Jesus warns His disciples that opposition may involve being handed over to councils and flogged in synagogues before they are also brought before governors and kings.
Jesus in Context
Synagogue Councils and Communal Discipline
Synagogues could function as centers of local communal authority as well as places of worship and teaching.
Introduction
Historical and Cultural Context
The synagogue was more than a building for Sabbath worship. Local Jewish communities could use synagogue institutions in connection with communal governance, discipline, instruction, and adjudication. Jesus' warning therefore moves from local communal sanctions to proceedings before larger political authorities.
Why It Matters
This background helps explain why synagogues appear in sayings about judicial or disciplinary action. Religious and communal life were not divided into the same institutional categories familiar in modern society.