 |  |
Things that make for Growth (Eph. 4: 16).
pp. 52 - 56
We now come to the central reference to the "body" in Ephesians. In Volume VIII
we gave the structure of the seven references. We repeat it here for the sake of new
readers:--
A
| a | 1: 23. The Body. Christ the Head.
b | 4: 4. The Unity. Christ the one Lord.
B | 4: 12. Gifts for the building.
C | 4: 16. Unity. "Fitly joined together."
B | 4: 16. Each member for the increase.
A | a | 5: 23. The Body. Christ the Head and Saviour.
b | 5: 30. The Unity. The church the members.
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).
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,
first 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 Col. 2: 19:--
"Out of Whom all the body, being supplied and knit together through the joints and
ligaments, groweth with the growth of God."
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."