How did the synagogue originate?

[robycop3]

I was asked about this by a person who for awhile was torn between Judaism & Christianity, before finally coming to Jesus. He believed God had ordered Israel to gather to worship Him first at the tabernacle, then the temple in Jerusalem., so he believed that the later Jews were in sin while the temple stood, for worshipping in synagogues insteada the temple.

What I was able to find was that the firse synagogues-Beit Kenesset in Hebrew, and synagogos in Greek, meaning "to gather"-arose after the destruction of the temple by Nebuchadnezzar, when some of the Jews exiled to Babylon used certain of their homes to assemble for worship.

But this practice continued even after the temple was rebuilt. But WAS IT SINFUL ? NO ! !
JESUS HIMSELF worshipped at synagogues as well as at the temple!

by the time of Roman rule, the Jews had gone from a strictly-agricultural people to a people of virtually every profession practiced at that time/place. it would,ve been a hardship for them to make many journeys to Jerusalem per year, so virtually every city & village had at least one synagogue.

As to who invented the synagogue, I have no idea. I only know it was NOT sinful for the Jews to worship at one.

 

[Rob_BW]

The same way the Baptistboard formed. People away from church wanted a place to gather (electronically) and discuss their faith with their brothers. And they developed some ground rules to keep things from getting out of hand.

 

[Pastor_Bob]

This may be straining at a gnat; but, did Jesus ever worship at the synagogue? The Bible says He taught at the synagogue and would go there to read.

 

[Pastor_Bob]

"During the Babylonian captivity the Jews, with no temple in which to worship, began to meet in smaller assemblies for worship and religious instruction, and in this way the knowledge of the law was kept alive among the Jews. The institution of synagogues in all the lands of the Dispersion helped draw the attention of the Gentiles to the great truths entrusted by God to Israel."
Exploring the Scriptures: An Overview of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation.

 

[RighteousnessTemperance&]

This may be straining at a gnat; but, did Jesus ever worship at the synagogue? The Bible says He taught at the synagogue and would go there to read.

"During the Babylonian captivity the Jews, with no temple in which to worship, began to meet in smaller assemblies for worship and religious instruction, and in this way the knowledge of the law was kept alive among the Jews. The institution of synagogues in all the lands of the Dispersion helped draw the attention of the Gentiles to the great truths entrusted by God to Israel."
Exploring the Scriptures: An Overview of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation.

Good points. Also keep in mind that not all worship happened at the temple, but, once built, sacrifices generally did. For example, the Passover was to be celebrated in homes, one lamb per, thus a rather small affair. It is still observed this way, but without the sacrificial lamb.

 

[robycop3]

This may be straining at a gnat; but, did Jesus ever worship at the synagogue? The Bible says He taught at the synagogue and would go there to read.

I believe that, by participating in the service by reading aloud & teaching, He was worshipping, and showing others it was OK to worship there also.