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8 Hope of Israel Ministries BIBLE Correspondence Course Lesson 19

TRADEMARK of government bureaucracy. 4. In John 16:2, the Messiah also warned
Men occupying such positions have the his disciples that they would be “put out of”
tendency to wield greater power over the what?
assemblies (like church board members: elders, 5. Read John 9:1-23. In this passage
deacons, etc.). The synagogues were no verse 22 indicates that the blind man’s parents
exceptions. were afraid of what?
6. According to John 12:42, why were
“This part of the synagogue [the front] those of the chief rulers who believed on the
was naturally the place of honor. Here Messiah afraid to confess him?
were the ‘chief seats,’ for which COMMENT: The above verses indicate
Pharisees and scribes strove so the AMOUNT of power the synagogue and its
rulers exercised over the people. EX-
eagerly...In smaller towns there was
COMMUNICATION from the synagogue was
often but one rabbi. Where a fuller
considered to be a grave sign of humiliation and
organization was possible, there was a
college of elders, presided over by one disgrace. This DREADED FEAR was used by
who was the ‘chief of the synagogue.’” the Judean rulers to control the conduct of the
people and keep them in line. This threat of
rejection, expulsion, and isolation (loss of
-- Smith’s Bible Dictionary
salvation) has been a FAVORITE and most
EFFECTIVE weapon of centralized government
and churches at all levels.
Seats in the Synagogue

Put Out of the Synagogue
The phrases “chief seats,” “uppermost
seats,” and “highest seats” are all
The phrase “put out of the synagogue” is
translated from the Greek word translated from the Greek word
protokathedria (#4410 in Strong’s aposunagogos (#656 in Strong’s Con-
Concordance), meaning “a sitting first cordance), meaning “excommunication.”
(in the front row), i.e. Preeminence in
Thayer’s Greek Lexicon further defines
council.” The word “council” can refer to
this word as “excluded from the sacred
administrative, legislative, or judicial
assemblies.”
assemblies.

Powers of the Synagogue It is commonly thought throughout the
“Christian” world that the Judeans, while under
1. In Matthew 10:17, what did the Roman subjugation, had little or no government
Messiah warn his disciples that “men” would of their own. However, in this lesson we have
deliver them up to? What would these “men” do seen otherwise. Not only did the Judeans have a
to the disciples in their synagogues? centralized governing structure, but they also
2. In Mark 13:9, what did the Messiah used it extensively to CONTROL and
warn his disciples would happen to them in the SUBJUGATE the people. It all began with
synagogues? Israel’s insistence, despite YEHOVAH’s
3. According to Luke 12:11, Yeshua warnings, on having a king like the other
prophesied that his disciples would be brought nations. From the time of King Saul until the
unto the what, and unto whom? time of the Messiah, Israel had been suffering

Judean Central Government