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reference to a “political assembly of citizens.” chose (CALLED) Israel out of all the nations of
These ecclesias were composed of Greek the earth for a SPECIAL PURPOSE. He
freemen who were selected (CALLED OUT) “CALLED THEM OUT” from the world to be a
from the citizenry. Ecclesias consisted of “HOLY” nation. In Hebrew the word translated
informal and formal bodies of various sizes and as “holy” means “SEPARATE” or “SET
were often used for governmental (political) APART.” This SPECIAL body politic is what
purposes. An ecclesia could be, and has been, Stephen said Moses was a part of (Acts 7:38).
described as a “body politic.” This concept is The writer of Acts used the Greek word ekklesia
quite DIFFERENT from the modern-day idea of to describe that body. It should have been
“church.” accurately rendered “ecclesia” instead of
“church.” Had the Greek word kuriakon been
Christian Ecclesias used, “church” would have been an accurate
translation. However, to translate ekklesia into
Now that we have a basic idea of the “church” is both INACCURATE and MIS-
“ecclesia” concept, we will next examine its use LEADING.
in the New Testament to discover its
CHRISTIAN APPLICATION. Ecclesia = Body
1. In Acts 7:38 what did Stephen state
Moses was part of “in the wilderness” where he We have seen that an ECCLESIA refers
received the commandments from YEHOVAH to a body of individuals that have been
God at Mount Sinai? “CALLED OUT” for some SPECIAL PUR-
2. In the above verse, the word “church” POSE. The New Testament substantiates this
is translated from what Greek word? connection between “ecclesia” and “body.”
COMMENT: Obviously, Moses was 1. According to Colossians 1:18,
not a member of any “church” organization. Yeshua the Messiah is the head of what?
Why, then, did the translators use that word? 2. Ephesians 1:22-23 states that
What was Moses a part of? He was part of the YEHOVAH God has put all things under the
nation or family of Israel that YEHOVAH God Messiah’s feet and gave him (the Messiah) to be
had “CALLED OUT” from Egyptian bondage to the “head” over all things in what organization
be a free “body politic.” The Greek word or group? What is this “group”in relation to the
ekklesia was used to describe that body of Messiah?
people of which Moses was a part. 3. In Ephesians 5:23, what is the
3. Read Exodus 19:1-8. Verse 1 Messiah in relation to the ECCLESIA (NOT
indicates that Israel, after leaving Egypt, came “church”)? What is the Messiah in relation to the
into what area of the Sinai? “BODY”?
4. What did YEHOVAH God say the COMMENT: The above verses make it
people of Israel would become if they obeyed clear that the ecclesia (the CALLED-OUT
Him? Verses 5 and 6. ONES) is the “body” of the Messiah, and that
5. In Deuteronomy 7:6, what did Yeshua is the head of that body. “Body” in this
YEHOVAH tell the children of Israel they were? context refers to CHOSEN INDIVIDUALS.
Note that the word “holy” means separate; set The implication here is that they have been
apart. “CALLED OUT” for some SPECIAL PUR-
6. In Psalm 135:4, what does YEHO- POSE with Yeshua the Messiah as their head.
VAH say about Jacob and Israel? These verses are NOT referring to a “church”
COMMENT: The verses above organization of some kind, or a building used for
CLEARLY illustrate that YEHOVAH God worship.