Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

CONGREGATION

A gathering or assembly. Heb. ʿēḏâ and qāhāl are synonymous in many contexts, especially in reference to the political institutions of ancient Israel. While ʿēḏâ is used to denote the officials of Israel, qāhāl never appears in such contexts, suggesting that the term implies no legislative or judicial function.

The function of the ʿēḏâ is to bring to trial and punish violators of the covenant (Num. 35:12, 24-25; Lev. 24:14, 16); to arbitrate intertribal disputes (Judg. 21:10, 13, 16); to crown kings (1 Kgs. 12:20); and to reprimand its own leaders (Josh. 9:18-19). The ʿēḏâ could include the entire nation, including women and children; all adult males; or the leaders of the people. The usage of qāhāl is roughly equivalent to ʿēḏâ, though it is more general. It is used of a multitude of nations (Gen. 28:3), an army (Num. 22:4; Ezek. 17:17; 23:46), and other human gatherings of various kinds. Though qāhāl is relatively more frequent in the later books Chronicles, Ezra-Nehemiah, and Ezekel, both Hebrew terms are spread throughout the biblical corpus from Genesis through the Minor Prophets.

In the NT Gk. ekklēsía designates “the [local] assembly” or “church” (1 Cor. 11:18) and “the [universal] church” (12:28); synagōgḗ, “a place of assembly” (Matt. 10:17; Jas. 2:2) or a meeting for worship (Matt. 4:23); and plḗthos, a “crowd of people” (Luke 6:17), “community” (Acts 6:2, 4), or “the church” (15:30). The LXX always uses synagōgḗ to translate Heb. ʿēḏâ, but qāhāl is translated by both ekklēsía and synagōgḗ. In Classical and Hellenistic Greek literature ekklēsía became a technical expression for the assembly of the people, consisting of free men entitled to vote. Although the three terms are roughly synonymous in the NT, ekklēsía is the most common. It was adopted by the early Christians over synagōgḗ to designate their fellowships after the resurrection of Jesus, but not during his lifetime.

Michael D. Hildenbrand

Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

CONGREGATION

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000)