with the construction of the human body not only calls forth praise to the Creator, but

affords many lessons of a spiritual nature.

The underlying meaning of haphe is connected with "touching". The language of

common speech: "Keep in touch", "out of touch", etc., and the sanction of Scripture

(Matt. 9: 20, etc.) would impress upon us the need for the closest unity between every

member of the body. We should be as anxious to get rid of all friction spiritually, as we

are to avoid rheumatism physically. A "stiff neck" belongs to both worlds, and can be a

serious interference in the healthy functioning of the body.

The meaning of sumbibazo, "knit together", was considered in Volume XXIII,

page 13, to which the reader is directed for its twofold meaning and its bearing upon the

subject here.

"To minister nourishment" is the translation of epichoregeo, and originally referred to

the choregos, a person who supplied the refreshments, ornaments, etc., for the chorus or

theatrical entertainment. Choros occurs in Luke 15: 25 where it is translated "dancing".

Josephus refers to God as the Choregon trophes, "The Supplier of food". The verb

occurs in II Cor. 9: 10, and I Pet. 4: 11. Combined with epi, as in Col. 2: 19, we find

the word in II Cor. 9: 10 (first word), Gal. 3: 5, and II Pet. 1: 11. In Eph. 4: 16, and

Phil. 1: 19 the substantive epichoregia is translated "supply". The passage in Philippians

well illustrates the relationship of member and head:--

While, therefore, the believer has nothing to do with "meat and drink" and the feasts

that belong to the law, he is by no means cut off from their spiritual equivalents, the very

word used, as we have seen, being associated originally with entertainment, ornament,

and "things richly to enjoy". This would be felt all the more by those who had been led

into a false asceticism, "neglecting the body", "forbidding to marry" and "commanding

to abstain from meats". Holiness and increase are not forwarded by such practices. All

true increase must be "the increase of God", even though it be through "every joint of the

supply" and the "edifying of itself in love".

"Increase" is closely linked with "the knowledge of God" in Col. 1: 10.  In

II Cor. 9: 10 the word choregeo and epichoregeo ("minister") occur, and we find the

word "increase" as a result. Paul may plant, and Apollos may water, but it is God that

giveth the increase (I Cor. 3: 6, 7), a lesson that the Colossians had been slow to learn.

We find the same word translated "to grow" in Eph. 4: 15, so making another close

parallel between the two passages. It comes again in Eph. 2: 21, where the temple that

is "fitly framed together" corresponds with the body that is "fitly joined together" in

Eph. 4: 16.

One of the fundamental features of sanctification is "union" (see Volume XXIII,

page 76), and we find the same truth in Col. 2: Anything that separates the believer

from the Lord, by the interposing of anything whatever, is comparable with the

dislocation of the body, and "wholeness", which is one phase of "holiness", is thereby