Does “Church” Mean “Called Out Ones”?

From time to time I hear or read something about how the NT Greek word ekklesia (ἐκκλησία) means “called out ones.” People argue that since ekklesia‘s root words are ek (out of) and kaleo (to call), the term means “called out ones.” This leads them to say things like the church consists of “the called out ones” because that’s what the word ekklesia means.

But upon further study, this definition of ekklesia – called out ones – doesn’t really hold up. Almost no Greek lexicon defines the term this way. Of the many Greek lexicons I have, the only one I found that used “called out people” in a somewhat positive sense was Thayer’s 1889 publication. If you’re interested in the definition of ekklesia, I’ll put a few definitions from various Greek lexicons/dictionaries below.

[In secular Greek literature] The noun ἐκκλησία (ekklesia), attested no later than the 5th century BC, is evidently derived from the compound verb ἐκκαλέω (ekkaleo), which means in the first instance “to call out, call forth, summon”. On that basis it has been suggested that the term ἐκκλησία (ekklesia) has its origin in the practice of the herald’s calling people “out of” their homes to meet in public assembly. Alternatively, the idea is that of citizens being summoned out of the general population. This type of explanation sounds plausible, but several factors need to be kept in mind. (a) Although the verb can be used with a prepositional phrase (or a comparable clause) indicating something “out of” which someone is called, this usage is rare; most often the term has an extended sense (e.g., in the middle it can mean “to elicit, entice, appeal,” etc.). (b) There is no attested instance of ἐκκαλέω (ekkaleo) being used in the context of calling an ἐκκλησία (ekklesia)…. (c) The contexts where ἐκκλησία (ekklesia) occurs do not allude to the action of people being “called out”; the term appears to mean simply “(duly constituted) assembly.” (d) The cognate adjective ἔκκλητος (ekkletos) means “chosen, selected,” and the substantive plural οἱ ἔκκλητοι (hoi ekkletoi) is applied to a group of citizens selected for a particular purpose. (NIDNTTE; edited for length)

The noun ἐκκλησία (ekklesia) is derived etymologically from ἐκ and καλέω; accordingly it was used to designate “(the totality of) those who are called out.” However, this original meaning nowhere plays a recognizable role in our material. It is always displaced by terminological shifts which the concept has undergone during a long history. In classical Greek as well as in Hellenistic literature, it became a technical expression for the assembly of the people, consisting of free men entitled to vote. This political usage is present also in Acts 19:39, which refers to “the regular assembly” of the inhabitants of Ephesus. In a wider sense the word can be used for any public assembly; thus in Acts 19:32 it is used of an “assembly” “in confusion,” which had come together in the theater at the urging of the silversmiths of Ephesus (cf. also v. 40). …In the overwhelming majority of the NT passages, ἐκκλησία is used as a fixed Christian term and is to be translated with congregation or congregational assembly or c(C)hurch. (EDNT; edited for length)

…A regularly summoned legislative body, assembly, as generally understood in the Greco-Roman world… ② a casual gathering of people, an assemblage, gathering ③ people with shared belief, community, congregation ⓑ of Christians in a specific place or area (the term ἐ. apparently became popular among Christians in Greek-speaking areas… α. of a specific Christian group assembly, gathering ordinarily involving worship and discussion of matters of concern to the community:  β. congregation or church as the totality of Christians living and meeting in a particular locality or larger geographical area, but not necessarily limited to one meeting place:  ⓒ the global community of Christians, (universal) church… (BDAG; edited for length)

Those are three examples of how almost all Greek lexicons and dictionaries define and explain the Greek word ekklesia. Although it’s not a heresy or dangerous error to say that “church” (ekklesia) means “called out ones,” it is incorrect and should be avoided. The word ekklesia means something like assembly, congregation, or church (depending on the context). [For more information on this type of error in defining NT words, see Don Carson’s discussion of word study fallacies (the root fallacy) in Exegetical Fallacies (p. 28ff).]

Shane Lems
Hammond, WI, 54015