Wine or Grape Juice in Jesus’ Cup? (2)

This topic was begun in “Wine or Grape Juice in Jesus’ Cup? (1)”.  Part 2 here is the conclusion.

Part 1 identified the two most-used Hebrew Old Testament (OT) terms for “wine”…yáhyin (Strongs h3196) and tiroshé (h8492).  Yayin was fermented wine.  Tirosh usually referred to unfermented grape juice.  Tirosh is called “new wine” in many Bibles.  (Other terms for alcoholic drink were less-used.)

Part 1 also discussed the customary Jewish practice of using wine to celebrate Passover in 1^st century Jerusalem.  Jesus the man was Jewish, and He observed God’s annual Passover (Lk.2:41-42).

In the Greek New Testament (NT) and Greek OT Septúagint/LXX, the term for “wine” is oínos g3631.  It occurs 33 times in the NT.  However, yayin (fermented) and tirosh (unfermented) were both translated as oinos in the OT LXX!  No differentiation was made.  The context determined its meaning.

The NT writers didn’t identify the type of liquid in the “cup” at Jesus’ Last Supper.  “Cup” is potáyreeon g4221, occurring 33 times.  “Cup” as a drinking vessel is seen at the Lord’s Supper: Mt.26:27; Mk.14:23; Lk.22:17, 20; 1Co.10:16, 21, 11:25-28.  No beverage is specified (not oinos).

In Part 2 we’ll discuss uses, concerns, and symbolism of wine from the Bible; also when Christian churches started using grape juice in communion or the eucharist.  (Part 1 material won’t be repeated.)

In Bible times, wine (mixed with water) was used for other celebrations besides Passover.  Jn.2:1-11 Jesus’ first miracle was, He changed water into wine (oinos g3631) at a wedding celebration.  Probably His miracle wine was undiluted.  In Is.1:22, the Lord had negatively compared debased ancient Israel to pure wine diluted with water.  And Jesus didn’t change the Jn.2 water into grape juice.  Jn.2:10 after the guests had drank, they wouldn’t notice any quality difference if it was grape juice.  But they would notice a difference if it was wine.  Jesus wasn’t opposed to wine (in moderation)!

Lk.7:33-35 Jesus was exaggeratedly even called a glutton and a ‘wino’ (oinopótes g3630), a friend of tax collectors & sinners.  Winos drink fermented wine.  In contrast, John the Baptizer didn’t drink wine.

De.14:25-27 rejoicing with wine (h3196 yayin) to celebrate the Lord’s OT feasts was fine!  Included were Levites too.  But priests weren’t allowed to drink wine while on duty (Le.10:8-9; Ezk.44:21).

Wine symbolized Jesus’ blood!  The 19^th century German theologian Augustus Neander wrote of Jesus’ Last Supper (Lk.22:17-20). “The broken bread was to represent His body. The wine is to represent His blood, about to be shed for them.”  Got Questions: What is the Meaning of the Blood of Christ? “The pouring of wine in the cup symbolized the blood of Christ.”  Answers.com: What is the Symbolic Meaning of Wine? “Wine signifies blood and blood signifies life, ‘the life is in the blood’ (Lev.17:14).”

Fermented wine yayin h3196 (not unfermented tirosh h8492) was called the blood of grapes.  Ge.49:10-12 is a prophecy about the future King Messiah Jesus. “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until He comes to whom it belongs. He will wash His garments in wine [h3196], His robes in the blood of grapes.”  That’s meaningful.  Henry Commentary Ge.49:11 “He is the true Vine, wine is the appointed symbol of His blood.”  Poole Commentary “The ‘blood of grapes,’ so the wine is called in Deu.32:14.”  (De.32:14 has a less-used term for fermented red wine, chémer h2561-2.  Chemer wine was at the feast of Babylon’s King Belshazzár in Da.5:1-4, e.g.)

Wine also symbolized God’s divine wrath.  Re.14:9-10 “If anyone worships the beast…he will drink of the wine [g3631] of the wrath of God, which is unmixed in the cup [g4221] of His anger.”  Pure wine of intoxication is in His metaphorical cup of judgment.  Barnes Notes Re.14:10 “Without being diluted with water.”  Re.16:19 “Babylon the great’ was remembered before God, to give her the cup [g4221] of the wine [g3631] of His fierce wrath.”  Also ref Ps.75:8; Is.51:17-22, 63:6; Je.25:15-ff; Ezk.23:31-33.

Is.63:1-6 symbolically reflects blood as the wine of His wrath, not as celebration.  v.6 “drunk”.  v.2 “winepress” (gath h1660) is somewhat a misnomer.  As grapes were pressed, it was grape juice, not wine, which flowed down the drain.  (Usually grapes in the upper vat/receptacle were trodden by a team; but interestingly, in v.3 only One solely does the treading.)

{Sidelight: Just before Jesus’ arrest and crucifixion, He prayed at a place called “Gethsemane”, g1068 (Mt.26:36).  It’s from the OT h1660 gath/winepress and h8081 oil, on the Mount of Olives.  The later olive harvest was perhaps pressed into the same vats as grapes were recently pressed.  Laura Reynolds “Why Are Olive Trees Planted Around Vineyards? “The two crops used a similar processing procedure. As wine press works ends, olive pressing begins.”  Lk.22:42-44 in agony, Jesus sweated drops of blood (cf. hematidrósis) at the place of the press.  Jesus Himself felt so pressed, shedding His blood for us!}

Ex.29:38-42 the twice-daily sacrifice at God’s tent of meeting included a drink offering of fermented wine (yayin h3196).  The drink offering wasn’t grape juice!  In Nu.28:7 this drink offering is called “strong drink” (shekár h7941).  Also see Le.23:13.  ATS Bible Dictionary: Drink Offering “A small quantity of wine, part of which was poured on the sacrifice, and the residue given to the priests.”  It was part of the sacrificial system, prefiguring Christ’s blood sacrifice.

This drink offering libation of wine was poured out (cf. Ezr.7:17), as was Jesus’ shed blood (Jn.19:34; Lk.22:44).  Jesus said in Lk.22:20, “This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood”.  (The apostle Paul also compared his own life to a drink offering poured out, Php.2:17, 2Ti.4:6.)

1Ch.9:29 Levites had charge over the fermented wine (h3196) kept in the temple.  The tirosh h8492 grape juice firstfruits initially tithed to the Levites (Nu.18:12; De.18:4; Ne.10:37) fermented into wine.

Again, there were restrictions for wine-drinking placed upon Aaron and his sons (the priests).  Priests weren’t allowed to serve God in the tabernacle/temple if they’re intoxicated!  Is.28:7 priests and prophets erred through their misuse of wine (h3196) and strong drink (h7941).  1Ti.3:8 deacons in the NT church aren’t to be heavy drinkers.  (Paul advised only a little wine for Timothy, 1Ti.5:23.)

Jewish Christian historian Alfred Edersheim wrote of Jesus’ Last Supper, held in a large furnished upper room of a house (Lk.22:12).  There Jesus instituted the eucharist.  The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, p.809 “Peter and John would find there the wine for the four cups, the cakes of unleavened bread, and probably also ‘the bitter herbs’. The wine was…red, mixed with water, generally in the proportion of one part to two of water.”  Peter, John, and Jesus the man were Jews, here at Passover.

David Stern Jewish New Testament Commentary [JNTC] Lk.22:17a, p.144 “Luke is the only one of the four [gospel] writers describing the establishing of the New Covenant who mentions both a cup of wine before the meal (here) and another after (v.20).”  Wine-drinking was customary at the Lord’s feasts.

The ingathering of the grape harvest occurred in the later summer, prior to the Feast of Ingathering or Booths of the early autumn.  Back then it was something of an ordeal to preserve pure grape juice for 7 months until the Passover next spring!  Joe Thorn A Theology of Wine “Drinking wine was normative.”

However, it was possible to maintain unfermented grape juice (albeit more difficult).  Wayne Jackson Was the Fruit of the Vine Fermented? “It is known from ancient sources, that there were ways of preserving juice, thus preventing fermentation. The ancient Roman statesman, Cato, said: ‘If you wish to have ‘must’ (grape juice) all year, put grape juice in an amphora [narrow-necked jar] and seal the cork with pitch; sink it in a fish pond. After 30 days take it out. It will be grape juice for a whole year.’ (De Agri Cultura CXX)”  Steve Shirley Should Wine or Grape Juice Be Used For Communion? “Heating it [juice] to 150–180° would result in a syrup which could be diluted with water, then drank as unfermented grape juice. Also, keeping it in temperatures below 40° would prevent fermentation.”

Which beverage was used by the church?  Jennifer Tait New Wine, New Wineskins “The early Western church maintained the use of wine and unleavened bread. The Eastern church soon began to use leavened bread. From the 16^th until the 19^th century, the majority of Protestants communed using wine from a common cup and leavened bread. However, in the 19^th century, temperance became teetotalism or total abstinence, moving all alcohol (wine included) into the list of forbidden beverages. Many began to question why a beverage considered dangerous to drink was still used on the Communion table.”

Joe Iovino Methodist History: Controversy, Communion, & Welch’s Grape Juice “In the 1800s, churches faced a dilemma. To combat the epidemic of alcoholism, the temperance movement advocated total abstinence from all alcohol. Raw grape juice stored at room temperature (home refrigerators weren’t available until 1913) naturally ferments into wine. This caused a problem for congregations [taking the Lord’s Supper] not wanting to use anything containing alcohol. ‘Lots of churches just didn’t have communion when grapes were out of season,’ reports Roger Scull.”

Welch Foods, Inc. is named for Thomas Bramwell Welch (1825-1903).  He was a dentist, Methodist minister and “communion steward”, and Prohibitionist.  Wikipedia “In 1869, Welch invented a method of pasteurizing grape juice so that fermentation was stopped, and the drink was non-alcoholic. He persuaded local churches [in Vineland, NJ] to adopt this non-alcoholic ‘wine’ for communion services, calling it ‘Dr. Welch’s Unfermented Wine.”  It became the well-known Welch’s Grape Juice in 1893.

Thus pasteurization made it possible for churches to use grape juice year-round for the Lord’s Supper eucharist.  Most Protestant churches today use grape juice when serving communion.  Over the past 150 years, this relatively recent deviation from the practice of Bible times has become their church tradition.

However, there is evidence that Jewish religious bread and wine meals were held to honor the Messiah in the decades even prior to Jesus’ human birth and His Last Supper.  JNTC Appendix, p.931 says the Jewish community at Qumrán had regular meals in honor of the Messiah, who they expected soon.  Quoting their Dead Sea Scrolls: “When they gather for the Community table…let no man stretch out his hand over the bread and wine before the priest. He shall first stretch out his hand. And afterwards the Messiah of Israel shall stretch out His hands. They shall process according to this rite at every meal where at least ten persons are assembled.”  These were frequent meals.

These Qumran Community meals weren’t Passover meals!  Yet they partook of bread and wine, not grape juice, to honor the Messiah.  Jesus is the Messiah.  Traditionally, wine celebrated Him.

But the representative bread and wine is much more ancient than the 1^st century BC!  In Ge.14:18-19 “Melchisedek the king brought out bread and wine [yayin h3196]; He was priest of the Most High God.”  He served wine, not grape juice (tirosh h8492)!  He shared a (leavened?) bread and wine meal with the uncircumcised gentile/non-Jew Abrám.  The Ps.110:1-4 prophecy is about Jesus. “You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchisedek.” (also see He.6:20.)

Jesus, the Priest-King, is of the order of Melchisedek (not of the in-between Levitical order)!  So way back in the days of father Abraham, even prior to Jacob/Israel and the Jews, a bread and wine meal foreshadowed Christ’s priesthood and rule.  This is significant…we are of the order of Melchisedek!  The archetypal meal wasn’t tied to a recurring religious date or season of the year, e.g. Passover.  Its timing may or may not coincide with other religious observances.  (see “Melchisedek Order Priesthood”.)

Pr.9:1-5 “Wisdom has built her house. She has slaughtered her beasts; she has mixed her wine [h3196, fermented], she has set her table. ‘Come, eat of the bread and drink of the wine [h3196] I have mixed.”  It is wisdom to partake of (symbolic) bread and wine.  Melchisedek did so with Abraham.

In 1Co.11:20-34, drunkenness was a problem in the Corinthian church (v.21).  They were consuming too much wine while celebrating the eucharist at regular love feasts.  Drunkenness can have bad consequences (cf. Ge.9:20-27).  But wine-drinking in moderation is fine (except for Levites on duty).

To conclude…Jesus and His disciples drank wine with His Last Supper (Passover) meal.  International Standard Bible Encyclopedia [ISBE]: Wine “The wine of the Last Supper may be described in modern terms as sweet, red, fermented wine, rather highly diluted.”  Wine was in Jesus’ “cup”.

As a representation of Jesus’ blood and body, taking wine with bread is scripturally acceptable.  Joe Thorn The Lord’s Supper – Wine or Welch’s? “Regarding children, in most of the United States it is not illegal for children to consume alcohol ‘in the performance of a religious ceremony or service.”

However, conscience matters!  Je.35:5-8, 16-19 Jonadáb the son of Recháb commanded the Rechabites to be nomads, enduring hardship and abstaining from wine.  His descendants obeyed their forefather.  Some Christians abstain from wine, meat, card-playing, etc., as a matter of conscience or from fear of excess.  They only use grape juice, not wine, for communion.  We should respect their consciences.

Recovering alcoholics who become Christians, those with health problems and/or taking medications which could conflict with alcohol…should substitute grape juice for wine when taking communion.

Christians celebrate the Lord’s Supper with either wine or grape juice!  Over the years, I’ve used both.  (Again, the NT writers didn’t specify the beverage in the “cup” at Jesus’ Last Supper.)  When taking the eucharist, more important is our attitude of heart.  Yet division may occur when a perhaps well-meaning church custom/tradition becomes a modern form of pharisaic oral law and promotes exclusivism.  Jesus castigated the Pharisees for their oral traditions that contradicted OT scripture.

For more, see “Wine or Grape Juice in Jesus’ Cup? (1)” and the separate topic “Bread and Wine in the Church”.  Also related is “Jesus’ Last Supper Timing”.

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.