CHURCH ('EroAncrIcz). The original Greek word, in its larger signification, denotes a number of persons called together for any purpose, an assembly of any kind, civil or religious. As, how ever, it is usually applied in the N. T. to religions assemblages, it is very properly translated by 'as sembly,' in the few instances in which it occurs in the civil sense (Acts xix. 32, 39, 41). It is, how ever, well to note that the word rendered 'assem bly' in these verses is the same which is rendered ' church' everywhere else.
In a few places the word occurs in the Jewish sense, of a congregation, an assembly of the peo ple for worship, either in a synagogue (Matt. xviii. 17) or generally of the Jews regarded as a religious body (Acts vii. 38 ; Heb. ii. 12). The text last cited is quoted from Ps. xxii. 22 ; where the Sept.
uses imAnota for the IIebrew flp, which has the same meaning, namely, assembly or congregation. Elsewhere also this word, which we render ' church' in the N. T., is used by the Sept. for the
Hebrew word which we render congregation' in the O. T.
But the word most frequently occurs in the Christian sense of an assemblage (of Christians) generally Cor. xi. 18). Hence it denotes a church, the Christian church ; in which, however, we distinguish certain shades of meaning, viz.-1. A particular church, a church in a certain place', as in Jerusalem (Acts viii. I ; xi. 22, etc.), in Antioch (Acts xi. 26 ; xiii. 1, etc.), in Corinth (1 Cor. i. 2 ; 2 Cor. i. I), etc. etc. 2. Churches of (Gentile) Christians, without distinguishing place (Rom. xvi. 4). 3. An assembly of Christians which meets anywhere, as in the house of any one (Rom. xvi. 5 ; Cor. xvi. 19 ; Philem. 2). The Church univer sal—the whole body of Christian believers (Matt. xvi. 18 ; 1 Cor. xii. 28 ; Gal. i. 13 ; Eph. i. 22 ; iii. 10 ; Heb. xii. 23, etc.)—J. K.