Evening School of the Bible

🎥 What Church Really Means (ἐκκλησία – ekklesia)
Plus: How to Interpret It Biblically

In most Bibles, Church translates the Greek word ἐκκλησία (ekklesia)—but this term doesn’t originally mean a religious institution. It simply means a summoned assembly—a civic body, a crowd, or a congregation. The English word “Church” actually comes from κυριακόν (kyriakon), meaning “belonging to the Lord,” and originally referred to buildings.

🏛 Over centuries, this evolved into referring not just to a location, but to the people, and even the religious system. But in Scripture, context determines whether ekklesia refers to a riot (Acts 19:32), Israel at Sinai (Acts 7:38), or the unique Body of Christ that began at Pentecost (Acts 2:47; Matthew 16:18).

📜 So how do we rightly interpret this word—and Scripture as a whole?

📖 Scripture Interprets Scripture

• Compare passages on the same topic carefully.

• Don’t force similarities into identical meanings.

• Let the Bible speak for itself—don’t add meaning beyond the text.

• Often, the Bible interprets itself within its own context.

🔍 One Meaning per Passage—Unless the Spirit Specifies More

• All application must be grounded in correct interpretation.

• Don't assign extra meanings unless clearly revealed by the Holy Spirit.

• Only New Testament applications explicitly stated by Christ or the Spirit from the Old Testament are valid.

📚 Context is Key

• Understand every word in light of its sentence, paragraph, chapter, book, and the entire Bible.

• Interpret literally, while recognizing figures of speech, idioms, and literary forms.

• Always ask:
  • Who is being addressed?
  • Is this limited to them, or more broadly applicable?
  • How does it fit with the surrounding context and Scripture as a whole?

➡️ Dive into this episode as we explore the true meaning of ekklesia—and why context, clarity, and careful interpretation are essential to rightly dividing the Word of Truth.