[8] The government of every synagogue seems to have borne some resemblance of the general ecclesiastical establishment in the Jewish Church. For there were fixed ministers to take care of the religious duties to be performed therein; and these were by imposition of hands solemnly admitted to their office. He who presided is called in the New Testament Archysynagogus, or the ruler of the Synagogue. This word is sometimes used in a larger sense, for any one of the officers who had power in the affairs of the synagogue. Thus, (Acts xiii. 15.) we read of the rulers of one synagogue, as we also read (Luke iii. 2.) that Annas and Caiaphas were contemporary High Priests, though we know that in a strict sense there could be but one who bore that office. But generally and properly the word Archysynagogus describes the president, or chief of the officers of the synagogue; as Luke xiii. 14. and Acts xviii. 8, 17.

Next to the Archysynagogus were the Elders or presbyters of the Synagogue. The person whose office it was to offer up public prayer to God for the whole congregation, was probably one of these. He was called Sheliac Zibbor, that is, the Angel of the Church, because as their messenger, he spoke to God for them. Hence the pastors of the seven churches of Asia, in the book of the Revelation, are called by a name borrowed from the Synagogue, “Angels of the Churches.”

Under these were inferior officers in every Synagogue, called in Hebrew Chezanim, who were also fixed ministers, and under the rulers of the Synagogue, had the charge and oversight of all things in it. The deacon is mentioned in Luke iv. 20.

In every instance, so far as I have observed, our Lord adopted the institutions of the Jewish Church, unless they were inapplicable to His new dispensation. “To the end we may understand apostolical tradition to have been taken from the Old Testament; that which Aaron, and his sons, and the Levites were in the Temple, Bishops, Presbyters, and Deacons in the Church may lawfully challenge to themselves.”—St. Hierom, Ep. 85.[12a] The liturgy of the Jewish Church, in which our Lord and His Apostles joined may be found in Prideaux’s Connection of the Old and New Testament.[12b] Hart’s Answer to Gill’s Reasons.[14] Hart’s Answer to Gill’s Reasons.[16] Rev. William Jones’s Works, vol. xi.