# G1577 - ekklesia **Strong's:** [G1577](https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g1577/) · BLB lookup **Pronunciation:** ek-klay-see'-ah **Part of speech:** feminine noun **Root:** *ek-* (out of) + *kaleō* (to call), "called-out-ones" / "assembly summoned out" **LXX equivalent:** renders Hebrew *qahal* (assembly / congregation, H6951) **NT occurrences:** 114 ## Semantic range 1. **Assembly / gathering**, secular Greek sense ([Acts 19:32](/codex/acts-19-32/), [39](/codex/acts-19-39/), [41](/codex/acts-19-41/), the Ephesian *ekklēsia* / town assembly) 2. **The OT congregation of Israel** (in LXX-derived NT use; e.g., [Acts 7:38](/codex/acts-7-38/), "the *ekklēsia* in the wilderness") 3. **The Christian church**, local assembly of believers (most NT uses) 4. **The universal church**, all believers everywhere across time, the body of Christ ## Theological force, what is the church? ### Etymology vs usage The etymology *ek* + *kaleō* ("called out") is sometimes overemphasized as "the called-out ones." But in Greek usage, *ekklēsia* simply meant *assembly*, the Athenian political assembly was called *ekklēsia*. The "called-out" theological emphasis is real but should not be derived purely from etymology; it is theological-NT-development. The NT theological force comes from the *content* of NT *ekklēsia* usage: - The *ekklēsia* belongs to Christ ("My *ekklēsia*", [Matthew 16:18](/codex/matthew-16-18/)) - It is the body of Christ ([G4983 - soma](/codex/g4983-soma/) / [1 Cor 12:12-27](/codex/1-corinthians-12-12-27/); [Eph 1:22-23](/codex/ephesians-1-22-23/)) - It is built on apostolic-foundation ([Eph 2:20](/codex/ephesians-2-20/)) - It is animated by the Spirit ([Acts 2:42-47](/codex/acts-2-42-47/); [1 Cor 12](/codex/1-corinthians-12/)) - It is the bride of Christ ([Eph 5:25-32](/codex/ephesians-5-25-32/); [Rev 19:7-8](/codex/revelation-19-7-8/)) - It is a temple in which God dwells ([Eph 2:19-22](/codex/ephesians-2-19-22/); [1 Cor 3:16-17](/codex/1-corinthians-3-16-17/); [1 Pet 2:4-5](/codex/1-peter-2-4-5/)) ### Local and universal *ekklēsia* Two NT senses converge: - **Local *ekklēsia***, a specific congregation gathering in a specific place ("the *ekklēsia* in your house", [Romans 16:5](/codex/romans-16-5/); "the *ekklēsia* of the Thessalonians", [1 Thess 1:1](/codex/1-thessalonians-1-1/)) - **Universal *ekklēsia***, the corporate body of all believers ("Christ also loved the *ekklēsia* and gave Himself up for her", [Eph 5:25](/codex/ephesians-5-25/)) The two are organically related: the local *ekklēsia* is the manifestation of the universal *ekklēsia* in a specific place. ## Christ as the head of the *ekklēsia* The most important Christological-ecclesiological text is **[Matthew 16:18](/codex/matthew-16-18/)**: > I will build My *ekklēsian*, and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. This is the first NT *ekklēsia* use. Christ: - *Owns* the *ekklēsia*, "*My* church" - *Builds* the *ekklēsia*, He is the active agent - *Promises invincibility*, Hades cannot overpower it The Catholic / Protestant dispute over *epi tautē tē petra*, "on this rock", engages whether Peter himself, or his confession of Christ as the Christ, is the rock on which the *ekklēsia* is built. Conservative Protestant: the rock is Peter's confession (or Christ Himself, the Rock per [1 Cor 10:4](/codex/1-corinthians-10-4/)). Roman Catholic: Peter himself is the rock; from Peter the papal succession. ## The four classical marks of the church Drawing on the Nicene Creed: *one, holy, catholic, apostolic*: - **One**, corporate unity in Christ ([John 17.22](/codex/john-17-22/) / [Eph 4:4-6](/codex/ephesians-4-4-6/), one body, one Spirit, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father) - **Holy**, set apart in Christ; sanctified ([Eph 5:26-27](/codex/ephesians-5-26-27/)) - **Catholic**, universal scope, embracing all peoples ([Galatians 3.28](/codex/galatians-3-28/), neither Jew nor Greek; [Matthew 28.19](/codex/matthew-28-19/), make disciples of all nations) - **Apostolic**, built on apostolic foundation ([Eph 2:20](/codex/ephesians-2-20/)); preserving apostolic doctrine ## *Ekklēsia* and the OT *qahal* The LXX renders *qahal* (the assembly of Israel) with *ekklēsia*. NT writers therefore use *ekklēsia* with this OT-Israel-continuity background. The church is not a complete novelty; it is the eschatological-fulfillment of God's covenant people, now redefined around Christ rather than ethnic Israel. This grounds: - **Continuity** with OT covenant community - **Discontinuity** in that ethnic Israel-membership is not the criterion ([Galatians 3.28](/codex/galatians-3-28/)) - **The "Israel of God"** ([Gal 6:16](/codex/galatians-6-16/)), debated; either ethnic Israel + Gentile Christians, or the church-as-true-Israel ## Ecclesiology, Protestant frameworks Major Reformed / evangelical ecclesiological positions: ### Marks of a true church (Reformation) - **Right preaching of the Word** (Calvin, *Institutes* IV.1.9) - **Right administration of the sacraments** (baptism + Lord's Supper) - **Right exercise of church discipline** (Belgic Confession art. 29) ### Government structures - **Episcopalian**, bishops in apostolic succession - **Presbyterian**, elder-led, connectional - **Congregational**, autonomous local congregations - **Independent / non-denominational**, modern variants ### Membership - **Visible / invisible** distinction (Augustine; Calvin), the visible church contains both true believers and hypocrites; the invisible church is the elect ## Apologetic significance *Ekklēsia* anchors: 1. **The church as God's covenant people**, universal yet local 2. **Christ's authority over the church**, the church is not autonomous human institution 3. **Apostolic-foundation grounding**, preserving doctrine 4. **Mission scope**, the *ekklēsia* exists for the world (the Great Commission) 5. **The visible-witness-to-Christ** in the world ## Notable verses - **[Matthew 16:18](/codex/matthew-16-18/)**, "I will build My *ekklēsian*" - **[Matthew 18:17](/codex/matthew-18-17/)**, church discipline; tell it to the *ekklēsia* - **[Acts 2:47](/codex/acts-2-47/)**, Lord adding to the *ekklēsia* - **[Acts 9:31](/codex/acts-9-31/)**, *ekklēsia* throughout Judea, Galilee, Samaria - **[Acts 11:26](/codex/acts-11-26/)**, disciples first called Christians at Antioch (in the *ekklēsia*) - **[Acts 20:28](/codex/acts-20-28/)**, "the *ekklēsian* of God which He purchased with His own blood" - **[Romans 16](/codex/romans-16/)**, multiple local *ekklēsiai* greeted - **[1 Corinthians 12:28](/codex/1-corinthians-12-28/)**, "in the *ekklēsia* God has appointed first apostles, second prophets, third teachers" - **[Ephesians 1:22-23](/codex/ephesians-1-22-23/)**, Christ as head over all things to the *ekklēsia*, His body - **[Ephesians 3:10](/codex/ephesians-3-10/)**, manifold wisdom of God made known through the *ekklēsias* - **[Ephesians 5:23-32](/codex/ephesians-5-23-32/)**, Christ and the *ekklēsia* / husband and wife typology - **[Colossians 1:18](/codex/colossians-1-18/), [24](/codex/colossians-1-24/)**, Christ as head of the *ekklēsias* - **[1 Timothy 3:15](/codex/1-timothy-3-15/)**, "the *ekklēsia* of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth" - **[Hebrews 12:23](/codex/hebrews-12-23/)**, "the *ekklēsia* of the firstborn enrolled in heaven" - **[1 Peter 5:2](/codex/1-peter-5-2/)**, shepherd the flock of God among you - **[Revelation 1](/codex/revelation-1/)-3**, the seven *ekklēsiai* of Asia Minor ## Patristic / scholarly note Patristic ecclesiology developed from apostolic-mode (Acts; Pastoral Epistles) through: - Ignatius of Antioch (*To the Smyrnaeans*), early bishop / elder / deacon distinction - Cyprian (*De Ecclesiae Unitate*), extra ecclesiam nulla salus - Augustine, visible / invisible church distinction - The conciliar tradition, Nicaea, Constantinople, Chalcedon Reformation: Calvin (*Institutes* IV); Luther (*The Bondage of the Will*; *On the Councils and the Church*); the Westminster Confession ch. 25. Modern conservative: Wayne Grudem (*Systematic Theology* ch. 44-51); Edmund Clowney (*The Church*, 1995); Mark Dever (*Nine Marks of a Healthy Church*, 2000); Jonathan Leeman (*The Church and the Surprising Offense of God's Love*, 2010). ## See also - H6951 - qahal, Hebrew assembly - [G4983 - soma](/codex/g4983-soma/), body (of Christ) - [G3962 - pater](/codex/g3962-pater/), Father (the church's Father-relation) - [G3686 - onoma](/codex/g3686-onoma/), name (calling on the name) - [G0907 - baptizo](/codex/g0907-baptizo/), baptize (entry rite) - [Matthew 28.19](/codex/matthew-28-19/), Great Commission - [Galatians 3.28](/codex/galatians-3-28/), equal-status in the *ekklēsia* ## Notes _Lexical workspace for ekklēsia._