Greetings,
Context is important when studying the Bible as we all know. Word usage generally is helped when a context is clearly understood. Such is the case with the Greek word ekklesia. We use this word within the church context and it is familiar to us. But it is not a word derived from a spiritual context and only has meaning for us in the church when it is given a spiritual context.
It does mean gathering or assembly or perhaps more specifically a gathering of those called or summoned for a purpose. Originally the word did not have the connotation of “called out ones” in the way that we mean called out ones – those called by God. It was a Greek/Latin word that was used in ancient Athens to refer to a gathering of people called together for a particular purpose. For instance, they would form an ekklesia to take a vote or perform a civic function. The word itself does not mean “church” and in fact has no holy or ecclesiastical meaning. All that got imposed later. An example is the mob at Ephesus in Acts 19:32 — translated “the assembly.” That is precisely what the word means. It is the preposition ek which means “out,” and the verb “to convoke or all,” thus to gather a group together. The word only has significance to us when it has a qualifier. That being “God’s ekklesia,” “Christ’s ekklesia” or when Christ said I will build “MY” ekklesia. Ekklesia refers to the spiritual body of Christ – or called out ones – only when it is preceded by Christ’s ekklesia. It would not even be a word worth noting except that it has been translated “church” and church has taken the meaning of referring to a particular organization—which is not what Christ was trying to convey (nor was he speaking Greek when He said it). This is something He was going to form for a specific reason and not something to be hijacked for human purposes. “Church” and “MY ekklesia” should be one and the same but sadly today they are not.
The word ekklesia itself hasn’t been denigrated but our understanding of what the body of Christ is has. Unfortunately, some have allowed ekklesia to become a reference to a human organization. Remember what Mr. Armstrong wrote in 1970:
“Thus you see how the one and only true church is not an organization of men, but a spiritual organism! This spiritual organism is the “Body of Christ” existing for the purpose of carrying on the work of God.
The resurrected, eternally living Jesus Christ is the head of the Church! Now I have shown that the true Church of God is not a human organization or corporation, but a spiritual organism, composed of all who have and are being led by the Holy Spirit of God abiding in them. Yet the Church is organized.” (Tomorrow’s World Magazine, July-August 1970).
God’s ekklesia transcends the arbitrary ekklesias we have created and have called churches. Spiritually ekklesia does not refer to an organization, it refers to a mindset or a way of thinking that points to God and what He is doing—truly a spiritual organism.
Warm Regards,
Brian Orchard/Michael McKinney
