We are taking a closer look at evangelistic apologetics in this new series. It follows the popular series Evangelistic Apologetics – The Church Under Attack, which published as a 33-part series on FaithandSelfDefense.com from January 2014 to March 2020. That series is now available for free as a set of five eBooks. 

Here’s what we’ve looked at so far:

  • Evangelism is the job (work) of every Christian, not just the professionals. Jesus Christ gave apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers to His Church, “for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:11-13). 
  • In the second part of our series, we looked at what Jesus had in mind when He gave His Church apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. What role do they play in the Lord’s Eternal Plan?
  • In the third part of our series, we looked at what real ministry looks like. A Christian’s ministry is to do whatever Jesus says we should do. Jesus said He had all authority in the universe and that we should make disciples and teach them to obey the teachings of Jesus. We also follow the example, the pattern, that Jesus gave us for life and ministry. We took several steps with Jesus from His childhood to His baptism and wildness experience to see how He ministered.
  • In the fourth part of our series, we looked at what Jesus preached after He left the wilderness and began traveling through the cities of Galilee.

We move now to the next part of our study where we see what Jesus preached in the Jewish synagogues.

What is a Synagogue?

Synagogues are where Jews meet each Sabbath Day “to gather.” The word “synagogue” means “a gathering place.” Worship in synagogues includes reciting of the Shema, reading and teaching from the Law and Prophets, sharing a sermon, praying and a benediction. The traditional function of a synagogue included the ideas of being a “house of prayer,” “house of assembly” (beit k’nesset), and “house of study.”

While Conservative Jews continue to use the word “synagogue” for their place of assembly, Orthodox and Chasidim Jews use the word “shul” (Yiddish for “school”) and Reform Jews use the word “temple” because they view it is a replacement for The Temple that no longer exists in Jerusalem.

Synagogues in ancient times were also used for community meetings, judicial proceedings, and even lodging for travelers during the week. Synagogues were an important part of each city, town and village. Some larger communities had more than one synagogue because rabbis would not travel more than the prescribed Sabbath Day Journey (about three-thousand feet).

Synagogues were important after the destruction of the First Temple and Jews were moved from Judah to Babylon. Without a Temple, synagogues became central to worship and religious activity for Jews. Synagogues continued even after Zerrubabel built the Second Temple at the end of the 6th century BC. Archeological evidence has revealed that synagogues were built throughout the Diaspora (name for Jewish dispersion after 586 BC).

Jesus and Synagogues

Jesus was born in Bethlehem, but grew up in Nazareth. Nazareth was the home of Joseph and Mary — his virgin mother (Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-27; 2:4-5). Nazareth was a small town located about twelve miles southwest of the Sea of Galilee. The population of Nazareth in the early part of the 1st Century AD is estimated to have been 300-400 people. The size of town was so small that it probably had only one synagogue. That was the synagogue where Jesus attended as a boy, teenager and young man. Aramaic was the common language of the people. Boys would have learned to read Hebrew as part of their training in Judaism.

It came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 

Mark 1:9

Jesus lived in Nazareth until the day he went to the Jordan River to be baptized. Jesus went directly from His baptism to be tested by Satan in the wilderness. After His testing, Jesus returned to Galilee to preach the Gospel — “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15).

Matthew wrote that “Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people. Then His fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments, and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics; and He healed them. Great multitudes followed Him—from Galilee, and from Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan.” (Matthew 4:23-25)

Mark wrote that “Then they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and taught. And they were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.” (Mark 1:21-22) The people at the synagogue in Capernum were also amazed to see Jesus cast an unclean spirit (demon) out of a man in the synagogue. The people were amazed and questioned among themselves — “What is this? What new doctrine is this? For with authority He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.’ And immediately His fame spread throughout all the region around Galilee.” (Mark 1:27-28)

Luke wrote — “Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region. And He taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all.” (Luke 4:14-15)

John doesn’t mention Jesus preaching in synagogues, but does share this insight about Nazareth at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry — “The following day Jesus wanted to go to Galilee, and He found Philip and said to him, ‘Follow Me.’ Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, ‘We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.’ And Nathanael said to him, ‘Can anything good come out of Nazareth?’ Philip said to him, ‘Come and see.” (John 1:43-46)

Jesus Rejected in Nazareth

Jesus visited His synagogue in Nazareth early in His ministry. These were His family and friends. They had known Jesus since He was a little boy. We know from Luke’s account of Jesus’ life that He “increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men” (Luke 2:52). Certainly, the people of Nazareth would welcome Jesus and His Gospel message with open arms, but that is not what happened — not even close.

So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written: The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.’ Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. And He began to say to them, ‘Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.’ So all bore witness to Him, and marveled at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth. And they said, Is this not Joseph’s son?’ He said to them, ‘You will surely say this proverb to Me, ‘Physician, heal yourself! Whatever we have heard done inCapernaum, do also here in Your country.’ Then He said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own country. But I tell you truly, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, and there was a great famine throughout all the land; but to none of them was Elijah sent except to Zarephath, in the region of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.’ So all those in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, and rose up and thrust Him out of the city; and they led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might throw Him down over the cliff. Then passing through the midst of them, He went His way.

Luke 4:16-29

The people in attendance at the Nazareth synagogue that day were deeply offended by what Jesus said. It was not at all what they expected to hear from Him. Apparently, Jesus had never spoken like this before. It was His custom to go to the synagogue in Nazareth on the Sabbath Day and read. He was handed the Book of Isaiah and turned to the portion we know as Chapter 61. Who did He think He was? Had all the fame He was getting from people in other towns going to His head? Had He lost His mind? He was the son of Joseph, a member of the synagogue. He should show more respect and not claim to be something or someone He wasn’t! And then, of all things, to mention Gentiles in the middle of the service. How dare Him! Blasphemy! Something needs to be done to Him immediately. Let’s throw Him over a cliff and kill Him!

What a strange story in the middle of all the wonderful things Jesus was doing in other towns and villages in the region of Galilee. Why did He go and upset His own family and friends and in His home synagogue of all places?

Matthew and Mark’s Gospel accounts gives a little more information about who was in the synagogue that day ..

Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these parables, that He departed from there. When He had come to His own country, He taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished and said, ‘Where did this Man get this wisdom and these mighty works? Is this not the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother called Mary? And His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas? And His sisters, are they not all with us? Where then did this Man get all these things?’ So they were offended at Him. But Jesus said to them, ‘A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house.’ Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

Matthew 13:53-58

Then He went out from there and came to His own country, and His disciples followed Him. And when the Sabbath had come, He began to teach in the synagogue. And many hearing Him were astonished, saying, ‘Where did this Man get these things? And what wisdom is this which is given to Him, that such mighty works are performed by His hands! Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And are not His sisters here with us?’ So they were offended at Him. But Jesus said to them, ‘A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house.’ Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. And He marveled because of their unbelief. Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching.

Mark 6:1-6

We see that Jesus’ disciples were with Him in addition to His entire family and other members of the synagogue. The people were offended at Him because of what He said and the claims He made (the things we read in Luke’s account). They viewed Jesus as no more than just the son of a carpenter (Joseph had probably passed away by this time since he’s never mentioned in attendance at the synagogue or at other times when family members visited Jesus) and just one of many young adults who had attended the synagogue since they were children. Because of the people’s lack of unbelief, Jesus only healed a few sick people in Nazareth. Jesus did much greater things in other synagogues because the people believed His words and actions. As Jesus said, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house.”

The people in the Nazareth synagogue were scandalized by what Jesus said. The Greek word for “offended” is eskandalizonto (scandalized, to cause to stumble, become ensnared) and means that the words of Jesus actually caused them to stumble and sin. Their shock and offense came because of their sin of unbelief. The people stumbled over the truth of who Jesus was and relied on their human senses concerning His identity. They knew Jesus as a little boy, as a teenager and young man. They knew Him to be a loving, gracious and dutiful son. They thought of Him as a carpenter and son of a carpenter. Jesus was not a scholar. He had not attended one of the fine rabbinical schools of the time. He had not been ordained by the religious leaders. The people in that synagogue were not able to see with Jesus with spiritual eyes. They allowed their human ideas block out the supernatural reality of who stood before them in their synagogue. Jesus had been ordained (anointed) by God to preach the Gospel to the poor, to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, and to set at liberty those who are oppressed. What the people in the synagogue in Nazareth did not understand was that the Spirit of God had anointed Jesus to do all of that for them. They were spiritually poor, broken hearted, captive, blind and oppressed. They couldn’t see it and missed out on a great blessing from God.

eBook

You can download a free eBook of Chapters One – Five of this study here. Please share with family and friends as God leads.

Next Time

We will look closely at the Gospel that Jesus preached in Israel in the next part of our special study, Evangelistic Apologetics – A Closer Look.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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