What constitutes a church or ekklesia?

The contemporary understanding of the word church has largely missed the mark of its usage throughout the Biblical texts. The church is not simply a building with a cross on it. The church is not merely a group of people indulging in good works in the name of the Lord. Christians are not the church only on Sunday’s when we gather together in a public setting (Acts 8:3). It is my belief that it is more prudent for us to identify under the designation of church over Christians. For, the term church was used extensively in identifying all followers of Christ for close to 10 years after Christ’s ascension. Before the title ‘Christians’ was bestowed upon only the disciples in Antioch (Acts 11:26). The external witness of a life of sacrifice and whole-hearted commitment conceived the title ‘Christians’ and it was not through any self-proclamation. The word church (ekklesia) is first found in the Greek Septuagint (1st century B.C. translation of the Hebrew) in Deuteronomy 4:10, referring to the assembly of the Israelites in the wilderness. Stephen also uses church (congregation) in his monologue of the Gospel in Acts 7:38. Jesus during His earthly ministry used the term church only twice (Matthew 16:18, 18:17). And the pivotal first usage of it in the New Testament is found in Matthew 16:18 which reads: I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it, is crucial to understanding the term church. Jesus uses a play of words here, He is not saying the apostle Peter is the rock that the church will be built on. To break this down, we first understand that the name Peter in Greek is Petros, which means small stone or piece of rock. Cephas is the Aramaic equivalent of Petros carrying the same meaning. While the word rock is Petra, meaning bedrock or large rock. The rock which is the foundation to the church is this: the revelation of Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God (Matthew 16:16). So, the church is an assembly or congregation of believers (small stones)(1 Peter 2:5) who have this revelation of Jesus Christ as the Son of God from the Father (Matthew 16:16-17). 

The message to the church of Smyrna, which is one of the only two churches to whom the Lord holds nothing against, begins with the Lord identifying Himself as: The first and the last, who was dead, and has come to life. And as always, the credentials by which He identifies Himself to the church is connected to His blessing which is found in v10, Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. This is a church located about 65 kms (40 miles) north of Ephesus in the port city of Aegean sea. This was a Roman city in which only emperor worship was allowed, with Judaism being the sole exemption of this rule. And therefore this persecuted church extensively suffered at the hands of both the Roman and Jews in the city. The deeds or works of the church are not mentioned in this entire message. And this is the only other church, the other being Pergamum, where the Lord does not mention the deeds of the church at all in His message to them. This clearly reveals to us that: that a church of enduring faith is more important than a church of merely good works. And in a believer’s life emphasis first should be placed on His unwavering faithfulness in His personal relationship with the Lord, over all other works he has been called to do. The Lord commends Smyrna by saying: ‘I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich), and the blasphemy by those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan (v9). The first commendation which states: I know your tribulation or I see your tribulation, talks about the bitter oppressions and pressing of the church. The name Smyrna means myrrh. Myrrh is a tree sap extracted from the Commiphora trees through small incisions on the bark of the tree, which causes the resin to ooze out. The myrrh, though bitter in taste, later is being used for medicinal purposes and perfumery. And this in comparison relates to the nature of suffering in our faith’s, bitter in the present (Hebrews 12:11), but brings healing (2 Corinthians 1:4-6) and exudes the aroma of His glory (1 Peter 4:12-13, 2 Corinthians 4:17). Further, the enduring faith of Smyrna amidst their multitude of tribulations also reveals their solid foundation in the Word of God (Matthew 13:21). Their poverty which the Lord sees, is both in the material and spiritual senses. Since the church was under tremendous pressure from the Romans, many or all of the believers were probably denied employment, thrown into prison, properties and belongings were forcibly snatched from them – the price for not forsaking their faith in Christ. And their eternal richness (but you are rich, v9) was a result of their spiritual poverty (Matthew 5:3). As James 2:5 also states: Listen, my beloved brethren: did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? The believers of Smyrna were not merely lifestyle Christians, like many today, who fervently seek God in much prayer and fasting for a lifestyle upgrade. And at other times their faith lives are lived quite nonchalantly. But, they accepted everything that the Lord gave to them as Paul wrote in his epistle to another suffering church in Philippi in Philippians 2:29: For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him. Like the church of Smyrna, the assembly of true, whole-hearted followers of Christ today will always face much suffering. The result being the eternal riches of His glory that awaits those who have faithfully endured such sufferings till its very end.

I know…the blasphemy by those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan (v9). Blasphemy is the slander of a good name. It is no doubt that the church of Smyrna having faithfully and firmly stood in the midst of its persecutions had received a good testimony of the watching world. And a persecuted church which has overcome its own sufferings soon becomes a powerful witnessing church, as seen in the first-church in Acts 8:1-4. The trial of sufferings becomes a catalyst to the faith and the power of the believer. This is God’s wonder-working power manifested through our sufferings, which in the end are never in vain. There is an old adage that says: “Slander is the tool of the loser.” Likewise, when the enemy has failed in his attempt to shipwreck your faith in the Lord, through all possible means. He resorts to slander. But this then becomes a cause for rejoicing as Jesus teaches us in Matthew 5:11-12: “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. It is important to heed that such slander arises from those who claim to be of the church, the ones closest, like with the three “friends” of Job. Do not fear what you are about to suffer…Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life (v10) is an exhortation from the Lord for the sufferings that lie in the journey ahead for those at Smyrna. It is also a prophetic warning when the Lord’s message says: you will have tribulation for ten days. The church of Smyrna suffered for nearly 300 years right from the turn of the 1st century B.C. under ten different reigns of the Roman empire, with many being martyred for their faith during this period. 

And finally: He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches (v11). The Spirit is speaking even today, let the church, let the believer, take heed to faithfully follow the Lord as the church of Smyrna did. Let our bitter sufferings become a healing balm and an incense pleasing unto the Lord. The eternal blessing follows to the one who hears and keeps the faith till the end.