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I
History has it and there are Chrisitan sources that name Simon Magus as what you might call the ring leader and the Samaritans in the practice of mixing Jewish themes with pagan ideas and theologies and artifacts.
The Samaritans followed Simon Magus and his successors into the theological teaching called "Gnosticism". Simon was rebuked by Peter, but, according to Chrisitan historians he along with a woman named Helen he met in Tyre went to Rome in the time of Claudius (A.D.41-45) started a campaign that would bring them international fame.
He did such miraculous things by sorcery that the Romans called him a god and erected a statue to him. He is credited with and reckoned to be the originator of all heresies under the name of "Gnosticism" from the first to the fourth centuries (Irenaeus, Against Heresies, I.xxiii.2).
He tried to start a one world religion with himself and Helen as the main objects of worship. He taught that he was the Son of God to the Jews, and adopted some Jewish ways to win over the Jews, he claimed to be the Father to his own people the Samaritans. To the Gentiles he taught that he was the Holy Spirit. (ibid., I.xxiii.1)
The Samaritans followed Simon Magus and his successors into the theological teaching called "Gnosticism". Simon was rebuked by Peter, but, according to Chrisitan historians he along with a woman named Helen he met in Tyre went to Rome in the time of Claudius (A.D.41-45) started a campaign that would bring them international fame.
He did such miraculous things by sorcery that the Romans called him a god and erected a statue to him. He is credited with and reckoned to be the originator of all heresies under the name of "Gnosticism" from the first to the fourth centuries (Irenaeus, Against Heresies, I.xxiii.2).
He tried to start a one world religion with himself and Helen as the main objects of worship. He taught that he was the Son of God to the Jews, and adopted some Jewish ways to win over the Jews, he claimed to be the Father to his own people the Samaritans. To the Gentiles he taught that he was the Holy Spirit. (ibid., I.xxiii.1)
I
Simon Magus blended the various beliefs of the Jews, Samaritan and various Gentile religions into a syncretic belief that was designed to unite the world into a single universal (catholic) religion.
Simon Magus was unable to achieve his goal in the first century, but he was succeeded by others who tried to do the same thing. He was followed by a fellow Samaritan by the name of Meander, and alongside him emerged two other men by the names of Saturninus and Basilides. They all began to teach varient doctrines under the common name of "Gnosticism".
Other men son followed in their footsteps. Among them was a very important man from Pontus in Asia Minor named Marcion. He was a contemporary of Justin Martyr. The Chrisitan writer Irenaeus wrote exclusively against Marcion and against Gnosticism itself in the middle and late second century.
Remarkably, Irenaeus stated that all Gnostics mentioned above, who he categorized as heretics and not part of true Christianity met in synnagogues.
"The Church alone offers this pure oblation to the Creator, offering to Him, with giving of thanks the things taken from his creation. But the Jews do not offer thus: for their hands are full of blood; for they have not received the Word, through whom it is offered to God. Nor, again, do any of the synagogues of the heretics [the Gnostics] offer this"
(Irenaeus, Against Heresies, IV.xviii.4)
"Incontestably the most interesting example is that the Marcionites could call their buildings of worship synagogues cf. the inscription found in Deir Ali (Lebaba) south-east of Damascus [which records the building as a] Synagogue of the Marcionite." (Kittel's Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, article "Synagogue" vol. VII, p.840).
"And in the Gnostic work that is titled the "Acts of Philip," several times the word "synagogue" refers to the building where the Gnostic people wroshiped." (ibid., p.841)
The people that gave rise to the heresy of Simon Magus and his successors were the Samaritans who commonly assembled for worship in buildings they called synagogues. Justin Martyr who was himself was a Samaritan stated in the middle of the second century that almost all the Samaritans went over to believing Simon Magus was a god and they wre in Justin's time giving heed to his teachings.
"Nearly all the Samaritans, but few among the rest of the naitons, confess him to be the first god and worship him"
(Apology, I.26)
This is clear proof and from a Samaritan himself born about six miles from the birthplace of Simon Magus, that the Samaritan peole on the whole were confessing the Gnostic teachings of Simon Magus. This means that Simon's teachings were being advocated in the synagogues of the Samaritans.
Simon Magus was unable to achieve his goal in the first century, but he was succeeded by others who tried to do the same thing. He was followed by a fellow Samaritan by the name of Meander, and alongside him emerged two other men by the names of Saturninus and Basilides. They all began to teach varient doctrines under the common name of "Gnosticism".
Other men son followed in their footsteps. Among them was a very important man from Pontus in Asia Minor named Marcion. He was a contemporary of Justin Martyr. The Chrisitan writer Irenaeus wrote exclusively against Marcion and against Gnosticism itself in the middle and late second century.
Remarkably, Irenaeus stated that all Gnostics mentioned above, who he categorized as heretics and not part of true Christianity met in synnagogues.
"The Church alone offers this pure oblation to the Creator, offering to Him, with giving of thanks the things taken from his creation. But the Jews do not offer thus: for their hands are full of blood; for they have not received the Word, through whom it is offered to God. Nor, again, do any of the synagogues of the heretics [the Gnostics] offer this"
(Irenaeus, Against Heresies, IV.xviii.4)
"Incontestably the most interesting example is that the Marcionites could call their buildings of worship synagogues cf. the inscription found in Deir Ali (Lebaba) south-east of Damascus [which records the building as a] Synagogue of the Marcionite." (Kittel's Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, article "Synagogue" vol. VII, p.840).
"And in the Gnostic work that is titled the "Acts of Philip," several times the word "synagogue" refers to the building where the Gnostic people wroshiped." (ibid., p.841)
The people that gave rise to the heresy of Simon Magus and his successors were the Samaritans who commonly assembled for worship in buildings they called synagogues. Justin Martyr who was himself was a Samaritan stated in the middle of the second century that almost all the Samaritans went over to believing Simon Magus was a god and they wre in Justin's time giving heed to his teachings.
"Nearly all the Samaritans, but few among the rest of the naitons, confess him to be the first god and worship him"
(Apology, I.26)
This is clear proof and from a Samaritan himself born about six miles from the birthplace of Simon Magus, that the Samaritan peole on the whole were confessing the Gnostic teachings of Simon Magus. This means that Simon's teachings were being advocated in the synagogues of the Samaritans.
I
The Samaratins claimed they were the original people of Judea and Galilee and were taken captive by the Assyrians in the eighth and seventh centuries. They later came back to Palestine (according to them) and settled around Samaria and Shechem, but, if you read post #9, their true origin is outlined in 2Kings.
Justin Martyr who was a Samaritan in his dialogue with Typho the Jew admits that the Samaritans were really Gentiles who claimed to be Israelites. Justin said "us Gentiles" in referring to the Samaritan nation of whom he was a part. (Dialogue with Typho, cxxii).
There is no mention as in the case of the somewhat parallel case of Judah where "the poor of the land were left to be vinedressers and husbandmen". (2Kings 25:12) It wasn't unheard of for monarchs at this time to take every person from their homeland.
"The Persians dragged Samos, and delievered it up to Syloson, stripped of all its men". (Heroditus, iii,149)
And Heroditus again says they did the same with other island populations. (ibid.iv,31)
"The Assyrian records record from the ninth to the seventh centuries B.C. several instances where the Assyrian monarchs removed people from their homelands and settled people of Assyria, Elam and even Arabia in their lands."
(Prichard, Ancient Near Eastern Texts, pp.276 col. A, 285B, 286A,B, 288A, 290B, 291A, 293A, 294B).
They basicly stripped the land of its entire native population and replaced them with loyal allies of the Assyrians. This is one reason the Jewish people normally referred to the Samaritans of later times as being "Cuthians". The Jews considered the Samaritans lax in their observance of the Mosaic law and had little to do with them religiously.
Justin Martyr who was a Samaritan in his dialogue with Typho the Jew admits that the Samaritans were really Gentiles who claimed to be Israelites. Justin said "us Gentiles" in referring to the Samaritan nation of whom he was a part. (Dialogue with Typho, cxxii).
There is no mention as in the case of the somewhat parallel case of Judah where "the poor of the land were left to be vinedressers and husbandmen". (2Kings 25:12) It wasn't unheard of for monarchs at this time to take every person from their homeland.
"The Persians dragged Samos, and delievered it up to Syloson, stripped of all its men". (Heroditus, iii,149)
And Heroditus again says they did the same with other island populations. (ibid.iv,31)
"The Assyrian records record from the ninth to the seventh centuries B.C. several instances where the Assyrian monarchs removed people from their homelands and settled people of Assyria, Elam and even Arabia in their lands."
(Prichard, Ancient Near Eastern Texts, pp.276 col. A, 285B, 286A,B, 288A, 290B, 291A, 293A, 294B).
They basicly stripped the land of its entire native population and replaced them with loyal allies of the Assyrians. This is one reason the Jewish people normally referred to the Samaritans of later times as being "Cuthians". The Jews considered the Samaritans lax in their observance of the Mosaic law and had little to do with them religiously.
I
"They also possess images, some of them painted, and others formed from different kinds of material; while they maintain that a likeness of Christ was made by Pilate at that time when Jesus lived among them. They crown these images, and set them up along with the images of the philosophers of the world; that is to say, with images of Phythagoras, and Plato, and Aristotle, and the rest. They also have other modes of honoring these images, after the same manner of the Gentiles"
(Against Heresies, I.25.6)
So, who was this "Christ" that these followers of Simon Magus were dipicting and claiming to be followers of that Holy Scriptures? It was Simon Magus.
"He was glorified by many as a god; and he taught that it was he himself who, forsooth, appeared among the Jews as the Son, while in Samaria he descended as the Father, and the rest of the world he came as the holy Spirit. That he was the highest power, to wit, the Father over all, and that he allowed himself to be called by whatever name men pleased."
(Against Heresies, I.23.1)
"They [the Gnostics] also have an image of Simon made in the likeness of Jupiter, and Helen in that of Minerva and they worship the statues." (Against Heresies, I.23.4)
At first these followers of Simon Magus were called Simonians, but they deliberately began to designate themselves by other names and finally became known generally as "Gnostics". By the third century, these Gnostics had abandoned their connection to Simon Magus and Helen and began to call themselves by more respectable names that the people in the world would accept. Origen said there were few in his day calling themselves Simonians. (Against Celsus, vi.11)
Magus wanted to be called by names of more dignity and grandeur. Simon and Helen wanted to be designated by the names of the chief pagan gods and goddesses, but with one difference, they also wanted to be called "Christians". Christians who were supposedly knowledgeable of what were the deep and profound truths of God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. They accepted the Holy Spirit as a person, but, to the Simonians that person was Simon Magus.
Simon and Helen told their followers that anyone knowing the deepness of the mysteries would recognize Simon and Helen as the chief deities and not as mere humans.
"They have statues of Simon in the form of Zeus, and one of Helen in the form of Athena [the virgin], which they worship, calling the former Lord and the latter Lady. And if any among them on seeing the images, calls them by the name of Simon or Helen, he is cast out as one ignorant of the mysteries." (Hippolytus, Philosophumena, VI.20)
By the third century, the Gnostics who followed the teachings of Simon and Helen distanced themselves from being called Simonians and took up the better name "Chrisitans", who understood all the mysteries, including those of the pagan religions. To many Gnostics, Simon had beconme Zeus (or YHVH) and Helen became Minierva (the Virign Lady who merged into the image of Mary, the Mother of Christ). Helios the Sun god was another form of Zeus (as well as the Egyptian god Sarapis).
(Against Heresies, I.25.6)
So, who was this "Christ" that these followers of Simon Magus were dipicting and claiming to be followers of that Holy Scriptures? It was Simon Magus.
"He was glorified by many as a god; and he taught that it was he himself who, forsooth, appeared among the Jews as the Son, while in Samaria he descended as the Father, and the rest of the world he came as the holy Spirit. That he was the highest power, to wit, the Father over all, and that he allowed himself to be called by whatever name men pleased."
(Against Heresies, I.23.1)
"They [the Gnostics] also have an image of Simon made in the likeness of Jupiter, and Helen in that of Minerva and they worship the statues." (Against Heresies, I.23.4)
At first these followers of Simon Magus were called Simonians, but they deliberately began to designate themselves by other names and finally became known generally as "Gnostics". By the third century, these Gnostics had abandoned their connection to Simon Magus and Helen and began to call themselves by more respectable names that the people in the world would accept. Origen said there were few in his day calling themselves Simonians. (Against Celsus, vi.11)
Magus wanted to be called by names of more dignity and grandeur. Simon and Helen wanted to be designated by the names of the chief pagan gods and goddesses, but with one difference, they also wanted to be called "Christians". Christians who were supposedly knowledgeable of what were the deep and profound truths of God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. They accepted the Holy Spirit as a person, but, to the Simonians that person was Simon Magus.
Simon and Helen told their followers that anyone knowing the deepness of the mysteries would recognize Simon and Helen as the chief deities and not as mere humans.
"They have statues of Simon in the form of Zeus, and one of Helen in the form of Athena [the virgin], which they worship, calling the former Lord and the latter Lady. And if any among them on seeing the images, calls them by the name of Simon or Helen, he is cast out as one ignorant of the mysteries." (Hippolytus, Philosophumena, VI.20)
By the third century, the Gnostics who followed the teachings of Simon and Helen distanced themselves from being called Simonians and took up the better name "Chrisitans", who understood all the mysteries, including those of the pagan religions. To many Gnostics, Simon had beconme Zeus (or YHVH) and Helen became Minierva (the Virign Lady who merged into the image of Mary, the Mother of Christ). Helios the Sun god was another form of Zeus (as well as the Egyptian god Sarapis).
P
the criterion has changed 
For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh. But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God. (Rom 2:28-29)
For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh. But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God. (Rom 2:28-29)
I
So they were violating the basic tenets of the Law by lieing and saying they were Jews according to Rev.3:9 when they were not?
Rev.2:9-Again says to the Church of Smyrna that there were people claiming to be Jews and they were blasphemers by claiming to be Jews, just as 3:9 to the Church of Philadelphia makes the point that there are epople claiming to be Jews who were not, but, the people in both verses were of the synagogue of satan.
I don't see how you reconcile the people as being Judaizers and yet the two passages make the point that they weren't even Jews. I personally believe that John was talking about the Samaritans, they surely would have been around in his time since Sargon brought in people to re-populate the area that once had been occupied by the Northern kingdom in 721 and again in 715 B.C. The Samatians had been in the area a little over 700yrs. and in John's time they claimed to have been the original inhabitants that had come back to their homeland and that they were from the Northern kingdom and were the original Jews, but they were lieing and they worshipped in synagogues.
Acts makes an interesting point in 17:1 where it says-"where was a synagogue of the Jews", why make that point if all the synagogues were inhabited by orthodox Jews?
Rev.2:9-Again says to the Church of Smyrna that there were people claiming to be Jews and they were blasphemers by claiming to be Jews, just as 3:9 to the Church of Philadelphia makes the point that there are epople claiming to be Jews who were not, but, the people in both verses were of the synagogue of satan.
I don't see how you reconcile the people as being Judaizers and yet the two passages make the point that they weren't even Jews. I personally believe that John was talking about the Samaritans, they surely would have been around in his time since Sargon brought in people to re-populate the area that once had been occupied by the Northern kingdom in 721 and again in 715 B.C. The Samatians had been in the area a little over 700yrs. and in John's time they claimed to have been the original inhabitants that had come back to their homeland and that they were from the Northern kingdom and were the original Jews, but they were lieing and they worshipped in synagogues.
Acts makes an interesting point in 17:1 where it says-"where was a synagogue of the Jews", why make that point if all the synagogues were inhabited by orthodox Jews?
I
A Samaritan synagogue was found in Thessalonica where the apostle Paul spent time preaching the Gospel (Schiby, J., Zion, "A Samaritan Synagogue in Salonica," (1977), vol.42, pp.103-109, Hebrew).
Now when they had passed throught Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews: Acts 17:1
When Paul left Thessalonica he came to Berea where there was the synagogue of the Jews Acts 17:10
Luke only refers to the synagogue in Acts 17:16,17 when Paul got to Athens and argued with the poeple about idols.
Archeology has proven that Samaritan synagogues were within the Roman Empire in the periods following the Second Temple and the apostles.
Luke specifically stated that he went to the synagogue of the Jews Acts 13:5
When Paul fled to Iconium from the major cityof Antioch of Pisidia, he went to the synagogue of the Jews Acts 14:1,
Now when they had passed throught Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews: Acts 17:1
When Paul left Thessalonica he came to Berea where there was the synagogue of the Jews Acts 17:10
Luke only refers to the synagogue in Acts 17:16,17 when Paul got to Athens and argued with the poeple about idols.
Archeology has proven that Samaritan synagogues were within the Roman Empire in the periods following the Second Temple and the apostles.
Luke specifically stated that he went to the synagogue of the Jews Acts 13:5
When Paul fled to Iconium from the major cityof Antioch of Pisidia, he went to the synagogue of the Jews Acts 14:1,
