Early Christian Beliefs About the Synagogue and the Church
Early Christian writings often treat the synagogue and the church as separate communities, and many writers contrast the church with the synagogue. Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Clement of Alexandria, Tertullian, Cyprian, Origen, Hippolytus, and the Apostolic Constitutions all give useful witness. Bible passages like Acts and Revelation also help show how the terms were used in the first Christian centuries.
111 early-church witnesses · 205 source quotations · compared with Scripture
What did early Christians believe about the Synagogue and the Church?
Early Christian writers usually spoke of the synagogue and the church as different communities, and many also used the synagogue as a warning sign for false worship or unbelief. Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Clement of Alexandria, Tertullian, Cyprian, Origen, Hippolytus, and the Apostolic Constitutions all give clear examples of this split, while some also use synagogue language for the church in a figurative way.
The Bible passages most tied to this topic are Acts 13, Acts 17, Acts 18, Mark 1, Luke 4, and Revelation 2–3, which show Jesus and the apostles teaching in synagogues and also warn about hostile or false synagogue settings. The evidence is broad for synagogue/church contrast, but mixed because some texts speak positively about synagogue gatherings, some are typological, and several are attacks on heresy rather than the Jewish synagogue itself.
Many more early Christian quotations, Bible passages, and source links are gathered below so you can study the evidence for yourself.
Key Takeaways
- Many early Christian writers contrasted the church with the synagogue.
- Some writers used synagogue language in a figurative way for the church.
- The Bible passages most relevant are Acts 13, 17, 18, Mark 1, Luke 4, and Revelation 2–3.
Questions Answered by the Sources
Did early Christians contrast the Church with the synagogue?
Several early writers contrast the Church with the synagogue, especially when discussing heresy, unbelief, or the rejection of Christ. The sources also show that some used synagogue language to mark a break between the Christian Church and rival religious bodies.
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Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata (Miscellanies) Direct teaching
But begone, stay not in her place: place is the synagogue, not the Church.
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Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book III Direct teaching
but these are the Church. For she is the synagogue of God, which God—that is, the Son Himself—has gathered by Himself.
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Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho Direct teaching
Moreover, that the word of God speaks to those who believe in Him as being one soul, and one synagogue, and one church, as to a daughter;
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Tertullian, Against Marcion Direct teaching
for these are the two covenants, or the two exhibitions (of the divine plans), as we have found the word interpreted, the one from the Mount Sinai, in relation to the synagogue of the Jews, according to the law, which genders to bondage — the other genders (to liberty, being raised) above all principality, and power, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but in that which is to come, which is the mother of us all, in which we have the promise of (Christ's) holy church;
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Hippolytus, Exegetical Fragments Direct teaching
The handmaid casting out her mistress: i.e., the Church of the Gentiles, which, though itself a slave and a stranger to the promises, cast out the free-born and lordly synagogue, and became the wife and bride of Christ.
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Cyprian, Epistles Supporting witness
8. You also wrote that, because of me, the Church now has one part of herself scattered abroad, even though the whole people of the Church are gathered, united, and joined together in an undivided harmony. Only those have remained outside who, even if they had been inside, would still have had to be cast out. Nor does the Lord, the protector and guardian of His people, allow the wheat to be snatched from His threshing floor. Only the chaff can be separated from the Church. For the apostle also says, "For what if some of them have departed from the faith? Shall their unbelief make the faith of God of no effect? God forbid; for God is true, but every man a liar." Romans 3:3-4. And the Lord also says in the Gospel that when disciples left Him while He was speaking, He turned to the twelve and said, "Will you also go away?" Then Peter answered Him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the word of eternal life; and we believe, and are sure, that You are the Son of the living God." John 6:67-69. Peter speaks there, he on whom the Church was to be built. He teaches and shows in the name of the Church that although a rebellious and arrogant crowd of those who refuse to hear and obey may de
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Clement of Rome, Second Epistle (attributed) Supporting witness
So then, brothers, if we do the will of God our Father, we will be members of the first church, the spiritual church, the one that was created before the sun and moon. But if we do not do the will of the Lord, we will fall under the Scripture that says, "My house became a den of robbers," Jeremiah 7:11. So then, let us choose to belong to the church of life, so that we may be saved. I do not think you are unaware that the living church is the body of Christ. For the Scripture says, "God created man male and female," Genesis 1:27; compare Ephesians 5:22-23. The male is Christ, and the female is the church. And the Books and the Apostles teach that the church is not from the present time, but from the beginning. For it was spiritual, just as our Jesus also was, and it was made manifest at the end of the days in order to save you, 1 Peter 1:20. Since the church was spiritual, it was made manifest in the flesh of Christ. This shows us that if any one of us keeps it in the flesh and does not corrupt it, he will receive it in the Holy Spirit. For this flesh is the pattern of the spirit. Therefore, no one who has corrupted the pattern will afterward receive the reality. Therefore, this is
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Cyprian, Epistles Supporting witness
... whose commands and warnings we ought to keep, describes the honor of a bishop and the order of His Church in the Gospel. He says to Peter: “I say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give to you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” From there, through the changes of times and successions, the ordering of bishops and the arrangement of the Church continues on. So the Church is founded upon the bishops, and every act of the Church is directed by these same rulers. Since this is founded on divine law, I am amazed that some, with reckless boldness, have chosen to write to me as if they were writing in the name of the Church, when the Church is established in the bishop and the clergy, and in all who stand firm in the faith. Far be it from the mercy of God and His unlimited power to allow the number of the lapsed to be called the Church, since it is written, “God is not the God of the dead, but of the living,” Matthew 22:32. For we do indeed desire that all may be made alive, a
Did any early Christian writers call the Church a synagogue?
Yes. A few early writers explicitly speak of the Church as a “synagogue of God” or describe believers as “one synagogue and one church,” showing that the term could be used positively or figuratively for the Christian assembly.
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Tertullian, To His Wife Typology
There were concubines, too, (in those days.) But although the Church did come in figuratively in the synagogue, yet (to interpret simply) it was necessary to institute (certain things) which should afterward deserve to be either lopped off or modified.
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Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book IV Typology
by which commixture and unity the two synagogues—that is, the two churches—produced from their own father living sons to the living God.
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Tertullian, On the Flesh of Christ Supporting witness
In their person Israel remained outside, while the new disciples who kept close to Christ within, hearing and believing, represented the Church, which He called mother in a preferable sense and a worthier brotherhood, with the repudiation of the carnal relationship.
What do the Bible sources say about Jesus and the synagogue?
The Bible cards show Jesus teaching in synagogues and the apostles preaching there as well. These texts provide the basic historical setting for the later Christian discussion of synagogue and Church.
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Mark 1:21 Background
And they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath he entered the synagogue and was teaching.
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Luke 4:16 Background
And 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 for to read.
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Acts 13:14 Background
But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and sat down.
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Acts 18:4 Background
And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded both Jews and Greeks.
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Acts 17:1 Background
Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews:
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Acts 13:15 Background
And after the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent to them, saying, “Men and brethren, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, say on.”
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Acts 13:43 Background
And after the meeting of the synagogue broke up, many Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who, as they spoke with them, urged them to continue in the grace of God.
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Acts 13:42 Background
And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath.
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Tatian, The Diatessaron Background
On the next Sabbath day, he entered the synagogue and was teaching. There was a man there whose right hand was withered. The scribes and the Pharisees were watching him to see whether he would heal on the Sabbath day, so that they might find a way to accuse him. But he knew their thoughts, and said to the man whose hand was withered, “Rise and come forward into the middle of the synagogue.” When he came and stood there, Jesus said to them, “I ask you, what is lawful to do on the Sabbath day: good or evil? To save life or to destroy it?” But they were silent. He looked around at them with anger, grieved at the hardness of their hearts. And he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand became sound. Then he said to them, “Which one of you, if he has one sheep and it falls into a well on the Sabbath day, will not take hold of it and lift it out? How much better is a man than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”
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Origen, Commentary on John Background
...shermen to the apostleship, they entered Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath He taught in the synagogue, and they were astonished at His teaching. Mark also records an act of Jesus that took place at Capernaum, for he goes on to say, "In their synagogue there was a man with an unclean spirit, and he cried out, saying, 'Ah! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? We know who You are, the Son of God.' And Jesus rebuked him, saying, 'Be quiet, and come out of him.' And the unclean spirit, tearing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him." And they were all amazed. Also at Capernaum, Simon's mother-in-law was cured of her fever. And Mark adds that when evening had come, all who were sick and who were possessed by demons were cured. Luke's report about Capernaum is very similar to Mark's. He says, "And He came to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and He was teaching them on the Sabbath, and they were astonished at His teachings, for His word had power. And in the synagogue there was a man with a spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice, 'Ah! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy u
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Tertullian, Against Marcion Background
...gh only in part. For He at once fulfilled the prophecy about the place. From heaven straight to the synagogue. As the saying goes, "Do at once the business on which we have come." Marcion must even erase from the Gospel, "I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel," Matthew 15:24, and, "It is not right to take the children's bread and cast it to dogs," Matthew 15:26, in order, forsooth, that Christ may not appear to be an Israelite. But facts will satisfy me instead of words. Remove all the sayings of my Christ. His acts will speak. Look, He enters the synagogue. Surely this means going to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Behold, it is to Israelites first that He offers the bread of His teaching. Surely it is because they are children that He shows them this priority. Notice, He does not yet give it to others. Surely He passes them by as dogs. For to whom else could He better have given it than to those who were strangers to the Creator, if He Himself especially did not belong to the Creator? And yet how could He have been admitted into the synagogue, one who appeared so suddenly, so unknown, one of whom no one had yet been informed about His tribe, His nat
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Tatian, The Diatessaron Background
and I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, where all the Jews gather;
More related quotations from this section 4 shown
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Tatian, The Diatessaron Background
While he was still speaking, a man came from the house of the chief of the synagogue and said to him, “Your daughter has died, so do not trouble the teacher.” But Jesus heard it and said to the girl's father, “Do not fear. Only believe, and she will live.” He allowed no one to go with him except Simon Cephas, James, and John the brother of James. They came to the house of the chief of the synagogue, and he saw them disturbed, weeping and wailing. He went in and said to them, “Why are you disturbed and weeping? The girl has not died, but she is sleeping.” And they laughed at him, because they knew that she had died. But he put everyone outside, and took the girl's father and her mother, and Simon, James, and John, and went in where the girl was lying. He took hold of the girl's hand and said to her, “Girl, arise.” Her spirit returned, and immediately she got up and walked. She was about twelve years of age. And he commanded that something should be given to her to eat. Her father was greatly amazed, and he warned them to tell no one what had happened. And this report spread through all that land.
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Tatian, The Diatessaron Background
...us had finished all these parables, he left there and came to his own city. He taught them in their synagogues, so that they were perplexed. When the Sabbath came, Jesus began to teach in the synagogue. Many of those who heard him were amazed and said, "Where did this man get these things?" Many envied him and paid no attention to him, but said, "What is this wisdom that has been given to this man, that such mighty works happen by his hands? Is not this the carpenter, the son of a carpenter? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas? And are not all his sisters here with us? Where, then, did this man get all these things?" And they were in doubt about him. Jesus knew what they were thinking and said to them, "Perhaps you will say this proverb to me, 'Physician, heal yourself.' And you will say, 'All that we have heard you did in Capernaum, do here also in your own city.'" And he said, "Truly I say to you, a prophet is not received in his own city, nor among his brothers; for a prophet is not despised except in his own city, among his own relatives, and in his own house. Truly I say to you, in the days of Elijah the prophet, there were
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Tatian, The Diatessaron Background
38 Mark 6:2 And when the sabbath came, Jesus began to teach in the synagogue;
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Tatian, The Diatessaron Background
47 Luke 6:6 And on the next sabbath day he entered into the synagogue and was teaching.
What does Revelation mean by the synagogue of Satan?
Revelation 2:9 and 3:9 describe a hostile “synagogue of Satan,” referring to those who claim to be Jews but are not. These are the clearest Bible passages in the set for a negative use of synagogue language.
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Revelation 3:9 Direct teaching
Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.
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Revelation 2:9 Supporting witness
I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.
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Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Direct teaching
...of God. But if anyone neglects it and goes either into a polluted temple of the heathens, or into a synagogue of the Jews or heretics, what excuse will that person make to God on the day of judgment? He has forsaken the oracles of the living God, the living and life-giving oracles, which are able to deliver from eternal punishment, and has gone into a house of demons, or into a synagogue of the murderers of Christ, or into the congregation of the wicked. He has not listened to Him who says, "I have hated the congregation of the wicked, and I will not enter with the ungodly. I have not sat with the assembly of vanity, neither will I sit with the ungodly." And again, "Blessed is the man that has not walked in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stood in the way of sinners, and has not sat in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he will meditate day and night." But you, forsaking the gathering together of the faithful, the Church of God, and His laws, show respect to those dens of thieves. You call holy the things that He has called profane, and make unclean the things that He has sanctified. And not only that, but you already run after th
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Cyprian, Epistles Direct teaching
But the synagogue of heretics is not one with us, because the spouse is not an adulteress and a harlot.
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Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Background
and in their public shows all come together, as into a synagogue: in the same manner those which are vainly called Jews, when they have worked six days, on the seventh day rest, and come together into their synagogue, never leaving nor neglecting either rest from labour or assembling together, while yet they are deprived of the efficacy of the word in their unbelief, nay, and of the force of that name Judah, by which they call themselves — for Judah is interpreted Confession, — but these do not confess to God (having unjustly occasioned the suffering on the cross), so as to be saved on their repentance;— if, therefore, those who are not saved frequently assemble together for such purposes as do not profit them, what apology will you make to the Lord God who forsakest His Church, not imitating so much as the heathen, but by such your absence growest slothful, or turnest apostate, or actest wickedness?
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Hippolytus, Refutation of All Heresies Background
...ped to die. Pretending that he was going to his creditors, he hurried on the Jews' Sabbath to their synagogue, where they had gathered. He stood there and caused a disturbance among them. They were upset by him, insulted him, beat him, and dragged him before Fuscianus, who was prefect of the city. When they were asked why they had treated him this way, they answered as follows: "The Romans have granted us the privilege of publicly reading those laws of ours that have been handed down from our fathers. But this man, by coming into our place of worship, prevented us from doing so by causing a disturbance among us, while claiming that he is a Christian." At that time Fuscianus happened to be sitting on the judgment seat. When he showed his anger against Callistus because of what the Jews said, someone was there to go and inform Carpophorus about these events. So Carpophorus hurried to the prefect's judgment seat and cried out, "I beg you, my lord Fuscianus, do not believe this man. He is not a Christian, but is looking for an opportunity to die, because he has made away with a large amount of my money, as I will prove." But the Jews thought this was a trick, as though Carpophorus w
More related quotations from this section 4 shown
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Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Background
The Vain Zeal Which the Heathens and Jews Show in Frequenting Their Temples and Synagogues is a Proper Example and Motive to Excite Christians to Frequent the Church.
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Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Background
... but also those living far away do the same; and in their public shows all come together, as into a synagogue. In the same way, those who are vainly called Jews, when they have worked six days, on the seventh day rest and come together into their synagogue, never leaving or neglecting either rest from labor or assembling together. Yet in their unbelief they are deprived of the efficacy of the word, yes, and of the force of that name Judah, by which they call themselves. For Judah is interpreted "Confession." But they do not confess to God, having unjustly occasioned the suffering on the cross, so as to be saved on their repentance. If, therefore, those who are not saved frequently assemble together for such purposes as do not profit them, what apology will you make to the Lord God, you who forsake His Church, not imitating even the heathen, but by your absence growing slothful, or turning apostate, or acting wickedness? To whom the Lord says through Jeremiah, "You have not kept my ordinances. No, you have not walked according to the ordinances of the heathen, and you have in a manner exceeded them." And again, "Israel has justified his soul more than treacherous Judah," Jeremiah
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Tertullian, Scorpiace Background
...." And, "Beware of men, for they will hand you over to councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues; and you will be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles," Matthew 10:16. Now when He adds, "But brother will hand over brother to death, and the father the child; and children will rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death," He has clearly announced, with reference to the others, this kind of unrighteous conduct, which we do not find shown in the case of the apostles. For none of them experienced a father or a brother as a betrayer, which very many of us have. Then He returns to the apostles: "And you will be hated by all men for my name's sake." How much more will this be true of us, for whom there is the necessity of being handed over even by parents. Thus, by assigning this very betrayal now to the apostles, now to all, He pours out the same destruction on all the possessors of the name, on whom the name will rest together with the condition that it is an object of hatred. "But he who will endure to the end, this man will be saved." By enduring what, if not persecution, betrayal, and death?
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Tatian, The Diatessaron Background
and every one that says to his brother, You foul one, is condemned by the synagogue;
Common Questions
Did early Christians think the synagogue and the church were the same thing?
Usually no. Many early writers treated them as different, though some used synagogue language in a figurative way for the church.
Did early Christians go into synagogues?
Yes. Jesus and the apostles are often described teaching in synagogues, and Acts shows Paul preaching there.
Did early Christians call the church a synagogue?
Some did in a figurative sense, but others clearly said the church was not the synagogue.
Source Index for the Synagogue and the Church
The guided sections above show the strongest quotations. This compact index highlights 160 ranked source links from 205 compiled sources for deeper study.
Source index 160 ranked links shown
Early Christian Writings 80 shown of 111
Primary-source quotations from early Christian writers and church documents.
Bible Passages 80 shown of 94
Related Bible passages saved for comparison with the early Christian quotations.