During an ongoing Bible Study of the Book of Revelation, the phrase “synagogue of Satan” was introduced in two verses for the first and only time in the entire Bible. Because I was both curious and intrigued by this phrase I wanted to delve a bit deeper into its potential interpretation(s) and application(s):
Revelation 2:9 “I know your afflictions and your poverty - yet you are rich! I know about the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.” (NIV)
Revelation 3:9 “I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars - I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you.” (NIV)
In context to the above scripture verses, Jesus told the apostle John that the Synagogue of Satan are those who are Jews in every worldly definition but now are condemned by Him not to be. This led me to question: “Why would Jesus reject the very people that God selected as His Chosen Nation?”
However, in retrospect, perhaps this question may be better phrased: “Why would the very people that God selected as His Chosen Nation reject Jesus?”
A commentary on the above two scriptures revealed that in the New Testament, the Jewish identity involved more than a sense of national or religious heritage, it also was comprised of an element of faith and obedience to God. Especially in today’s world, we can classify Jews as those that identify themselves as Jewish due only to their National inheritance, but with no other attachment to the Jewish Nation beyond that. Many of these Jews do not even profess a belief in God! However, we also find many Jews today still following the religious traditions and the ancient law (the Pentateuch) of the historic Hebrews, as attributed to Moses.
How then, one may ask, if the Jewish Nation that was strictly adhering the religious traditions and ancient laws of God, especially during the time that the apostle John wrote this revelation from Jesus, can be accused by Jesus as being “unfaithful and disobedient to God?”
At first thought this may appear to present a conundrum because are not we Christians also commanded by God to follow His laws and to obey His commandments? Of course the answer is “yes” but then why are the Jews considered by Jesus to be “unfaithful and disobedient to God” but we Christians are not – or are we condemned too?
First, for clarification, the passages (Rev 2:9 and Rev 3:9), do not pertain to the Jews that followed Jesus - those that comprised the early Christian church. Rather, these two verses address those Jews that rejected Jesus as the Messiah, - subsequently, they rejected Jesus as God, which meant that they were now worshiping a false god, and as such, were unknowingly doing the work of God’s adversary, Satan! In the words of Jesus, those Jews that rejected Him (in the New Testament and as well today), are unfaithful and disobedient to God because they rejected Jesus. In current vernacular, these Jews are not “saved” souls!
But wait! What about a group of “believers” whom label themselves today as Christians and profess to follow God’s laws and obey His commandments yet reject Jesus in many fashions? You know who they are: those that reject the belief that Jesus is God; those that reject the belief of the Holy Trinity; those that believe that salvation does not come from Jesus but from works alone; those that believe that there are many other paths (religions) that lead to God; those that profess faith in saints or in Mary, the mother of Jesus; and the list, unfortunately, goes on! Are not these “Christians” following a false god as did the Jews that refuted Jesus’ deity, thereby condemned by Jesus for being unfaithful and disobedient to God? How do these “Christians” differ, if at all, from the condemned Jews?
Well, I think it’s fair to assume that we know the answer to those questions.
Referencing back to Revelation 2.9 and 3.9, is not Jesus affirming His condemnation to what He revealed to the World as to His identity and to His purpose? Let’s reacquaint ourselves with some of Jesus’ revelations in respect to His Divine identity:
John 3:16-18 “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him. Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.” (NIV)
John 5:21-24 “For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom He is pleased to give it. Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent Him. “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes Him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.” (NIV)
And speaking directly to and about the Jewish leaders, Jesus refuted their “religious posturing” with the following:
John 5:39-47 “You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life. I do not accept glory from human beings, but I know you. I know that you do not have the love of God in your hearts. I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not accept me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him. How can you believe since you accept glory from one another but do not seek the glory that comes from the only God? But do not think I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses, on whom your hopes are set. If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. But since you do not believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say?” (NIV)
In summary, salvation comes to anyone who believes that Jesus is the Messiah and accepts Christ Jesus as ones personal Savior.
Anyone who believes differently belongs to the Synagogue of Satan.
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