French book therefore a male, and must we speak of "him" and "his"? The truth is that

the "word", and not the "thing" named, is feminine or masculine; so with the Greek. The

same argument that would prove the Church to be feminine would prove the Spirit to be

Let us look at a few examples of feminine words, kephalē is feminine; this word is

translated "head" in Eph. 1: 22, but this does not in any sense imply that the head of the

Church is a female, "and gave HIM (MASCULINE) to be HEAD (feminine) over all

things to the CHURCH (feminine) which is His BODY (neuter)". In Eph. 2: 1 we have

"trespasses and sins". "Sins" is feminine; does this imply that only women are guilty of

"sins"? In Eph. 2: 3 we read of the "lusts of the flesh"; the word "flesh" is feminine,

whether used of male or female. "Wrath" in the same verse is feminine also, so also is

"love" in verse 4, and "grace" in verse 7. When Christ said, "I am the true VINE", the

word used is feminine; when the Lord said, "I am the DOOR", the word again is

feminine.  The word graphē ("Scripture") is feminine, while the "law" (nomos) is

We will not multiply instances of that which is patent to those having the most casual

acquaintance with language.  We can only regret that such examples of "a little

knowledge" should still be found, as that quoted above. The title of the Church as either

the Bride, or the Body, has no connection with the etymological or grammatical

requirements of the word ecclesia, but is a subject of revelation. The question of the use

of the "body" in I Corinthians we will deal with in a separate paper.

It is our belief that the Church of the One Body is peculiar to the revelation of the

prison epistles (Ephesians, Philippians and Colossians), and that before the dispensation

of the mystery the Church was not the "One Body". We certainly find references to the

body in I Corinthians, and as some of our readers are not clear about the subject we

propose to consider it here.

The passage to which reference is made is I Cor. 12: This chapter, together with 13:

and 14:, is "concerning spiritual gifts". First of all the apostle divides his subject into

two distinct sections:--

Looking at the second part we observe that it is sub-divided into three groups:--