"Both in Old Testament translations into Greek and New Testament Greek usage, the word ekklesia implies more than a collective or national unity; rather A COMMUNITY based on a special religious idea and established in a special way. "THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY in the midst of Israel would be designated as ekklesia, without being confounded with the sunagoge, the Jewish community." [Word Studies In The New Testament, Marvin R. Vincent, Volume 1, Page 93.] "Jesus' first coming to the earth in a body of flesh was the greatest gift Yahweh granted unto man up to that time. Every member of His physical body functioned to empower Him to carry out the purpose for which He came. He walked and talked to people. He looked upon suffering humanity and listened to their cries. But, His ultimate purpose could not be completed while He was in His body of flesh. "To fulfill all things, to reach out to the universe of corrupt men, He had to ascend back to Heaven. In doing so, He left a SPIRITUAL BODY to carry on His mission among lost souls. Every component of that body had its function to build itself up. It was not edified by being served, but by being the minister. "It is a tragic commentary upon the ability of man to confuse and corrupt to behold what he has done to the body of Christ. He has manipulated and molded it after his own image. He has defined and confined it, organized and disorganized it. He has debated and argued over its area of service and responsibility, and sought to control it by claiming authority to speak for its head" (W. Carl Ketcherside).
