I N D E X
Central place is given to the unity of the Body `fitly joined together'.
The subject is evidently of great importance, judging from its place in the
epistle.
We have drawn attention before to the fact that the Body in the practical
section echoes the Temple in the doctrinal section.  A glance at the structure
above will show that there is only one reference in the doctrinal portion to the
Body, the remaining six being found in chapters 4 and 5.  The Body aspect of the
church is essentially practical, and unity is its very life:
`Out of Whom all the Body being fitly framed and knit together through
that which every joint supplieth, according to the working in measure of
each several part, the growth of the body is making unto the building up
of itself in love' (Eph. 4:16 author's translation).
When the purpose of God in His church is viewed from the Godward
standpoint, the Temple is said to grow `in the Lord'.  Further, it does not say
that the Temple builds up itself in love, but that it is built up together `in
spirit'.  In chapter 4 the theme is practical.  The unity of the Spirit is there
for us to keep.  The work of the Spirit is through human channels, apostles,
prophets, etc.  The building up of the Body of Christ, wrought by these gifts of
the ascended Lord, is followed, after the unity of the faith is reached, by the
harmonious working of every member of the Body building itself up in love.  A
parallel passage is Colossians 2:19:
`Out of Whom all the Body, being supplied and knit together through the
joints and ligaments, groweth with growth of God' (Author's translation).
The first point to notice is that all grows `out of' Christ, the Head.
The next thing is that growth depends upon supply, and supply upon unity among
the members.  We might place the reference to the compactness of the Body and
its several members into parenthesis and read:
`Out of Whom, origin (all the Body being fitly framed and knit together)
through that which every joint supplieth, channel (according to the
working in measure of every part), the growth of the body is making unto
the building up of itself in love, goal'.
The two parenthetical clauses, as it were, are assumed as facts:
`Taking it for granted that there is no dislocation either of limb, nerve,
organ or circulation, and taking it for granted that each one part is
working proportionately', then `the growth of the body will take place'.
What a deal is taken for granted?
Let us note these features carefully.
`All The Body ... Makes For Growth'.  This is equivalent
to saying,
`According to the measure of each one part makes for growth'.
All the Body is
concerned with its growth.  It is impossible for one member to
merely feed
itself and further its own growth without wrecking the health,
if not risking
the reason and the life of the Body.
`Fitly Framed And Knit Together'.  The word translated `fitly framed
together' in 2:21 and `fitly joined together' in 4:16 is sunarmologeo.  This
word is composed of `together', `adapt' and `collect' and Dr. Bullinger in his
Lexicon well expresses this by saying that it `joins together parts fitted to
each other' (adapted).
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