Biblical Lexicology: Hebrew and Greek by Eberhard Bons Jan Joosten and Regine Hunziker-Rodewald

Author:Eberhard Bons, Jan Joosten and Regine Hunziker-Rodewald
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Walter de Gruyter
Published: 2015-01-15T00:00:00+00:00

The original sense of the word and the ancient Greek usage

The noun έκκλησία, a word deriving from έκ and καλῶ, literally means a public gathering summoned by a herald791. At an early point, the word evolved into a technical term used to describe the regular assembly of the whole body of citizens in a democratic city (δῆμος), which decided for public affairs. This meaning maintains an immediate and actual reference to the etymology of the word, as such an official takes place after an official calling out of the citizens, who were named ἔκκλητοι “the ones being summoned”792.

The first occurrence of the word is in Herodotus’ and Thucydides’ texts, although it is known that the έκκλησία had first been established by Solon (594 B. C.E) as the congregation of all the citizens, who participated equally in the decision process of the Athenian democracy.

Aristotle adapted this term to Homeric congregations793, although the corresponding word in Homer’s texts is ἀγορά or ἄγυρις. By examining the aforementioned usage of the word in ancient Greek texts it becomes obvious that the original meaning encompassed the semantic features of legality, publicity and political quality.

These features, according to the ancient Greek evidence, were preserved in any usage of the word έκκλησία throughout Antiquity and they distinguished this word from any other synonymous used for denoting a simple gathering or meeting, such as the words σύλλογος, σύναξις, συνάθροισις, συνέδριον, some of which are also used in the Septuagint. Usually, it was coupled with the word δῆμος, which is, also, a word for a public assembly although mainly of the inhabitants of a city without bearing any legal features794. The gathering of the citizens as a δῆμος was characterized by its jurisdiction to confer and decide as an έκκλησία.

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