Ekklesias - Assembly, Congregation, or the Called Ones?
Many verses use a word derived from ekklesia, which is often translated as assembly or congregation. It originally meant a civic assembly in ancient Greek city-states, where citizens were ‘called out’ to participate in public affairs.
Yes, the word has changed its meaning over time.
In later years, it came to mean an organized Christian congregation, and by the 4th century AD, it gained a double meaning as the building in which Christians met. However, back in the 1st century AD, it likely still just meant a gathering of people, those who were called to meet together.
That’s why, when early Christian texts use a variant of ekklesia, we often translate it to say ‘called ones’. This serves two purposes:
- It draws attention to the original meaning.
- It stops readers being misled into thinking there were churches or congregations organized in a similar manner to modern religions, when that came about centuries later.