When Did the Ecclesia, the Body of Christ, Begin?

It is only the apostle Paul who, in his letters, repeatedly speaks of the Ecclesia (church) as “the body of Christ.” Some have wrongly concluded from this that this ekklesia therefore did not exist before then. In my view, that is a fallacy and not in agreement with the testimony of that same apostle Paul.

the Ecclesia began with the Head

The Ecclesia as “the body of Christ” derives its name and position from its connection with the roused Christ as “the Head.”

…And He is the Head of the body, the ecclesia, Who is Sovereign, Firstborn from among the dead, that in all He may be becoming first…
-Colossians 1:18-

Since Christ Jesus is the (roused) Head and thereby the first and most prominent member of the body, the Ecclesia therefore begins with Him. The first answer to the question above is therefore: the day that Christ, as Firstfruit, rose from the dead is the day that “the Head of the body” appeared.

Saul persecuted the Ecclesia

That the Ecclesia which Paul describes as “the body of Christ” (1Cor.10:16) indeed already existed before Paul’s calling also appears from the fact that he himself declares that he had persecuted “the Ecclesia of God” (1Cor.15:9) and for that reason also considers himself the least of the apostles. Paul writes about this to “the Ecclesia in Corinth.” Notice: not to the Ecclesia of Corinth but in Corinth. The Ecclesia is “one body” (1Cor. 10:17; 12:12) but manifests itself in numerous places. Now then, if the Ecclesia in Corinth is called by Paul “the Ecclesia of God” (1Cor.1:1,2!), then that is identical to the Ecclesia he persecuted and therefore already existed before his calling.

the persecuted Ecclesia is Christ himself

It is very remarkable that in Paul’s calling the revelation of the Ecclesia as Christ’s body is already contained in seed form. For while Saul was persecuting “the Ecclesia of God,” a voice from heaven sounded, calling him with the words:

Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?
-Acts 9:4-

With this question the exalted Christ identified himself with the Ecclesia that Saul was persecuting. In other words, that Ecclesia was He himself! And is that not, in essence, exactly what characterizes “the Ecclesia which is His body” (Eph.1:23)?! Connected with Him as Head of the body. A more intimate bond is not imaginable. Paul’s calling on the road to Damascus was therefore also an introduction to the revelation of the Ecclesia as the body of Christ.

apostles as first in the Ecclesia

We have already established that Christ Jesus, as Head, is the first of “the Ecclesia which is His body.” Added to this is that, according to Paul, God placed in the body, the ekklesia, first the apostles and then the prophets.

And whom also God, indeed, placed in the ecclesia, first, apostles. Second, prophets…
-1Corinthians 12:28-

This confirms what we could expect if this Ecclesia indeed came into being on the day of Christ’s resurrection. After all, it was the apostles to whom He appeared primarily, and who were commissioned to carry out the word concerning the roused Christ (1Cor.15:7). As the last of the apostles He also appeared to Paul (1Cor.15:8). Through the word of the apostles and that of “the prophets” (such as Mark and Luke, who, though not eyewitnesses) directly transmitted the word of God and thus laid the foundation of the Ecclesia.

Consequently, then, no longer are you guests and sojourners, but are fellow-citizens of the saints and belong to God’s family, being built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, the capstone of the corner being Christ Jesus Himself…
-Ephesians 2:19,20-

Here the Ecclesia is not called a body but a house, yet nevertheless built on the foundation (that is Christ; 1Cor.3:11) that was laid by “the apostles and prophets.” So that the sequence and rank in the origin of the Ecclesia must be clear: first Christ, then the apostles, and then the prophets. Scripture therefore does not so much answer the question when “the Ecclesia which is His body” came into being, but rather with whom the Ecclesia began.

revealed only to Paul

Of course, it is not without significance that Paul only later reveals the truth concerning “the Ecclesia which is His body.” For first, the message of the roused Messiah had to go to Israel. As Peter held forth to his countrymen on the temple square in Jerusalem:

You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant which God made with your fathers, when He said to Abraham: and in your seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. For you in the first place, God raised up His “Boy” and commissioned Him to bless you in turning you away from your wickednesses.
-Acts 3:25,26-

Only when the nation officially rejected this message and the Sanhedrin stoned Stephen was Saul of Tarsus called, so that through him the Evangel would be sent to the nations in order to make Israel jealous and indignant (Rom.10:19; 11:11,14). In the present time, Israel must yield its first place to the nations. As we see this illustrated so often in the book of Genesis. Not Ishmael but Isaac, not Esau but Jacob, not Rachel but Leah, not Reuben but Joseph, not Manasseh but Ephraim.

It is Paul to whom it was revealed what the secret of this switch is.

On this behalf I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you, the nations — since you surely hear of the administration of the grace of God that is given to me for you, for by revelation the secret is made known to me (according as I write before, in brief).
-Ephesians 3:1-3-

In summary: “the Ecclesia of God” came into being at Christ’s resurrection, but its identity as “the body of Christ” could not be made known until after Israel’s setting aside.

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