This document discusses the definition and usage of the term "ecclesiology", which refers to the study of the church. It begins by examining the Greek origins of the word and then explores different understandings of what constitutes a "church" - whether it refers to a building, institution, or universal body of believers. The document analyzes how the word "church" is used in the New Testament, typically referring to local gatherings of believers rather than a universal entity. It traces how English translations have evolved from using terms like "congregation" to the modern "church". Finally, it outlines how the church is described as a spiritual organism or body in the Ephesians epistle.

1. ECCLESIOLOGYECCLESIOLOGY
(STUDY OF THE CHURCH)(STUDY OF THE CHURCH)
Part 1Part 1
By : Servant of the Cross The Living Spring

2. ECCLESIOLOGYECCLESIOLOGY
It comes from two words in Greek :
Ekkles - meaning "assembly“
Logo - meaning "word“
Combining to mean : "the study of the
church."
Ecclesiology is the study of the church.
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3. ECCLESIOLOGYECCLESIOLOGY
Church – Establish the usage of the word first.
Purpose – of it being established
Today Study is about:
1. The Nature of the Church
2. The Purpose of the Church
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4. ECCLESIOLOGYECCLESIOLOGY
What is a Church?
Is it a building?
Is it an institution?
It is a Church Universal?
Church – What is the Church?
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If you read the NT you will find that every time the church
is mention it is always in the context of a local church.
The concept of a universal church is very faint.

5. The Usage of the Word Church?The Usage of the Word Church?
The English dictionary reveals that the English word "church"
which is used in our English Bible is taken from the late Greek
word "kyridakon" not "ekklesia."
The Greek word "kyridakon" is not found in the New
Testament and only came into being in the 16th Century long
after New Testament times. Thus the English word "church"
cannot be translated back into Greek because there is no
word in the New Testament Greek that is the equivalent of the
understanding of the English word.
The early translators of the English Bible mistranslated the
word "ecclesia" using the English word "church" instead of
"assembly" or "congregation."
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6. The Usage of the Word Church?The Usage of the Word Church?
1. a building for public Christian worship
2. a religious service in such a building.
3. the world body of Christian believers; Christendom
4. a Christian denomination or congregation.
5. organized religion as distinguished from the state.
• Webster English DictionaryWebster English Dictionary
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We need to understand the modern use of the word it is
of little significance in understanding the use of the word
the New Testament. It is essential that we understand its
original meaning as it was used in New Testament times.

7. The Usage of the Word Church?The Usage of the Word Church?
In the English NT the Greek word, "ekklesia" is translated
in most places "church" . It is found in 115 places in the
New Testament..
1.Church = 113 times.
2.Assembly = 2 times.
In New Testament times the word was exclusively used
to represent a group of people assembled together for a
particular cause or purpose. It was never used
exclusively to refer to a religious meeting.
• English Bible : Ekklesia = Church.English Bible : Ekklesia = Church.
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8. The Usage of the Word Church?The Usage of the Word Church?
In the New Testament the word could refer to different
kinds of assemblies with the context of the word or the
use of a word modifier explaining who was meeting.
For example, in Acts 2:47 the context of the verse tells
who was meeting, "Praising God, and having favor with
all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily
such as should be saved." Acts 2:41 specifically
identifies these people who were meeting as those
who were saved on the day of Pentecost.
• The Context is the key.The Context is the key.
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9. The Usage of the Word Church?The Usage of the Word Church?
Another example of a modifier being used to
identify who was assembling is Acts 8:1 "And
Saul was consenting unto his death. And at
that time there was a great persecution against
the church which was at Jerusalem." The
assembly in this case was the believers in
Jerusalem.
• The Context is the key.The Context is the key.
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10. The Usage of the Word Church?The Usage of the Word Church?
For example, the word "ekklesia," is used in Acts 19:32,39,41
and demonstrates this word was used to refer to a civil
assembly of local towns people of Ephesus which included
idol makers.
Acts 19:24-25 records that a man named Demetruis, a
silversmith who made idols, called all workman of like
occupation together for a meeting. The reason for the meeting
was to discuss the problem that they were having with people
who were being saved and who were abandoning their idols
which was hindering their businesses. Verse 39 says, "the
assembly was confused."
The word "assembly" is the Greek word "ekklesia" and is the
same word that is translated elsewhere in the New Testament
as "church." Here the "ekklesia" was a meeting of idol
makers and the word is properly translated "assembly."
• The Context is the key.The Context is the key.
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11. The Usage of the Word Church?The Usage of the Word Church?
Another example is found in Acts 7:38 which refers to
the nation of Israel that was congregated at Mt. Sinai
as the "church in the wilderness." The word translated
"church" is the Greek word "ekklesia." It is incorrect to
refer to Israel as a church and the word should be
properly translated "assembly" or "congregation."
It is confusing to refer to the Nation of Israel as a
church which could be misunderstood to support
Amillennialism.
• The Context is the key.The Context is the key.
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12. The Usage of the Word Church?The Usage of the Word Church?
The first English Bible translated from Greek did not translate the
word "ekklesia" as church. William Tyndale's translation (1526)
correctly used the term "congregation." Tyndale completed the
translation of the New Testament and part of the Old Testament
before he was martyred.
John Rogers, an assistant and friend of William Tyndale,
completed the translation of the Old Testament using some work
from Coverdale and published the first entire Tyndale Bible under
the pen name "Thomas Matthew." This Bible was called the
Matthew's Bible (1537) and also used the term "congregation."
The next English Bible, the Great Bible (1539), also used the term
"congregation." However, in 1557 the Geneva New Testament,
produced by William Whittingham, was the first to translate
"ekklesia" as "church." It is important to note the Protestant
source of this translation.
• Bible’s Translation of Ekklesia.Bible’s Translation of Ekklesia.
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13. The Usage of the Word Church?The Usage of the Word Church?
Because the Geneva Bible was printed in Europe and not in
England the English people desired a Bible published in
their native country.
This was the reason for the next English Bible, the Bishops
Bible (1568) which was a revision of the Geneva Bible and
this translation continued the use of the term "church" as
has all subsequence English translations including the King
James Version.
This shows that the use of the word "church" instead of
"assembly" or "congregation" came from those who had a
bias towards a hierarchical and unscriptural form of church
government. To have translated the word "ekklesia"
accurately into "assembly" or congregation" would have
exposed their form of church government as being in error.
• Bible’s Translation of Ekklesia.Bible’s Translation of Ekklesia.
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14. The Church as an Organism.The Church as an Organism.
The Epistle to the Ephesians is a great exposition of the
doctrine of the church considered as a spiritual organism. In
Ephesians the Church is presented under three or four
different figures, and it is well to study these figures carefully.
These figures are
A Body, 1:22-23; 4:15,16; 5:23)
A Bride , 5:30-32; (2 Corinthian 11:2-3, in its local aspect)
A Building, 2:20-22;
A Family or Brotherhood 2:19
• The Church has been called :The Church has been called :
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