The Synagogue and the Church: A Study of Their Common Backgrounds and Practices (Part 6)

Douglas K. Kutilek

Reprinted with permission from As I See It, which is available free by writing to the editor at dkutilek@juno.com. Read the series so far.

Chapter Five: The Public Service in the Synagogue and the Church (continued)

Public Bible Reading

Inasmuch as Bible instruction was an important function of both the synagogue and the church, it is no surprise to discover that the public reading of the Scriptures was among the regular activities of both. The value, even necessity, of the reading of Scriptures orally in both the synagogue and the church is further recognized when it is pointed out that considerable numbers of individuals in the first century were completely illiterate and could not read the sacred text for themselves at all. Besides this, the high cost of manuscript copies of the Bible made private possession and private reading of the Scriptures well beyond the reach of most individuals.

Discussion

What is Your Reading Level?

SharperIron

“I wonder, what’s the reading level of Hebrews? We see in this warning that the writer had to condescend to a lower level of teaching than he wanted. And yet I think many of us today would agree that Hebrews is very meaty. This should cause us to stop and evaluate whether we are growing in our knowledge of the Lord.” Ref21

Discussion

ABS Reveals 2014 List of "most Bible-minded cities"

SharperIron

“Chattanooga jumped two places since last year to take over the top spot in the rankings, according to a press release. The title was previously held by Knoxville, which is now ranked 10th on the list.” CPost

Discussion