Wednesday, July 2, 2014

Church in Disguise

Subj: Church in Disguise


Church in Disguise

Posted on June 28, 2014, updated on June 19, 2014 by Skip Moen
So then, some were shouting one thing and some another, for the assembly was in confusion and the majority did not know for what reason they had come together. Acts 19:32 NASB
Assembly – What is the Greek word for “church”? Ah, ekklesia, you say. Everyone knows that. The church is the ekklesia of God. Does that mean that the Greek word ekklesia should always be translated, “church”? Is this Scripture’s special word for the new body of believers God has chosen as a result of the Messiah’s death and resurrection? If you listen to most Christian preaching, you would assume that the “church” began at Pentecost and that ekklesia is the sacred Greek word for this “called out” body of believers.
But then we run into Acts 19:32 (and other verses). Here is the Greek word ekklesia, but it certainly cannot mean “church.”  Wouldn’t you agree? The same word—exactly—is used here to describe an unruly mob in confusion (maybe that’s what you experience at church J). Obviously, the word ekklesia cannot mean “church.” It means simply “an assembly, a crowd.” In fact, in Greek it specifically does not mean “a religious assembly.” The apostolic authors confiscated this word from secular Greek, in order to distinguish their religious assemblies from those designated by synagoge (a word that does not mean “Jewish religious assembly”). Synagoge means any religious assembly, for Athena, Zeus or YHVH. Jews used this Greek word to translate qahal, the Hebrew word for their religious assemblies. As a result, the word synagoge just migrated into a Jewish term. But just like ekklesia, it wasn’t Jewish to begin with.
What does this mean for translations of Scripture? It means (are you ready?) that there really isn’t a Greek word for “church.” The word “church”, in your translated text, doesn’t exist as a separate, identifiable, unique word in the Greek text. “Church” is an Old English word (related to both Dutch and German). It is etymologically related to the Greek word kurios, meaning “lord.” There is no special word that means “church”, in the Greek text of Scripture (a useful explanation can be found HERE, although I am not in agreement with all that Anthony writes). Perhaps you already knew this and you’re settled on the fact that “church” is not a biblical word. Perhaps you already realize that the only true Jewish terms are qahal and edah, not even “synagogue.” Of course, languages evolve, so today we typically think of “church” as a Christian place of worship and “synagogue” as a Jewish place of worship. But the point is that, no one in the first century thought like this. Yes, synagogue was used for a Jewish religious assembly, but everyone knew that this was a Greek translation of the real Hebrew words qahal and edah. The Jews weren’t confused about this. But we certainly are.
What’s the bottom line? The “church” is what men have made it. It isn’t biblical. It isn’t even Greek. It’s what was invented over the course of human religious worship. That means we have to rethink all those apostolic passages about the “church.” And we have to re-evaluate just what really is the place of worship for most Christians. Now, I don’t mean that you should immediately stop attending “church.” Today, the word is clearly associated with Christian attempts to honor God. What I mean is that you need to be aware that this is not what the disciples had in mind. Where to worship today is nothing like what they understood in their day. That’s all right, as long as you realize that you are not copying anything like what they were doing. What you experience today, in “church”, is the product of the Roman world, the influence of a political empire called Catholicism and a sprinkling of “relevance.” Go there, if you wish. Give your money, if you feel led. Just don’t call it biblical.

Topical Index: church, ekklesiasynagogeqahaledah, Acts 19:32

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