Mob or Ekklesia

32 Meanwhile, some were shouting one thing and some another, because the assembly [ekklesia G1577] was in confusion, and most of them did not know why they had come together. 33 Then some of the crowd [ochlos G3793] gave Alexander advice when the Jews pushed him to the front. So motioning with his hand, Alexander wanted to make his defense to the people. 34 But when they recognized that he was a Jew, a united cry went up from all of them for about two hours: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”

35 However, when the city clerk had calmed the crowd [ochlos G3793] down, he said, “Men of Ephesus! What man is there who doesn’t know that the city of the Ephesians is the temple guardian of the great Artemis, and of the image that fell from heaven? 36 Therefore, since these things are undeniable, you must keep calm and not do anything rash. 37 For you have brought these men here who are not temple [hieron G2411] robbers or blasphemers of our goddess. 38 So if Demetrius and the craftsmen who are with him have a case against anyone, the courts are in session, and there are proconsuls. Let them bring charges against one another. 39 But if you want something else, it must be decided in a legal assembly [ekklesia G1577]. 40 In fact, we run a risk of being charged with rioting for what happened today, since there is no justification that we can give as a reason for this disorderly gathering [sustrophe G4963].” 41 After saying this, he dismissed the assembly [ekklesia G1577].
(Acts 19:35-41 HCSB ©®)

In this narrative describing the riot in Ephesus led by the idol maker Demetrius, Luke used several words in ways that can help us better understand that Jesus is building His Kingdom while we have been building our church.

An ekklesia is called together from a larger group to accomplish something. There is a purpose, or there is no ekklesia. Luke called the rioters an “ochlos,” translated here as “crowd” in verses 32, 33 and 35. This word is the word usually used in the Gospels to refer to “the multitude” who was following Jesus at any given moment. He called the rioters “ekklesia” when describing them as confused in verse 32. The confusion made him call them simply a “crowd” otherwise.

The town clerk called them “ekklesia.” He, too, noted that they were confused and purposeless, though, making them a “disorderly gathering.” He directed them to take their complaint to a legal ekklesia, who would have the authority to make a judgement about it.

Another description he used in his speech to the mob was “temple robbers,” meaning Paul and his friends. The word he used for temple was translated “church” by the employees of King James. That was their only honest use of the word. It is also a contrast that in this text, they could not in good conscience mistranslate “ekklesia” as “church,” though that is exactly what they did every other time they encountered it in the New Testament.

We are called to manifest His Kingdom. We are also called to be His family, and to have fellowship that brings life and provision and protection to those we encounter. When we gather as ekklesia, there needs to be mission and purpose. When we gather as family, there should probably be a meal. There seems to have always been one in the first century.