges.  (6+19+15=40)  From c 1572 BC until c 1532 BC.

Jg.2:16 “Then the Lord raised up judges [shaphát Strongs h8199, Hebrew] who delivered them from those who plundered them.”  These judges were warriors, military leaders, or ad hoc rulers in the early loose confederation of Israel.  Succeeding Joshua, there are no ruling judges before this verse.  Barnes Notes Jg.2:16 “This is the first introduction of the term judge, which gives its name to the book.”

How long did the judges lead Israel (prior to the people asking Samuel for a king to rule them, 1Sm.8:4-5)?  Before we identify those judges, a pertinent passage was spoken by the apostle Paul in retrospect:

Ac.13:16-21 “The God of Israel chose our fathers…with a mighty arm He led them out from it [Egypt]; for 40 years He put up with them in the wilderness. When He had destroyed seven nations in the Land of Canaan, He divided by lot to them their Land, about 450 years. After this He gave them judges until Samuel the prophet. Then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul…for 40 years.”  Our translations of the passage differ.  Barnes Notes “This is a most difficult passage, and has exercised all the ingenuity of chronologists.”  To what centuries was Paul referring?

Most commentaries interpret the 450-year period as…from when God chose the “fathers” until Joshua divided the Land.  The Land was divided in c 1566 BC.  Isaac the son of promise was born c 2017 BC.  That’s 451 years earlier.  Abram was called at age 75, c 2042 BC.  That’s 476 years earlier, perhaps still close enough to the “about 450 years” Paul indicated. (see “Chronology: Abraham to the Exodus”.)

Ellicott Commentary Ac.13:20 “The 450 years in this case referred to the interval between the choice of ‘our fathers’, which may be reckoned from the birth of Isaac.”  Benson Commentary Ac.13:19 “The apostle is not to be understood as signifying how long God gave them judges, but when he gave them….computed from the birth of Isaac….it will be 448 years.”

But some commentaries interpret the 450-year period as…from when the judges began until the days of Samuel.  Joshua and the elders had died by c 1532 BC.  Samuel was living 450 years later, c 1082 BC.

Meyer’s NT Commentary Ac.13:20 “Until the end of the series of judges.”  Eclectic Notes Ac.13:20 “Judges characterized the period of 450 years.”

I’ll leave it to the reader to decide which of the above two interpretations better fits the history.

Let’s now look at the period of the several judges/deliverers, until Samuel the prophet-judge.

After the deaths of Joshua and the elders who outlived him, c 1532 BC, the Israelites began to do evil.  Jg.2:10 “There arose another generation after them [Joshua and the elders] who did not know the Lord.”  Jg.3:7 they served heathen gods and angered the Lord.  So He allowed an oppressor to subjugate them.

Jg.3:8 the first oppressor was Cushán-rishatháim of Aram-naharaim for 8 years, until c 1524 BC.

Jg.3:9-11 the people cried out to the Lord.  He was merciful and raised up Othniél (Caleb’s nephew, the son of his younger brother Kenáz, Jsh.15:17) as warrior-judge.  Othniel prevailed, and the Land had rest 40 years, from c 1524 BC to c 1484 BC.

A pattern will repeat throughout the time of the judges:  Israel would disobey the Lord, come under foreign domination, the people will cry out to God, God mercifully raises up a judge to defeat the oppressor, the Land has peace.  Then the people disobey again, God allows them to be subjugated, they cry out to God, He sends a deliverer, the Land has rest again, etc.  The same cycle, over and over again.

Jg.3:12-14 Israel does evil.  So they must serve Eglón king of Moab for 18 years, c 1484 BC – c 1466 BC.  Jg.3:15-30 Ehúd of Benjamin subdues Moab, and the Land has rest 80 years, until c 1386 BC.

Jg.3:31 Shamgár saved Israel from Philistines.  Josephus op.cit. 5:4:3 said Shamgar died in his 1^st year.

Jg.4:1-3 Jabín of Canaan oppresses Israel for 20 years, c 1386 BC – c 1366 BC.  Barák, Deboráh and Jaél defeat Jabin and his general Siserá (Jg.4:4–5:31), and the Land has peace 40 years, until c 1326 BC.

Jg.6:1-ff Israel does evil again, so the Lord gives them over to the Midianites for 7 years, until c 1319 BC.  Gideon is called; he defeats Midian.  Jg.8:28 the Land has peace 40 years, until c 1279 BC.

Jg.9:1-22 Abimélech, Gideon’s son, rules over Israel 3 years, until c 1276 BC.  After Abimelech dies, Tolá of Issachár judges Israel 23 years (Jg.10:1-2), until c 1253 BC.  After Tola, Jaír the Gileadite judges Israel 22 years (Jg.10:3-5), until c 1231 BC.

Jg.10:6-8 Israel does evil, so God gave them over to the Philistines and Ammonites for 18 years, from c 1231 BC – c 1213 BC.  Jg.11:8-11 Jephtháh the Gileadite warrior became Israel’s deliverer.  Jg.11:12-28 the king of Ammón wanted back old Amorite land east of the Jordan River, which Israel had taken possession of over 300 years previously.  It seems that land had belonged to the Ammonites before it became the Amorites’.  The Israelites had taken possession of that land from Sihón king of the Amorites at the end of the 40 years in the wilderness (again Nu.21:23-26 & De.3:12, also Jsh.12:1-2), c 1572 BC.

Jephthah’s messengers said to the king of Ammon in Jg.11:26-27, “While Israel lived in Heshbon and in Aroer and in the towns that are on the banks of the Arnón [LXX Jordan], 300 years, why didn’t you recover them within that time? I therefore have not sinned against you, but you are doing me wrong by warring against me.”  However, 340 years had elapsed from c 1572 BC to the oppression of c 1231 BC.

Matthew Poole Commentary Jg.11:26 “300 years; not precisely, but about that time.”  ESV Study Bible “300 years’ may be a round number giving an approximate date.”

Also, some judgeships possibly had overlapped since Joshua divided the Promised Land of Canaan, or were concurrent in different tribal areas of the Land.

Jg.12:7 having ended the Ammonite war in c 1213 BC, Jephthah judged Israel 6 years, until c 1207 BC.

Jg.12:8-10 Ibzán of Bethlehem succeeds Jephthah as judge, for 7 years, until c 1200 BC.  After Ibzan, Elón the Zebulunite judges Israel 10 years (Jg.12:11-12), until c 1190 BC.  Then Abdón judges Israel 8 years (Jg.12:13-15), until c 1182 BC.

Jg.13:1 “Israel again did evil, so the Lord gave them into the hands of the Philistines 40 years.”  Actually, the Philistines warred against Israel on & off for hundreds of years (2Ki.18:1 even 8 years in King Hezekiah’s day).  This 40-year period of Philistine oppression was from c 1182 BC – c 1142 BC.

Jg.13–16 is the account of Samson fighting against the Philistines during this time.  Jg.16:30-31 Samson sacrifices his life, having judged Israel for 20 years.  This ended Philistine oppression temporarily.

Jg.15:20 “He [Samson] judged Israel 20 years in the days of the Philistines.”  It is thought by some that Samson’s heroic judgeship was during the latter 20 years, c 1162 BC – c 1142 BC, of that 40-year Philistine oppression.  Anstey op. cit., p.18 “The judgeship of Samson, 20 years, is included in the 40 years of the 6^th servitude under the Philistines.”

James Jordan Puzzling Out the Era of the Judges “The Philistine oppression lasted 40 years (Jg.13:1). Samson was born about this time. Samson judged for 20 years, and in his death killed all five Philistine kings as well as a large number of the Philistine nobility and priesthood (Jg.15:20; 16:27). It is unlikely, if not impossible, in the light of Nu.1:3, that Samson began judging before he was 20. Thus, his 40 years seem to be the same as those of the Philistine oppression.”  Samson died at age 40, c 1142 BC.

{{Sidelight: Jg.17–21 these ending chapters of Judges are a flashback to events which occurred earlier in the book, but weren’t inserted then (to not interrupt the timeline).  Henry Commentary Jg.17:1 “What is related in…the rest of the chapters to the end of this book, was done soon after the death of Joshua.”  Pulpit Commentary “Two detached histories [Jg.17–21], which fill up the rest of the book…are long prior to Samson.”  Josephus op. cit. 5:2-3 places them before Othniel’s early judgeship of Jg.3.}}

Again, it is possible that some judgeships were contemporaneous, or they began within the years listed as foreign servitude (such as Samson’s judgeship).

Generally the book of Judges was a period of less restraining authority.  The final verse in the book is Jg.21:25. “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.”  The syndrome was ‘I did it my way’, not God’s way.  Israelites didn’t want to be governed by the Lord or His laws.  It was a time when self-will ruled, for the most part.  But Pr.28:26 says, “He who trusts in his own heart is a fool”.  Benson Commentary Jg.21:25 “There was no supreme governor, such as Moses and Joshua were…none that had power sufficient to punish public wrongs…and thereby check the progress of vice and profaneness, and keep the people in order. ”  Most didn’t have the Holy Spirit.  Wrong covetousness was the norm.  This is a lesson we can glean from the book of Judges.

1Sm.4:15-18 Eli judges Israel for 40 years til age 98, c 1142 BC – c 1102 BC.  Samuel is judge after Eli.

Recap: The exodus from Egypt was c 1612 BC.  After 40 years of wilderness wandering under Moses, the Israelites entered the Promised Land under Joshua c 1572 BC.  After Joshua’s wars of conquest, the Land was divided to the tribes of Israel by lot c 1566 BC.  That was approximately 450 years after the birth of Isaac in c 2017 BC, and 464 years before the time Samuel succeeds Eli as judge c 1102 BC.

My other topics in the timeline are “Chronology: Samuel to Rehoboam”, “Chronology: Abraham to the Exodus”, “Chronology: Septuagint versus Masoretic Text”.

 

Female Roles in the Early Church

Gender roles determine how males and females should think, speak and interact in society.  Over 60% of adult churchgoers in the USA are women.  This topic surveys God’s word as we consider female roles & functions in the apostolic church.

To begin, let’s consider a few women in the Old Testament (OT).  First, Ge.1:26-27 “God created man in His own image [and likeness], in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.”  It takes both male and female, both genders, to complete the image and likeness of God!

In the Bible, the books of Ruth and Esther are named for women.  Also Judith, Susanna and additions to Esther are in the apocryphal books.  Esther was a queen in the Persian Empire.

However, we read of no females in the OT holding positions in the priesthood, tabernacle/temple, or synagogue!  The priesthood or religious authority in ancient Israel consisted of only the male descendants of Moses’ brother Aaron (Ex.28:1), within the tribe of Levi.  There were no female priests.

Besides Ruth and Esther, we see other notable women in the OT.  In Ex.15:1, 20-21 Moses’ older sister Miriam led the women in dancing. (cf. 1Sm.18:6-7)  After the men sang, she followed the men with a refrain to honor God.  She was a “prophetess” and leader of women, here doing public dance and praise.  Pulpit Commentary Ex.15:20 “Prophetesses [so-called] were common in Egypt at a much earlier date.”

Judges 4–5 is the account of the prophetess Deborah, a woman (or wife) of Lapidóth.  Deborah was a civil judge, the only female judge in scripture.  Jg.4:4-6 “She sat under the palm tree of Deborah and the sons of Israel came to her for judgment.”  Deborah’s palm tree was an ancient version of a judge’s courthouse.  She settled disputes and rendered judgments for the fledgling ‘nation’.  People came to her (this wasn’t a synagogue or a church).  Barák’s timidity led to Deborah’s action in Jg.4.  She and Jaél (Jg.4:21-23) were heroines.  Deborah wasn’t associated with God’s tabernacle or priesthood.

In 2Ki.22:12-20 and 2Ch.34:20-28 is the account of the prophetess Huldáh.  Her husband (or son, ref Septúagint/LXX 2Ki.22:14) held a royal court position.  She had a school for women in Jerusalem and was a relative of Jeremiah, according to the Talmud (Meg. 14b).  Jeremiah preached repentance to the men; she preached repentance to the women (Pesik R. 26).  While Jeremiah was away from Jerusalem, she was asked to prophesy.  In 2Ki.22:14, representatives of the king “went to Huldah; now she lived in Jerusalem, the 2^nd Quarter.”  They communed with her privately in her sector of the city.  This wasn’t in the ‘house’ of the Lord, the temple.  Nor was this in a synagogue.

2Ki.22:15-20 “She said to them, ‘Thus says the Lord, I will bring evil on this place. Because they have forsaken Me. But to the king [Josiah] of Judah, you shall be gathered to your grave in peace.”  (No conditional ‘if’.)  God’s judgment came upon Judah, as she said.  But King Josiah died in war, not in peace (2Ch.35:20-25)!  Some Bible scholars view her prophecy as false in that regard (cf. De.18:22).  However, Josiah ignored God’s words (2Ch.35:21-22).  It ended badly for both king and nation.  Whatever her accuracy, Huldah wasn’t associated with the temple or priesthood.

Noadiáh was a so-called prophetess who tried to intimidate Nehemiah.  Nehemiah said in Ne.6:14, “Remember Tobiáh and Sanballát, and Noadiah the prophetess who were trying to frighten me”.  Nehemiah speaks of this (false?) prophetess among those his enemies.

Bible historians say a prophet’s wife was also called a ‘prophetess’ (as a mayor’s wife may be called a ‘mayoress’).  The prophet Isaiah wrote in Is.8:3, “I approached the prophetess and she conceived”.  Pulpit Commentary “Titles were given in the East to the wives, daughters, etc., of officials, which merely reflected the dignity of their husbands, fathers, etc. Even Miriam seems to be called a prophetess (Ex.15:20) from her close relationship to Moses, rather than from any supernatural power that she had.”  However, scripture indicated the judge Deborah heard from God (Jg.4:6).

In the 900s BC, God’s temple grounds had a court for priests (no women), and a great court for all to worship (2Ch.4:9).  In Herod’s temple, females gathered in the Court of the Women.  They weren’t allowed in the Court of Israel (accessible only to circumcised men), the Court of the Priests, or the sanctuary proper.

Let’s see what the New Testament (NT) reveals about women in the synagogue or church assembly.  We read of the prophetess Anna in Lk.2:36-38.  This elderly Israelite widow spoke of the infant Jesus in the Court of the Women.  There was a separation of the sexes, etc. in Herod’s temple courts.  Alfred Edersheim & Phillip Schaaf attest to a separation of sexes in the synagogue.  A women’s gallery was at the north end of synagogues.  Several years ago my wife & I visited an orthodox synagogue in our city.  Even as visitors, we weren’t allowed to sit together…females are required to sit in a separate section.

A literate, competent female was allowed to do scripture readings in some early synagogues.  Many synagogue practices were carried over into the church, made up of Jewish Christians and gentiles.  The church is even called by the Greek term synagogue in Ja.2:2. “If any man comes into your synagogue [Strongs  g4864] dressed in fine clothes….”  (also see the topic, “Synagogue Influence on the Church“.)

Continuing with prophesying…Ac.2:17-18 (quoted from Joel 2:28-29), “Your sons and daughters shall prophesy, My servants and handmaidens [g1399]”.  In Lk.1:38, 46-48 the betrothed virgin Mary exulted the Lord to Elizabeth, calling herself His handmaiden.  Ac.21:8-9 “Philip the evangelist had four virgin daughters who did prophesy [g4395].”  Where at?  Probably Luke’s mentioning their prophesying meant more than them reflecting the dignity of their father the evangelist.

Anna, Mary, and Phillip’s daughters are females identified as prophesying in the NT.  They were either unmarried or virgins.  1Co.7:34 KJV “There is a difference between a wife [woman, guné g1135] and a virgin.”  The status of unmarried daughters, maidens, damsels, virgins, divorcees, widows differed from that of wives.  The head of a single female living at home is her father, whereas the head of a wife is her husband (Ep.5:23).  Fathers/husbands were, in that sense, between her and God.  I would think a single female who prophesied may do so after she is married with children (Ro.11:29?).

Synagogue practices at Corinth were brought into the Corinthian church.  Ac.18:1, 4, 8, 17 Sosthénes and Críspus were synagogue rulers in Corinth who became Jewish Christians (1Co.1:1, 14).  The letter of 1Corinthians was from Paul and Sosthenes (1:1).  1Co.11–14 has to do with the church assembly or meeting.  The Greek term for “assemble/come together” (g4905) occurs seven times here. 1Co.11:17-18, 20, 33-34, 14:23, 26.  Over 70% of today’s churches abide by the following NT guidelines:

1Co.10:1, 11:33, 12:1, 14:6, 20, 26-33, 39-40 refers only to brethren (adelphós g80), not sisters (adelphé g79)…in church.  (In contrast, see Ja.2:15 on the needs of both brethren & sisters outside church.)  1Co.14:26 “Brethren when you assemble.”  v.31 only brethren can prophesy to the church!

What about the women in church?  Paul wrote in 1Co.14:34, “Let the women keep silent in the churches; for they aren’t permitted to speak [laléo g2980]. But let them subject themselves [g5293], just as the Law also says.”  Women/wives are to be silent in regards to prophesying/preaching (or teaching) to men in church.  That was still the rule also in the orthodox synagogue I visited.  Apostolic Constitutions (latter 300s AD) compared the church to the synagogue. “And let the women sit by themselves, they also keeping silence.”  Yet in Ep.5:19 females may be “singing songs, hymns and spiritual songs”.  Singing praise to God in church isn’t prophesying to or teaching men.

Vines Expository re the Greek term for “speak” (laleo g2980). “It is used several times in 1Co.14; the command prohibiting women from speaking in a church gathering (v.34, 35) is regarded by some as an injunction against chattering, a meaning which is absent from the use of the verb everywhere else in the NT. It is to be understood the same as v.2, 3-6, 9, 11, 13, 18-19, 21, 23, 27-29, 39.”

Their silence in the Corinth church was also necessary due to the influence of heathen prophetesses at the oracle of Delphi across the bay.  Gill Exposition “They could all prophesy, except women (v.31, 34).”  Pertaining to ‘in church’, that is.

1Co.14:34 Vines Expository re the Greek word in “women subject themselves [hupotásso g5293]”. “A military term, to rank under.”  This word is also used in 1Co.15:27-28, Lk.10:17, and elsewhere.  Greek Bible scholar Spiros Zódiates says it means “to place in an orderly fashion under”.  Likewise in 1Pe.3:1, Peter says (as Paul also said), “Wives, subject yourselves [g5293] to your own husbands”.

In 1Co.14:34, Paul refers to the Law.  After the first woman in scripture (Eve) had been deceived, God commanded in Ge.3:16. “Your husband shall rule over you.”  She was to be subject.  Paul knew of that passage.  It’s not just a cultural thing (ref Adam & Eve), and not just a situation at Corinth.

Paul also said to Timothy at Ephesus.  1Ti.2:12-15 “I don’t allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man. It wasn’t Adam who was deceived, but the woman being quite deceived fell into transgression.”  Paul reasons based on Ge.3:16.  We see that the principle affecting women in NT epistles long predates the 1^st century cultural context.  So women aren’t to teach adult males in church.

And it’s not because women may be less educated.  Ge.3:16 applies universally.  With Adam & Eve it wasn’t about ‘education’.  For that matter, Jesus’ original 12 disciples were mostly un-educated (men)!

In 1Co.14:34, wives are to hold their peace and not prophesy or preach to or teach men in church.  Paul goes on in v.35. “Let them ask their own husbands at home, for it is disgraceful [g149] for a wife to speak in church.”  Paul writes pointedly.  This Greek term g149 aischrón, rendered disgraceful/shame, occurs only a few times in the NT.  In Ep.5:12 e.g. “Don’t participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness. It is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret.”

Paul’s guidelines in 1Cor.14 weren’t just his opinion.  Continuing in v.37-38, “Recognize that the things I write to you are the Lord’s command. But if anyone doesn’t recognize this, he is not recognized.”  A sobering statement!  Robertson’s Commentary “There is no doubt at all as to Paul’s meaning here.”

Again, there were no female priests in Israel.  In the OT, there were no women sitting among the elders (h2205) of the gate in Israel.  And of Jesus’ original 12 apostles…none were females.

Paul’s instruction (the “Lord’s command”) wasn’t just a cultural issue for Corinth.  Ac.18:19 Luke wrote of a synagogue at Ephesus.  Later Paul writes to Timothy, who’s in Ephesus (1Ti.1:3).  Again, 1Ti.2…Paul writes in v.8-9, “I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands. Likewise women [g1135]….”  Men and women both prayed & praised with hands lifted up (ref Ac.1:14, 12:12, 16:13 women praying).  v.10-11 “Let a woman quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness [g5292].”  Requoting 1Ti.2:12, “But I don’t allow a woman to teach [g1321 didásko] or exercise authority over a man.”  Again, this was in church (outside, some men work for a female manager).

This term didasko/g1321/teach occurs 97 times in the NT.  The only other verse where g1321 refers to a woman/wife g1135 is Jezebel in Re.2:20, “Who calls herself a prophetess [g4398]”.  And they tolerated her to teach immorality!  A false prophetess/teacher in the Thyátira church (cf. Noadiah, Ne.6).

Paul wrote authoritatively in 1Ti.2 (and 1Co.14)!  Dr. Zodiates says the term teach g1321 there means “to instruct, to influence. A wife should display a tranquil spirit in her attempt to learn.”

This topic would be too lengthy if I were to include all verses containing other koiné Greek terms closely related to g1321/didasko/teach.  Related terms are: g1317 didactikós, g1318 didaktós, and g1319, g1320, g1322.  However, in every occurrence of those terms in the NT…never was a female teaching!

Paul wrote in 1Co.11:3, “I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a wife [woman g1135], and God is the head of Christ”.  As the men don’t teach Christ, man’s Head…the wife/woman in church doesn’t teach the man, her head.

A husband in Israel even had the God-given authority to annul a vow made between his wife and the Lord Himself!  see Nu.30:3, 6-8, 10-13.  God so validated the husband’s decision & authority!  Peter noted in 1Pe.3:6, “Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord”.  Paul & Peter recognized the man-woman roles and the order God has set in motion.  Men may teach & have authority over men, but women aren’t to do so to men in church.

Who may women teach?  Ti.2:3 “Older women are to be teaching what is good (g2567).”  This is the only NT occurrence of the term g2567 kalodidáskalos.  v.4-5 “That they may train [g4994, sole occurrence] the young women [wives] to love their husbands, to love their children, being subject to their own husbands, that the word of God not be dishonored.”  Women are to teach younger women and youths.  Pr.29:15 “A child left to himself brings shame to his mother.”  Women may teach or preach to other females.

The Greek verb for prophesy is g4395 propheteúo.  It can mean “to foretell events, inspired speaking”.  We already saw Paul’s instructions in 1Co.14:31-40 regarding prophesying in church.  The brethren may prophesy, but not the women to men.  Paul said this ruling was the “Lord’s command” (v.37)!  In 1Co. 11:5, Paul addressed the matter of women prophesying elsewhere, with heads covered.  This guideline was perhaps his reaction to the 1,000 priestesses/prostitutes (with hair short) at Aphrodíte’s temple in nearby AcroCórinth.  Women aren’t restricted from praying or prophesying in public.  Paul wouldn’t purposely contradict himself in the same letter!?  1Co.14 is about the church assembly.

There are other women specifically named in the NT.  Priscilla/Prisca (Latin) and her husband Aqúila are together mentioned six times.  Three times Aquila is named first, and three times Priscilla is named first.  Ac.18:24-26 “He [Apollós] began to speak out boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained [ektíthemi g1620] the way of God more accurately.”  Vines defined g1620, “To set out, expose circumstances”.  This term appears in Ac.11:4 as Peter related his vision in sequence.  Apollos came from Alexandria, Egypt.  Robertson’s Commentary “Priscilla gave Apollos the fuller story of the life & works of Jesus and of the apostolic period to fill up the gaps in Apollos’ knowledge. Privately so as to not cause an embarrassment.”  Priscilla didn’t prophesy or explain this in a synagogue/church meeting!  Ro.16:3-5 Prisca & Aquila became hosts.

Ro.16:1-2 Cenchreá was located 7-10 miles from Corinth, in the harbor.  The sister (g79) Phoebe was a patroness able to help others, a servant (diáconos g1249), and perhaps a widow.  Being “able to teach” wasn’t a qualification for a diáconos/deacon g1249, but was for an overseer, 1Ti.3:1-13.  The goodly order of elder ecclesiastical widows aged 60+ (under male eldership) were enrolled in church support, 1Ti.5:1-2, 9-10.  They gave back by ministering to widows & orphans (a precursor is Ac.6:1-3).  These presbytéral ladies supervised/taught younger women, Ti.2:3-4.  Ac.9:36-42 Dorcás may have been one.

Lk.8:3 Joanna, Susanna and other patronesses contributed support.  Ac.16:14-ff Lydia was a well-to-do businesswoman who became the first convert in Europe.  No verses show any of the above ladies teaching or preaching to men in church!

Ro.16:7 “Greet Andrónicus and Junían, my kinsmen, who are of note among the apostles.”  Were they husband & wife housechurch hosts esteemed by apostles, or was this a Junías or Junía, a male or female apostle?  Translations differ.  Some Bible historians think the Greek name referred to the male Junias, not the female Junia.  Órigen referred to this person as Junias, male.  Chrýsostom thought she was Junia, female.  Epíphanius considered this to be Junias, a man, the bishop of Apameía in Syria.  Bible scholarship on this is mixed.  However, in Ro.16 there’s nothing about them teaching or prophesying.

What other women?  In Lk.1:39-56, Mary prophesied privately to Elizabeth.  Jn.2:5 has the so-called commandment of Mary, spoken at a wedding. “Do what He [Jesus] tells you to do.”  2John is a personal epistle addressed to a lady and her children (v.1).  Some think she was Mary.  Or she was Martha (cf. Jn.11:1), and the children of Martha’s deceased sister Mary also sent greeting (2John 13).  There’s nothing about the lady herself teaching or prophesying.

In the centuries following, other females of note have appeared.  To mention a few: In the 1100s AD, Hildegard of Bíngen was a visionary Benedíctine abbess/physician in Europe.  Barbara Newman Sister Of Wisdom, p.3 “Never did she [Hildegard] suggest that, as a woman, she had any ‘right’ to teach and prophesy in the Church. Nor did she claim an equality with men.”  Hildegard spoke of the weak church leadership of her day, p.241. “Although they [the clergy] ought to submit to God’s commandments as a woman to a man, they [clergy] rebel because there is no man to rule them.”  Newman wrote on p.247, “Hildegard actively supported the exclusion of women from the clergy”.

Around 1700 AD, the contemplative Madame Guyon promoted ‘quietness’, that a person should pray continually.  Aimee Semple McPherson was an immensely popular evangelist who conducted faith healing demonstrations in Los Angeles and her tent meetings in the early 1900s.  Kathryn Kuhlman was another evangelist who held healing crusades from the 1940s–1970s.  These did much public preaching.  During the 1900s, Mother Theresa was a missionary to the poor in India, doing notable charitable works.  That’s just a few.  It’s not my place here to appraise these historical figures.

Concluding: I see no Bible verse where a female is prophesying to or teaching men in church (or synagogue), in either the New or the Old Testament!  Women weren’t overseers of men as pastors or shepherds of churches in scripture.  Within mixed groups in church, the leaders were men.  That’s understandable.  A situation where the Christian husband is being taught in church by his ‘pastor’ wife would be contrary to scripture.  And a man’s wife as the object of attention of other men sitting in the congregation possibly can lead to problems; also if she’s looked to shepherd or counsel men.

Even back in Is.3:12, the prophet regretfully wrote, “As for My people, youths are their oppressors and women rule over them. O My people, your leaders cause you to err.”  A sad state of affairs.

But in the account of the Acts 15 Jerusalem council, scripture indicates only men are present…no women as leaders there.  Again, Paul said in 1Co.14:39 for in-church, “Brethren, desire to prophesy”.

Sisters do reflect the Holy Spirit, and may evangelize and be missionaries outside the church.  Sisters minister through: prayers, music, dance, encouragement, comforting, financial aid, hospitality, charity, as deaconesses, teaching women/children, testimony, evangelism, missionaries, prophesying elsewhere.

Again, the majority of churchgoers in this country are females, not males.  And 70% of churches still do abide by most of the above scriptural guidelines.

But the more recent aberration of women pastors teaching and preaching to men in some churches of Western Christianity…doesn’t get its authority from the Bible!  Instead, it’s a modern cultural thing.

This isn’t about chauvinism or a competition of men versus women.  It’s about what the Bible reflects.

Yet…it’s a wise man who will listen to/heed his wife’s input and advice on home & family matters, prior to his making a final decision.  The virtuous woman of Proverbs 31 is a good home/property manager.  Males and females, with their respective roles, are both made in God’s image & likeness and complement each other.  Men and women are both heirs of eternal life (1Pe.3:7).

Women/wives who will personally adhere to the Bible admonitions regarding female roles in church will be respected and honored!  Scripture reflects many godly women who were admired and beloved!

Synagogue Influence on the Church

Many concepts and functions extant in Christian churches today are adapted from 1^st century Jewish sýnagogues.  Early Christianity was viewed as part of Jewish sectarianism.  The beginnings of conversion to Christianity outside the synagogue aren’t clearly visible from scripture.  No New Testament writer describes any mass conversion of gentiles (or God-fearers) outside the synagogue!

The word synagogue (Strongs g4864) is actually a Greek term, not a Hebrew term.  It occurs 57 times in the New Testament (NT).  Eight synagogues are named in the NT where Paul is at synagogue.  Initially a synagogue was an assembly or congregation of people.

Later it came to mean a building or meeting place, as did the word church.  The Greek term which is rendered church in English is ekklésia (g1577), occurring 118 times in the NT.  Initially an ekklesia was a gathering of citizens (not a church building).

In the Old Testament (OT), the general Hebrew term for an assembly, company, or organized body of people is qahál (h6951).  It occurs 123 times.  The BC Jewish translators of the old Greek version that became the Septúagint/LXX rendered qahal as ekklesia 87 times, and as synagogue 36 times.  For example, De.5:22 LXX “These words the Lord spoke to all the assembly [synagogue] of you in the mountain.”  The Greek terms synagogue and ekklesia were somewhat synonymous.

In modern parlance, a synagogue has come to mean a place of worship and study for Jews, whereas a church usually means a place of worship for Christians.

The synagogue system began sometime after the period of Babylonian captivity, but is unmentioned as such in the KJV OT.  Anciently the city gates were public meeting places and the site of judicial courts (ref Ru.4:1-2).  City gates and prayer houses were perhaps the forerunners of synagogues.  (Also later there were judicial courts within synagogues.)

Two main reasons why synagogues were set up: 1) To teach the people the Lord’s Toráh/Law, in hopes they wouldn’t ignorantly disobey Him and again be sent into captivity.  2) The Greek king Antíochus Epíphanes in 175 BC replaced the priest of Zadók with his own high priest (Jason), breaking the commanded family line of Aaronic succession.  High priests then would no longer serve for life, but were appointed and dismissed at the whims of the ruling power.  These priests usually supported the ruling power, instead of having allegiance to God and the Jewish people.  Priests controlled the temple.  With the temple priesthood viewed as corrupt by many, synagogues started cropping up.

Unlike the priesthood, the synagogue was mostly an unpaid lay institution, in the hands of elders (zakén h2205, Hebrew).  It required 10 men (a minyán) to form a synagogue (cf. Ru.4:2).

It is estimated that 20% of 1^st century Jews regularly attended synagogue.  According to the Talmud, there were around 400 synagogues in Jerusalem in the 1^st century.  Mt.23:1, 6 Jesus said the scribes & Pharisees loved the chief seats in the synagogues.  (Also see the topic “Jewish Sects of the 1^st Century”.)

Many synagogues were rectangular buildings with a women’s gallery at the north end of the structure.  The Court of the Women in the temple precinct was the prototype for this gallery.  Also some synagogues were in houses.

The synagogue pattern of service resembled the temple service, but there were no sacrifices.  Prayer, blessings, reading from the Torah & Prophets (rarely the Writings), homily teaching (sermon deráhsha) were components of the service.  The favorite teaching mode was a charúz (h2737, SSol.1:10), described as the stringing together of scriptures or passages as ‘pearls’ in a form of chain reference.

We also see these components of services present in Christian churches.  (It is said the temple itself even had a pneumatic organ, and Jewish priests wearing robes would chant.)

Jesus taught in synagogues (and at the temple precinct), e.g. Jn.18:20.  ref Lk.4:15-16, 20-21 Jesus was teaching in the synagogues.  Scripture readers in synagogues would customarily stand up to read.

In Ac.13:14-16, 27 the Law and the Prophets of the OT were read in the synagogue at Pisidían Antioch on the sabbath (the reading preceded Paul’s discourse).  Ac.15:21 the Law portion which Christ had given to Moses (the Péntateuch in the old Greek and LXX) was read in synagogues of cities outside the Holy Land too.  Paul admonished Timothy in Ephesus in 1Ti.4:13-16. “Give attention to the [public] reading of scripture and to your teaching.”

At that time, the ‘scriptures’ known by the early church were primarily the OT.  This practice of reading scripture and teaching was carried over into the NT church.  Charles Bell writes, “Christians maintained with little change this same liturgy; the places were almost indistinguishable”.  (also see the topics “Church Meetings of the Apostolic Age” and “Church Structure and Member Functions”.)

Each synagogue elected (for life sometimes) its chief administrator or ordained nási/ruler (ar-kee-syn-ág-o-gos, g752).  Jesus’ relative James/Jacob is said to have been an esteemed ruler in Jerusalem.  Sometimes a nasi was a regular teacher.  Lk.8:41 Jáirus was an archisynagogos/ruler.  (Jesus raised-up his daughter, who had just died.)

Other synagogue functions/positions were (there may be some overlap): A shaliách was an emissary sent forth (cf. h7971), like an apostle or migratory evangelist.  A maggíd was a preacher or teacher.  These maggid attracted a following of disciples/pupils/devoted learners/talmidim (h8527, 1Ch.25:8) who desired to become completely like their rábbi or prophetic teacher in understanding and ethical conduct.  Jesus’ disciples called Him “Rabbi”/Master (Jn.1:38).  Jesus was a maggid too.  A man said to Jesus in Mt.8:19, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go”.  Usually students chose a maggid, but Jesus did the choosing of His 12 disciples, e.g. Mk.2:14.  A meturgan or language interpreter stood near the readers & teachers; these spoke the scriptures or message ‘in his ear’. (cf. Mt.10:27, Ne.8:8.)

At least three synagogue párnasin or álmoners, knowledgeable in scripture, cared for the poor and distributed alms.  Collections for the poor were put in the poor box or taken up.  ref 1Co.16:1-2 where collections were made on Sunday (not on the 7^th day sabbath).  In addition to meeting on the sabbath, some synagogues had more than one weekly service.

The first seven were called the ‘seven good men of the city’ (from the Talmud).  Ac.6:1-6 “Select seven men of good reputation.”  JFB Commentary “The parnasin of the synagogue, like the ancient ‘deacon’ of the church, took care of the poor.”  This was a common Jewish appointment, and a prototype for deacons.  Later, Paul gave instructions about deacons serving in the Christian church, 1Ti.3:8-10.

So much of what is commonly thought of as new for the church in the NT…wasn’t new!  Excavations indicate some synagogues had banquet or eating areas.  For Jewish Christians and the church, the synagogue custom of communal meals on a weekly or monthly basis (with the Lord’s Supper added) became the NT love feasts.  ref Jude 12 “love feasts”, and 1Co.11:26, 33 bread & wine with eating.  (see the topics “Bread and Wine in the Church” and “Wine or Grape Juice in Jesus’ Cup?”.)

Synagogue judicial courts exercised authority in some matters, limited by the Roman ruling power.  But only Roman authority could condemn Jesus.  (Since Jesus was a Galilean, the Jerusalem synagogue court authority in Judea couldn’t condemn Him to death.)

According to Dr. Ron Moseley, “In the synagogue structure three leaders would join together to form a tribunal for judging cases concerning money, theft, immorality, admission of proselytes, laying on of hands (etc.)”.  This judicial practice is seen in Mt.18:15-20, and in 1Co.6:1-5 for the church.

Ac.18:1, 4, 8, 17 Críspus and Sosthénes had been synagogue rulers/nasi in Corinth.  1Co.1:1, 14 they both became Jewish Christians (Messianic Jews).  They’d known the synagogue tribunal process (e.g. 1Co.5:12-13).  Timothy, a church planter, also was involved in church judicial decisions (1Ti.5:19-20).

Only zaken/elders voted in the synagogue.  Each local elder had one vote (two brothers who were both elders shared one vote).

In Lk.21:12 & Jn.9:22, Jesus said Jewish Christians would eventually be brought before synagogue courts, and put out of synagogues.  Ac.26:11 Paul (when he was Saul) had been a persecutor of Jews who believed Yeshúa/Jesus is the Messiah.  Paul later became a leader of the believing “sect of the Nazarénes” (Ac.24:5).  Again, early Christianity was considered a Jewish sect.

Jewish Christians and some God-fearers were able to continue attending synagogue for a while, as well as meeting among themselves.  As persecution in synagogues increased, they left.  Believers kept meeting together (He.10:25), often in houses.  (also see “Sabbath Day Became Sunday in Rome”.)

Some Jewish Christians called their own assemblies “synagogues”.  In Ja.2:2, James used the Greek term synagogue for the meeting of believers. “If a man comes into your assembly [synagogue g4864]….”  (Originally a “synagogue” was an assembly, not a building.)

It’s important to understand that the New Covenant is made “with the house of Israel and the house of Judah” (Je.31:31, He.8:8).  We gentiles are “grafted-in”, according to Paul in Ro.11:17.

Other synagogue-type traditions were given by the Holy Spirit to saints in cities of the gentiles.  Zaken were unpaid elders/overseers/shepherds, usually age 40 and over.  Ti.1:5-9 Paul instructed Titus to appoint elders in all cities.  (See 1Ti.3:1-7 for qualifications of overseers.)  It is said these zaken/elders could be paid to teach (e.g. synagogue schools), but not to shepherd.  Perhaps 1Ti.5:17-18 indicates there were some exceptions, or functions were not clearly defined throughout all churches in the Roman Empire.  Generally, elders and pastors in the early church were not a paid professional clergy!

The chazán (presbyter & public minister) prayed and spoke behind a wooden pulpit.  In Ne.8:1-5, we read of a lengthy service in the days of Ezra.  (This has served as a prototype for some churches.)  The chazan customarily assigned Torah readings, etc.  Traditionally he selected seven readers each sabbath – one priest, one Levite, five common Israelites (a literate competent woman also may be allowed to read).  In the 1^st century, usually the chazan wasn’t a paid clergyman, whereas the cántor today is paid.

The chazan stood by to oversee the scripture reading (cf. Lk.4:17, 20).  Some historians think the common usage of the terms for overseer, minister, messenger/angel (malák) may tie back to the chazan.  Re.1:20, 2:1, 8, 12, 18,  3:1, 7, 14 “To the angel [messenger] of the church at….”  Benson Commentary Re.2:1 “To the pastor, presiding elder, or bishop, called an angel because he was God’s messenger to the people.”  Poole Commentary Re.1:20 “To interpret the term ‘angels’ by nature, seems not agreeable. Christ would never have ordered John to charge them [supernatural angels]…to be faithful unto death [Re.2:1, 10].  Cambridge Bible Re.2:1 “Likelier he would be one appointed by Timothy [at Ephesus 1Ti.1:3, 2Ti.4:9-13].”  Vincent Word Studies Re.1:20 “The officials known as angels or messengers of the synagogue, transferred to the Christian church.”

But perhaps the nasi/ruler is meant by “angel” (or messenger) in Re.2, not the chazan.  Again, historians see some position duties as overlapping.  Timothy was to be reading & teaching in Ephesus (1Ti.4:13-16), not long before Paul’s death.  Ac.18:19 previously Paul himself had probably seen this practice being done at an Ephesus synagogue.

Dr. Moseley notes in The Jewish Background of Christian Baptism that the church owes to its Jewish beginnings “such items as Messiah, Scripture, canon, liturgy, altar, pulpit, church offices, songs, offerings, the Lord’s Supper, as well as baptism.”

To conclude: Early synagogues were controlled by the laity.  But through the centuries, the Christian church clergy transformed these member functions of expertise & authority into large salaried hierarchies (sometimes abusive).

The early church was hierarchical only as it was familial.  1Ti.5:1-3 reflects fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters as the church family.  Respect, authority, and order are necessary for the well-being of the household of saints, just as for a family.  And a family household also is a lay institution.  Christian churches are local and are family – all are brothers & sisters in the Lord through the Holy Spirit.

The apostolic era New Testament practices and customs given to the (Jewish) saints by the Holy Spirit is our scriptural model for the church.