The Sermon in Synagogue Worship
The sermon in synagogue worship was always in the context of prayers, benedictions, psalms, hymns, and the reading of Scripture. When Hebrew was no longer the spoken language for many Jews, the Scripture was first read in Hebrew, then translated into the spoken language. This translation from one language to another necessitated an interpretation. The interpretation, which at first may have been offhand comments, gradually grew into a more formal presentation.