Assembly, Church, Ekklesia

Assembly, Church, Ekklesia 

Acts 19:32, 39, 41 show the common Greek usage of εκκλησια (ekklesia), the word adopted in the New Testament to identify the Lord’s congregations. It is here an assembly of the local townspeople of Ephesus. In the Greek language εκκλησια referred to citizens gathered together for the discussion, deliberation, and decision in community business. However, note the calling here is irregular (not lawful, vs. 39-40).

εκκλησια (ekklesia) occurs 115 times in 112 verses in the Greek New Testament printed by the Trinitarian Bible Society. The English word church/churches is found 117 times in 114 verses in the King James translation. There is not a one-to-one correspondence of “ekklesia” and “church.” In Acts 19:37 the translation “robbers of churches” is related to ιεροσυλους (hierosulos). In I Peter 5:13, “ekklesia” is not in the Greek text, but supplied by the translators and presented in italics, indicating it as understood of whom at Babylon is sending greetings (the church). I Peter 5:13 ασπαζεται υμας η εν βαβυλωνι (The church that is at Babylon) “Ekklesia” is translated three times as “assembly” in Acts 19.

The English word “assembly” is found 5 times in the King James New Testament. In Acts 19:32, 39, and 41 the Greek word is εκκλησια; in Hebrews 12:23 it is πανηγυρει (πανηγυρει/general assembly και εκκλησια/church πρωτοτοκων εν ουρανοις); in James 2:2 it is συναγωγην.

In Acts 7:38 the church (εκκλησια) is an assembly or congregation of Israelites following Moses in the wilderness (εκκλησια εν τη ερημω) This assembly was not a church in the New Testament sense. However, it was a visible body of people assembled or congregated in the same place.

The use of the Greek word “ekklesia” – an assembly of the citizens in a free city-state – is consistent in usage with the New Testament idea of and reference to a gathered congregation, a local assembly of baptized Christian believers.

See also “The Church Before Pentecost.”