What is the meaning and origin of the wordchurch?

What then is the meaning of the word ekkleesia which we translate church?

By carefully examining every place in scripture where this word occurs, its plain meaning is “assembly.” I will point out one or two instances in which it is even so translated, and cannot mean anything else. Turn to Acts 19:32, 39, 41. In each of these verses, the word translated “assembly” is ekkleesia, and evidently means, a gathering of people together.

So here, upon Peter's confession, the Lord says, "Upon this rock I will build My Church." You understand the glory of My Person; I will show you the work I am going to accomplish. Mark the expression. It is not, I have been building; but I will build My Church. He had not built it yet, nor begun to build it: it was altogether new. I do not mean there had not been souls believing in Him before, and regenerate of the Spirit; but the aggregate of saints from the beginning to the end of time it is an error to call "the Church." It is a common notion which has not one shred of Scripture for it. The expression in Acts 7:38, "The church in the wilderness," means the whole congregation — the mass of Israel — the greater part of whose carcasses fell in the wilderness. Can you call that "the Church of God?" There were but few believers among them. People are deceived in this by the sound. The word, "church in the wilderness," merely means the congregation there. The very same word is applied to the confused assembly in Acts 19, which would have torn Paul to pieces. If it were translated like Acts 7, it would be the "church in the theatre," and the blunder is obvious. The word that is translated "church" simply means assembly. To find out what is the nature of the assembly, we must examine the scriptural usage and the object of the Holy Ghost. For you might have a good or bad assembly: an assembly of Jews, of Gentiles, or of God's assembly distinct from either and contrasted with both, as can be readily and undeniably seen in 1 Cor. 10:32. Now it is this last which we mean, i.e., God's assembly, when we speak of "the Church."

'Assembly' is a better translation of ek-klesia than 'congregation,' for congregation has in it the meaning of to congregate, or come together, of one's own voluntary will; whereas ek-klesia emphasizes the call that brings them together: God's own call, through the herald of Jesus Christ our Lord. In Acts 19, we find this word three times translated 'assembly' in our Authorized Version.

In the N.T. the word is also used for any gathering of people, as at the tumult in Ephesus. Acts 19:32, 39, 41. In James 2:2 the word 'assembly' is really the synagogue, or place of meeting. In Heb. 12:23 the words 'GENERAL ASSEMBLY' should be joined to ver. 22, reading "and to the innumerable company of angels, the general assembly:" the word 'and' dividing the subjects. The Greek word used in Acts 19:32, etc. is ἐκκλησία, and this often occurs in the N.T. where it is translated 'church.' It signifies 'called out,' and the church is a people called out by God to Himself from the mass of mankind. The church may more accurately be designated by the word 'assembly.' See CHURCH.

180 We must consider more at length the word ἐκκλησία, usually rendered "congregation or church," but by us "assembly." Though we might in general be indifferent about this expression, we dare not be so ever about a false rendering of the word of God. The Greek word ἐκκλησία means "assembly"; and especially denotes an assembly of those who in the Greek states, as also in some modern republics, had the rights of citizenship in contradistinction to those inhabitants who had them not, and who bore the not easily translated name πάροικος, which we have rendered "foreigner" or "without citizenship." We have not translated ἐκκλησία by "congregation" (gemeinde), because this designation does not represent the true meaning of the word in its original character. In order therefore to obviate any embarrassment of understanding, we have translated it by "assembly"; and the reader will find it used unmistakeably in this sense in Acts 19:41, where we read, "The town clerk dismissed the assembly." We felt ourselves compelled, in order not to weaken its true force, to use the same term in every case. It is therefore used for every kind of assembly, whether of the children of Israel in the wilderness, or of the tumultuous persons rushing into the theatre, or for the "lawful assembly" at Ephesus (Acts 19); both for the general assembly of Christians in heaven, and for the so-called church-congregation (gemeinde) on earth, whether it be the assembly in a place or in a private house. Thus scripture has applied the word, commonly used to denote the gatherings of the citizens, to the assembly of God.

The word ek-klesia, — nearly always translated 'church' in the Authorized Version of the Bible, — was originally a heathen word, and meant a lawful assembly in a free Greek city of all those who possessed the right of citizenship, for the transaction of public affairs. (See Trench, Greek Synonyms).

The late Archbishop Trench gives an interesting explanation of how the word, church, came to be introduced into our English Bibles. He tells how Greek missionaries long ago evangelised savage tribes in the region of the Danube basin. Their word to describe the church was the Greek word, kuriakos, meaning belonging to the Lord. Alas! In course of time, this beautiful meaning was lost, and the word degenerated from describing the Lord's people to designating the building of wood and stone in which the believers assembled, just as we talk today of the churches of a city, meaning the edifices of stone or brick with steeples or towers. As the tribes were evangelised, this word with this meaning was incorporated into their language. So we have the word, church referring to an ecclesiastical building; as kirche in Germany; kirk in Scotland; church in England. These variations show plainly their derivation from the Greek word, kuriakos.

Things, truths, not words, are my objects. I had supposed that kuriake was the source of kirche in German, kirk and church. "Kyroike" I never heard of; it may be all right. Some philologists now say that this is all wrong, and that kirk, or church, comes from the Saxon. I can only say I really do not know, nor have at this moment the means of ascertaining, if indeed it be ascertainable with any certainty. But the truth is I have a pious horror of the word "church," because no one knows what it means.

What does it mean? Mr. G.'s congregation might build him a new church; then it means a building. Or Mr. S. may be a member of Mr. G.'s church; then it means an assembly under the presidency of Mr. G. In England, he is going into the church means he is going to become a clergyman; he is gone to church, is the public service or worship — gone to the church is the building again.

Let me premise that the church has the same meaning with the assembly; hence the word "assembly" is often used in order to avoid misunderstanding. There might be many questions raised as to the meaning of "church:" it is hardly possible to create difficulties as to the word "assembly." Now the fact is that the church is the assembly. Assembly is the proper English word, rather than "church," which has become anglicized, no doubt, but it frequently conveys notions not only vague, but even opposite to different minds.

This English word is said to be derived from the Greek κυριακός , which signifies 'pertaining to the Lord,' and is commonly used both for an association of professing Christians, and for the building in which they worship. It is the scriptural use of the word ἐκκλησία, or 'assembly,' that is here under consideration.