Why is the Ephesus riot mob in Acts called an Ekklesia?
Ekklesia means a called-out assembly, not necessarily a spiritual church. The Ephesus mob was a gathered, called-out group, so the same term applied. The King James translators rendered it 'assembly' there rather than 'church,' showing the word can describe any assembly, even a riotous one.
Les explains that Ekklesia, in its true translated form, means a called out assembly. It does not necessarily mean a group with pastors, bishops, and deacons, though when Paul speaks of the Body of Christ in the local church, it can. He points to other uses: Stephen's "Church in the wilderness" was not a Church but a called out assembly, because God called Israel out of Egypt. The Jewish believers in Jerusalem were also a called out assembly, yet he maintains they were not yet the Body of Christ. Then in Acts, the riot in Ephesus is another instance where the group was anything but spiritual. They ran into the theater as a mob, rioting because of what the apostle Paul had been accomplishing among those pagan people. Yet it is called an Ekklesia. Fortunately, the King James translators did not use the word Church there; they used Assembly. Les notes this shows the term must be handled carefully, so it does not confuse or mislead.
Some therefore cried one thing, and some another: for the assembly was confused; and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together.
More Questions
Is the ecclesia in Acts 19 a real church?
In Acts 19, the word 'Ecclesia' is not a church as we know it but a rioting mob in the Ephesian theater.