Eternal Calling

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Eternal Calling

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Through the gracious benefit of the Eternal Covenant, the many individual members of the distinct church of the New Testament were united to the living (zoe) Christ in one collective, spiritual body. Thus, before the foundation of the world, they were called out from the condemnation and wrath of God for sin and called into an intimate, shared life community.

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The English word “church” does not come from the Bible. Its exact origin is unclear. Some believe it evolved over centuries from the Greek word kyriakon, which means “belonging to the Lord.” However, kyriakon is used only twice in the New Testament and does not refer to the church either time. Instead, it is used in reference to a supper “belonging to the Lord” or “the Lord’s supper” (1 Corinthians 11:20) and a day “belonging to the Lord” or “the Lord’s Day” (Revelation 1:10). The New Testament indicates that both a supper and a day belong to the Lord. However, it never specifically mentions the church as “belonging to the Lord.”

Called Out

The Greek word translated into the English word “church” in the New Testament is ecclesia (ek-klay-see'-ah). With specific reference to the church, it is used 111 times.

Ecclesia is derived from the verb ekkaleo. The compound ek means “out,” and kaleo means “to call or summon.” Thus, the literal meaning of ecclesia is “to call out.” Therefore, many have presumed that the church is called out of the world. However, the literal meaning of ecclesia does not constitute the best biblical interpretation.

Etymology

Ecclesia was a familiar word in ancient Greece long before the writing of the New Testament. Its secular usage can be traced back to at least the fifth century B.C., where it was used in reference to a regular “assembly” of citizens of privileged status.

The secular ecclesia in ancient Greece was predominantly a political meeting. Scott and Liddel define it as “an assembly of the citizens summoned by the crier; the legislative assembly.”[1]Seyffert adds that the ecclesia was “the assembly of the people, which in Greek cities had the power of final decision in public affairs.”[2]

In the third century B.C., the ecclesia was identified with the assembly of citizens for religious purposes. In the Septuagint (LXX), the translation of the Old Testament Hebrew Scriptures into Greek, ecclesia was translated from the Hebrew word qahal (kaw-hawl). Thus, the LXX translators believed that the Hebrew qahal was synonymous in meaning with the Greek ecclesia.

The Old Testament Hebrew word qahal is generally translated into English as assembly, community, or congregation. It describes various gatherings and assemblies called together for a specific purpose. Frequently it was used about the community of Israel, especially concerning its religious status as the people of God.

Both ancient secular Greek and the Septuagint (LXX) used the word ecclesia in reference to an “assembly” of people. It was typically political or religious.

It is important to note two things about the early usage of ecclesia. First, it referred to a group of people “called out” to assemble together, and, second, it was indicative of the assembled group, not the individuals comprising the group.

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New Testament Emphasis

In the New Testament, the Greek word ecclesia has a different emphasis. The Apostle Paul used it about more than just a political or religious meeting. He identified the ecclesia of the New Testament as a spiritual body. Paul distinguished it as the “body of Christ” or “Christ’s body” (Romans 12:4-5; 1 Corinthians 10:17, 12:12-31, Ephesians 1:22-23, 2:16, 3:6, 4:1-16, 5:22-33; Colossians 1:18, 24, 2:19, 3:15).

The New Testament ecclesia was comprised of many individual members in one body. “For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the
members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:12-13). Through the baptizing work of the Spirit of Christ, the individual members of the church body were joined as one by law and life (zoe). Identified with Christ, they were positioned collectively under new legal headship, the righteous headship of Christ, and raised together to new life, the very life (zoe) of God in Christ (Romans 5:14-21; 6:4-6; 12:4-5; 1 Corinthians 10:17, 12:12-31, 2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 1:22-23, 2:16, 3:6, 4:1-16, 5:22-33; Colossians 1:18, 24, 2:19, 3:15).

Congruent with New Testament usage, the ecclesia was not simply a group of prominent citizens gathered for the practice of business or religion. It was also inclusive of the individual members of the body when not gathered. Even when alone, they remained part of a larger body, united by law and life (zoe) in Jesus Christ.

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Called Together

The historical, secular usage of the word ecclesia generally pointed to the calling out of citizens, typically for civic business or religious practice. However, it is frequently overlooked that the “called out” citizens were called to assemble together.

New Testament usage added a distinctly new emphasis. Beyond the literal meaning of “called out,” it stressed that the ecclesia was called together as one spiritual body.

New Testament usage and, to a degree, even the historical, secular usage of ecclesia indicate that “called out” alone is not sufficient to describe the distinct church of the New Testament. Louw and Nida state, “Though some persons have tried to see in the term ecclesia a more or less literal meaning of ‘called-out ones,’ this type of etymologizing is not warranted either by the meaning of ecclesia in New Testament times or even by its earlier usage.”[1] Charles Ryrie further clarifies, “the word as used in the New Testament still retains the basic meaning
of an assembly, and does not take on a supposed theological meaning (based on
the breakup of the word into its two parts, ‘call’ and ‘out of’) of a ‘called out’ people. If the word is going to be translated on the basis of etymology, then it should be translated ‘called together,’ not ‘called out.’”[2]

Distinctly Called

Etymology alone should not dictate interpretation. It is also important to understand the context in which the word ecclesia is used in the New Testament.

At least 44 times the New Testament uses the Greek word kaleo (call) and its grammatical variations (calling, called) in reference to the ecclesia (Romans 1:1; 6; 7; 8:28; 30 (2x); 1 Corinthians 1:2; 9; 24; 26; 7:15; 17; 18 (2x); 20; 21; 22 (2x); 24; Galatians 1:6; 15; 5:8; 13; Ephesians 1:18; 4:1; 4; Philippians 3:14; Colossians 3:15; 1 Thessalonians 2:12; 4:7; 5:24; 2 Thessalonians 1:11; 2:14; 1 Timothy 6:12; 2 Timothy 1:9; Hebrews 3:1; 1 Peter 1:15; 2:9; 21; 3:9; 5:10; 2 Peter 1:3; 10; Jude 1). Rather than simply “called out” or even “called together”, they suggest a more comprehensive meaning for the divine calling of the New Testament church.

Relative to the New Testament context of usage, the early church understood that they were both called out and called together. They were called out from the condemnation and wrath of God and called together into an intimate, shared life community, the “assembly” of God’s chosen people.

Called out from the condemnation and wrath of God, the New Testament ecclesia rejoiced in the knowledge of freedom from the penalty and power of sin and the promise of a future free from the very presence of sin. Called together, the early church rejoiced in the ever-present glory of intimate, shared life community, not only with fellow believers but also with the indescribable, “King eternal, immortal, invisible.” The divine calling of the New Testament ecclesia is distinct indeed!

© 2018 James Hiatt