Actually, the term “synagogue of Satan” is used only twice in the
Bible, namely in Revelation 2:9 and Revelation 3:9. Before analyzing
these two passages in detail, let us first get some background:

The
word “synagogue” is used in several places in the New Testament. The
word is derived from the Greek word “sunagoge” and means, literally, a
“bringing together.” The Greek word “sun” means “together,” and the
Greek word “ago” means “to bring.” (Compare “Expository Dictionary of
New Testament Words,” by W. E. Vine). Young’s Analytical Concordance to
the Bible defines it as a “place where people are led together.”
Although originally used for religious or other gatherings of Jews, the
word was later also applied to religious or other gatherings of
Christians.

The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the
Bible confirms this understanding. They write, under number 4864, that
the word means “an assemblage of persons; spec. a Jewish ‘synagogue’
(the meaning or the place); by anal. a Christian church–assembly,
congregation, synagogue.”

In his letter to the “twelve tribes
which are scattered abroad,” James addressed “brethren” from those
twelve tribes (James 1:1, 2). He wrote primarily to brethren from the
house of Israel–who were NOT Jews (For more information, please read
our free booklet, “The Fall and Rise of Britain and America.”). In
James 2:2-4, he states: “For if there should come into your assembly a
man with gold rings, in fine apparel, and there should also come in a
poor man in filthy clothes, and you pay attention to the one wearing
the fine clothes and say to him, ‘You sit here in a good place,’ and
say to the poor man, ‘You stand there,’ or, ‘Sit here at my footstool,’
have you not shown partiality among yourselves and become judges with
evil thoughts?”

In the Greek, the word for “assembly” in James
2:2 is “sunagoge.” The New Jerusalem Bible translates “synagogue,”
rather than assembly. The point is, James uses this word for a
religious assembly of Christians. In addition, the Greek verb,
“sunago,” normally rendered as “to assemble,” describes a religious
meeting of Christians in Acts 4:31.

Christ also warned that His
disciples–true Christians–would be “put out of the synagogue”
(compare John 16:2). In the Greek, the words are “aposunagogos poieo,”
and they literally mean, “expelled from the congregation” or
“excommunicated” (compare Vine).

With this background, let us now review the two passages where the “synagogue of Satan” is mentioned:

Revelation
2:9 addresses the Church of God in Smyrna. It says: “I know your works,
tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich); and I know the blasphemy
of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of
Satan.”

Revelation 3:9 addresses the Church of God in
Philadelphia. It says: “Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of
Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie–indeed I will make
them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved
you.”

As we have seen, the reference to “synagogue of Satan” does
not have to describe a literal Jewish synagogue. Nor does the word
“Jew” have to refer to literal Jews. Note that the Bible says that
those from the synagogue of Satan claim that they are Jews, but that
they are not. Romans 2:28-29 states: “For he is not a Jew who is one
outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; but
he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart,
in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from
God.” The Bible refers to true Christians as spiritual Jews, since
salvation is of the Jews (John 4:22).

Those who claim that they
are Jews, while they are not, are those who claim that they are
spiritual Jews or true Christians. But Christ says that they are not
true Christians, as they do not teach and do what He commands them
(compare Matthew 7:21-23).

As we pointed out in previous updates,
Christ addresses in chapters two and three of the book of Revelation
seven literal churches at the time of John, as well as seven successive
church eras of the Church of God which culminate in Christ’s return.
And, He is speaking to all Christians at all times. In addition, Christ
is describing a false religious power, calling it the “synagogue of
Satan,” which is masquerading as His true Church. This false religion
was already evolving at the time of the local church congregations in
Smyrna and Philadelphia (This false religious system would become more
and more influential and powerful throughout the successive eras of
God’s true Church).

The evolution of that false religious system,
which was directed by none other than Satan the devil, is described in
several verses in the second and third chapters of the book of
Revelation:

In Revelation 2:6, the true Church of God in Ephesus
is warned not to tolerate the “deeds of the Nicolaitans”–a heretical
sect which might very well have given its name to “St. Nicolaus” (the
German name for Santa Claus).

In Revelation 2:9, the “synagogue
of Satan” is mentioned, and Christ says in verse 10 that the devil will
persecute the true Church of God in Smyrna.

In Revelation 2:13,
Christ tells the Church of God in Pergamos that they live where Satan
has his throne. He also warns them, in verses 14 and 15, not to commit
idolatry nor to accept the doctrine of the Nicolaitans. We see, then,
that the deeds of the false religious system (the “Nicolaitans”) had
become canonized.

In Revelation 2:20, Christ warned the Church of
God in Thyatira of idol worship and of a fallen woman (Jezebel) who was
claiming to be a prophetess, which would include a claim that she had
the gift or “right” to speak on behalf of God. It is possible that that
same fallen woman is mentioned in Revelation 17. This woman or
religious system would at least exist until the time of the Great
Tribulation (Revelation 2:22).

In Revelation 2:24, Christ warns
the Church of God in Thyatira to be aware of the doctrine and depth of
Satan; and in Revelation 3:9, Christ states that those of the synagogue
of Satan will worship before the feet of true Christians of the Church
of God in Philadelphia.

To quote from a letter of the
Personal Correspondence Department of the Worldwide Church of God from
May 1987: “Those in the ‘synagogue of Satan’ say they are spiritual
Jews–pretend to be real Christians–but are not. This false church was
already developing in the days of the apostle John. It masqueraded as
God’s true Church. It had congregations in the cities of Smyrna and
Philadelphia in Asia Minor even at that early time. It and its daughter
churches are further described in Revelation 17.”

It is important
to note that some in the true Church of God began to tolerate and then
adopt false doctrines and practices, until they left the Church,
spiritually, and became a part of that false religious system–the
synagogue of Satan. These heretics might not even have departed from
the assembly of true Christians, but they might have forced true
Christians to leave, or they might have even excommunicated true
Christians (as prophesied by Christ). Christ said that these historical
events would happen again at the time just prior to His return, and
recent developments within the Church of God have begun to confirm the
accuracy of Christ’s predictions.

Jamieson, Fausset and Brown write in, “Commentary on the Whole Bible,” on page 1533:

“The ‘Jews’ who might have been ‘the church of God,’ had now, by their opposition and unbelief, become the synagogue of Satan.”

Turning
once again to Revelation 3:9, we find that those of the synagogue of
Satan will worship before the feet of true Christians (especially those
of the church in Philadelphia). This implies that true Christians will
be God beings–as none other than God is worthy of worship (Revelation
19:10; 22:8-9). The Bible confirms indeed that it is the potential of
true Christians to become God beings (For more information, please read
our free booklet, “The Gospel of the Kingdom of God.”).
In addition, those of the synagogue of Satan will ultimately recognize
that they were deceived, and they will realize who and where the true
Christians had been. What a joyful time this will be. May God speed
that day.

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

The Church’s teaching is based on numerous principles and implications, as revealed in Scripture.

The Old Testament demands that no one who is uncircumcised is to participate at the Passover (Exodus 12:48). Even though physical circumcision is no longer a requirement for New Testament Christians, they are to be circumcised spiritually (Colossians 2:11-12; Romans 2:26-29). This can only occur through the indwelling Holy Spirit, which God gives us after proper baptism. And so, we read that Christ’s disciples had been baptized (even though, in the extraordinary case of the eleven apostles, they had not yet received the Holy Spirit–they would receive it, however, on the Day of Pentecost).

We explain this often-overlooked fact that the Twelve Apostles HAD been baptized prior to the Passover, on pages 4 and 5 of our booklet, “Baptism–A Requirement for Salvation“, under the section, “Were the Twelve Apostles Baptized?”: “… it does appear that some, if not most, of the apostles had been disciples of John the Baptist and had already been baptized by John—a baptism of repentance (compare Mark 1:4). As we discussed earlier, repentance is one of the necessary requirements for receiving God’s Holy Spirit, but it is not the only one. As such, the baptism of John—a baptism of repentance—was not sufficient to receive the Holy Spirit. Later, however, Jesus also baptized—through His disciples—as we read in John 3:22: ‘After these things Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judea, and there He remained with them and baptized.’ John 4:1–3 adds: ‘Therefore, when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John (though Jesus Himself did not baptize, but His disciples), He left Judea and departed again to Galilee.'”

Note that while the explanation cited from John 4 specifically addresses the disciples baptized through the work of Jesus Christ’s ministry, we are not told the details surrounding the baptism of the twelve apostles and other leaders (for instance, the seventy who were sent out by Jesus to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom of God; compare Luke 10:1-24). We do know that John the Baptist testified that, “‘…I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire'” (Luke 3:16). The baptism of John was a different baptism than that of Jesus Christ!

We also see that Jesus Himself was baptized: “Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him” (Matthew 3:13). In this action, Jesus set an example for all who would follow Him–we know that this was done by Jesus as a pattern for those who would believe in Him and that He committed no sin requiring repentance (1 Peter 2:22).

At the beginning of His ministry, we might think that Jesus may have accepted those baptized by John without them also being baptized by Him, but Scripture points to a different conclusion. It is not revealed
that all of the apostles were even baptized by John or his disciples – although some or even most undoubtedly were – because Jesus chose His apostles from different walks of life! Consider, too, that
Paul, when finding some disciples at Ephesus who were baptized through John the Baptist’s work, had them baptized again – that new baptism was specifically “in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 19:5). Following that baptism, these disciples received the Holy Spirit (Acts 19:6) – something that never occurred in John’s ministry with the exception of Jesus Christ – and that was symbolic (Matthew 3:16).
Jesus already had God’s Holy Spirit, because He was brought forth by the Holy Spirit of His Father! (Compare Luke 1:35. See also John 3:34, Authorized Version).

Therefore, continuing to quote from our booklet on baptism: “It is safe to assume, then, before Christ’s
disciples baptized others, Christ had already baptized them. This is not to say that baptized people received the Holy Spirit at that time. The Holy Spirit was only given to Christ’s disciples on the Day of
Pentecost (Acts 1:15; 2:1–4). However, Scripture indicates that those who received the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost had been baptized. This assumption is supported by Christ’s statement to Peter in John 13. During the last Passover meal, prior to His death, Christ began to wash the feet of His disciples, showing them that He loved them and that He was willing to do everything for them, including washing their feet—a menial task that was usually assigned to the lowest servant. When He came to wash Peter’s feet, Peter said to Him: ‘You shall never wash my feet!’ (John 13:8). Christ explained to him that He had to wash Peter’s feet or else he would have no part with Christ. Peter then responded by saying: ‘Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!’ (John 13:8–9). At that moment, Christ replied, ‘He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you’ (John 13:10).

“This conversation is full of meaning and there is much to be gleaned from it. While proper baptism is to be done only once in a person’s life, the foot-washing ceremony at Passover time is to be repeated year by year. Thus we show that we are continuously willing to obtain forgiveness of the sins we commit after
baptism, and we show that we are willing to humble ourselves in our desire to help others go the same way toward perfection that we are going. We are not better than others. We are to serve others in whatever way we can.

“Christ told Peter that he and the other disciples (except Judas) were clean, since they had been bathed. We read in Titus 3:5 that God saves us ‘through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit.’ We are also told that we are ‘cleansed’ or ‘made clean’ from our old sins (2 Peter 1:9). At baptism, our bodies are ‘washed with pure water’ (Hebrews 10:22), figuratively ‘washing away’ our sins (Acts 22:16). Christ’s statement to Peter and the other apostles that they had been bathed and were clean (except Judas who would betray Him) strongly implies that they had already been baptized in anticipation of receiving the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost (John 20:22; Acts 1:8; Luke 24:49).”

As mentioned above, Christ told Peter and the other apostles, when He proceeded to wash their feet during the Passover evening, that they had been “bathed” – that is, they had been baptized (John 13:10). The commentary of Jamieson, Fausset and Brown points out that the term, “who is bathed” [or “washed” in the Authorized Version] means, in “this thorough sense, to express which the word is carefully changed to one meaning to wash ‘as in a bath.'” In regard to Christ’s subsequent statement that the one who is bathed only needs to wash his feet, the same commentary points out that “the former word [for washing, not bathing] is resumed, meaning just to wash hands or feet.”

It has been the long-standing teaching of the Church that Christ waited, until Judas Iscariot had left, before He changed the Old Testament symbol of a Passover lamb to the New Testament symbols of (unleavened) bread and (red) wine. The obvious reason for Judas’ exclusion from participation of the New Testament symbols of bread and wine was that Judas had not been PROPERLY baptized–his entire lifestyle and conduct showed that he did not have GODLY repentance. Judas was not qualified to participate in the new symbols–although he was present for the Passover meal and the footwashing.

The symbols of bread and wine did not apply to Judas:
“‘He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him'” (John 6:56). Note that after Jesus gave Judas the “dipped” piece of bread (which was not the same as the bread representative of Christ, but it was just a part of the Passover meal, compare Psalm 41:9), “Satan entered him” (John 13:27). Judas left following the traditional Passover meal and the footwashing but before the institution of the symbols of the bread and wine.

Robertson’s Harmony of the Gospels, page 193 ff, states, too, that Christ instituted the new symbols AFTER Judas had left. But Robertson indicates on p. 195 that “Luke seems to be departing from the order of Mark (and Matthew) and mentions the institution of the [symbols] earlier in the evening. It
seems best to follow the chronology of Mark, who places it after the departure of Judas.”

However, a careful analysis of the records of Matthew, Mark and Luke shows that there is no inconsistency. We read in Luke 22:21 that Christ said, at the time of the institution of the New Testament symbols of bread and wine, that “the hand of My betrayer is with Me on the table.” This gives the impression that Judas was still present at that time. Note, however, that the word “is” is not in the original. No verb is used here and must be supplied. Therefore, the phrase can also be properly translated, “The hand of My betrayer was with Me on the table,” or, “had been with Me on the table,” allowing for Judas’ departure BEFORE the New Testament symbols of bread and wine were introduced.

When comparing all four Gospel accounts, we find the following chronology of events:

(1) Christ institutes the footwashing, as described in John 13. Even though verse 2 reads, in the New King James Bible, that “supper being ended,” this is not the best translation. According to the commentary of
Jamieson, Fausset and Brown, this must be translated as, “supper being prepared, being served or going on, for that it was not ‘ended’ is plain from verse 26.” Most translations concur, rendering this phrase,
“during supper” or “at supper.”

(2) Judas leaves after the footwashing (John 13:26-29), but before Jesus institutes the symbols of bread and wine (which are not mentioned in the Gospel of John).

(3) Jesus institutes the New Testament symbols of bread and wine, as described in Matthew 26:26-29. Verse 26 should be translated: “After they had eaten…” or, as Ronald Knox conveys the intended meaning in his rendition: “And while they were still at table…” Compare Luke 22:20, pointing out that Christ gave the wine to the disciples “AFTER supper.” John 13:18-30 discusses the events at the beginning of, or during the Passover meal. The events in Matthew 26:26-29 occur later – when the meal is drawing to its close or has already ended. At that time, Judas had already left.

Since no one was allowed, in Old Testament times, to partake of the Passover, unless he was circumcised, and since Christians are to be circumcised spiritually, in the heart, by and through the Holy Spirit dwelling in them after proper baptism, it has been the Church’s teaching that only properly baptized members of the spiritual body of Christ – the Church – are to partake of the annual symbols of unleavened bread and red wine, to reflect on the suffering and death of Jesus Christ. This teaching is supported by the fact that Jesus waited until Judas had left them, before He introduced the New Testament symbols of bread and wine.

Lead Writers: Norbert Link and Dave Harris

To answer this question, we need to describe the historical background briefly.

As we pointed out in the Q&A of Update #137, dated April 2, 2004, the Bible distinguishes between the Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread. Both are annual Feast days, to be kept once a year. The Passover is to be observed at the beginning of the 14th day of the first month (which month is called Abib or Nisan), according to the Hebrew calendar (Leviticus 23:5; Numbers 28:16). The First Day of Unleavened Bread is to be observed at the beginning of the 15th day of the first month, according to the Hebrew calendar (Leviticus 23:6; Numbers 28:17). It was during the Passover night–the night of the 14th day–that the death angel passed over the Israelites who were in their houses (hence the name, “Passover,”), while killing the firstborn of Egypt (Exodus 12:6-13). But it was on the 15th day–“on the day AFTER the Passover”; that is, one entire day LATER–that the Israelites went out of Egypt, and it is on THAT day (at the beginning of the 15th day of the first month) that we are to celebrate the Night To Be Much Observed (Exodus 12:42; Numbers 33:3). (Remember that according to the Hebrew calendar, days start and end with sunset.)

Today’s Jewish community is totally confused about this distinction. In fact, they keep the PASSOVER at the END of the 14th and in the beginning of the 15th day, TOGETHER WITH the Night to Be Much Observed, as if the two distinct events were one and the same. But this is not according to Scripture. As stated, Scripture commands that we partake of the Passover at the BEGINNING of the 14th day, while observing the Night to be Much Observed at the beginning of the 15th day–one entire day LATER! God said that at the END of the 14th day (or in the beginning of the 15th day), we are to eat unleavened bread until the END of the 21st day–that is, for seven days (Exodus 12:18).

As the Passover is to be kept one day before the Seven Days of Unleavened Bread, why do we teach that the New Testament Passover symbol of the bread has to be unleavened? For instance, many Christian organizations allow for leavened bread during their “communion”–which they also observe more than once a year, which is another clear violation of Scripture.

Some point out that in New Testament times, the Passover was sometimes included in the Feast of Unleavened Bread, but then the entire time was counted as lasting eight days, not just seven days. One of the reasons why the day of Passover was included as an “unleavened” day was that the Jews, when leaving their homes to go to Jerusalem, had to remove all leaven from their homes, before they left (Exodus 12:19). But this would not compel us to abstain from eating leavened bread, per se, during the day of Passover. Just based on Scripture, there is NO COMMAND for us today to remove all leaven from our houses before the first day of Unleavened Bread. Scripture only requires that all leaven must be removed, at the latest, DURING the Passover DAY, so that no leaven is to be seen in our houses for seven days, BEGINNING with the First Day of Unleavened Bread.

Still, the Church teaches that we must use unleavened bread, when partaking of the SYMBOLS of bread and wine during Passover. Why?

There is both a spiritual and a literal reason for this command:

From a spiritual standpoint, leaven, during the Passover season, is symbolic of sin (1 Corinthians 5:6-8; Matthew 16:12; Luke 12:1-2), and Christ was sinless (Hebrews 4:15). To use leavened bread as a New Testament symbol for His broken body would not convey the spiritual significance of His sinless life. The same would be true for the practice of some Christian churches, which, during their weekly “communions,” don’t partake of wine at all–maybe only the ministering priest does–or they partake of white wine. However, in order to stay with the symbolic meaning of the wine, as representing Christ’s blood, the wine needs to be red; it needs to be received by baptized Church members during the Passover night; and in that religious setting, it must only be partaken of ONCE a year, and NOT more often than that. After all, Christ did not change the Passover, which is an annual celebration–He only changed the SYMBOLS to partake of DURING the annual Passover celebration.

In addition, the Bible specifically prohibited the Israelites in the Old Testament to eat leavened bread together with the Passover meal. This proves that there was no leavened bread available during the Passover MEAL (as distinguished from the rest of the Passover day). As Christ and His disciples partook of the regular Passover meal that night (Luke 22:14-16), Christ would not have had available leavened bread, when He introduced the New Testament symbols during the Passover meal (Matthew 26:26-28). This can clearly be seen, when analyzing the Scriptures of Exodus 12:8 and Deuteronomy 16:1-3:

In Exodus 12:8, God told the Israelites that they had to eat the Passover lamb (verses 3, 6) with “unleavened bread.” In Deuteronomy 16:3, God commands that “no leavened bread” shall be eaten “with it”–that is, with the Passover lamb compare verse 2). The rendition of the New King James Bible is confusing here, as they insert a paragraph between verses 2 and 3, and translate the passage as follows: “(2) Therefore you shall sacrifice the Passover to the LORD your God, from the flock and the herd, in the place where the LORD chooses to put His name. (3) You shall eat no leavened bread with it; seven days you shall eat unleavened bread with it, that is, the bread of affliction…”

However, the insertions of these paragraphs are arbitrary, as they cannot be found in the original. Notice how the Tanakh (The Jewish Bible) translates this passage, without placing a paragraph between verses 2 and 3: “(2)You shall slaughter the passover sacrifice for the LORD your God, from the flock and the herd, in the place where the LORD will choose to establish His name. (3) You shall not eat anything leavened with it; for seven days thereafter (Lit. “upon it”) you shall eat unleavened bread…” This rendition makes it very clear that nothing leavened was to be eaten with the Passover lamb; and that nothing leavened was to be eaten during the seven days of unleavened bread, following the day of Passover. This proves that the bread which Christ gave His disciples during the Passover meal was UNLEAVENED, based on the INSTRUCTIONS in God’s Word. In following Christ’s example and the godly commandment, we, too, must partake of unleavened bread and red wine during the annual Passover service.

Lead Writers: Norbert Link and Dave Harris