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"The Church, which is His Body" (Eph. 1: 22, 23).
pp. 145-148
In our last paper we were considering the evident difference that there is between the
viewpoint of the epistle to the Hebrews, and that to the Ephesians. In Hebrews "we see
not yet", while in Ephesians we see that now, as well as in the age to come, the Lord has
all things under His feet, and is Head. This headship, however, we further observed was
peculiar to the dispensation of the Mystery. From every other point of view except that
of the Mystery we have to say, "we see not yet all things put under Him". The qualifying
clause that explains the apparent contradiction is that which concludes Eph. 1: 22. Christ
has been given head over all things to the Church, even while it is still true that with that
one exceptional qualification He is the rejected One, awaiting the day of His glory.
It is now necessary to call attention to the fact that although the verse ends with the
words, "to the Church", the scriptural argument does not end there. The sub-division of
chapters into verses, at times, misleads; the Church to which Christ has been given head
over all things is the Church which is His body. It is necessary to keep this definitely
before us; more "Churches" than one find their place in Scripture, and it is the initial step
towards confusion to ignore the things that differ. A parallel to this verse division is
found in 3: 6, 7; we must not stop short at the words, "partakers of His promise in
Christ by the gospel", for the scripture is careful to define which gospel the apostle
intends us to have in mind; verse 7 continues with a qualifying statement, and confines
the gospel under view to that whereof Paul was made a minister. The Church which is
His body forms a very precious for meditation. Chapter 5: 23 argues that Christ being
head of the Church, He is also saviour of the body; the nearness that the figure of the
body conveys, and the love with which it is regarded by the Lord is given in 5: 28-30:--
"So ought men to love their own wives, as their own bodies, he that loveth his wife,
loveth himself, for no man ever yet hated his own flesh, but nourisheth and cherisheth it,
even as the Lord the church, for we are members of His body."
The references in Ephesians to the Body, the Church, are seven in number. This
number is not accidental, and stamps the subject of God's own hall-mark of perfection;
the line of teaching connected with the Body is clearly indicated by a comparison of these
seven references.
A | 1: 23. The Body. Christ the Head.
B | 4: 4. The Unity. Christ the One Lord.
C | 4: 12. Gifts for the building.
D | 4: 16. Unity. "Fitly joined together."
C | 4: 16. Each member for the increase.
A | 5: 23. The Body. Christ the Head and Saviour.
B | 5: 30. The Unity. The Church the members.
First, comes the headship of Christ, as set forth by 1: 23, and 5: 23. Then comes the
subject of unity; first, the sevenfold unity of the Spirit (4: 4), secondly, the perfect
relation of each member to the other expressed in the word, "fitly joined together", and
finally the illustration of this wonderful unity in the words, "we are members of His