word “body” is used nine times in the book of Ephesians. eight of those times
is in reference to the church (1:23, 2:16, 4:4, 4:12, 4:16, 5:23, 5:30), and
one of those times is used in the plural form to reference husbands in
Ephesians 5:28. In this article we will examine the use of the Greek word soma
(G4983) in Ephesians in order to find out more about the church.
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“And hath put all things under his feet, and
gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the
fulness of him that filleth all in all” (Ephesians 1:22-23).
see from this passage that Jesus – being the king of kings and Lord of Lords –
is the head of the church. The church is defined as the body of Christ. It is
in this body that God was “filling all in all.” That, as we will learn further
in the epistle, was being accomplished through the mystery by the preaching of
the gospel (see Colossians 3:10-11).
be a part of the church is to be a member of the body of Christ, and to be a
member of the body of Christ is to be a part of the “called out ones” of God.
As we will see, the only answer to man's sin problem (from Adam to our present
day) is the body of Christ.
“Wherefore remember, that ye being in time
past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is
called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at that time ye were
without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers
from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the
blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken
down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the
enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in
himself of twain one new man, so
making peace; And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the
cross, having slain the enmity thereby”
(Ephesians 2:11-16).
see once again that – in the body – both the Jew and the Gentile stand on level
ground at the foot of the cross of Christ. Both have equal access to the
spiritual blessings that are in Christ (Ephesians 1:3, 3:6). If we are members
of the church, then we are part of the “new man” of Christ (Ephesians 4:24;
Colossians 3:10).
“There is one body, and one spirit, even as
ye are called in one hope of your calling” (Ephesians 4:4).
aspect of the church is that there is only one. In like manner, there is only
one hope, and that hope is eternal life – which can only be found in Christ (John
5:26; Ephesians 2:5-6, 12; Titus 1:2). The one Spirit is the Holy Spirit that
worked through the church to produce unity and peace (Ephesians 2:17-18, 4:3).
we just mentioned, the Holy Spirit was sent for the perfecting of the body of
Christ through the ministry of reconciliation (II Corinthians 5:11-21).
“For the perfecting of the saints, for the
work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come
in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a
perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we
henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every
wind of doctrine, by the sleight of
men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking
the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even
Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that
which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure
of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love”
(Ephesians 4:12-16).
members of the body of Christ, it is our job to promote the growth of the
church by teaching the gospel to others so that they may enjoy the blessings we
enjoy in Christ (Ephesians 1:1-14).
“For the husband is the head of the wife,
even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body”
(Ephesians 5:23).
is the head of the body and the savior of the church. Nobody can be saved
outside of the church and the only way to enter that body is through baptism (I
Corinthians 12:13).
“For we are members of his body, of his
flesh, and of his bones” (Ephesians 5:30).
the bride of Christ, we should submit to Christ and make His priories our
priorities. That is, we should strive to seek and save the lost and live
righteously (Luke 19:10; Revelation 19:7-8). Are you in the body?
Hi, Daniel. Have you thought about what Paul says in Eph 5:30 and how that relates to Adam's song in Genesis 2? It seems that Adam uses bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh bc Eve was taken from his physical body. But then Paul uses that same language for the Church (Eve) being derived from Christ's body.
(Preterism forever….)
Hey Travis! Thanks for commenting!
That's a great point. I developed that theme in a video that I've uploaded called "bone of my bones". This article was oringally posted in a publication that has very limited space!