The Jews are the Synagogue of Satan
Objection: The phrase "synagogue of Satan" comes from the Book of Revelation in the New Testament, specifically Revelation 2:9 and 3:9. Some have taken these verses and used them to argue that all Jews are the synagogue of Satan. Some make the distinction is is just the Zionists or the government of modern Israel. But the meaning is clear – the Jewish people are no longer the chosen people and have been rejected by God.
​
Answer: The identity of the “Synagogue of Satan” is still a debated topic among scholars and there are a number of theories. But the first issue that needs to be addressed is linguistic and it has to do with the meaning of the Greek word that is being translated as synagogue.
​
The Greek word is συναγωγῆς or Sunagógé which means a place of assembly or to bring together. In James 2:2, this word is translated as assembly or meeting in most translations and relates to a church issue regarding making sure that poor worshipers are treated the same way as rich ones. But in Revelation 2:9 and 3:9, it is translated synagogue.
​
Interestingly, the word ekklesia has similar issues in translation. Literally , it means the gathering of the summoned. And interestingly, in Acts 19:41, “in the English Standard Version (‘ESV) it reads, ‘he dismissed the assembly.’ The word for assembly is ‘EkklÄ“sia.’ If ‘EkklÄ“sia’ indeed meant ‘church,’ as commonly believed, the translation should read, ‘he dismissed the church.’ However, it wasn’t a Christian church at all but a gathering of a ‘crowd’ (verse 35) of random people, most of which ‘did not even know why they were there” (verse 32).’ [1] And going back to James 2:2, since that was more of a church context, I wonder why the word ekklesia was not used by James and also why most translations do not translate it as church when that seems to be the context. I actually appreciate those translations that use the term assembly or meeting when that is closer to the literal meaning of the word.
​
“The inconsistency in translating these words highlights the ideological bias that translators may unknowingly (or knowingly) introduce. The inconsistent translation of these words in the Bible has led to confusion and, in some cases, serious consequences such as antisemitism.”[2] It is also interesting, that the American Bible version does translate Revelation 2:9 and 3:9 as “assembly of Satan” rather than synagogue.
​
So let’s move on to the second argument against these verses referring to all Jews. Most likely these verses refer to very specific Jewish groups at the time John was writing that were fighting against the spreading of the gospel and persecuting the believers. It is not a term that should be used to identify all Jews who do not believe in Jesus. It is also possible to take a more literal view of these verses where these are Gentile “God fearers” or proselytes who are persecuting the Jewish believers. Believe it or not, even today in Messianic Jewish circles, it is often the Gentiles that are the ones that are the strongest in requiring the congregation still follow the Law. Very interesting phenomenon. But Dr. Brown has done an excellent exposition of this and I will quote him directly – it is a bit long but excellent:
“What about Revelation 2:9 and 3:9, where Jesus brough a word of encouragement to Christians suffering persecution in Smyrna and Philadelphia?...[quotes the verses]…So Yeshua was speaking of certain people ‘who say that they are Jews and are not’ and was opposing the believers in these two cities, calling them the ‘synagogue of Satan’ and promising they would be judged. That’s it.
Did Jesus say that all Jews worldside were the synagogue of Satan? No, He did not. Did He say that all Jews in all generations were the synagogue of Satan? Absolutely not. Do we even know if these people who opposed the gospel were actually Jews? It’s possible they were not even Jews at all but simply claimed to be so, just as there were those in Ephesus who claimed to be apostles and were not (Rev. 2:2).
​
So either Jesus was speaking to particular groups of ethnic Jews who were acting contrary to their calling as Jews, rebuking them strongly by saying to them prophetically, ‘You’re not real Jews; you’re the synagogue of Satan,’ or He was speaking to Gentiles who were opposing the gospel and claiming to be Jews, saying, ‘Actually, you’re not Jews at all; you’re the synagogue of Satan.’ But again, it is an abusive and dangerous misuse of God’s Word – in this case, of the very words of Jesus – to brand all Jews today as the ‘synagogue of Satan’.
​
Additionally, even if it does refer to Jewish group at the time John was living, this needs to be understood in the Jewish context of the New Testament and the ongoing dynamic described in Romans 11:28-31 "As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies for your sake; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs, for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable. Just as you who were at one time disobedient to God have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience, so they too have now become disobedient in order that they too may now receive mercy as a result of God’s mercy to you." and earlier Romans 11:25-26 - "I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, and in this way all Israel will be saved." They are experiencing a hardening right now and they are enemies of the gospel (just as Gentiles were previously and still are for those in unbelief), but that is going to change because God is faithful to his promises and all Israel will be saved in the future.
​
Sources:
The Truth About the ‘Synagogue of Satan’ – Israel My Glory
Synagogue of Satan in Revelation 3:9-13
Christian Antisemitism, Michael L. Brown, PhD
[1] What is the "synagogue of Satan" (Revelation 2:9)? — #Christianity #Jesus #Bible — Dr. Eitan Bar | Bible Scholar, excerpt from his book Why Don’t Jews Believe in Jesus? And Synagogue of Satan in Revelation 3:9-13
[2] ibid