the Bride of the Lamb, and the description of the heavenly Jerusalem, we realize how

much more glorious is that calling as compared with the highest calling on earth. What

shall be said then of that company of the redeemed, blessed neither on earth nor in the

New Jerusalem, blessed neither as a kingdom nor as a Bride, but blessed "in Christ"

where He now sits "far above all", blessed not only as the members of His Body which is

dignity indeed, but actually destined to be "the fullness of Him" in Whom dwells all the

fullness of the Godhead bodily.

It is evident from what we have discovered in the Word, that the term "fullness" is

vital to the accomplishment of the Divine purpose and there is one point more that must

be considered before we close. Head and members, or Head and Body, are relative

terms. The one cannot exert or function without the other. This we all recognize must be

true of the members, but is it not also necessarily true of the Head? Christ AS HEAD

needs the complement of His Body, just as surely as the church. His Body, needs the

complement of the Head. In the words "the fullness of Him that filleth all in all" the

words thus translated to pleroma tou "The fullness of Him" are cast in the form known as

"The genitive of relation". Words ending in ma often have a passive significance.

Chrysostom, in his commentary says:

Beza says something very similar:

Pleromenou "That filleth" is not passive but middle voice . . . . . "To fill up or

complete for Himself".

The very fact that God has a goal, and is moving toward the goal, implies that this

relationship of the redeemed with the Redeemer is essential to the glorious achievement

of the ages. God is moving from the status of God Who is Creator, to God Who is

Father, and the title Father is itself relative, it necessitates a family. While therefore the

redeemed are nothing in themselves, they are precious by reason of His gracious purpose.

CHARLES H. WELCH