Is theekklēsiaaHousehold(of God)? Reassessing the Notion of οἶκος θεοῦ in 1 Tim 3.15

Abstract

1 Timothy defines theekklēsiaas the οἶκος θεοῦ. This has led to the conclusion that the Pastoral Epistles regard theekklēsiaas an enlargedoikos, where the roles of the officials and the norms regulating the behaviour of its members reproduce the relationships of the patriarchal household. However, οἶκος θεοῦ is not a household properly speaking.Ekklēsiais a term with political connotations, and thus the community acquires a public dimension. In addition,oikosis used metaphorically, for a larger community. In this, the definition reflects the ancient custom of describing larger communities (the cosmos, thepolis, or an association) through the metaphor of theoikos. Theekklēsiais therefore a public, quasi-cosmic space, whose laws and structures receive divine legitimation.

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