2. The _chazzan_ (Luke 4. 20, "the minister"), who united the functions of clerk, schoolmaster, s.e.xton, and constable to administer sentence on offenders.
3. The _batlanim_, "men of ease," seven men who were chosen to act as a legal congregation, were pledged to be present at the regular services, and sometimes received a small fee for being present.
VI. =Its Services.= These were held on Sat.u.r.day, Monday, and Thursday, and were conducted by the members in turn, several taking part in each service. They consisted of:
1. Forms of prayer, conducted by a leader, with the responses by the worshipers.
2. Reading of selections from the law and the prophets, according to an appointed order (Acts 15. 21). The reading was in Hebrew, but it was translated, verse by verse, into the language of the people, whether Greek or Aramaic.
3. Exposition or comment upon the Scripture, in which any member might take part (Luke 4. 20, 21; Acts 13. 15, 16).
VII. =Its Influence.= It is easy to perceive how widely and how powerfully the results of such an inst.i.tution would reach.
1. It perpetuated the worship of G.o.d and united the worshipers.
2. It supplied a more thoughtful and spiritual worship than the elaborate ritual of the Temple.
3. It promoted the study of the Old Testament Scriptures and made them thoroughly familiar to every Jew.
4. It attracted the devout and intelligent among the Gentiles, many of whom became worshipers of G.o.d and were known as "proselytes of the gate"
(Acts 10. 1, 2).
VIII. =Its Preparation for the Gospel.= It is evident that the apostles and early Christian teachers were greatly aided by the synagogue.
1. It furnished a _place_; for everywhere the church began in the synagogue, even though it soon left it (Acts 13. 5; 18. 4; 19. 8).
2. It prepared a _people_; for the synagogue was attended by the earnest and thoughtful, both of Jews and Gentiles, who were thus made ready for the higher truths of the gospel (Acts 13. 42, 43).
3. It supplied a _plan of service_; for it is evident that the early Christian worship was modeled, not on the ritual of the Temple, but on the simpler forms of the synagogue.
4. It gave a _system of organization_; for the Government of the early church was similar to, and doubtless suggested by, that of the synagogue.
Blackboard Outline
I. =Ori.= Cap. Ez. B. C. 440.
II. =Univ.= 10 fam. 460 Jer.
III. =Pl. Meet.= Buil. ro. op. air. sec. us.
IV. =Arr.= 1. Ark. 2. Ch. sea. 3. Desk. 4. Pla. wor. 5. Gal.
V. =Off.= 1. Rul. 2. Chaz. 3. Batl.
VI. =Serv.= 1. Pr. 2. Read. Ser. 3. Exp.
VII. =Inf.= 1. Per. wor. 2. Spir. wor. 3. St. O. T. 4. Attr. Gen.
VIII. =Prep. Gosp.= 1. Pla. 2. Peo. 3. Ser. 4. Org.
Review Questions
Between what two inst.i.tutions was the synagogue a link of connection? How did the synagogue originate? Who gave it definite organization? Wherein did it differ from the temple and its services? Where were synagogues formed? How many were in Jerusalem? What buildings and places were used for the synagogue service? To what secular uses were these buildings put? What were the arrangements of the synagogue?
Where did the women worship? What was "the ark" in the synagogue? Who were the officers? What was the _chazzan_? Who were the _batlanim_? What were the services of the synagogue? What influence did the synagogue exert? Whom did the synagogue benefit outside of the Jews? How did the synagogue prepare the way for the gospel?
THIRTEENTH STUDY
The Church in Judea
PART ONE
From the Ascension of Christ A. D. 30, to the Appointment of the Seven A. D. 35.
We now enter upon the second great subject in New Testament history, the Early Church. This will include the annals of the church from the Ascension of Christ, A. D. 30, to the end of the apostolic age, A. D.
100. This epoch of seventy years is divided into four periods:
1. _The church in Judea_, from the Ascension of Christ, A. D. 30, to the Appointment of the Seven, A. D. 35.
2. _The church in Transition_, from the Appointment of the Seven, A. D.
35, to the Council at Jerusalem, A. D. 50.
3. _The church among the Gentiles_, from the Council at Jerusalem, A. D.
50, to the death of St. Paul, A. D. 68.
4. _The End of the Age_, from the death of St. Paul to the death of St.
John, about A. D. 100. It should be noted that all of these dates are uncertain and historians are not agreed with reference to them.
Of these four periods we take up the first, the church in Judea, or "The church of the First Days;" a s.p.a.ce of about five years. During this time the work of the church was confined wholly to the Jewish people, and apparently to the immediate region of Jerusalem.
I. We notice the =Events of this Period=.
1. =The followers of Christ= immediately after the Ascension; a company of people believing in Jesus as the Messiah of Israel.
1.) _Their number_ was 120 (Acts 1. 15). They were mostly from Galilee (Acts 2. 7). They were all the organized church at that time, although throughout the land were thousands more ready to unite with them.
2.) _Their meeting place_ was "the upper room" (Acts 1. 13), on Mount Zion, probably the room where the "Last Supper" was held. Some think that this may have been the house of Mary the mother of Mark, referred to in Acts 12. 1, 2.
3.) _Their religious condition_ between the Ascension and Pentecost was probably that of belief in Jesus as the King of Israel, but with the conception of an earthly kingdom (Acts 1. 6). They were waiting with prayer for divine direction (Acts 1. 14).
2. =The Outpouring of the Spirit= came upon this company on the day of Pentecost, ten days after the Ascension, fifty days after the Crucifixion. The spirit descended upon them all in the form of "tongues of fire."
1.) _Physical effect._ This was "the gift of tongues," a mysterious influence (Acts 2. 2, 3). This was not a power to speak foreign languages at will; but probably a strange divine speech, sounding to everyone who heard it as though it were the language of his own people (Acts 2. 8).