cheenc03a.pdf

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SYNAGOGUE
people' (c?? ilc!f: Shobbdfh, glo), and corresponded
more nearly to the 'gate' (,ye) as a common meetingplace.'
'lhe Targum translates 'gale' (>@) in Am.
5.2 .r 6irh AZnifid (unh n.2). But after the destruction
of Jcruialem, wc"' the synagogue began more and
more to take the place of the temple, the assembiles
took on gradually more of the form of wonhip. The
name ~araembly of the common people'joyn no>>) w a
then seriously objected to (Shob. )=a), and the racredners
of the synagogue was specially asserted (Tos. Aft$.
371.'
For ~onducting the synagogue service, an official,
strictly speaking, was not deemed necessary : any com-
9. Ofhcers. petent Israelite could officiate. The freedom
with which Jesus and Paul took
part in the service ill~trtrates this fact. The person who
led in the exercises war called 'representative of the
eommunitv' . (,>ax , -. n.iml, ..:.
and if he erred while uerfonning
his duty, some one else present might immediately
tnke his dace . iBCrdkalh , 531. The same freedom still
prevails, in theory at least, in the present synagogue
service ; but naturally those who are espffially qualified
by experience and efficiency are preferred.
The chief official of the synagogue as a religious
assembly war the bp~~ru~d7yor. EV 'ruler of the
synagogue' (Mk.5msi f 38 Lk.849 18x4 Actrl3r~
18837 : Heb. npn? W K ~ . S6fd 7776). The office war
not identical wiih that of the *elder' (rrprn,Blhrpor) or
'ruler' (apxwv), nor with that of the 'president of the
gerouiia' (yrpow4dp~?r; see § 6). though one might
se*e in both capacities at the same time The duties
of the Arehisynagogos related to the care and order of
the synagogue and its assemhlier and the supervirion of
thr service.
A second functionary war the hnszdn ( np? I!", S