συναγωγή (sunagōgē)

The noun sunagōgē literally means a "bringing together" or an assembly of people. In the New Testament, it primarily refers to the Jewish religious gatherings held on Sabbaths and feast days for prayer and Scripture reading. This usage reflects its Old Testament background, where it often translates Hebrew words for the community of Israel. The term appears frequently in the Gospels and Acts, describing places where Jesus taught and where early Christians encountered both support and opposition.

While sunagōgē usually denotes a Jewish assembly, it is also used once in James to describe a gathering of believers (James 2:2). This creates an interesting overlap with ekklēsia, the word typically used for the Christian church. In secular Greek, sunagōgē could refer to any meeting or even a harvest collection, but biblical usage narrows it to religious contexts. The sources note that by metonymy, the word also came to signify the building where these assemblies took place, as seen when Jesus enters a synagogue in Mark 1:21.

The distinction between sunagōgē and ekklēsia helps clarify early Christian identity. While sunagōgē emphasizes the local gathering of Jews for worship, ekklēsia highlights the called-out community of believers across regions. Understanding this nuance shows how early Christians navigated their heritage while forming a distinct movement. The term underscores the importance of communal worship in both Jewish and Christian traditions.