Wawuyini umsuka wesinagoge?

IGAMA elithi “isinagoge” livela egameni lesiGreki elisho “umhlangano” noma “ukuhlangana ndawonye.” Leli gama liyafaneleka ngoba amasinagoge abelokhu eyizindawo amaJuda ahlangana kuzo ukuze afundiswe futhi akhonze uNkulunkulu kusukela endulo. ImiBhalo YesiHebheru ayikhulumi ngamasinagoge, kodwa imiBhalo YamaKristu YesiGreki ibonisa ukuthi lezi zakhiwo zase zikhona kakade ngekhulu lokuqala C.E.

Izazi eziningi zikholelwa ukuthi amasinagoge aqala ukuba khona ngesikhathi amaJuda ethunjiwe eBhabhiloni. I-Encyclopaedia Judaica ithi: “Izithunjwa, njengoba zazingenalo iThempeli, zisezweni ezingalazi, zifuna induduzo ekucindezelekeni, zazihlangana ngezinye izikhathi, mhlawumbe ngamaSabatha bese zifunda imiBhalo.” Lapho ekhululwa ekuthunjweni, kubonakala sengathi amaJuda aqhubeka ehlangana ukuze athandaze futhi afunde imiBhalo; nomaphi lapho ayehlala khona ayakha amasinagoge.

Ngekhulu lokuqala C.E., inkolo nokuphila kwamaJuda ayesakazekele eMedithera, eMpumalanga Ephakathi nakwa-Israyeli yagxila emasinagogeni. UProfesa Lee Levine waseHebrew University of Jerusalem uthi, “[Isinagoge] laliyindawo yokufunda, yezidlo ezingcwele, yokuqulwa kwamacala, yokunikela, neyemihlangano yomphakathi yezepolitiki. Ngokuyinhloko isinagoge lalisetshenziselwa inkolo.” Yingakho uJesu ayehlale eya emihlanganweni esinagogeni. (Marku 1:21; 6:2; Luka 4:16) Wafundisa, wayala futhi wakhuthaza ababelapho. Ngemva kokumiswa kwebandla lobuKristu, umphostoli uPawulu naye washumayela kakhulu emasinagogeni. Labo ababefuna ukusondela kuNkulunkulu babeya esinagogeni, ngakho lapho uPawulu efika edolobheni ngokuvamile wayeqala ngokuya esinagogeni ashumayele khona.—IzE. 17:1, 2; 18:4.