The Greek word for church in the New Testament is ekklesia. It’s a compound word that literally means “a gathering of citizens.”
Ekklesia appears over 100 times in the New Testament, where it is translated as “church” or “assembly.” The word was used to refer to gatherings of people who came together for a specific purpose, such as a town meeting or an assembly of citizens called together by the authorities.
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Greek Word For Church In The New Testament
Introduction
The Greek word for the English word “church” is ekklesia. You may have heard that before, but what does it actually mean? Well, we’ll get to that. But first, let’s go back and look at the origin of this word and how it was used in ancient times. When you find out where the word came from and how it was used in secular contexts, your understanding of “church” as a New Testament term will be greatly enhanced!
In the New Testament, the word used for church is ekklesia.
In the New Testament, ekklesia is used as a word for church. The Greek word is a compound of two words: one meaning “out” and the other meaning “to call” or “summon.” When put together, they make up the term that means “called out assembly.”
The word ecclesia can be used in two ways: it can be used to describe an assembly or congregation (such as when Paul says in 1 Corinthians 14:23 that women should keep silent in church), but also to refer to local assemblies established by Christians throughout history (as we see when Paul refers to “the churches of Galatia”).
The Greek term ekklesia is a compound of the words “ek” and “kaleo.”
The Greek word ekklesia is a compound of two words: ek, meaning “out” or “from,” and kaleo, which means “to call.” This means that the word can be translated as “called out from.”
In the New Testament, this term is used to refer to a group of people who have been called out by God to serve Him. The church was never intended to be an exclusive club for those who fit certain criteria but rather a universal body of believers who are united by their faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior (Ephesians 2:11-22).
The Greek term ekklesia was a secular term meaning an assembly of people who had been called out from their homes to participate in an event.
The Greek term ekklesia was a secular term meaning an assembly of people who had been called out from their homes to participate in an event. It was used with political connotations, such as when the Greeks gathered on the hill where they could watch a particular event, or when citizens gathered at the theater for entertainment purposes. The word itself comes from two words: ek and kaleo, which mean “out” and “to call.”
The word church actually comes from two Greek words: kuriakos (meaning “belonging to the Lord”) and oikia (meaning “household”). When Jesus died on the cross, he said that his blood would be used by God to redeem his people back into his family—which is what happened at Pentecost after Jesus rose again! Since then, we’ve been living in this new way of being together as one household under God’s roof.
Ekklesia was also used in reference to the citizens of a town gathered at town hall.
Additionally, ekklesia was also used in reference to the citizens of a town gathered at town hall. In the agora (Greek for “marketplace”), the ekklesia held their meetings and public assemblies under some trees or on steps. The amphitheatre was another place where people would gather together with authority over them. For example, Paul mentions that he and Barnabas were taken into custody by an “ekklesia” (Acts 19:32).
The word ekklesia is used 114 times in the New Testament.
- The Greek word ekklesia is used 114 times in the New Testament, and it means “church.” It’s a noun form of the verb ekkaleo (“to call out”; hence, “called out ones”) often translated as “assembly” or “congregation.”
- In Acts 19:32-41, we read about a group of people who were called by God to follow him. They were brought together because they wanted to know more about him and his purpose for them. This group would meet regularly to worship God together and discuss their faith so that they could grow closer to him and learn more about his will for their lives. These meetings are still happening today!
Jesus first used the word in Matthew 16:18 when He said, “I will build my church (ekklesia).”
You may be wondering, “Where did the word ekklesia come from?” The word is Greek in origin and literally means “called out ones.” This was a term used to describe those who were called out of their homes by the ancient Greeks to gather at a public area for religious purposes. For example, when the Olympic games were held, all of Greece would go to watch them. Those who went were called ekklesia.
The first time Jesus used this word was in Matthew 16:18 when He said, “I will build my church (ekklesia).” In other words, Jesus was saying that His church was going to consist of those who had been called out from among men!
The Greek word for church is ekklesia, which means “assembly.”
If you’ve ever thought about the Greek word for church, you probably noticed that its English equivalent is actually a bit misleading. While the word “church” might conjure up images of a building or even a religious institution, ekklesia doesn’t really mean any of those things. Ekklesia has its roots in two words: “ek”, which means “out from”, and “kaleo”, which means to call or gather. So when taken together, these words create the meaning of an assembly that was called out from their homes for some reason. A good example of this would be when ancient Greeks would gather at an athletic competition or festival like an Olympic games; this would be referred to as ekklesia since it was an assembly where people came together outside their homes for a specific purpose (i.e., not just because they lived in close proximity).
Conclusion
The church is the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:27), and you are a vital part of it. If you haven’t already, join us for one of our Sunday services or Wednesday nights and see what we’re all about!
