synagogue or church?

[Goodbook]

Just been reading a lot about synagogues in the Bible lately, just wondering what the differences are between them, apart from the obvious (one, jewish, the other, mainly gentile).

I notice in a lot of passages Jesus was preaching and teaching in synagogues, as did Paul and the others..but nowadays we don't have synagogues, although back then God fearers were allowed to come and listen? Is it alright if I visit a synagogue, will others mind? Are there christian synagogues? They won't mind if I don't have any Jewish background?

 

[Steeno7]

Just been reading a lot about synagogues in the Bible lately, just wondering what the differences are between them, apart from the obvious (one, jewish, the other, mainly gentile).

I notice in a lot of passages Jesus was preaching and teaching in synagogues, as did Paul and the others..but nowadays we don't have synagogues, although back then God fearers were allowed to come and listen? Is it alright if I visit a synagogue, will others mind? Are there christian synagogues? They won't mind if I don't have any Jewish background?

A Jewish synagogue is the building where Jews gather together. 'A church' is the building where the Church, Christians who comprise the body of Christ, gathers together. You can visit a Jewish synagogue if that is your desire. But remember they practice the religion of Judaism and not Christianity, so you will need to behave and dress accordingly.

 

[grasping the after wind]

I do not know for certain but I have always been under the impression that a synagogue is very different from a church in that it is not as much a worship center as it is a place for learning about the religion. That is not to say that worship does not occur there but only that the synagogue is not the center of worship, the Temple is, I believe, the center of Jewish worship. I think, therefore, and again I have no expertise to claim to know anything, the idea of the synagogue is somewhat different than the idea of a modern church building which is the center of Christian worship.

 

[Goodbook]

I know someone who went to a synagogue I think it was messianic, it was like a worship service in hebrew, they sang hebrew songs. He said it was similar to a church in many ways.

A group from church, the older folk went on a field trip - they always have outings, and I remember they went to visit a synagogue and they were telling me how they were shown around but the Jewish host there didn't really believe in Judaism himself, so that was kind of weird. Like an atheist Jew. But they said they all keep the Torah (first 5 books of Moses) there, and it's wrapped up in fancy cloth, like they really worship the actually scroll itself. I don't know if they ever read from the New Testament in that synagogue.

 

[Goodbook]

How do you dress in a synagogue?
Do the ladies wear head-coverings or just the men?
I notice some wear prayer shawls and kippa but not seen any wearing teffillin and those orthodox black clothing - the black hats, suits etc in nz. (they look like amish or mormons to me) When I went to a thing that was like this Stand with Israel rally in town, there were lots of Jewish people there. They didn't really mix with us christians, only the messianic ones did.

 

[BFine]

Normally I dress at home not in a synagogue lol...
sorry I couldn't resist!

Seriously....
I went to the synagogue in Vancouver, B.C and I was wearing
jeans, black sneakers and a simple blouse...no one said a thing.

*The sign at the front door said: Visitors Welcome!
So I went right on in and was treated really nice...at the time there
was a teaching seminar going on and I listened for a bit and then went to
look around (first time in a synagogue) I talked to a rabbi(teacher) and
looked over some ancient manuscripts on display etc.

As to what others were wearing, I believe it depends upon one's background--
I saw some older people wearing different clothing while others wore dressy
clothes and some were like me-- casually attired.

I would like to go back when they are celebrating one of their holidays...
as I would like to know/see how they do things.

 

[Goodbook]

I want to see the ark and the torah and try and read some hebrew with their pointy stick thing.

 

[Sketcher]

God-fearing Gentiles used to come to the synagogues because they were drawn to God's ways as opposed to the ways of the pagan world. Paul taught in synagogues because he was a Jew, and wanted to spread the Good News to other Jews. Jesus had just recently died and risen - he had to let them know!

There were Jewish believers, and Jewish non-believers. The Jewish non-believers hated Christianity, and actually added a "blessing" that the congregants were all to say - which cursed the Christian "heretics." Since the believers would not say this "blessing," they were easily caught and marked for removal from the synagogues. All this happened after the New Testament was written, but before the Romans scattered the Jews - either from Jerusalem or from all of Judea (which happened later).

Nowadays, Jews tend to be very against the spreading of the Gospel in a synagogue. Doing so is seen as rude, and if you choose to attend and observe, they will tend to want you to get the permission of the rabbi first. Some are more visitor-friendly than others. And depending on the synagogue, you might not even hear English as part of the service.

Now, you might find an enclave of Messianic Jews in a Messianic synagogue. These people believe in Jesus as the Messiah. This too is a fragmented movement, and many of them ironically are Gentiles who think they need to follow more of the OT law than your typical church will.

 

[Radagast]

I want to see the ark and the torah and try and read some hebrew with their pointy stick thing.

Well, we have the Torah in English. It's called the Old Testament. And no way would they let you touch the "pointy stick thing."

And, if you are a Christian, you should be going to a Christian church, not to a Jewish synagogue.

 

[Goodbook]

Er..ok boss. Whatever you say iishould be doing. Do I even know you?
We have the torah in chinese too. And maori and japanese and every other language in the world.

 

[Goodbook]

Touche.

I ought to tell those old folk at church they shouldnt be visiting synagogues either.

 

[football5680]

They are different words for basically the same thing. They are where people come together and the word you use depends upon what religion the people belong to.

There is no reason to visit a synagogue as a Christian. The Jews deny Christ so there is no reason to worship with them. Saint Paul did it because he was spreading the message of the Gospel but in Saint Paul's day this was necessary. Christianity was in its infancy and people couldn't simply look up our beliefs. Today I would not recommend this because it could be very offensive and it would not be a good environment to try and speak to them in.

 

[Goodbook]

Has anyone else ever visited one apart from Bfine?
Did you get kicked out?
I wouldn't speak to them, I would just go in if there was a sign saying visitors welcome and ask to see the Torah. I just want to see what the scrolls look like. The pointy thing is called a yad.

Of course I know in general the Jews deny Jesus as their messiah but there are some Messianic Jews - those who've seen the light.I know a few myself. So, I don't know why us christians should be so hostile to them. Besides, it was most of the Pharisees and Sadducees who didn't like Jesus and persecuted the christians, not everyone in Israel.

 

[Midst]

Just been reading a lot about synagogues in the Bible lately, just wondering what the differences are between them, apart from the obvious (one, jewish, the other, mainly gentile).

I notice in a lot of passages Jesus was preaching and teaching in synagogues, as did Paul and the others..but nowadays we don't have synagogues, although back then God fearers were allowed to come and listen? Is it alright if I visit a synagogue, will others mind? Are there christian synagogues? They won't mind if I don't have any Jewish background?

Jews that go to synagogue are not Christian. Synagogue's are representative of a religion Christianity broke away from two thousand years ago.

They are to find the answers from us, not we find the answers from them.

They are living in the past in a dead religion. This is the living religion, the living faith.

 

[Goodbook]

I know that.
Duh.
Just wondered what it looked like and what goes on there, thats all. Its not like im going to convert or anything.

 

[Goodbook]

Bfine, why did you visit one? Everyone else seems to think I dont even know what one is. Lol.

 

[Sketcher]

Has anyone else ever visited one apart from Bfine?

Not a proper synagogue, but a Jewish service at a camp once.

Of course I know in general the Jews deny Jesus as their messiah but there are some Messianic Jews - those who've seen the light.I know a few myself. So, I don't know why us christians should be so hostile to them. Besides, it was most of the Pharisees and Sadducees who didn't like Jesus and persecuted the christians, not everyone in Israel.

- After the temple in Jerusalem was destroyed, it was the Pharisees who wrote the Talmud. Judaism today is based on that - what the Jewish enemies of Christ wrote. This translates into hostility to the Gospel among the Jews, which admittedly was amplified by 1700 years of persecution by governments and people who claimed Christianity.

- Messianic Jews will generally congregate in their own synagogues, because of the hostility to the Gospel within the larger Jewish community. They of course will also have different traditions since they believe the Messiah has already come, and will come back as opposed to the Jews who don't believe he has come at all yet.

 

[Steve Petersen]

Funny to sit here and watch people who have never visited a synagogue or read the Talmud pontificate about Judaism. All you know of it is what you have read in the NT or heard in church. I seriously doubt that any of you have EVER talked to a Jewish person about their faith and why they can't accept Jesus as Messiah. The greatest part of that is because of the PROLONGED AND INTENSE PERSECUTION OF JEWS BY PEOPLE WHO CALLED THEMSELVES CHRISTIAN.

 

[Goodbook]

Yea, its really sad.
I mean even the attitudes on this thread I made, I was quite suprised.

No wonder Jewish people stay away from us.

 

[Sketcher]

Funny to sit here and watch people who have never visited a synagogue or read the Talmud pontificate about Judaism. All you know of it is what you have read in the NT or heard in church. I seriously doubt that any of you have EVER talked to a Jewish person about their faith and why they can't accept Jesus as Messiah. The greatest part of that is because of the PROLONGED AND INTENSE PERSECUTION OF JEWS BY PEOPLE WHO CALLED THEMSELVES CHRISTIAN.

Yeah, you can't underestimate that. If anything said in this thread about Jews or Judaism is untrue, by all means give the forum a correct perspective.