Assembly
Assembly [1]
a -sem´blı̄ ( קהל , ḳāhāl ; ἐκκλησία , ekklēsı́a ): The common term for a meeting of the people called together by a crier. It has reference therefore to any gathering of the people called for any purpose whatsoever ( Exodus 12:6; Psalm 22:16 the King James Version; Psalm 89:7 the King James Version; Acts 19:32 , Acts 19:41 ). The solemn assemblies of the Jews were their feasts or religious gatherings of any kind ( Isaiah 1:13 ). The word panḗguris , "a general festal assembly" ( Hebrews 12:23 ), is transferred from the congregation of the people of Israel to the Christian church of which the congregation of Israel was a figure. In the same passage, ekklēsı́a has the sense of calling, summoning. In classical Greek ekklēsı́a was the name for the body of free citizens summoned by a herald. In this sense the church calls all the world to become identified with it. It denotes the whole body of believers, all who are called. Or it may refer to a particular congregation or local church ( sunagṓgē , "synagogue" James 2:2 the Revised Version, margin). See Called; Church; Congregation .
