The synagogue of Satan is the name Jesus gives
to those who say they are Jews and are not.
I know the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not,
but are a synagogue of Satan.
I will make them come and bow down before your feet,
and they will learn that I have loved you.
Jesus names them twice. In Smyrna He knows the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. In Philadelphia He will make them of the synagogue of Satan come and bow down before the church’s feet, and they will learn that He has loved that church. The name is His. It is not a license for a later reader to rename a people. He says they claim to be Jews and are not, and they slander, and they lie.
- Satan is the one they gather to in His verdict. The devil is the one who will throw some of Smyrna into prison. The slander and the prison belong to the same pressure.
- The letter to Smyrna does not tell the church to attack them. It says do not fear, be faithful unto death, and receive the crown of life.
- The letter to Philadelphia says He will make them know His love for that church. The bowing is His doing, not the church’s campaign.
Two cities. One name. A false claim, a slander, a lie. He knows it. He will make the truth known. The church is told to be faithful, not to take the name into its own mouth against everyone it fears.
They say they are Jews and are not.
They are a synagogue of Satan.
He will make them learn that He has loved His church.
Be faithful unto death.
- The phrase is used only in Revelation 2:9 and 3:9.
- Jesus says they claim to be Jews and are not.
- Smyrna’s word is slander. Philadelphia’s word is that they lie.
- The devil’s prison and this synagogue are named in the same letter to Smyrna.
- Philadelphia is told He will make them come and know His love.
- The name is Christ’s verdict on that opposition, not a general title for Jewish people.
- The Claim – They say they are Jews and are not.
- The Slander – Known by Christ in Smyrna.
- The Lie – Named in Philadelphia.
- The Gathered Name – A synagogue of Satan.
- The Pressure – The devil will throw some into prison.
- The End – They will learn that He has loved the church.
- Revelation 2:9-10 – “I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested… Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.”
- Revelation 3:9 – “Behold, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie—behold, I will make them come and bow down before your feet, and they will learn that I have loved you.”
I know the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.
Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.
I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie, come and bow down before your feet.
They will learn that I have loved you.
He named them. He did not hand the church a title to use at large. They claim what they are not. They slander and lie. Be faithful. He will make them learn that He has loved His church.
Entry compiled for the JESUSaves.com Bible Glossary. Optimized for wiki.js Visual Editor.