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#68.
The Unity and the Bond (Eph. 4: 3).
pp. 49 52
With the necessary preparation set out in the preceding articles, we may hope to put
into effect the exhortation of Eph. 4: 3:--
"Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of the peace."
In #66 of this series we showed by a simple outline that the walk alternates with the
One Body and with the New Man. Let us now give closer attention to the section
devoted to the One Body, placing on either side the references to the walk.
Eph. 4: 1-17.
A | 1-. The prisoner of the Lord. Beseeches.
B | a | -1. Walk worthy. Positive.
b | 2. Humility of mind.
C1 | c1 | 3-6. Unity of Spirit. Keep. Sevenfold.
d1 | 7. Measure. Gift of Christ.
e1 | 8-12. Gifts of Ministry: for perfecting.
C2 | c2 | 13-. Unity of Faith. Arrive. Sevenfold.
d2 | -13, 14. Measure. Fulness of Christ.
e2 | 15. Truth in love: for growth.
C3 | c3 | 16-. Unity of Body. Fitly joined. Sevenfold.
d3 | -16-. Measure. Every part.
e3 | -16. Edify self in love.
A | 17-. I testify in the Lord.
B | a | -17-. Walk not. Negative.
b | -17. Vanity of mind.
It will be seen by the structure that the unity which the apostle now approaches is
threefold. There is first the unity of the Spirit with its bond of peace. Then there is the
unity of the Faith, and finally the unity of the One Body. The parallel passage to
Eph. 4: 16 in Colossians is Col. 2: 19, and there the "bond" of Eph. 4: 3 comes out
again as the "bands" or the "ligaments" of the body.
The apostle exhorts us to "endeavour to keep". In Gal. 2: 10, referring to the
suggestion of the leaders at Jerusalem that Paul should "remember the poor", Paul says,
"the same which I also was forward to do". We find several allusions to the gatherings
for the poor saints at Jerusalem, and when these offerings were ready, the apostle
undertook the journey in person to bring this evidence of fellowship and reconciliation to
Jerusalem. "Forward" is the word endeavour. Writing his last letter to Timothy, he gives
him among other things this charge:--
"Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be
ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of truth" (II Tim. 2: 15).