The Assemblies of Christ Salute You

If you look up the word “church” in “Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words” you will not find the Greek word for “church”. Instead it will reference you to the word “assembly” where the Greek word “Ekklesia” is found.

So, according to Vine’s, the word “church” does not belong in the Bible. Everywhere you read “church” you should be reading “assembly” or “congregation”.

So how did the translators come up with the word “church”. The word “church” is derived from the word “Kuriakos” which means “belonging to the Lord” and only occurs twice in the New Testament (1 Corinthians and Revelation) and never (ever) refers to the church.

I wonder why the translators decided to use a derivation of the word “Kuriakos” (church) instead of the proper translation “assembly”

It might be because the translators wanted to distinguish a Christian assembly from any other kind of assembly.

Sounds good and makes sense except that if the Holy Spirit had wanted to make that sort of distinction I’m sure he could have invented a word for it… maybe like Kuriako-ekklesia.

Understanding that… does it really make any difference? It might.

The work of the church… the work of the assembly

Church international and church local… assembly international and assembly local.

The churches of Christ salute you… the assemblies of Christ salute you.

Let’s go to church… let’s go assemble.

Words mean things and as Bible students we should strive to use proper words so we can have a proper understanding of what God has revealed for us. I wonder what the Holy Spirit thinks about mistranslating a word?