Ekklesia: Have We Flubbed It?

[Unique Name]

I am beginning to think that a lot of our discussion surrounding continuity and discontinuity between the OT and the NT people of God have been distorted by the translation of ekklesia. I know this sounds lame on the surface, but I agree with Gary DeMar that translating church to mean assembly or congregation would take the sting out of the claim that "Israel is not the Church" regardless of the facts.

The response, "the modern nation state is clearly not the ekklesia," is missing my point. Most evangelicals believe that there are two substances that make up the people of God, Israel and Church. These same people believe that Israel is an ethnicity per Romans 11. So, my point is directed those who argue for ethnic distinctions and not some nation that goes by the title "Israel".

Does translating ekklesia to mean assembly or congregation bring us closer to the truth?

 

[arapahoepark]

I am beginning to think that a lot of our discussion surrounding continuity and discontinuity between the OT and the NT people of God have been distorted by the translation of ekklesia. I know this sounds lame on the surface, but I agree with Gary DeMar that translating church to mean assembly or congregation would take the sting out of the claim that "Israel is not the Church" regardless of the facts.

The response, "the modern nation state is clearly not the ekklesia," is missing my point. Most evangelicals believe that there are two substances that make up the people of God, Israel and Church. These same people believe that Israel is an ethnicity per Romans 11. So, my point is directed those who argue for ethnic distinctions and not some nation that goes by the title "Israel".

Does translating ekklesia to mean assembly or congregation bring us closer to the truth?

Yes. Tyndale had originally translated it 'congregation.'
It has really been only exegetically ignorant dispensationalists since Scofield and Darby that did not follow something that was already common knowledge.

 

[Unique Name]

Yes. Tyndale had originally translated it 'congregation.'
It has really been only exegetically ignorant dispensationalists since Scofield and Darby that did not follow something that was already common knowledge.

Interesting. I'm lost when it comes to history of bible translation. Do you know if there has been or will be an effort to reverse course and translate it back to congregation or assembly? Since language is so powerful, I reiterate my original point, it would get the "dialectic" back on track.

 

[arapahoepark]

Interesting. I'm lost when it comes to history of bible translation. Do you know if there has been or will be an effort to reverse course and translate it back to congregation or assembly? Since language is so powerful, I reiterate my original point, it would get the "dialectic" back on track.

I do not, unfortunately.

 

[retroGRAD3]

The TLV Bible translates it community rather than church.

 

[Unique Name]

The TLV Bible translates it community rather than church.

Interesting. Thanks.