the church as the new synagogue

8/7/2019 The Church as the New Synagogue

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THE CHURCH AS THE NEW SYNAGOGUE: AN EXPLORATION

OF THE HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF THE TERMS USED IN ACTS 2:42

___________________

A Paper

Presented to

Dr. Timothy Ralston

Dallas Theological Seminary

___________________

In Partial Fulfillment

of the Requirements for the Course

RS102 Summary of Christian Doctrine

___________________

by

Daniel Strange

April 2006

Box #1601


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THE CHURCH AS THE NEW SYNAGOGUE: AN EXPLORATION

OF THE HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF THE TERMS USED IN ACTS 2:42

Many scholars cite Acts 2 to mark the beginning of the New Covenant Community of

the Spirit, the Church of Jesus Christ. The post-ascension timing, the apostolic attendance, the

prophetic citation from Joel, and the coming of the Spirit all support the assertion that this is

indeed the case. In the book of Acts, which charts the growth of the Church from a localized

community of Messianic Jews to an international Gospel ministry, Chapter 2 plays a pivotal role.

After Luke reminds Theophilus of the ascension (1:1-11) and sets the characters into place (1:12-

26), the Holy Spirit storms into the narrative at Pentecost (2:1-41), igniting not only the Church,

but the book of Acts as well.

Considering the place of Acts 2:42 in both the history of the church as well as the

Lukan narrative, it is not surprising that Christians often cling to this verse as the central

description of Gods Church. If the story of the Churchs initiation at Pentecost culminates in

2:41, the description of the New Community in the subsequent verse would seem to explain the

practices of Church in their purest form. At the outset of the New Community, Christ-followers

devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and

to prayer (Acts 2:42 NIV). These four devotions of the earliest believers are often cited as the

foundational practices of the Church, and the community of Acts 2:42 is often described as one

that all Christian communities should strive to replicate. Thus, Acts 2:42 has been quoted time

and time again as the most helpful description of the Church of Christ.

If it is indeed Lukes intention that these four practices be given such gravity, perhaps

the New Community did not merely pick them at random, but rather very intentionally. If so,

what is the source of this framework for life and ministry together? From where is Luke

borrowing this imagery? It is this authors contention that Lukes description of the four


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practices in Acts 2:42 are meant to describe the early Church as the Christian synagogue, and the

duration of this paper will be devoted to presenting the possibility of this scenario. The author

will accomplish this goal through a study of Acts 2:42, Jewish synagogue life, and the early

Christian Church. Given the weight commonly granted to these four ideals, the current author

will devote this paper to uncovering the historical background of Acts 2:42, focusing on the

terms at hand.

Background and Context of Acts 2:42

Lukes writing is an attempt to condense a carefully investigated narrative into an

orderly account, as is seen in his Gospel (Luke 1:1). In the Gospel that bears his name, Luke

acts as a historian, compiling a vast amount of material and then presenting the pertinent pieces

to his audience. Though this same claim is not stated explicitly in Lukes second book, Acts,

there are many clues in the opening chapters that argue for a similar style. The book of Acts

picks up where the Gospel left off, addressing Theophilus before repeating the account of the

ascension of Christ and the sending the disciples to Jerusalem. It is because of this link between

Luke and Acts that many scholars treat the two books as a unit. Therefore, Luke-Acts can be

read through one single lens, as the authorial intent in both books is one and the same: to

condense the ministry of Christ and the early church into an orderly history.

Understanding Lukes purpose in writing his books gives light to the summary

passages that are found in the early chapters of Acts, Acts 2:42 being one of them. In his Socio-

Rhetorical Commentary on Acts, Witherington explains that the role of Lukes summary

passages is to describe the interior life of the ever-growing Christian community.1 In these

passages, we learn that the believers devote themselves to specific priorities (2:42-47); are one in

1 Ben Witherington, The Acts of the Apostles: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI:

W.B. Eerdmans Pub., 1998), 157-9. Witherington, in a section entitled, A Closer LookThe Summary Statements

in Acts, describes the distinctions between summary statements and summary passages and the importance of

each to the Lukan narrative.


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mind and possession (4:32-47); are a miraculous, healing community (5:12-16); and mourn

deeply for their martyrs (8:1b-4). The function of these passages follows the Lukan historical-

narrative style. Luke writes his summary passages in order to condense the current state of the

Church into a clear, concise picture for his readers.

An investigation into the geographical focus of Lukes summary passages suggests

that they may be designed to carry Jewish significance. Though the Church of Jesus Christ grows

and expands throughout the book of Acts, these summary passages cease once the Church grows

beyond Jerusalem. Thus, in his summary passages, Luke pauses to specifically summarize the

state of the church in the Jewish capitol city. The fact that 2:42 is a summary passage draws

attention to its Jerusalem locale. Also, since Acts is the story of the Gospel growing from

Jerusalem to all nations, the fact that 2:42 is the first description of the Church in the book

signifies that, at this point, the Church is in its most Jewish state. It is probable, therefore, that

Lukes intention in Acts 2:42 was to describe a very Jewish community of New Covenant

believers. If this is true, his description of the community in Acts 2:42 would find its roots in first

century Judaism. The possibility of this contention will be fleshed out in the sections to follow.

A Study of the Four Terms of Acts 2:42

In order to determine the source and significance of the four terms used in Acts 2:42,

one must first understand the terms themselves. One must unpack the meaning of each of Lukes

four terms separately in order to lay a solid foundation for their interpretation. The following

section will be devoted to examining each of the four terms of Acts 2:42 in order to determine

their significance in the Lukan account of the early Church.

They Devoted Themselves to the Teaching of the Apostles

The first aspect of ministry to which the early church at Jerusalem was devoted was

the teaching of the apostles. Of the four terms employed by Luke, this first one is the most

straightforward in meaning. According to F.F. Bruce, simply refers


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to authoritative sermons given to the church by the apostles.2 An example of this type of teaching

can be seen in the preceding passage (2:14-21), where the Peter, rising with his fellow apostles,

addresses the men of Jerusalem with impelling rhetoric that results in the salvation of thousands.

Luke uses in the next verse to explain that the early Church was

devoted to this type of teaching for the edification of their community.

A cursory survey of the use of in the book of Acts can help to further nuance

the definition of Lukes first term. Throughout his book, Luke employs to signify a

cohesive set of teachings, and not merely scattered sermons. The word is used to refer to the

comprehensive message of Christianity in 5:28, where the teaching of the apostles is said to have

filled Jerusalem. Later in Acts, is used to refer to the overall message of the Gospel, as

the New International Version translates as, the teaching about the

Lord (Acts 13:12). A final use in 17:19 includes both of the prior ideas, as is

used to signify the new Christian message that Paul had spread throughout Athens. Luke

consistently uses in the book of Acts to signify a set of beliefs that are taught regularly

and repeatedly to a specific audience. The fact that the early Christians devoted themselves to the

teaching of the apostles signifies that they patterned their lives around the truths of Christianity

that were being regularly taught by their apostolic leaders.

A wider survey of agrees with the set of teachings pattern found in Acts. In

the majority of New Testament texts, signifies the whole of a teachers teaching, whether

the teacher is Jesus, the Pharisees, Paul, or even the heretics of Revelation 2.3 Outside of the

New Testament, Josephus uses this term to refer to the teaching of God written by Moses (Ant.,

17, 159). Josephus use of this term in relation to Jewish teaching shows to be in

2 F. F. Bruce, The Book of the Acts, Rev. ed., The New International Commentary on the New

Testament, ed. Gordon D. Fee (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 1988), 73.

3 Karl Heinrich Rengstorf, , in Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, ed. GerhardKittel, trans. Geoffrey William Bromiley, vol. 2 (Grand Rapids, MI.: W.B. Eerdmans, 1964), 163-4.


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semantic domain with the Hebrew term Talmud.4 This Hebrew equivalent is used in similar

manner as in Greek, where it is used to describe (1) the teachings of individual Rabbis

and (2) the compilation of Jewish teachings known as Talmud.5 Through a deeper look at

, it is evident that Lukes employment of the apostles teaching is meant to signify the

overall set of doctrine delivered to the saints by the early leaders of the Church.

Though refers to the specific act of teaching itself, the

use of the present active participle (to devote oneself) indicates that the

early church responded to the teaching reciprocally. According to Barrett, this phrase includes

not only the activity of teaching, but also its accompanying application by the congregation.6 In

this way, the role of preaching in the early church was very similar to its manifestation in the

contemporary paradigm. To say that the early Church was devoted to the teaching of the

apostles indicates that they put a high value on the act of preaching and worked diligently to

apply the principles that they were learning from the apostles.

They Devoted Themselves to the Fellowship

The term that Luke chooses to describe the second devotion of the early Church,

, is often used inadequately in contemporary ministry settings. This buzzword has been

linked to the English term fellowship, a word with which it is often used interchangeably.

While is often best translated as fellowship, this Greek term carries a richer

connotation than its English equivalent. Though contemporary usage does not necessarily

4

Gerhard Kittel, ed., Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, trans. Geoffrey William Bromiley,vol. 2 (Grand Rapids, MI.: W.B. Eerdmans, 1964).

5 Marcus Jastrow, Sefer Ha-Milim: Dictionary of the Targumim, Talmud Bavli, Talmud Yerushalmi,

and Midrashic Literature (New York: Judaica Treasury, 2004), 1672.

6 C. K. Barrett, The Acts of the Apostles, vol. 1, 2 vols., The International Critical Commentary on the

Holy Sciptures of the Old and New Testaments, ed. J.A. Emerton, C.E.B. Cranfield, and G.N. Stanton (Edinburgh:

T&T Clark, 1994), 163.


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mistranslate, it misses the deeper layers of the word that are intended by its Biblical

employers.

Though is not an uncommon word in the New Testament as a whole, it is

notable that Acts 2:42 is Lukes only use of the word. The apostle does not throw around this

term haphazardly; he uses it to define the culture of believers gathering to devote themselves to

the Christian lifestyle in the earliest stage of the Church. This term is not meant to denote a

specific practice of the early church per se, but instead envelop the focus and perspective of the

Christians in Jerusalem.

The lack of the connective between and creates many

different interpretations of the number of practices that are described in this verse. One view

holds that the lack of conjunction creates a rift between two separate sets of activities; thus, Acts

2:42 describes two groups of devotions that are each composed of two practices.7 A second

reading of this verse sees two groups of activities, but places the rift between the first and second

datives, claiming that the third and fourth two substantives function in apposition to the second. 8

A third view inserts between the two datives based on text critical evidence, thus holding to

four distinct activities.9

The current author would agree with the second view, yet would separate the final

dative due to its connective , thus creating three groups. The fact that the second and third

datives are employed consecutively with an identical syntactic relationship to the head participle

() signifies that the latter functions appositionally to the former.10 Still, since

7

Bruce, The Book of the Acts, 73.8 Witherington, The Acts of the Apostles: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary, 160.

9 Barrett, The Acts of the Apostles, 164. Barrett holds with manuscripts (3 E sy) that support thisinsertion.

10 Daniel B. Wallace, Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics: An Exegetical Syntax of the New Testamentwith Scripture, Subject, and Greek Word Indexes (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1996), 152.


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the final substantive is preceded by , it is separated from the appositional chain created in the

prior two. Following this hermeneutic, Acts 2:42 can be paraphrased, they devoted themselves

(1) to the apostles teaching and (2) to the fellowship, namely the breaking of bread, and (3) the

prayers.

is a term that is fairly abstract in its meaning. Related both semantically

and in definition to (common), it denotes an affiliation to the commonality that exists

within a group of people.11 The Theological Dictionary of the New Testamentnuances this

definition, stating that is, the abstract and spiritual term for the fellowship of

brotherly concord established and expressed in the life of the community. 12 In this vein, the

contemporary simplification to fellowship is again, inadequate. It has been stated that

is not fellowship, but rather, fellowship results from .13 Thus, if believers do

enjoy fellowship with one another, it is only because they are enjoying a relationship that flows

from the ties that bind them together, their. The fact that the early church

. . .signifies that they were dedicated to life and ministry

based on the truth that they held commonly.

From this interpretation, it becomes clear that fellowship includes a much wider

range of activities than which is commonly pictured. The commonality that existed among the

early church flowed into all aspects of life. in the Jerusalem church included the

activities of communion and prayer that are mentioned in the immediate context, but also

fellowship with the apostles, dining together, and giving to the poor.14 Therefore, Lukes use of

11

Walter Bauer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature,ed. Frederick W. Danker, 3rd ed. (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 552.

12 Friedrich Hauck, , in Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, ed. Gerhard Kittel,

trans. Geoffrey William Bromiley, vol. 3 (Grand Rapids, MI.: W.B. Eerdmans, 1964), 797-8.

13 Witherington, The Acts of the Apostles: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary, 160.

14 Barrett, The Acts of the Apostles, 163.


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in Acts 2:42 describes the strong adherence to common bonds that existed within

the early church. This dedication is illustrated well in Lukes next summary passage,

where the apostle summarizes:

All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his

possessions were his own, but they shared everything they had. With great power theapostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was

upon them all. There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time thosewho owned lands or houses sold them, brought money from the sales and put it at the

apostles feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need (Acts 4:32-35 NIV).

Lukes claim that the early church devoted themselves to the fellowship means that they lived

and ministered based on the common foundation that existed between them all. These Christians

not only listened to the teaching of the apostles and applied it to their own lives, but also lived

out the truths of the Gospel within their community.

They Devoted Themselves to the Breaking of Bread

While is a fairly abstract concept, Lukes third term, the breaking of

bread, is quite concrete in meaning. Literally, describes the physical act

of opening a loaf of bread by hand. At the time of Lukes writing, this term was not a common

Jewish colloquialism for dining together, though it is notable that meals in the Jewish culture

generally began with the act of bread breaking.15 Thus, it is not at all a stretch to infer that Lukes

usage of this term denotes the early churchs practice of sharing common meals together. Still,

the history behind the picture of leads many scholars to interpret this

term as more than a simple meal.

The picture evoked by in Lukes writings leads many

commentators to link the breaking of bread in Acts 2:42 to the practice of the Eucharist. In the

15 Ibid., 165. Barrett explains that breaking of bread is not a Jewish term for a meal.; I. Howard

Marshall, The Acts of the Apostles: An Introduction and Commentary, The Tyndale New Testament Commentaries,

ed. Tasker, R. V. G. (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1989), 83. Marshall describes the Jewish practice of breaking

bread before meals (cf. Luke 9:16; 22:19; 24:30; Acts 20:7, 11).


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Last Supper narrative, Luke records of Christ that after taking the bread and giving thanks, he

broke it(), employing the verbal form of, the word that is used in Acts 2:42 to

describe the breaking of bread (Luke 22:19).16 The use of the indicative of, when

posited with the participles used of the former two verbs, draws attention to the action of

breakingthe bread. In addition, Lukes only other use ofwhere the

definite article is employed is found in Luke 24:35, where the apostles did not recognize the

resurrected Christ until after he broke bread in front of them (). Lukes

use of this term in his Gospel helps the reader to understand the intended meaning in Acts. For

Luke, the articular use of signifies a communitys sharing of the

Eucharistic meal together.

A deeper study into the Lukan account of the Last Supper gives additional weight to

this authors argument that Luke intended Acts 2:42 to describe a distinctly Jewish set of actions.

Luke has been known to grant Greek terms to Jewish traditions in his writings, such as in this

Last Supper narrative, where he comments that the apostles reclined at the table (Luke 22:14).

Reclining to eat was a distinctive of Hellenistic culture, and so Luke uses this terminology to

explain the meal to his Greek audience (Theophilus).17

In the same way, Lukes treatment of the

Passover helps the reader to understand his intended meaning of

thereafter. In the Last Supper narrative (Luke 22), the apostle employs the term to refer

to the Passover six times in fifteen verses, until the bread and cup are shared in verses 17-

19. After this point, Luke never again uses the word to refer to believers celebrating

the Passover meal, and instead looks back at this account by speaking of.

16 In Lukes writings, as well as in Pauline usage, is often used in description of the LordsSupper (cf. Luke 22:19, Acts 20:4, 1 Corinthians 11:20). See also Johannes Behm, , in Theological

Dictionary of the New Testament, ed. Gerhard Kittel, trans. Geoffrey William Bromiley, vol. 3 (Grand Rapids, MI.:

W.B. Eerdmans, 1964), 729-30. Still, the current author wishes here to focus on the specific articular use offound in Acts 2:42 and Luke 24:35.

17 Witherington, The Acts of the Apostles: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary, 165.


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After Luke 22, the Passover meal has been overshadowed by the Christian bread-breaking

ceremony. Luke has effectively claimed a Jewish ceremony for Christianity by adopting new

terminology. It is this authors contention that Luke employed this technique with other Jewish

practices as well, including the description of the early Church in Acts 2:42.

They Devoted Themselves to the Prayers

According to Lukes account in Acts 2:42, the fourth and final practice of the early

Church was a devotion to the prayers (). The most simplistic interpretation

of this term would be to say that the church in Jerusalem was committed to praying, and some

claim, as does Witherington, that this term dictates no more than that the Christians prayed

together.18 This choice could be proven in the New Testament context, as Paul employs

to refer to the general practice of praying for one another (Colossians 4:12, 1

Timothy 5:5). Still, though Paul uses the term in this manner, a study of in the

Lukan narratives suggests a slightly different interpretation.

An investigation of the Lukan usage of in Acts gives the term a more

ritualistic, Jewish feel. In the passage immediately following 2:42, Peter and John are shown

walking to the temple for the Jewish time of prayer (3:1). It is evident from this narrative that the

apostles continued to practice Jewish prayer ritual even after the initiation of the Church at

Pentecost. This practice of Jewish prayer in the Christian Church continued outside of Jerusalem

as well. In the account of Peters vision regarding clean and unclean foods, Luke places Peter on

Simons rooftop at the noon hour, for prayer. This account does not only show Peter as

continuing to practice Jewish prayer rituals, but is even reminiscent of Rabbinic tradition, where

Abba Hilkiah is depicted as telling his wife, Let us go to the roof and pray for mercy.19 Even

18 Ibid., 166. Witherington also believes that simply denotes the act of sharingmeals. Thus, in his view, Acts 2:42 explains that this early church ate and prayed together.

19 Taanith 23b.


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outside of the book of Acts, the Christian community is seen praying in a distinctly Jewish

manner. In response to 1 Corinthians 14:26, for example, Oesterley argues that, although the

leader in prayer might use his own words, the subject-matter was in essence that of the liturgical

prayers of the synagogue.20 It is partially from this evidence that many commentators interpret

in Acts 2:42 as prayers that are driven by Christian content, but based on

Jewish models and tradition.21

Of course, the Christian community described in Acts did not merely pray based on

Jewish rituals. The Church would often pray spontaneously, such as in Acts 4, where the

community prays together after the release of Peter and John from the Sanhedrin. The

community also prays together in Acts 12 when Peter was in prison, earnestly seeking God

during that difficult time. Still, a look at the use of the article in Acts 2:42 shows that, in this

specific passage, refers not only to the act of praying, but to a specific set of

prayers. The four terms of Acts 2:42 are listed in similar manner, as they are all introduced by

the definite article. According to Wallace, this verse is a perfect example of The Well-Known

Article, a use of the article where the author intends to describe the regular, par excellence

occurrence of the activity described by the noun.22

Thus, in the case of, Lukes

use of the article shows the reader that the early Church was not just devoted to prayingin

general; rather, it is Lukes intention to point out that this community met regularly for the

purpose of engaging in a specific time of prayer. Based on the Jewish prayer rituals described in

20 W. O. E. Oesterley, The Jewish Background of the Christian Liturgy (Gloucester, Mass.: P. Smith,1965), 92.

21 Barrett, The Acts of the Apostles, 166.; Bruce, The Book of the Acts, 73. Most others claim that in Acts 2:42 refers to the practice of Jewish prayer rituals, but will also include distinctly Christiancommunity prayer under the umbrella of the term (See Ernst Haenchen, The Acts of the Apostles a Commentary

(Oxford,: Blackwell, 1971), 191.; David John Williams, Acts (Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson Publishers, 1990), 60.;

William Neil, Acts: Based on the Revised Standard Version (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 1981), 81.).

22 Wallace, Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics: An Exegetical Syntax of the New Testament withScripture, Subject, and Greek Word Indexes, 225.


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Acts as well as the picture of the apostles going to the temple for the time of prayer in the section

following 2:42, it is safe to conclude that the content of the prayers described in Acts 2:42 is

based on a distinctly Jewish foundation.

From this authors study of the four terms of Acts 2:42, it seems evident that the

apostle is attempting to describe the new Christian community in like manner. According to

Luke, the early church was powered by Christian theology and teaching, yet found its pattern and

practice in a distinctly Jewish tradition. This author will argue that the Jewish tradition fueling

Acts 2:42 is the first century synagogue. The remainder of this paper will be devoted to

exploring this possibility more explicitly.

The Community in Acts 2:42 as The New Synagogue

In the former sections, the current author developed the background and context of

Acts 2:42 and developed the four terms within this verse. It was his contention from that study

that Lukes usage of, , and

was an attempt to give new, Christian terms and meanings to first century

Jewish concepts and practices. In short, to answer the question of source for these early Church

practices, this author found solution in contemporary Judaism.

This conclusion is neither new nor completely unique, as commentators have often

noted the distinct Jewish feel to the writings of Luke. In the International Critical Commentary

on Acts, Barrett goes so far as to conclude that, it is Lukes overall scheme to portray the first

Christians as devout and observant Jews, maintaining Jewish practices and frequenting

synagogue and temple until forced out of them.23 According to this statement, the Jewish

background of the early church did not merely bleed into the writing of Acts. Rather, the Semitic

characteristics of the Christian community were noted by Luke and intentionally portrayed in his



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narrative. For the remainder of this paper, the current author will continue to support this

hypothesis as well as show that the explicit referent for the Jewish background seen in Acts 2:42

is none other than the first century synagogue.

Synagogue in the Purpose of Luke-Acts

While Lukes allusion to Judaism in his writings has already been discussed at length,

this author would also argue for a purposeful use ofsynagogue in the Lukan accounts, as the

apostle employs the term over 30 times in his two books. A survey of Lukes usage

of this term follows a chiastic structure. In his Gospel, the begins as a place where

the Gospel is preached by Christ and later becomes a place of persecution of Christ and his

disciples. In Acts, the is first presented as a place of Christian persecution, but later is

shown as the venue of Pauls Gospel ministry. In the Acts account, a pivotal moment in the

development ofis seen in Chapter 9, where Saul, en route to persecute the believers

in the synagogues of Damascus, is converted and begins preaching the Gospel in those same

synagogues by verse 20. While these facts do not speak directly to Lukes presentation of the

Christian synagogue in Acts 2:42, they do demonstrate the intentionality with which the apostle

approaches this concept. It is obvious that Luke is attempting to use the synagogue as a literary

device in his presentation.

Lukes emphasis on the synagogue is not only seen by its regular occurrence in his

narrative, but the apostle also uses the picture of the synagogue as a tool for the purpose of

portraying his message. The first event portrayed by Luke in Jesus earthly ministry took place in

the Jewish synagogue. Immediately after returning from his desert temptation, the apostle

describes Jesus as teaching in the Galilean synagogues (Luke 4:15). Next, Luke has the Messiah

standing in the synagogue at Nazareth, preaching on the purpose of his incarnation. In this first

event of Jesus ministry, Luke presents the Christ as preaching on the inclusion of the Gentiles

into the kingdom of God, a topic that results in Him being kicked out of the synagogue and


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pursued for stoning. Jesus begins His earthly ministry by standing in the synagogue and

foreseeing the Gospel message as extending to all of the nations of the world.

An interesting parallel can be found between the synagogue account in Luke 4 and

the beginning of the book of Acts. Luke summarizes his purpose for Acts in 1:8, as he presents

Jesus telling the apostles that are destined to be his witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria,

and to the ends of the earth. In the remainder of the book of Acts, Luke shows the Gospel

likewise progressing from Jerusalem outwards. In both Luke and Acts, the first message for

Gods people has Jesus predicting the outward movement of the Gospel, from Jews to Gentiles.

Acts 1 describes movement from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth, and Luke 4 puts the expanse

from the synagogue to the Gentile nations. This parallel puts a connection between the

synagogue and Jerusalem as starting points for the outward expansion of Christianity. Based on

this parallelism, and because Chapter 2 marks the beginning of the outward expansion seen in

Acts, it is possible that Luke intended the picture of the New Community in Acts 2:42 to be a

Christian representation of the Jewish synagogue. This contention is fortified by a study of

Jewish synagogue culture at the time of Christ.

Synagogue in First Century Judaism

Though the contemporary notion of the Jewish synagogue is a building where Jews

would come and worship, the term connotes a much broader meaning. The concept

of synagogue in first Century Judaism is similar in meaning to the Christian term church today.

While it does in fact point to the physical edifice where Jews would meet, was more

of a culture than a building in first century life.According to Urmans studies on the first century

Synagogue, the term often enveloped all of the Jewish residents of a city. 24 To this culture,

synagogue was not only a place of worship; it was the worshipping community.

24 Dan Urman and Paul Virgil McCracken Flesher, Ancient Synagogues: Historical Analysis and

Archaeological Discovery (Leiden: E.J. Brill, 1995), 181.; Oesterley also describes the synagogue as an assemblyrather than a building, stating that the synagogue began in Nehemiah 8 (See W. O. E. Oesterley, The Jews and


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Based on this definition of, it quickly becomes easier to imagine the early

church in acts as falling within this definition. In his account, Luke does not illuminate the

building in which the early church at Jerusalem worshipped; rather, the apostle highlights the

community of faith itself. Just as synagogue was, for Jews, a description of the community of

faith in a specific city, the Christian community of faith in Jerusalem was, to Luke, a synagogue

of sorts for the Christ followers in that city. The remainder of this section will be devoted to

illustrating the apostles effort to make this fact clear through the specific terms of Acts 2:42.

Synagogue, House of Torah

Just as the early church was devoted to the teaching of the apostles, the synagogue of

the time period was known for its dedication to the study of Torah. Though the synagogue did

act as a school of Hebrew and the Scriptures, the specific function of preaching in the synagogue

is especially notable for this study. The Jewish community often experienced teaching in a

similar manner as is expected in the early church. Wise men of the faith, standing before the

, would teach the community, in Homily form, regarding Torah and its practice. 25 A

study of the Mishnah reveals that three out of the five practices of the synagogue are based on

the reading and recitation of Scripture.26 Based on this fact, Bradshaw claims that, studying . . .

was a regular function of the synagogue from the outset, and may even have constituted the

fundamental reason for the emergence of that institution.27 The function of Biblical preaching in

the community is what won their common meeting places the nomenclature of

Judaism During the Greek Period; the Background of Christianity (Port Washington, N. Y.: Kennikat Press, 1970),211.).

25 Urman and Flesher, Ancient Synagogues: Historical Analysis and Archaeological Discovery, 182.

26Megillah 4:3

27 Paul F. Bradshaw, The Search for the Origins of Christian Worship: Sources and Methods for theStudy of Early Liturgy, 2nd rev. and enlarged ed. (London: SPCK, 2002), 36.


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.28 It is therefore logical to describe the community of the first century

synagogue as one devoted to Torah and its teaching.

This label shows that the early Church was very similar to the Jewish

synagogue communities. Just as the synagogues are seen in Luke as a place of teaching, the

Jerusalem church in Acts is devoted to .29 Oesterley goes so far as to

say that the early Church, as a place of instruction, must be a Christian adaptation of the

Jewish Beth ha-Midrash (house of instruction), namely the synagogue.30 The parallel function of

the synagogue as the house of instruction with the teaching priority of the early Church seen in

Acts 2:42 supports the assertion that the church described in Acts 2:42 was functioning as the

Christian manifestation of the Jewish synagogue.

Synagogue, House of Fellowship

For first century Jews, the synagogue was not only a community dedicated to Torah,

but to fellowship as well. In fact, the word is a Greek translation of the Hebrew ha-

keneset, a term meaning house of assembly.31 Unlike the temple, the synagogue was not a place

where religious rituals were performed, but rather where the people of God would gather to hear

from the word of God and to pray with one another.32 Thus, though the Jewish synagogue was

normally described as a house of teaching or house of prayer, the synagogue functioned in

28 Carsten Claussen, Meeting, Community, SynagogueDifferent Frameworks of Ancient Jewish

Cngregations in the Diaspora, in The Ancient Synagogue from Its Origins until 200 C.E. : Papers Presented at an

International Conference at Lund University, October 14-17, 2001, ed. Birger Olsson and Magnus Zetterholm

(Stockholm: Almqvist & Wiksell International, 2003), 151.

29 In the New Testament, the synagogue is seen primarily as a place where teaching took place (cf.

Matthew 4:23; Acts 13:15; 17:17; 18:4)

30 Oesterley, The Jewish Background of the Christian Liturgy, 121.

31 Hyam Maccoby, Judaism in the First Century (London: Sheldon, 1989), 59.

32 Ibid.


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line with its, house of assembly, every time the community gathered to pray or to hear from

Torah.

Since represented the whole of Jewish society in a specific city, one

persons devotion to his or her neighbor was a devotion to the fellowship of the synagogue.

Lukes account of the parable of the Good Samaritan shows plainly that first century Jewish

culture had, even to a fault, expressed an exclusive love for their fellow believers (Luke 10:25-

37). Moreover, a look at the apostles account of the man persistently seeking bread from his

neighbor shows the high value that this culture placed on hospitality (11:1-8). Jewish culture was

so devoted to fellowship that it was believable to propose that one man would wake another in

the middle of the night merely to provide food for a visitor.

Jewish devotion to fellowship is seen not only in their social interactions, but also in

the architecture of their synagogues. According to Claussen, synagogues might be most

accurately described as community centers which also provide a place for Jewish worship, as

the synagogue acted as the hub for social interaction within the Israeli culture.33 The structure

served as a place for interaction, meetings, legal proceedings, and even meals. Outside of the

main building, a portion of the synagogue was even designed to provide a hostel for visitors and

travelers.34 Social meetings inside the synagogue would include teaching, prayer, and the giving

of charitable gifts for the benefit of those in need. 35 Parallels to many of these actions are seen in

Barretts description of the early church in Acts 2, giving weight to the proposition that Luke

intended his account of the early church to evoke a picture of fellowship in the synagogue

community.36 Though social interactions, as well as the function of the synagogue building itself,

33 Claussen, Meeting, Community, SynagogueDifferent Frameworks of Ancient Jewish

Cngregations in the Diaspora, 152.

34 Urman and Flesher, Ancient Synagogues: Historical Analysis and Archaeological Discovery, 181.

35 Ibid.



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is clear that first century Jews were deeply devoted to the fellowship. This value carries over into

the early Christian community, as described by Luke in his account of the early Church.

Synagogue, House of Prayer

Along with the titles of House of Torah and House of Fellowship, the first

century synagogue can also accurately be described a house of prayer. Although refers

exclusively to the act of prayer in the LXX, the definition broadens to include the synagogue by

the time of the Diaspora.37 It is referred thusly in the Apocrypha (1 Maccabees 7:20), papyri

sources (cf. Philo Flaccus 53), as well as in Lukes writings (Acts 16:13). Moreover,

is never used by Gentile authors in a verbal sense to describe prayer, but always substantively, as

prayer-house.38 By the time of Lukes writing, the synagogue has become not merely a place

where prayer occurs, but as a place known forprayer.

It is notable that Lukes account of the early church shows the Christians at Jerusalem

frequenting the synagogue for prayer. As was previously mentioned, Peter and John are shown to

visit the synagogue for prayer immediately following the summary passage at hand in Acts 2:42.

It is very possible that Lukes intention in the placement of this pericope is to highlight the

Jewish nature of the prayer-practice of the early church. As the early Church began to take the

role of the new synagogue in Jerusalem, the apostles continued to use the Jewish edifice in the

practice of their religion. As the Church grew and expanded, however, Christian use of Jewish

resources diminished and the body of Christ created their own autonomous synagogue within

their context. Thus, in Acts 2, when the church was at its earliest form, stating that the Christians

were devoted to the prayers describes a church in Jerusalem praying together in Jewish

37 Claussen, Meeting, Community, SynagogueDifferent Frameworks of Ancient Jewish

Cngregations in the Diaspora, 151. For a more complete discussion of the use of to denote the synagogue

building in the diaspora period, see Claussens section on Terminology.

38 I. A. Levinskaya, The Book of Acts in Its Diaspora Setting, vol. 5, 5 vols., The Book of Acts in ItsFirst Century Setting (Grand Rapids, Mich.: W.B. Eerdmans, 1996), 213.


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manner, even occasionally frequenting the synagogue and temple with one another. The

Christian church was initiated as a body parallel to the synagogue in form and function.

Synagogue in First Century Christianity

The previous sections have served to illuminate the similarities between Lukes

account of the Jerusalem church in Acts 2:42 and Synagogue life in first century Judaism. This

has been done in an effort to show that Lukes intention in 2:42 is to describe the early Church as

the new Christian Synagogue. The final section of this study will discuss the Jewish nature of the

early church, in an effort to support the argument that the early Church was composed of

Christian Jews who were building a new religion based on the patterns and practices of their

former way of life. For this task, the author will rely mainly on the most reliable extra-Biblical

sourcebook of the early church, the Didache.

The Didache is an excellent resource for the study of the community in Acts 2:42

community for two reasons. First, Luke and the Ante-Nicene Fathers wrote at approximately the

same time, namely the latter half of the first or early decades of the second century.39 This

closeness of dating allows both writings to give a similar account of the church. Second, many

parallels can be seen between the writings of the Fathers and the Jerusalem church community

described in Acts 2. Both of these sources place value on the authority of Christian teaching, as

Acts 2:42 records the Christians devotion to the teaching of the apostles, and the Didache

records teachings of the Ante-Nicene Fathers. Similarly, both sources refer to community life, as

Acts 2 describes a devotion to the fellowship and the Fathers explain how the community ought

to live with one another.40 Finally, Acts and the Didache both give attention to the breaking of

39 For an extended treatment of the dating of the Didache, see Hubertus Waltherus Maria van de Sandt

and David Flusser, The Didache: Its Jewish Sources and Its Place in Early Judaism and Christianity (Minneapolis:

Fortress Press, 2002), 48-52. The authors of this work make a strong argument for a late first century date, but place

a possibility of as early as 50 or as late as the first half of the second century.

40 For a definition of fellowship in the early church, see previous sections. The Didache records

community activities such as Baptism, Prayer and Fasting, and the Eucharist.


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bread and to specific prayers. It is notable that the Fathers not only address the practice of both

the Eucharist and community prayers, but place them consecutively, as they are presented in

Acts 2:42. From this evidence, it becomes clear that the Didaches teachings regarding church

life and practice are very similar to the reality posed by Luke in Acts 2.

The most notable evidence for the Jewish nature of Christian life in the early church

is found in the Ante-Nicene Fathers treatment of prayer, as the discipline of prayer in the

Didache seems to be heavily patterned after Jewish practice. The Fathers exhort the Church to

pray three times daily, a practice derived from the Jewish custom of prayer morning, noon, and

night.41 Still, not only the forms of prayer are similar, but the content as well. Concerning

Eucharistic prayers in the Didache, Milavec notes that the character of the prayers was

profoundly shaped by currents thriving in the synagogues.42 There is a distinct parallel between

prayer practices of the early Church and synagogue life of the first century. This fact is evident in

the writings of the Didache, and is seen in Acts 2:42 as well.

A closer study of the Didache illuminates the fact that much of the philosophy of

early Christianity is pulled from Jewish culture.43 It seems from these writings that the Church,

while adopting practices directly from Judaism, adapts and nuances these forms to make them

distinctly Christian. For example, the Fathers present the calendar for the church based on the

Jewish numbering system, yet change the Sabbath from the seventh to the first day of the week

in order to distinguish themselves by the Resurrection of Christ.44 Also, they practice fasting

41Didache 8:3

42 Aaron Milavec, The Didache: Faith, Hope, & Life of the Earliest Christian Communities, 50-70 C.E

(New York: Newman Press, 2003), 298-301.43 For a deeper study of Jewish influence on the Didache, see chapter 2 of Van de Sant and Flussers

work (Sandt and Flusser, The Didache: Its Jewish Sources and Its Place in Early Judaism and Christianity, 55-80.).

These authors describe the Two Ways found in the Didache, one being its Jewish influence, and another its

Christian foundations.

44 Milavec, The Didache: Faith, Hope, & Life of the Earliest Christian Communities, 50-70 C.E, 298-301.


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twice weekly (a Jewish custom), yet modify the fasting days from the Jewish system.45 These

adaptations reveal that the early church began as extremely Jewish in form, and was beginning to

branch out from Judaism in an effort to be distinct. In the time of the Didache and Acts, the

church was at its most Jewish form.

From the evidence of the early church found in the Didache, it seems probable that

Lukes description of the Jerusalem community in Acts 2:42 presents a church strongly

influenced by Jewish forms. The content of worship and its practice in the Church was very

similar to Judaism, and, as is seen in a study of the synagogue, comparable to life and worship in

that Jewish culture. Acts 2:42 presents a depiction of Christianity that has been sculpted in the

form of Israeli life.

ConclusionThe Church as the New Synagogue

It is this authors contention that the terms employed by Luke in Acts 2:42 to describe

the devotions of the early Church are meant to describe the Christian Church as the New

Synagogue. This conclusion is based on a study of the terms themselves, Lukes usage of

synagogue in his writings, Jewish synagogue life and culture, and the evidence of Jewish

tradition in the early church.

The intentional use of the Jewish synagogue in Lukes writings draws attention to its

intended importance. The synagogue as a building is mentioned many times in Luke-Acts, where

it is employed to show both Christs and Pauls ministry methodology. Moreover, the placement

of Acts 2:42 within the history of the Church places the devoted believers in the most Jewish

phase of the growth of the church. In Lukes account of the Gospel going from Jerusalem to all

nations, Acts 2:42 describes the Church in its most Jewish state.

45Didache 8:1.


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From a study of the four terms in Acts 2:42, it is clear that Luke is describing

historically Jewish activities, but employing new terminology to do so. The apostles teaching

has replaced the Dershans in the synagogues, the fellowship has replaced the synagogue

community, the breaking of bread has replaced the Passover meal and other festivals, and the

prayers officered in the Christian community have begun to replace those offered in the

synagogue. A look at the larger range of meaning in these four terms illuminates many parallels

with Judaism, especially when paired with a study of first century synagogue life.

Investigating the culture of the early church in the first century brings closure to the

proposal that Luke intended Acts 2 to describe a Christian synagogue community, as the

community of faith was, at that time, extremely Jewish in nature. From the methods and content

of prayers to the observance of dating systems and fasting times, Jewish form and function

permeated the first century Church. This fact is what led Sandmel in his study of Christian

beginnings to the conclusion that, it is not to be doubted that Christianity historically arose not

from the Temple, but from synagogue Judaism.46 The first Christian church in Jerusalem was a

notably Jewish one: an actual Christian synagogue community existing in Jerusalem. It is Lukes

intention in Acts 2:42 to present this church as such, as the parallels between the apostles

account and the synagogue community are unquestionable.

The picture of the New Synagogue described in Acts 2:42 is verified in the fact that it

flows well with Christian ecclesiology. The New Synagogue interpretation illustrates that while

the Christian church has not replaced Israel in Gods plan of redemption, the Church has indeed

taken the forefront in this time of salvation history. In these last times, God has transferred his

grace from the former covenant community, the Jewish synagogue culture, to the New

Synagogue, the believers fellowship of the Spirit. Lukes description of the Church as

synagogue in Acts 2 paints the vivid picture of a baton being passed from one chosen people to

46 Samuel Sandmel, Judaism and Christian Beginnings (New York: Oxford University Press, 1978),418.


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another. The coming of the Spirit at Pentecost served to usher in a transfer of people and

ministry. This transfer is fleshed out in the remainder of the Lukan account and will continue to

be manifest in the Church until the redemption of the Jewish people in the kingdom to come.

Modern Applications of The Church as the New Synagogue

The fact that the Church has become the new synagogue has many implications for

modern-day ecclesiology. First, it is important to note the continuity of Gods covenant

community throughout time. While the Church was created as a new entity composed of Jews

and Gentiles (cf. Ephesians 2:11-22), it was not created to be entirely different from the Jewish

community. A study of Acts 2:42 shows that teaching, fellowship, and prayer have always been

part of Gods covenant community. In a contemporary age of post-modern thought, this liturgy

has often been discarded as old-fashioned or modern. Understanding the central role of these

practices in Gods community since the Diaspora makes a strong case for their continued

centrality in the Church today.47

Second, understanding the inherent Jewish nature of early Christianity can shed light

on hermeneutically approaching any New Testament text. The strong links between Judaism and

Christianity in Acts 2:42 should remind the reader of this text that it is imperative to continue

learning the features of first century Jewish life and culture. The early Christians were Jewish, as

was Jesus, the disciples, and the apostle Paul. Therefore, approaching any New Testament

passage, it is important to consider the Jewish background of the text being studied. This study of

Acts 2:42 serves as a reminder of the distinct Jewish makeup of not only the early Church, but of

the writings of Scripture as well.

Finally, an understanding of the synagogue nature of the early Church can serve to

remind the interpreter of this passage that culture plays a large part in any worship setting.

47 The current author would posit that these practices have central since the beginning of Gods

relationship with mankind. Still, the range of study for this paper does not extend past the synagogue of the

Diaspora, and so any application thereof will be limited to that timeframe.


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Though the four devotions described in Acts 2:42 are appropriate for Gods people for all time,

it is important to note that the manner in which these passions were manifested arose out of the

background of the worshippers. Thus, in designing contemporary worship settings, it is

imperative to separate form and function. While all communities should devote themselves to the

priorities of Scripture, fellowship, and prayer, they method by which they accomplish these

priorities is largely dependent on the culture of those who worship.


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the church as the new synagogue

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