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Returning to I Cor. 12:, let us notice the "one body" as the Apostle details it. "If the
foot shall say, because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the
body?" Here is clearly a resumption of the argument of verses 7-12, "if the ear shall say,
because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it not therefore of the body?" Here,
members of the head are introduced which cannot possibly be true of the Church of the
One Body, for the Head of that Body is Christ Himself. The next verse is directed
against the spiritual pride of those who possessed some more apparent gift than others, "if
the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing?" "but now God hath set the
members every one of them in the body as it hath pleased him." With this verse read
verses 27, 28:
"Now ye are a body of Christ, and members in part, and God hath set some in the
church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers (these are the members like
the eye or the ear), after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments,
diversity of tongues."
Coming back to verse nineteen we observe the continuation of the argument, "and if
they were all one member, where were the body? But now are they many members, yet
one body". The argument is pursued even to speaking of "uncomely parts", which
certainly can find no place in "the Church which is His Body, the fullness of Him that
filleth all in all". Chapter 13: is the more excellent way, and chapter 14: resumes the
theme of the gifts. Here the Apostle dwells upon the useful gifts, and "edifying" is a
key word, "forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the
edifying of the church" (verse twelve).
The endeavour to read into I Cor. 12: that which is declared to be a mystery
unrevealed until the imprisonment of Paul robs both sets of teaching of their point and
purpose. In Corinthians the Church in connection with the supernatural gifts is likened to
a body, the Church of the Mystery is spoken of as being dispensationally THE body. Let
us try the things that differ.
Finally, with reference to the presence of a mystery in I Cor. 2: 7 we find that both
Paul and his fellow labourers were to be accounted "stewards of the mysteries (plural) of
God" (I Cor. 4: 1) yet one has only to read Eph. 3: 1-13 or Col. 1: 24-26 to realize that
here we have a mystery and a dispensation that differs essentially from all that has gone
before. Why these good folk do not go back to Matt. 13: and make the dispensation of
the Mystery start there as some do, we do not know, for "mystery" is the key word to that
chapter of parables.
We find therefore, that:
(1)
The dispensation of the Mystery (Eph. 3: 9 R.V.) was entrusted to one, and to one
only, namely the Apostle Paul.
(2)
That this dispensation is intimately associated with Paul as "the prisoner of Jesus Christ
for you Gentiles" a condition that Acts 13: cannot fulfil.
(3)
That this dispensation was a matter of revelation, and unsearchable, and had been "hid
in God" since the ages.
(4)
That this dispensation was made known at a point of time, which when Ephesians was
written could be called "now".