here, is not the usual anthropos, but aner.  Five times in chapter 5 this word

is translated `husband'.  This is a male, full-grown, in his prime, fit and

complete.  The apostle knew that every believer will be presented `holy, and

unblameable, and unreproveable' in the sight of God through the death of Christ

yet he longs for another `presentation', to be able to `present' every man

`perfect' in Christ (Col. 1:22,28).  What can be more perfect than the position

of Colossians 1:22?  Nothing.  Our highest conception of the idea `perfect' is

that of the Greek teleios.  This word, derived from telos, the end or goal,

suggests the idea of having gone on to the end, having laid hold of that for

which one has been laid hold upon, as Philippians 3:12 puts it.

The teleios is often contrasted with the child, as in Hebrews 5:12-14 and

1 Corinthians 13:10,11 where the knowledge is elementary, the sight weak, the

discernment small, the food milk.  The church of the One Body is the pleroma,

the fulness of Him that filleth all in all, and that, and nothing short of that,

is its measure:

`Unto the measure of the stature of the pleroma of Christ'.

The great purpose of the ages, expressed in the word `fulness', and the

part that the One Body has in that great restoring work, is the measure of its

growth.  It is the answer to the prayer of Ephesians 3:19:

`To know that which surpasses knowledge -- the love of Christ, so that you

may be filled up to (that is the "measure") all the fulness of God'

(Author's translation).

Such is the threefold object of the ministry of these apostles, prophets,

evangelists, pastors and teachers.

The re-adjustment of the saints had `the fulness' in view.  The work of ministry

had the `perfect man' in mind.  The building up of the Body of Christ had the

fulness before it, for the Church is the fulness of Christ.  This may be better

grasped if set out thus:

Apostles, etc., given:

For the re-adjustment.

For ministry.

For building up the Body of Christ (Eph. 4:12).

Till we all arrive:

Unto the unity of the faith.

Unto a perfect man.

Unto the stature of the pleroma (Eph. 4:13).

How definite such a ministry is.  Here is no beating the air, no uncertain

sound; it is the realization in practice (Eph. 4:12,13) of the revelation given

in Ephesians 1:23.

The admonition to `speak the truth in love', taken from the Authorized

Version of Ephesians 4:15, is one that should ever be before the mind of the

believer.  It is not, however, the meaning of this particular verse.  There is

no word here for `speaking', it is rather `being the truth', i.e., so living

that every act, motion and motive shall be in line with truth.  It is possible