For centuries, the word "church" has been buried under layers of religious tradition, since the original meaning describes a physical building and, by extension, a Sunday service, or a hierarchical institution. However, when Jesus and the Apostles used the word ekklesia (mistranslated to “church”), they weren't speaking of a religious club; they were invoking the high-stakes, political language of a Democratic Legislative Assembly. To recover the true identity of God's Kingdom, we must look past modern definitions and return to the ancient tension between the ʿedāh—the exclusive, sociological tribe—and the qāhāl—the inclusive, covenantal assembly. The Lord is not building a new "Christian tribe," but a renewed and uplifted qāhāl that functions as a Spirit-led democracy to transform society from the inside out.

I. DEFINITIONS: ʿEDĀH, EDOT, QĀHĀL, EKKLESIA

Understanding the biblical identity of God’s Kingdom requires distinguishing two Hebrew terms that English translations often blur: ʿedāh and qāhāl. These terms describe fundamentally different realities—one sociological, one theological—and the New Testament’s use of ekklesia (democratic assembly) depends on this distinction.

1. ʿEdāh (עֵדָה ) — community, tribe, faction, identity group
 

Scripture uses ʿedāh for:
• Specific factions: Scripture uses ʿedāh to describe distinct identity groups or factions, such as the 'edah of Korah' (Num 26:9). While Israel was one covenant people, sociologically it functioned as a collection of edot—distinct tribes and clans defined by their 'fathers' houses' (Num 26:2). Just as the census of Numbers 26 lists these groups separately, the edot represent the diverse, and often exclusive, sociological blocks of the nation.
• The community as a whole (in a sociological sense): “The whole edah murmured…” (Num 14:2).
 

ʿEdāh is a sociological category. It describes human communities: tribes, clans, factions, synagogues, and diaspora groups. Plural: ʿEdot ( עֵדוֹ ת ). Israel was not one sociological block; it was twelve edot. The word edāh comes from the root ʿ-y-d, meaning to appoint or fix. It implies a group that exists because of a shared origin, a fixed meeting time, or a predetermined identity (like a tribe). Historically, the edah has functioned as an exclusive, closed circle—excluding outsiders.

2. Qāhāl (קָהָל ) — assembly gathered before God
 

Scripture uses qāhāl for:
• Sinai: “Assemble (qāhāl) the people to Me.” (Deut 4:10).
• The day of the assembly: “The day of the qāhāl.” (Deut 9:10).
• Covenant renewal: “Moses spoke… to all the qāhāl of Israel.” (Deut 31:30).
 

The word qāhāl comes from the root q-h-l, meaning to summon or call out. It is a verb-based identity, not a noun-based one. You are part of the qāhāl because you responded to the call, not because of your DNA. Qāhāl is a theological category. It describes the covenant assembly summoned by God Himself. Unlike the exclusive edah, the qāhāl was the place of complete inclusion, where the "mixed multitude" (ereb rab) and the strangers stood with Israel as one assembly (Exod 12:38).

No prejudice for the Stranger: Numbers 15:15–16 uses the term qāhāl to establish that the assembly must have the same rules for the "native-born" and the "stranger" (ger). This shows the diversity and inclusion of the qāhāl.
 

3. Ekklesia (ἐκκλησία) — the New Testament qāhāl, renewed and uplifted

In Matthew 16:18, Jesus said, “I will build my ekklesia (Gk.).” Some may argue that Jesus most likely spoke in Aramaic, which was the common language of the time. The word He used would have been edta. Therefore, in the Aramaic translation of the Bible (Peshitta), it says “I will build my edta.” Edta in Aramaic means an assembly that has been "called together" to bear witness to a covenant.

 

This is in line with qāhāl and ekklesia, which are completely different words than edah.
• Hebrew qāhāl → Aramaic edta → Greek ekklesia (democratic assembly)
• Hebrew ʿedāh → Aramaic kenishta → Greek synagōgē (synagogue)
 

In Matthew 16:18, if Jesus meant edah, the Gospel writers would have written synagōgē. They wrote ekklesia. The Septuagint consistently translated qāhāl to ekklesia. By choosing ekklesia, Jesus and the Apostles used a term coined around 600 BC by the Greek world and adopted by the Roman world to describe a Democratic Legislative Assembly. Using this secular term ekklesia would have jolted His followers to consider that His mission is not another religious gathering with a new hierarchy, or a new tribal affiliation, but a new covenantal democratic kingdom. Jesus is restoring and uplifting the qāhāl by building His ekklesia, not forming a new edah.

II. TWO COVENANTS: ABRAHAMIC PEOPLE VS. SINAI ASSEMBLY

There are two different kinds of covenant in the Hebrew Scripture:
1. Abrahamic Covenant — Covenant of Promise (Genesis)
Creates a people. Creates identity. Creates destiny. Creates inheritance. This covenant produces the tribes—the edot. But it does not produce: a worship structure, a national assembly, a covenantal gathering, a priestly order, or a divine assembly before God. Those come only at Sinai. The tribes are covenant people (Abrahamic), but they are not the covenant assembly (Sinai).
2. Sinai Covenant — Covenant of Assembly (Exodus–Deuteronomy)
Creates the qāhāl. Creates law, structure, worship, governance, priesthood, national assembly.

 

This covenant produces the covenant assembly.
• Abrahamic covenant → creates the people (edot), which became the 12 tribes of Israel.
• Sinai covenant → creates the assembly (qāhāl) where all 12 tribes with a mixed multitude and strangers became unified under God’s covenant. Both are covenantal, but in different dimensions.
 

III. NEW TESTAMENT MAPPING: CHURCHES AS EDOT VS. EKKLESIA
 

During the time of Jesus and Acts, there were over 350 synagogues (edot) in Jerusalem. The edot were many and divided. For example, there was a synagogue for the Greeks, one for the Africans, and a synagogue for the former slaves (Acts 6:9). Each edah protected its own culture, language, and status. However, there was only one temple, which was their ritualistic unity. Nevertheless, in their daily lives, they were divided into the synagogue communities.

At the day of Pentecost, when 3000 believed, which included the diversity of Jews represented by the languages spoken in the various synagogues (edot), they became one ekklesia (democratic assembly) in Jerusalem. They assembled as the renewed and uplifted qāhāl. They were called out of their edah communities to eat and fellowship together in one accord from house to house (Acts 2:46-47). God’s ekklesia (democratic assembly) became the real and spiritual temple to unite God’s people from the diverse edot (Eph. 2:21-22).

Since the days of Acts, all believers have started with the Abrahamic covenant, justification by faith. Abraham is the father of their faith.

 

Paul succinctly made the simplicity of justification by faith in Romans 3 and 4:
• Faith in Jesus Christ is the only requirement to be born of God and be His people.
• However, the followers of Jesus became tribes. Christians have formed tens of thousands of tribes as denominations and ministries, each with its own sociological rules, leadership, and culture. This is the edot of the NT age. Each edah is divided from the others.
• This is like the edot during the time of Judges where for 400 years there was no record of a national assembly of all the tribes according to God’s covenant as commanded in Deut. 12. The qāhāl disappeared.

Jesus was not crucified just to have His people form new tribes or multiple sociological communities. He formed the renewed and uplifted qāhāl—the covenant democratic assembly in the Messiah.

 

This is why in Matthew 16:18-19:
• He gives keys (royal authority to open and shut).
• He speaks of binding and loosing (legislative authority).
• He says “MY ekklesia” (His covenant assembly).
• His ekklesia, His Kingdom, defeats the Gates of Hades.
 

Everything in Matthew 16 fits the qāhāl framework, not the edah framework. Therefore, just as every family in the 12 tribes (edot) is mandated to go to Jerusalem 3 times a year for worship and feasting on produce from the entire Promised Land for national assembly (qāhāl), believers divided by different churches and ministries (edot) must gather as the Lord’s ekklesia (qāhāl).
• Jesus did not die to have a justified people who are divided into edot with their own leadership structures and culture (sociological).
• He died to gather His scattered children into one (John 11:52).
• He died to break down the wall of hostility and enmity between edot to create one new man, making peace (Eph. 2:14-16).
 

Finally, the first NT martyr, Stephen, who was a Hellenist with a Greek name, provides the definitive apostolic precedent for this identity. In his defense before the Sanhedrin, Stephen, more than likely speaking in his Greek mother tongue, explicitly refers to the Sinai assembly as the 'ekklesia in the wilderness' (Acts 7:38). By bridging the Sinai qāhāl with the NT ekklesia, Stephen confirms that the People of God are defined by their status as a summoned assembly, regardless of their location—whether in the desert or the city. Stephen was martyred because he rejected the Temple-centric, hierarchical view of religion in favor of the mobile, democratic assembly of God’s people. He is the ultimate witness to the 'ekklesia as qāhāl' framework.

Believers can have the Abrahamic covenant of justification by faith and yet fracture into many sects and tribes (edah). This is woefully short of God’s eternal purpose and the Lord’s mission of building His Kingdom, where His diverse people become one renewed and uplifted qāhāl (ekklesia).
 

IV. EKKLESIA → KINGDOM → SOCIETY (THE CLARIFIED “THIRD WAY”)
 

God’s desire is for His Kingdom to come to earth (Luke 11:2). Jesus prayed for His people to be one as the Father and the Son, causing the world to believe in His reality (John 17:21). His ekklesia on earth in various cities are lampstands shining in a dark world (Rev. 1:20). The world needs to witness diversity in unity expressing the Trinity.

 

How is the Lord’s democratic assembly (ekklesia) as God’s Kingdom on earth going to influence the world or secular societies?
• NOT fragmentation into new Christian tribes (edot): The Lord’s ekklesia is not divided. It is diverse, inclusive, and equitable. Every believer is needed, and those in the minority are given more honor. Paul rejects divisions explicitly (1 Cor 1–3; Eph 2; Eph 4; Gal 3:28). The ekklesia cannot become an edah because its identity is covenantal, not sociological.
• NOT Christian domination of society: The ekklesia does not impose biblical law, rule through political power, or become a political ruling class. Jesus rejects political takeover (John 18:36). Paul rejects judging outsiders (1 Cor 5:12). Peter rejects domination (1 Pet 5:3). The NT vision is personal influence, not political domination.
• NOT isolated individuals being nice in society: The NT vision is corporate formation → dispersed influence.

THE NEW TESTAMENT (NT) MODEL:
• A. Fellowship: Believers gather as ekklesia (democratic assembly) in diversity and inclusiveness to experience shared life, worship, identity, joy, love, peace, formation, and the presence of Christ (Acts 2:46-47).
• B. Kingdom Identity: This identity is covenantal, Spirit-formed, Christ-centered, Father-loved, communal, relational, ethical, and missional. Those functioning in ekklesia are learning peace in Jesus, having to fellowship with believers from diverse edot.
• C. Dispersion: Believers are dispersed as peacemakers into society (edot). Here ‘edot’ refers to both secular and church communities—not as a sect or political bloc, but as one people with many members and vocations.
• D. Transformation: Their presence transforms society as light of the world and salt of the earth, through joy, love, peace, justice, mercy, service, integrity, witness, and public goodness.

The contemporary ideal of a democratic society has been expressed as DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion). However, the pursuit of this has often created more divisiveness, corruption, and hatred. The Lord appropriated the best of human government—democracy—to show the world that His Kingdom is truly diverse, inclusive, and equitable, where His citizens are united and love one another.

V. WHY THIS DOES NOT CREATE A NEW EDAH OR SECT

Because the ekklesia is not defined by ethnicity, culture, doctrine, tradition, style, leader, geography, politics, or sociology.

 

It is defined by:
• Jesus’ call to His eternal purpose.
• His rule in peace among those contrary.
• His Spirit indwelling as the transformative law of life.
• His supper, where diverse people are included to eat and drink.
• His name in which all believers are baptized into one Body.

The beauty is that in the NT, Christ does not rule from the outside as a theocratic kingdom; rather, believers have His life, nature, and law in them. His ekklesia can fully function democratically without friction or divisions because we are part of His Body. He lives in us. The ekklesia (democratic assembly) is one; the edot as churches are many. Believers carry the life of the ekklesia into their edot—they do not form a new one.

The Mosaic Covenant was a theocracy. God was the benevolent King who gave laws, judgment, and ruled with mercy, love, and forgiveness. It ended as a total failure. However, Jesus came and enacted the New Covenant, where the Spirit now indwelt His people. They have His eternal life, partake of His divine nature, and express His glory. His democratic Kingdom functions like a body where every member is organically governed by the shared divine genetics. That is why the world will believe in the reality of Jesus Christ when they witness God’s diverse people mature into one (John 17:23). This is the Lord’s democratic assembly (ekklesia).

VI. THE FULL BIBLICAL ARC

• Abrahamic covenant → creates the people (edot)
• Sinai covenant → creates the assembly (qāhāl)
• Jesus → renews and uplifts the qāhāl as the ekklesia
• Ekklesia → diversity in unity expressing the Trinity
• Believers → in love, peace, grace, and fellowship dispersed into society (edot)
• Society → transformed by kingdom presence

VII. FINAL SUMMARY

ʿEdāh describes the sociological communities of Israel—tribes, clans, factions, identity groups. Qāhāl describes the covenant assembly gathered before God at Sinai. Jesus restores and uplifts the qāhāl as the ekklesia, the covenant democratic assembly of the Messiah. The ekklesia forms a diversity in unity kingdom identity, and believers carry that identity into their daily spheres, influencing society not as a sect or political bloc, but as a dispersed people whose shared life in Christ transforms their communities. The ekklesia does not become a new edah; it transforms existing edot by presence, virtue, and love.