CALLED-OUT-ONES EK-KLESIA Εκκλησια
(The Church or Assembly)
The word, ek-klesia —nearly always translated `church' in the Authorized Version of the Bible—was originally a heathen word, and meant a lawful assembly in a free Greek city of all those who possessed the right of citizenship, for the transaction of public affairs. (See Trench, Greek Synonyms).
When Paul claimed to be a 'Roman', he meant that he possessed this citizenship; and although he was a Jew, and a citizen of Tarsus, he was also a 'Roman citizen' and had the right to take part in any assembly (ek-klesia) of Roman citizens; as well as giving him other privileges. As far as we know neither Peter nor John had this citizenship, and the Chief Captain of the Roman soldiers in Jerusalem told Paul that he obtained this citizenship "with a great sum". But Paul could reply, "But I was born free." It was a very great privilege to have this citizenship.
When the Old Testament was translated from Hebrew into Greek, this word ek-klesia was used to translate the Hebrew word meaning the 'congregation' of Israel, and so in this way prepared the word for use in the things of God; and when the Lord Jesus began to tell His disciples about the Church that He was about to build, He Himself chose this word to describe it (see Matt. 16:1818And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. (Matthew 16:18) and 18:17). These are the only places in the Gospels where we find this word, but it appears many times in Acts, and over and over again in the Epistles and Revelation.
The first time it is used in the New Testament (Matt. 18:1818Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. (Matthew 18:18)) is very striking: "Upon this rock will I build My church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." Many times have they sought to do so; but they have never succeeded. As we have seen, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself chose this word to describe it; so we should give the more earnest heed to seek to learn the lessons that He would teach us through it.
You will notice that the word ek-klesia is made up of two words: the first is ek, which is like 'ex' in our word `exit' and means 'from, out of, away from'. The second part of the word is klesia, which is from the word kaleo, meaning, 'I call'; indeed one may recognize the root of our English word 'call' in it. So the whole word means, `called-out-ones' with the emphasis on 'called'. Paul wrote to the Assembly at Rome, "Ye also are the called of Jesus Christ," (Rom. 1:66Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ: (Romans 1:6)), and he tells them they are "saints by calling". See note in New Translation.
The one who called out the citizens in a Greek city to the assembly was the herald: ho kerux, and this is the very word that the Holy Spirit uses for the one who heralds, or proclaims, or preaches the Good News, the Gospel as we may see in 1 Tim. 2:77Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity. (1 Timothy 2:7) and 2 Tim. 1:1111Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles. (2 Timothy 1:11). "I have been appointed a herald." (kerux). See New Translation. The one who preaches the Gospel is truly a Herald of Glad Tidings, sent out by the Lord Jesus Christ, and by the power of the Holy Spirit, he calls people unto Christ, who makes them free, calls them out from this world, and makes them citizens of Heaven; and they become part of the Church, or Assembly of God.
But you will recall that in a Greek city not all had the rights and privileges of the ekklesia, the Assembly; but those who were free citizens, and had not lost their citizenship; these only formed part of that Assembly. And so it is today in the Assembly of God. Only those who are citizens of Heaven (See Phil. 3:2020For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: (Philippians 3:20)) belong to this Assembly; and these heavenly citizens are free: "Ye are called unto freedom." (Gal. 5:1313For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. (Galatians 5:13)).
But, sad to say, there are today, as in days of old, those who have lost their right to be part, openly, of that Assembly, as it is gathered unto Christ the Lord. Sin has come in, and like the man in 1 Cor. 5, some have had to be put away from that Assembly.
How wondrously this word ek-klesia describes the true Church of God today —called out by the herald of the Gospel; called out from the world, for the one who answers this call is no longer of the world, even as Christ their Lord is not of the world (John 17:1616They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. (John 17:16)); gathered together unto the One we love, our Lord Jesus Christ; and so we form part of the Assembly, or Church of God.
`Assembly' is a better translation of ek-klesia than `congregation', for congregation has in it the meaning of 'to congregate', or 'come together, of one's own voluntary will'; whereas ek-klesia emphasizes the call that brings them together: God's own call, through the herald of Jesus Christ our Lord. In Acts 19, we find this word three times translated 'assembly' in our Authorized Version.
But notice further: there was but one Roman Empire, with the Emperor at its head; and you may see that Paul's Roman citizenship was recognized without question, regardless of the place in which he claimed it: Philippi or Jerusalem, it made no difference. The one Roman Empire linked together into one every Roman citizen in the whole Roman Empire (Acts 16:37; 22:25-2837But Paul said unto them, They have beaten us openly uncondemned, being Romans, and have cast us into prison; and now do they thrust us out privily? nay verily; but let them come themselves and fetch us out. (Acts 16:37)
25And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said unto the centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned? 26When the centurion heard that, he went and told the chief captain, saying, Take heed what thou doest: for this man is a Roman. 27Then the chief captain came, and said unto him, Tell me, art thou a Roman? He said, Yea. 28And the chief captain answered, With a great sum obtained I this freedom. And Paul said, But I was free born. (Acts 22:25‑28)). Even so, there is but one true Church of God, with the Lord Jesus Christ as its Head, and every true believer in the Lord Jesus, everyone who has heard the call of the herald, and obeyed, belongs to that Church, or Assembly of God, quite regardless of place or race or language: they all form one body with Christ the Head. As there was but one Roman Empire, so there is but one Church of God (compare Matt. 16:1818And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. (Matthew 16:18); Eph. 1:22; 5:2322And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, (Ephesians 1:22)
23For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. (Ephesians 5:23), and other Scriptures). And just as the Assembly of Roman citizens in any one city was recognized equally as representative of the whole Roman Empire: the Roman Empire in miniature, perhaps we might say: so the Assembly of true Christians in any one place represents the whole Assembly of God, the world over: and every true believer in the Lord Jesus in any one place belongs to the Assembly of God in that place, even though he may not realize this, nor obey the call that calls him to that Assembly.
The Scriptures speak of "the Church of God which is at Corinth", or "the Church of the Thessalonians". This does not mean there are many Churches of God, independent one of another: but each individual Church is representative of the whole. In 1 Cor. 15:99For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. (1 Corinthians 15:9), Paul tells us, "I persecuted the Church of God." He persecuted the Church (or Assembly) at Jerusalem; but then he tells us, "I persecuted them even unto strange cities." (Acts 26:10,1110Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them. 11And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities. (Acts 26:10‑11)). Here we may see that all the true Christians in Jerusalem and those in the strange cities, all together formed "the Church of God". It is but one ek-klesia, but one Church; and every blood-bought soul throughout the whole world is part of that one church.