I ministered on Sunday about the importance of understanding what Jesus was really saying when He told Peter in Mt. 16 that He would build His church and the gates of hell would not prevail against it. (Mt. 16:18). The word used in the English translations does not carry the true meaning of what Jesus was actually saying. Actually, the word “church” did not exist at the time of Christ, so if He had actually used that word, no one would have understood Him. Yet, the translators chose to translate the actual word He used, “Ekklesia,” with the word “Church.” So what’s the big deal? Does it really matter?
It matters only in the sense that we understand that the etymology of the word church has some very dark and objectionable history and can reduces what Jesus really said to a benign form of an expression of our faith.
A more in-depth study of the word church would be interesting, but not at this time. In a nutshell, the word “church” has its origins in ancient Greek, derived from the word “kirke” or”circe,” which means “circle or circular.” It was used to refer to circular buildings; however, it also referred to the Greek goddess, Circe, who was the heathen daughter of the Sun God and would tame wild animals in her “circus.” (from The Myth of Kirke, Robert Brown) Brown also says that the goddess Circe is the great whore referred to in Revelation 17, who sits on the many waters and seven hills and comprises the religions of the world, culminating in the Babylonian Mystery, the great mother of harlots, and the one who pours out abominations on the earth. So, back to the English word church.
When we think of church, we think of a building. We say, “I am going to church.” Jesus did not say, “I am going to build a building where my people can congregate.” Perhaps, had He meant to say something along those lines, He would have used the Greek word for “synagogue” or “temple.” But, He said, “I am going to build my Ekklesia.” This word, Ekklesia, was a very familiar word that was not spiritual in meaning, but quite secular. In the Greek language, this familiar and often-used word referred to an assembly called out together generally to discuss legal matters. So, rather than being a place where people congregated once a week to perform activities inside the building, it was a place where people assembled for a specific purpose: to address and decide upon legal issues that affected the people of the region.
Why would Jesus use this word to refer to His church? It is because His church is not to be a static entity on earth, but a dynamic force that expands the Kingdom of God and overcomes the darkness of the devil and his kingdom of evil. His representatives are to legislate the authority of God to the evil powers and principalities ruling in the earth and in the lives of the people God loves.
Jesus took His disciples to Caesarea Philippi for an object lesson. This was a place of high occult activity. It was the location of “the Rock of the Gods”, the temple of Caesar and of the god Pan. It was a place where a literal “Gates of Hades” existed as a cave where human and animal sacrifices were made with all types of sexual perversion. It was at the entrance of the cave where the opening was actually called “the gates of Hades,” and it was believed that Baal and the spirits of the dead would enter the underworld into Hades through an opening in the rock. It is reported that the opening looked like a yawning mouth. It was a place of debauchery and darkness, and Jesus was giving His disciples a show and tell of the power of His “Ekklesia” that could stand against any assault of Hades.
It was at this place that Jesus asked Peter, “Who do you say that I am?” In the face of such evil and power, this truth about Jesus must be understood: He is greater, and His Ekklesia, His representatives, are stronger than the evil that is in the world.
In Ephesians 3:10, Paul states that the purpose of the church (ekklesia) is to reveal to the powers and principalities in the heavenly realms the manifold wisdom of God. That wisdom is that through Jesus, the world would be reconciled back to the Father. And through Jesus, authority and power would be given to His followers to destroy the works of the devil. (1 John 3:8)
So, is it essential that we understand we are the Ekklesia and not just a church gathering? Absolutely. We are called for a purpose, not just congregating on Sunday mornings. We are called to equip the saints to go out and do the works of ministry until we are all united as one in Christ. (Eph 4:11-13) We are a called-out assembly with authority to establish God’s Kingdom legislation in the heavenly realms, based on the delegated authority of Christ. This is not about political anarchy but about establishing the will of God in the hearts of people which then reflects in families, cities, cultures, and nations.
We are in such an urgent time, and many are slipping into eternity without knowing Christ. Many are held in bondage to the powers of darkness, crying out for not just another church service, but for someone to exit the building and extend the power of Ekklesia into their lives. We are Ekklesia!
Who do you say that He is?
