Growing and building, figures of Body and Temple, are to be found together in such

passages as "rooted and founded" (Eph. 3: 17), and "rooted and built up" (Col. 2: 7). It

is important that we remember the fact that the Scripture speaks of the "growth" of the

Body. No amount of energy, of meetings, of advertising, can make for growth. Growth

is the result of life, health, suitable environment and sound food. Growth can be retarded

by the absence of light, air or water. The student of Scripture does not need an exposition

of these three types, they are so obvious. Nevertheless, growth is stayed in many a child

of God simply because he is not walking in the light.

The passage in the A.V. reads, "May grow up into Him in all things which is the

Head, even Christ" (Eph. 4: 15). We find it difficult to accept the translation "in all

things". First.--There is no word for "in". Secondly.--The words ta panta are either the

nominative or the accusative plural. In other passages "in all" is en pasi (Eph. 1: 23;

Col. 3: 11), and even though the en should be omitted, the dative case pasi, would still

remain unchanged. Further, we believe that the words ta panta express from another

point of view that which constitutes the pleroma, and indicate that creation which was the

work of God, not as revealed in Gen. 1: 1, but as revealed in Eph. 3: 9:--

Panta is universal, we know that "all things" good and bad, can work together for

good to them that love God, but it is not all things, bad as well as good that are "freely

given to us", because of the great gift of Christ. This is ta panta, the specific "all things"

of the context, "all things" that are the result of redeeming love.  Col. 3: 8 rightly

translates ta panta "all these", the Colossians were not expected to put off the universe

(see also Just and the Justifier, pages 230 and 231).

Another phrase needs considering. What do we understand by "growing into Him"?

Are we considered as separated from Him, and by slow degrees growing nearer and

nearer to Him? This may be possible if we are speaking of the believer's experimental

fellowship with the Lord, but how can a "body" grow into the "head", for that is the

figure before us? Moreover, the very next verse says, "out of whom all the body . . . . .

makes growth", so that growth is viewed as only possible while Head and members are

A somewhat parallel expression occurs in 3: 19, "That ye may be filled (eis) unto all

the fullness of God", which means that the believer shall be filled for, or with a view to,

that fullness. That he may be able to take his place in that fullness, that as a member of

that Body which is itself a "fullness" he may be filled up to the measure of Him that

filleth (ta panta) with all. So in Eph. 4: the growth is "for" or "with a view to" Him in

His capacity as the Head, which is but another way of indicating our "measure", "the

stature of the fullness of Christ". The fullness is the measure of our stature. "The Head"

and "the all things", is but another way of saying the same thing. Conybeare and Howson

in a footnote say, "Auxanein eis auton is grow to the standard of His growth". Christ, the

Head, is placed together with "the all things" that are "through Him" (I Cor. 8: 6); the