Did the Church Begin on Mount Sinai?

 

Did the Church Begin on Mount Sinai?

The Hebrew Roots Movement (HRM) teachers in general put forth the claim that the "church" actually began at Mt. Sinai. I quote:

Vineyard Fellowship

https://vineyardjc.com/

"The fact remains, however, that God’s ekklesia was not born when the Holy Spirit was poured out at Shavuot (Pentecost) as recorded in the second chapter of Acts. The Holy Spirit was given at that Shavuot to empower God’s people so they could proclaim, with signs and wonders, the Gospel of the Kingdom. The ekklesia– that called out assembly of God–officially became Yah’s people, at the base of Mount Sinai, on that very First Shavuot, when they, after being called-out of Egypt, stood at the base of mountain and entered into a marriage covenant with the Most High. It was then they become the Nation of Israel, a nation of people who would contend with God and prevail."

Eddie Chumney - HHMI: Restoring the Two Houses of Israel

https://www.hebroots.com/twohouses_chap2.htm

"In this chapter, we will examine the Biblical terms "church" and "Israel." In doing so, we will discover that the "church" was born at mount Sinai."

Rob Skiba - Who is the Church Anyway?

https://www.facebook.com/notes/10159216421777754/?hc_location=ufi

"Your run of the mill Dispensationalist however believes the "church" began in Acts 2. Not so. Yes, it did begin at Pentecost - but it was the FIRST Pentecost at Mt. Sinai, not the one in the 1st Century."

This begs the question then, if the "ekklesia" started at Sinai, then who is the Body of Christ, and what is the mystery hidden through the ages?

The Body of Christ

While Jesus was here, he spoke of the building of His church (ekklesia) as a future event:

Mat 16:18-19 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. (19) I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."

Paul elaborates, and in so doing connects the concept of the church to the Body of Christ:

Eph 5:23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior.

Col 1:18 And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.

The Body of Christ is so by virtue of the Holy Spirit making one body of two. Note that the "one body" is the result of the Spirit's work.

1 Cor 12:13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body--whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free--and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.

The Spirit was not present to create this one body until Christ's ascension. Therefore the Body of Christ did not exist until the Holy Spirit came to create it.

Joh 16:7-8 But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. (8) When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment:

Joh 7:38-39 Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them." (39) By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.

The Body of Christ is clearly identified with the "church". From Jesus's point in time, it was a future assembly of the called out saints. He said "I WILL build my church, future tense. This future church would be established by the future coming of the Holy Spirit, as he at that time, made one body (church) of the two, Gentiles and Israel. There is no support whatsoever for a past establishment of the church / Body of Christ as this writer and HRM in general claim.

The Mystery

In addition to the clear claims of Jesus that the formation of the church was future and not past at Sinai, there is also the issue that this Body of Christ made up of Jews and Gentiles was unknown to the Prophets. It was a mystery that had been kept hidden for ages and generations.

Eph 3:8-9 Although I am less than the least of all the Lord's people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ, (9) and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things.

Col 1:25-27 I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness-- (26) the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord's people. (27) To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

The mystery is two fold, first, that the Gentiles would be included in this mystery

Eph 3:6 This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.

... and that this mystery was "Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Col 1:27).

If it is true that the Gentiles were included in the "church" at Sinai then it would not have been a mystery, it would have been the gospel. What this writer and HRM in general are claiming is that the mystery was revealed at Sinai, when it is clear that the mystery was revealed much much later, during the time of Christ, the coming of the Holy Spirit, and the establishment of His body.

Consider these passages which clearly state that the body of Christ and the inclusion of the Gentiles in the commonwealth of Israel was "not made known to people in other generations" because it "has been kept hidden for ages and generations". If the inclusion of the Gentiles in Israel's commonwealth was a mystery, the church could not have began at Sinai.

Eph 3:4-6 In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, (5) which was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God's holy apostles and prophets. (6) This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.

Col 1:24-27 Now I rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ's afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church. (25) I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness-- (26) the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord's people. (27) To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

Conclusion

The church is the Body of Christ, and it began after Jesus's ascension. Prior to that time, there was no knowledge that Gentiles would be included in Israel's commonwealth through the establishment of "one body". It is not possible scripturally that the church could have started at Sinai.