Dan Henderson

Words

Mp3 audio sermon

Words are essential to our understanding.

Knowing the meaning of a word is necessary to understand what God has commanded.

Tonight’s lesson, rather than teaching the word, will focus on things that will help us understand what we read.

Not exclusive methods, but useful.

Presented at Milam St Church of Christ in July of 2010

Words

Words are essential to our understanding.
Knowing the meaning of a word is necessary to understand what God has commanded.
Tonight’s lesson, rather than teaching the word, will focus on things that will help us understand what we read.
Not exclusive methods, but useful.

Understanding Words
Consider the word “church”….
The Greek word is "ekklesia"...
Many have noted that this word is a combination of two words: "ek" (out of) and "kaleo" (to call)
Concluding that the primary idea is that of being "called out"
Christians were called "ekklesia" because they were "called out"
1Pet 2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
“called you out of” is not from the Greek "ekklesia"...
The two separate words: "ek" (out of) and "kaleo" (to call) are used.
"Ekklesia" in NT doesn't stress "called out" nature of church!
It focuses on the assembled body and its function as a whole.
This is a common mistake of defining a word by etymology rather than by actual usage in its historical context
Notice the definition in Smith’s Bible Dictionary
The derivation of the word is generally said to be from the Greek kuriakon, "belonging to the Lord". But the derivation has been too hastily assumed. It is probably connected with kirk, the Latin circus, circulus, the Greek kuklos, (kuklos), because the congregations were gathered in circles.
Smith’s Bible Dictionary
This definition of church is based upon where the word came from (etymology)
In the New Testament it is the translation of the Greek word ecclesia, which is synonymous with the Hebrew kahal of the Old Testament, both words meaning simply an assembly, the character of which can only be known from the connection in which the word is found.
Easton’s Bible Dictionary

This is a more accurate assessment of our word “church” found in the New Testament.

Now let’s consider the definition of the Greek word from which “church” is ALWAYS translated.
(One exception Acts 19:37 “robbers of churches” is translated in KJV from hierosulos hee-er-os'-oo-los; a temple despoiler
Other translations use the word temples (more accurate) instead of churches or sacrilegious in place of that phrase.
Use Thayer’s because it give a more detailed explanation of the full use of the word.
"a gathering of citizens called out from their homes into some public place, an assembly"
"an assembly of the people convened at the public place of the council for the purpose of deliberating"
Acts 19:39 But if you seek anything further, it shall be settled in the regular assembly.

"the assembly of the Israelites"
Acts 7:38 This is the one who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the angel who spoke to him at Mount Sinai, and with our fathers. He received living oracles to give to us.

"any gathering or throng of men assembled by chance, tumultuously"
Acts 19:40-41 For we really are in danger of being charged with rioting today, since there is no cause that we can give to justify this commotion. And when he had said these things, he dismissed the assembly.

"Ekklesia" as used in the Christian sense...
"an assembly of Christians gathered for worship in a religious meeting"
1Cor 14:19 Nevertheless, in church I would rather speak five words with my mind in order to instruct others, than ten thousand words in a tongue.
1Cor 14:35 If there is anything they desire to learn, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church.

"a company of Christians, or of those who, hoping for eternal salvation through Jesus Christ, observe their own religious rites, hold their own religious meetings, and manage their own affairs, according to regulations prescribed for the body for order's sake"
1Thess 1:1 Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace.

"those who anywhere, in a city, village, constitute such a company and are united into one body"
1Cor 1:2 To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours:

"whole body of Christians scattered thru-out earth"
Eph 1:22-23 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

"the assembly of faithful Christians already dead and received into heaven"
Heb 12:22-23 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly  of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect,

KJV used 111 times ESV 113
Lexicon
Concordance
Blueletterbible.org
Biblegateway.com

Act 2:47 Praising God , and having favour with all the people . And the Lord added to the church 1577 daily such as should be saved .
Act 5:11 And great fear came upon all the church 1577, and upon as many as heard these things .
Act 7:38 This is he , that was in the church 1577 in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina , and [with] our fathers : who received the lively oracles to give unto us :
Act 19:39 But if ye enquire any thing concerning other matters , it shall be determined in a lawful assembly 1577.
Heb 2:12 saying, "I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation 1577 I will sing your praise. "

We can know what God expects of us by reading His Word, but to fully understand what is required and allowed we must dig deeper that just reading. Meditating on the Word is necessary, but searching out the meaning of the words used is also needed to fully comprehend some of the difficult passages.
We will never grow if we are not willing to stretch.

And Jesus cried out and said, "Whoever believes in me, believes not in me but in him who sent me. And whoever sees me sees him who sent me. I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.
If anyone hears my words and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day. For I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment--what to say and what to speak. And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I say, therefore, I say as the Father has told me.”
John 12:44-50

Words are our means of communicating and we must take the time to understand what is said.
If we do not understand we cannot obey.
If we do not obey we will be lost.

Dan Henderson

Most Scripture references are from ESV