= Fake Jews
This theological issue takes on quite a number of forms, but in it's essence it is based on two passages from the Christian book of Revelation:

* "“‘I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander[a] of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan." Revelation 2:9 (ESV)

* "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." Revelation 3:9 (ESV)

== Textual Analysis
The question of the day is of course what is meant by "those who say that they are Jews and are not--". First it is problematic to claim that this refers to people who are actually from one of the 12 tribes given Revelation 7, which deals with blood-line descendants of the 12 tribes. However, the meaning does not appear to refer necessarily to blood-line status but status of spiritual economy.

The second clue however comes from the term "Synagogue of Satan". First, from a study of Revelation we already know the word "Church" appears in Revelation 19 times (1:4, 1:11, 1:20, 2:1, 2:7, 2:8, 2:11, 2:12, 2:17, 2:18, 2:23, 2:29, 3:1, 3:6, 3:7, and then after again in 3:13, 3:14, 3:22, 22:16). The term "Synagogue" is used here twice in contrast, and no other word is used to denote a place of worship.

Secondly, going to the greek, we find the word συναγωγῇ (synagōgē) is used exclusively in other books of the Christian scriptures to denote an essentially "pharisaic" place of worship -- I.E. orthodox Judaism. An example would be Matthew 13:54 "and coming to his hometown he taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works?" which obviously refers to a Jewish synagogue.

==== Barnes' Notes and Pulpit: The Smyrna connection
Further, the reference to Smyrna in 2:9 may indicate the martyrdom of Polycarp in 153AD. Barnes' notes comments on this;

"Of them which say they are Jews - Who profess to be Jews. The idea seems to be that though they were of Jewish extraction, and professed to be Jews, they were not true Jews; they indulged in a bitterness of reproach, and a severity of language, which showed that they had not the spirit of the Jewish religion; they had nothing which became those who were under the guidance of the spirit of their own Scriptures. That would have inculcated and fostered a milder temper; and the meaning here is, that although they were of Jewish origin, they were not worthy of the name. That spirit of bitter opposition was indeed often manifested in their treatment of Christians, as it had been of the Saviour, but still it was foreign to the true nature of their religion. There were Jews in all parts of Asia Minor, and the apostles often encountered them in their journeyings, but it would seem that there was something which had particularly embittered those of Smyrna against Christianity. What this was is now unknown.

It may throw some light on the passage, however, to remark that at a somewhat later period - in the time of the martyrdom of Polycarp - the Jews of Smyrna were among the most bitter of the enemies of Christians, and among the most violent in demanding the death of Polycarp. Eusebius (Eccl. Hist. 4:15) says,. that when Polycarp was apprehended, and brought before the proconsul at Smyrna, the Jews were the most furious of all in demanding his condemnation. When the mob, after his condemnation to death, set about gathering fuel to burn him, "the Jews," says he, "being especially zealous, as was their custom - μάλιστα προθύμως, ὡς ἔθος αὐτοῖς malista prothumōs, hōs ethos autois - ran to procure fuel." And when, as the burning failed, the martyr was transfixed with weapons, the Jews urged and besought the magistrate that his body might not be given up to Christians. Possibly at the time when this epistle was directed to be sent to Smyrna, there were Jews there who manifested the same spirit which those of their countrymen did afterward, who urged on the death of Polycarp."

The Pulpit commentary also mentions this.

==== Ellicott's
Jews.—The Jews were foremost in this. “It was in the synagogue that they heard words which reproached them as Nazarenes, Galileans, Christians, Disciples of the Crucified” (Plumptre). Comp. James 2:7. It is interesting to notice that this characteristic hostility of the Jews was illustrated in the martyrdom of Polycarp. The Jews, “as was their wont,” were foremost in bringing logs for the pile.

Synagogue of Satan.—The word “synagogue” is only once used to describe the Christian assembly (James 2:2); and even there it is called “your synagogue,” not the “synagogue of God.” In all other instances the “word is abandoned by the Jews.” With the “synagogue of Satan” here, compare “the throne of Satan” (Revelation 2:13), “the depths of Satan” (Revelation 2:24).

==== Cambridge
which say they are jews] No doubt the persons meant are real Jews by birth as well as by profession, but are denied to be worthy of the name. It is treated as still an honourable one, implying religious privileges, as by St Paul in Romans 2:17; Romans 2:28-29; Romans 3:1. Contrast the way that “the Jews” are spoken of in St John’s Gospel—always meaning the chief priests and scribes, the persistent enemies of the Gospel. Hence is drawn an argument, that this Book could not be written by the author of the Gospel, at any rate after he had written it: though if this Book were written before the fall of Jerusalem, and the Gospel long after, the change in his point of view will be intelligible.

and are not] Better, and they are not—the relative construction is not continued, at least if we suppose the sentence to be grammatical.

the synagogue of Satan] For an instance of the same severity from the same mouth, see John 8:44. While they claimed to be, as the old Jewish Church was, “the congregation of the Lord.” Synagogue is etymologically almost equivalent to congregation, and is, as St Augustine observes, a less noble word than that used for the Christian Church, Ecclesia, a summoned assembly: for while brutes may be “gathered together,” reason (and we may add, freedom) is implied in being summoned together. But the distinction between the two words is not always maintained: Israel is called “the Church” in Acts 7:38, and the assembly of Christian Jews is called a “synagogue” in St James 2:2, and almost in Hebrews 10:25.

==== Gill's
And I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not; who asserted themselves to be the true Israel of God, Jews that were so inwardly, regenerate persons, or truly Christians; for the Christians, baptized persons (m), were by the Heathens called Jews; but these were not, they professed Christianity in words, but in works denied it; they were men of bad principles and practices, and both blasphemed the ways and doctrines of Christ themselves, and caused them to be blasphemed by others also; they were false Christians, nominal professors, and shunned persecution for the Gospel; who were not what they would be thought to be: these were the broachers of heresies in this period of time, in which there was a multitude of them, and which chiefly respected the doctrine of the Trinity, and the person of Christ; and they were introducers of Pagan and Jewish rites into the church, and were men of flagitious lives and conversations, and paved the way for the man of sin:

but are the synagogue of Satan: were the children of the devil, imitated him, and were influenced by him, and were the forerunners of antichrist, whose coming was after the working of Satan,

(m) Vid. Arrian. Epictet. l. 2. c. 9

==== Vincent's Commentary
Jews

Literally. Not Christians, as in Philippians 3:3; Romans 2:28, Romans 2:29. Actually Jews by birth, but not spiritually. The title is not given them by the Spirit, nor by the seer, but by themselves; and none would use that title except such as were Jews by birth and by religion. The enmity of the Jews against Christians is a familiar fact to all readers of the book of Acts; and it is a matter of history that their malignity was especially displayed toward the Church of Smyrna. In the circular letter addressed by the Church of Smyrna to the churches in the Christian world, it is related that Jews joined with heathen in clamoring that Polycarp should be cast to the lions or burned alive, and were foremost ὡς ἔθος αὐτοῖς (as was their wont) in bringing logs for the pile, and in the endeavor to prevent the remains of the martyr from being delivered to his Christian associates for burial.

Synagogue of Satan

For synagogue, see on assembly, James 2:2, the only passage in which the word is used for a Christian assembly. This fact goes to support the literal explanation of the term Jews. For Satan, see on Luke 10:18. For John's use of the expression the Jews, see on John 1:19. The use of the word here in an honorable sense, so different from John's custom, has been urged against his authorship of Revelation. But John here only quotes the word, and, further, employs it without the article.

=== Conclusion #1: Refers to Orthodox Judaism
The conclusion then is that the people who are being talked about here are exclusively Pharisaic (Orthodox) Jews -- those who sit in the seat of Moses today -- those who claim to be "Jewish" in the sense that they keep the religion of "Orthodox" (Pharisaic) Judaism.

== Attacking Orthodoxy
<blockquote>39 They answered him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham's children, you would be doing the works Abraham did,

40 but now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. This is not what Abraham did. 41 You are doing the works your father did.” They said to him, “We were not born of sexual immorality. We have one Father—even God.”

42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me.

43 Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. 44 You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

45 But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. 46 Which one of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me?

47 Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.”<cite>John 8:39-47 (ESV)</cite></blockquote>

=== The Lost 12 Tribes Theory
Many Christians believe that by rejecting Jesus and getting expelled from Rome, the remaining three tribes (Judah, Benjamin and Levi) entered the diaspora and were "destroyed" a-la the curses in Deuteronomy 28:15 or Leviticus 26. Even if the Christian does not directly hold this they will be found to hold it in reserve, because they will say that the punishment of the destruction of the temple (and the expulsion from rome) was a punishment for rejecting jesus.

=== Against the Ashkenazi
The claim will be that the Ashkenazi are fake, and that they "suddenly appeared", either as a result of a mass conversion, or when discredited by the extant documents showing they arrived in Germany and France in the 3rd century, that they "suddenly appeared" in the 3rd century. When pressed they will change the argument that they converted or that they suddenly decided to pretend to be Jews, to a relation of the lost 12 tribes theory above.

=== Conclusion #2: The Christian Conclusion
The Christian conclusion is that these (orthodox) "Jews" have no ecumenical authority in religious matters because they are not "really Jews" i.e. "really Israel" in the sense that they hold the mandate by God to be [[a light to the nations]].

== Countering the Christian Claim
* [[Who are the Real Jews]]?
* [[Kuzari Argument]]
* [[Kuzari Argument Analysis]]