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had their own schools of divinity, unattached to the synagogue. The teaching of children
was also undertaken in the synagogues. Thirdly, the `council' of elders sat in judgment
over the affairs of the community.
The synagogue service provided for the "word of exhortation" from one of the
congregation or a stranger, and an invitation to some to take part in the service by reading
the Scriptures, possibly with comments. This accounts for the invitations given to the
Lord at Nazareth, and Paul in Pisidian Antioch:
"And He came to Nazareth . . . . . and, as His custom was, He went into the synagogue
on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. And there was delivered unto Him the book
of the prophet Esaias" (Luke 4: 16, 17).
"They came to Antioch . . . . . and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and sat
down. And after the reading of the law and the prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent
unto them, saying, Ye men and brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the
people, say on" (Acts 13: 14, 15).
Officials of the Synagogue.
The officials of the synagogue were the elders or "rulers" (archontes), whose chief
was the archisunagogos ("chief ruler"), the "minister" (huperetes), whose duty it was to
keep the sacred books, and possibly a number of clerks (akin to the N.T. "deacons"), who
took charge of alms, etc.
Besides these regular officials were those who participated in the service itself. The
Sheliach Tsibbor, or angel of the congregation was chosen by the chief ruler to conduct
the devotions, as were also those who read in the Law and Prophets or gave a word of
exhortation. There was also the Interpreter, who translated or paraphrased the reading of
the Law and Prophets into Aramaic, for the Hebrew was little understood.
The rulers were elected by the congregation, but they must satisfy certain
requirements of knowledge, and possess special qualifications, of which humility and
gentleness were two. These rulers, elders or shepherds, formed the local "council" or
tribunal, already referred to in the previous article, and acted in a judicial capacity.
Upon the chief ruler divulged the whole responsibility of the synagogue, and he would
see that all was done "decently and in order", as well as making sure that nothing
improper took place. The attitude of the archisunagogos ("ruler of the synagogue") in
Luke 13: 14 is in line with this duty:
"And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had
healed on the sabbath day."
In the eyes of this "ruler", the Lord may teach, but not heal in the synagogue on the
sabbath. This was an "improper" act.