Wednesday, February 28, 2007

The Churches of Ekklêsia

"Churches" is a late interpolation/translation – the word used is ekklêsia (in its feminine plural form), and literally means "a regular assembly of the citizens" for the purpose of calling out or calling together an assembly or collection; or the "legislative assembly" if from classical source rather than the koine. I would suggest "congregation" or "assembly" – as the earliest Christians had no "church", but rather assembled in each others homes for biblical study and worship. The English word "Church" on the other hand is expressed in the koine as kuriakos, or kuriakon (which derive from kurios) – and since kuriakos is not used in 1 Corinthians 14:34, why render its English equivalent in the translation?