AmaJuda Aqala Nini Ukuba Lamasinagogi?

IBALA elithi “sinagogi” livela ebaleni lesiGrikhi elitsho “umhlangano” loba “ukubuthana ndawonye.” Ibala leli lifanele sibili ngenxa yokuthi kusukela kudala amasinagogi abeyizindawo lapho amaJuda ahlangana khona ukuze afundiswe futhi akhonze. IMibhalo YesiHebheru ayikhulumi lutho ngamasinagogi kodwa ngokwalokho okutshiwo eMibhalweni YamaKhristu YesiGrikhi kuyacaca ukuthi izindawo lezi zasezikhona ngesikhathi sikaJesu.

Izikhwicamfundo ezinengi zikholwa ukuthi amaJuda aqalisa ukuba lezindawo zokubuthana ngesikhathi ethunjiwe eBhabhiloni. Elinye ibhuku okuthiwa yi-Encyclopaedia Judaica lithi: “AmaJuda ayengaselalo iThempeli, ayehlala elizweni angalaziyo futhi ayekudinga ukududuzwa ebunzimeni ayephakathi kwabo. Ngakho ayebuthana ukuze abale iMibhalo njalo kungenzakala ukuthi lokhu ayekwenza ngamaSabatha.” Kukhanya langesikhathi esekhululiwe ekuthunjweni aqhubeka ehlangana ukuze athandaze njalo abale iMibhalo futhi ayesiba lamasinagogi loba ngaphi ayefika ahlale khona.

Ngesikhathi sikaJesu, amaJuda ayehlala endaweni eziseduze koLwandle lweMediterranean, eMiddle East lako-Israyeli ayesebenzisa amasinagogi nxa esenza imibuthano yokukhonza loba eminye eyezakhamizi. Esinye isikhwicamfundo okuthiwa nguLee Levine sithi: “[Isinagogi] yayiyindawo yokufunda, yokwenzela izidlo ezingcwele, yokuthetha amacala, yokuphosela imali yezindleko zomphakathi kanye lokuyigcina leyokwenzela imihlangano yezombusazwe leyomphakathi.” Siqhubeka sisithi: “Kodwa indawo lezi zazisetshenziswa kakhulu ekukhonzeni.” Yikho akusimangalisi ukuthi uJesu wayehlala esiya emasinagogeni. (Mak. 1:21; 6:2; Luk. 4:16) Wayefika afundise njalo akhuthaze ababelapho. Ngemva kokubunjwa kwebandla lamaKhristu umphostoli uPhawuli laye wayehlala etshumayela emasinagogeni. Wayesithi angafika edolobheni elithile ahle aqonde khona ngoba abantu ababefuna ukufunda ngoNkulunkulu babetholakala lapho.​—ImiSeb. 17:1, 2; 18:4.