Another facet of ecclesia in which many believers (as well as non-Christians) were striving for within their assemblies (ecclesia), was that of "freedom of speech." Since the exercise of free speech was so important, "ecclesia" was often identified with another important Greek term,
ParrHsia (parresia) is a word that literally means "freedom of speech". It is translated "waxed bold" by the KJV in 1 Thess. 2:2 and Acts 13:46. Other versions render it "speaking out boldly". In Acts 9:27 and 29, it is rendered "spoke boldly". Also in Acts 26:26, it is translated "spoke boldly" or "freely."
One writer, speaking of the parresia concept in the New Testament, says that it was:
"The right of every citizen to stand up in the public assembly and express his honest opinion."
Its opposite was given the name "sycophancy" or shameless assent. Allowing someone to have their way without speaking up and supporting your view was viewed as a great fault.
Outside of the assembly (ecclesia) "... parresia represented the expression of the speaker's opinion without regard for the feelings of others."
Parresia was crucial in every good relationship and indeed, "freedom of speech toward God" is referred to several times in the New Testament, although the word is usually translated "confidence" in that context. ( 2 Cor. 10:2; Phil. 1:14; 1 John 3:21)
Another old writer said:
"It is better to have parresia even if not a soul shall understand what one is saying than to fall into step with popular opinions, to harvest the lush praise that falls from the favor of the multitude."
This was the essence and character of the ecclesia in the New Testament. Parresia was set apart to represent the freedom of speech common to the believers and to every Greek citizen within their communities (ecclesia).
"There is no greater loss than to lose it (freedom of speech)."
It needs to be emphasized again that Jesus used the term ecclesia when describing what he intended to build rather than the Greek term "synagogue" which He was both familiar with and could have been expected to use.
"It is striking that Jesus' followers did not describe their meetings and the community represented by them as a "synagogue" for the word would have been natural for a group which sprang from Jewish roots."
Jesus' zeal for teaching the "equal footing" that He intended to be present within the scope of His community is seen in His choice of the Greek term ecclesia. Today however, there is no greater "un-equal footing" seen within the modern institutional churches than the repression of speech!
Authority, let alone, the privilege to speak within the “institutional churches” is granted solely by the "church leadership" and it is given only to those that will stay within the boundaries of their particular orthodoxy. This current practice is totally foreign to the essence and spirit of parresia and against the will of the Savior for his ecclesia. Speaking from a context of controversy and persecution, the Hebrew writer admonishes the brethren,
"Do not cast away your freedom of speech (parresia), which has a great reward."
The principle found in the above verse teaches us to maintain our freedom of speech even in the face of persecution. Open discussion was highly prized in the New Testament assembly as it had been in Greece. In fact, discussion (as in the Greek ecclesia) was used as the Christian method of learning.
The Greek word dialegomai, the common Greek word for "discuss," is the word used during Christian meetings.
The meaning of dialegomai in classical Greek is expressed by our lone word dialogue. It means to hold a conversation or to talk openly. Used by the philosophers, it came to mean conversation with teaching as its object: one debates and learns in so doing.
Unfortunately, as we’ve learned about other mistranslations, the true meaning of dialegomai is hidden by the KJV and as usual, other translations have followed suit. For example, a favorite text of modern "preachers" is found in Acts 20:7. The KJV renders it thus:
"And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples cam