Church of Satan

Why the Jewish People and Modern Israel Are Not “the Synagogue of Satan”

The phrase “synagogue of Satan” appears only twice in the New Testament, both in the book of Revelation (Revelation 2:9 and 3:9). Over the centuries, this phrase has been misused to accuse the Jewish people as a whole, or the modern State of Israel, of being aligned with Satan. Such claims are not supported by Scripture, theology, or history. When read in context, the Bible clearly rejects the idea that the Jewish people or Israel are the “synagogue of Satan.”

First, the immediate context of Revelation makes clear that the phrase does not refer to Jews as a people. Jesus addresses specific churches in Smyrna and Philadelphia, speaking about localized opposition they were facing. He describes a group who “say they are Jews and are not.” The problem is not Jewish identity, but false claim. These were people asserting religious authority or covenant status while acting as slanderers and persecutors of believers. The language is narrow and situational, not ethnic or national.

Scripture consistently distinguishes between faithful Israel, unfaithful Israel, and impostors. Throughout the Old Testament, Israel is disciplined for sin, but never reclassified as Satan’s people. Even during periods of rebellion, God calls Israel “my people” and reaffirms his covenant promises. Discipline does not equal rejection. Judgment does not equal satanic identity. God’s covenant with Israel is described as enduring and irrevocable.

The New Testament reinforces this point. Jesus himself was Jewish, born under the Law, circumcised on the eighth day, and faithful to the God of Israel. The apostles were Jewish. The early church was entirely Jewish at its inception. The gospel was first proclaimed in synagogues, not against them. In the book of Acts, Paul’s consistent pattern was to go first to the synagogue in each city, reasoning from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Messiah. He did not treat synagogues as satanic institutions. He treated them as places where God’s Word was read and debated.

Paul’s teaching in Romans 9 through 11 is decisive. He explicitly rejects the idea that God has rejected Israel. He acknowledges unbelief among many Jews while affirming that Israel remains God’s chosen people. He teaches that Gentile believers are grafted into Israel’s covenant promises, not that Israel is cut off and replaced. Paul warns Gentile Christians against arrogance, reminding them that they stand by faith and depend on the root that supports them. A people who remain rooted in God’s promises cannot simultaneously be labeled Satan’s assembly.

Christian theology also affirms that Satan is a liar and an accuser. The synagogue of Satan, therefore, refers to those who operate in deception and accusation while falsely claiming divine authority. In the first century, this could describe any group, Jewish or Gentile, that opposed the gospel through slander and persecution while claiming religious legitimacy. The text does not support transforming a specific warning into a timeless condemnation of an entire people.

Applying the phrase to modern Israel is an even greater error. The modern State of Israel is a political nation, not a religious assembly. Revelation speaks of a synagogue, a religious gathering, not a nation-state formed nearly two thousand years later. Scripture does not label modern governments as synagogues, churches, or satanic institutions. To apply Revelation’s language to modern Israel is a category mistake that ignores both biblical genre and historical context.

Furthermore, Christian belief affirms that God remains faithful to his promises. The Bible repeatedly teaches that God keeps covenant even when humans fail. If Israel could become “the synagogue of Satan,” then God’s faithfulness would be conditional and unstable. That conclusion contradicts the entire biblical witness about God’s character.

Finally, history shows that misuse of this phrase has fueled antisemitism, violence, and theological error within Christian communities. Scripture never authorizes hatred of the Jewish people. On the contrary, Christians are called to humility, gratitude, and truth. Jesus wept over Jerusalem. Paul expressed continual sorrow for his people according to the flesh. Neither spoke of Israel as satanic.

In conclusion, the Jewish people are not the synagogue of Satan. Modern Israel is not the synagogue of Satan. The phrase refers to a specific, limited situation involving false claim and hostile opposition to believers, not to Jewish identity, covenant peoplehood, or the nation of Israel. To say otherwise is to misread Scripture, misunderstand covenant theology, and distort the heart of the Christian faith.