In today’s video lesson series by Ray Vander Laan, he spoke about the role of the synagogue in Jewish life. The synagogue contributed enormously to people's understanding of Scripture. If they hadn’t been buying and storing scrolls, we wouldn't have the Bible as we know it today. Individual ownership of scrolls was nearly impossible due to the cost so several towns would come together, pool resources and consult with one another. The synagogue became the central place where Scripture could be found and heard.

If you visit Galilee today and find a synagogue dating back to Jesus’ time, you can safely assume He taught there. Synagogues were the spiritual and cultural hubs of Jewish life.

Ray said he sometimes wonders, if Jesus came to my synagogue and challenged me—would I receive it, even if it made me uncomfortable? And asks the same of us as well. At the time of the video recording he said lately, he’s been reflecting on Jesus as a Galilean man. Last time, we noted how Scripture was central to life in Galilee. It was not just something they read—it was embedded in every part of their lives. That foundation shaped how they lived, worked, worshiped, and related to God.

The word synagogue means "to gather together", or a group of people assembling. Originally, it didn’t refer to a building, like “church” does today, but to the people gathering. The Hebrew people adopted the Greek word into their language. The synagogue wasn't what we think of as a church; it was originally a multi-purpose community center.

Each village typically had a synagogue, which was central to daily life. Jesus would have been familiar with the synagogues in Capernaum, Gamla, and Chorazin. Although there's no specific story attached to each one, Matthew tells us that Jesus "went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues" (Matthew 4:23).

Gamla, a town of about 5,000 people, was home to a group of ultra-traditional Pharisee types called the Zealots. They were convinced that God's kingdom would return through violent revolution by killing the oppressors of Israel. In Roman eyes, they were terrorists. The Zealots would burn Roman haystacks, poison wells, and attempt to bring about God’s kingdom by the sword, just like they believed happened in Old Testament times. In every other way, they were just like other Galileans. Eventually, Rome crushed the Zealot movement.

The Roman marines were the most feared soldiers in the empire. The 10th Legion, whose banner featured a pig, was stationed in the Decapolis—where Jesus cast demons into pigs (Mark 5:11–13). When they laid siege to Gamla in AD 67, around 5,000 people were slaughtered inside the city walls, which were never rebuilt. Josephus reports that many, in utter terror, jumped off the cliffs rather than be tortured or killed. That final destruction began in June of AD 66. Earthquakes later brought down the rest of the remaining structures.

When you visit that synagogue in Gamla today and sit on the steps, it’s possible you're sitting where Peter once sat. It’s the real thing.

Originally, the synagogue functioned more like a town hall than a place of worship. It was where people paid taxes, held meetings and weddings, and where strangers could find shelter. It also served occasionally as a school and a place of religious study. It wasn't until after Jesus’ time that synagogues became solely houses of worship like modern churches. Back then, it was more like a coffee shop or community center—you could even get food and drink there. But it was also the place where the town stored its sacred scrolls.

No individual would normally own a scroll. They were far too expensive. Paul, for instance, relied on wealthy patrons to bring scrolls with them (2 Timothy 4:13). Towns would collectively buy what scrolls they could afford, and those were kept in a cabinet called the Holy Ark. If you wanted to hear or read the Word of God, you'd have to wait your turn at the synagogue. Often, scrolls were read aloud so others could hear, and this was done both day and night. Jews memorized and recited Scripture in their homes, and when they gathered at the synagogue, they heard it again, read aloud with reverence.

In Jesus’ day, the scrolls were kept at the front of the synagogue. If the synagogue faced Jerusalem, that indicates it was built after the destruction of the Temple in AD 70. The people would sit in a seat called "Moses’ Seat" to read the Law, named because they were reading the words of Moses (Matthew 23:2).

The synagogue in Capernaum was knocked down and later rebuilt by order of Emperor Theodosius. The new structure was built on top of the old wall, using it as a foundation. Viewing the wall, one can see where the old structure ended and the new begins. Several of Jesus' miracles happened in that synagogue: demons were cast out, and a man with a withered hand was healed (Mark 1:21–26, Mark 3:1–6).

As a boy, Jesus likely sat in Moses’ Seat and asked brilliant questions, astounding His elders (Luke 2:46–47).

The Word of God is alive—because the Spirit of God is in it. When someone opens it and begins to read, in effect, God shows up (Hebrews 4:12; Acts 10:44). We don’t always appreciate how powerful it is to have access to God’s Word and presence simply by opening the Bible and reading it aloud.

The hazzan (or synagogue attendant) had the job of overseeing the scrolls. In large synagogues, there might be a couple dozen scrolls. In poor towns, there might be only one or two—or none at all. The hazzan would bring the scroll to the reader, ensure it was rolled to the proper portion, and carefully return it after reading.

Luke begins his Gospel by explaining where he got his information—from eyewitnesses and careful investigation (Luke 1:1–4). In early Christianity, Jesus’ stories hadn't yet been written down. People would visit synagogues and ask about His parables. Eyewitnesses of Jesus’ teachings served as caretakers of His words, ensuring accuracy and fostering deep reverence for them.

When the scrolls of Moses were brought out, the people treated them with overwhelming respect. To the outsider, it might seem like they were worshiping the paper or the ink. That was the extent to which the Text was revered. In reality, they believed that when Scripture was opened and read, God Himself was present. There was awe in the moment. They would often pray, "May Your words be sweet to us, may they taste like the drippings of the honeycomb" (Psalm 119:103).

Why don’t we show that kind of awe and reverence for Scripture today? When the scrolls are brought out in Jewish tradition, there is dancing, joy, and a sense that God is arriving in a fresh way. That moment is overwhelming—because they expect God to show up in His Word.

When the Torah was opened in Nehemiah’s day, the Israelites stood and listened to it being read for four hours (Nehemiah 8:3–5). That’s part of their culture—standing out of reverence. Ray often says he stands when Scripture is read because he knows he’s in God’s presence. It bothers him when people will stand for worship songs but not for the reading of God's Word.

In Luke 5:1, we read, "Jesus was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, and the people were crowding around Him and listening to the Word of God." Jesus stood to listen. But when it came time for Him to teach, He sat down: "He got into one of the boats... and sat down and taught the people from the boat" (Luke 5:3). In His humanity, Jesus stood for the reading of Scripture—but when teaching His own words, He sat in authority.

Ray ends this week’s teaching by expressing the idea that knowledge alone is not enough to be saved. The danger is that everything we're learning can stay in our heads and never reach our hearts. What we need is not just head knowledge, but heart transformation.