15:24 and 26.  All rule, all authority and power will be `done away', will

`vanish away', will be abrogated, repealed, dissolved, the last of these enemies

thus to be repealed, abrogated and done away being death itself.  The only

occurrences of katargeo in the Prison Epistles are:

Eph. 2:15

`Having abolished in His flesh the enmity, even the law of

commandments contained in ordinances'.

2 Tim. 1:10 `Who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and

immortality to light through the gospel'.

In Ephesians 1:22 this aspect of truth is not made prominent.  `He hath

put all things under His feet' precedes and prepares the way for the great

abolition.  Principalities and powers are not yet `abolished'; indeed armour is

provided and warning given concerning their animosity (Eph. 6:12), but the first

great step has been taken.  These spiritual enemies are now `under His feet'.

The rapid transition `feet ... Head' in Ephesians 1:22 reminds us that

there is a blessed side to this exalted position of the Lord.  He has been given

as Head, not over all things universally yet, but Head over all things so far as

the church is concerned, a blessed forecast of things to come.  This church has

a double title, it is now `the Body', it will then be `the Fulness'.  The title

`the Body' must be used with discretion.  Paul was a member of that Body, but

the members of that Body now living, were, at the time of the writing of

Ephesians, unborn.  Consequently there never has yet existed a company of

believers on earth that has comprised every member, the term `Body' being used

of the existing company to set forth their relationship one with another as

fellow-members, and with the Lord as their Head.  When however every member is

gathered in and the number of the elect is complete, the title changes.  From

being called the Church which is His Body, it will then become `The Fulness of

Him that filleth all in all'.

The reader who sees the incomparable position of the seated Christ will

not need a lengthy argument to prove that, to teach that he is seated `among

heavenly beings', instead of `in heavenly places', is utterly untenable.

The Church which is the Body is also called `the fulness of Him that

filleth all in all'.  This title taken by itself is evidently one of supreme

importance and dignity, but when taken in relation with the outworking of the

purpose of the ages, it will be seen to have a deeper significance.  The student

who is acquainted with Dispensational Truth is also aware of the presence of

gaps in the outworking of the Divine purpose.  The Saviour's recognition of this

gap in Isaiah 61 is made evident when we read Luke 4:16-21 and Luke 21:22.  So

when we read 1 Peter 1:11 or the quotation of Joel 2:28-32 in Acts 2, the

presence of a gap or interval is made evident.  The word translated `fulness' is

the Greek pleroma, and its first occurrence in the New Testament places it in

contrast with a `rent' or a `gap':

`No man putteth a piece of new (agnaphos) cloth unto an old garment, for

that which is put in to fill it up (pleroma) taketh from the garment, and

the rent (schisma) is made worse' (Matt. 9:16).