We cannot read this epistle and carefully note its contents without the fact being brought home to us that much of what it teaches is sadly neglected in our day by Christians generally. Did not God design this matchless book for His children’s guidance at all times and in all seasons, and Has He not sent down the Holy Spirit to take charge of them, leaving them without the slightest need to resort to making rules and establishing systems of man’s devising? And are not these human substitutes an affront to God?
We come now to the “one body,” spoken of in Romans 12; Ephesians 1:22-23; 2:13-16; 4:4-16; 5:3022And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, 23Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. (Ephesians 1:22‑23)
13But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. 14For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; 15Having 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; 16And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: (Ephesians 2:13‑16)
4There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; 5One Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. 7But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. 8Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. 9(Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? 10He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) 11And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13Till 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: 14That 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; 15But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 16From 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 4:4‑16)
30For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. (Ephesians 5:30); Colossians 1:18, 2418And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. (Colossians 1:18)
24Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church: (Colossians 1:24). “There is one body,” and it still exists on earth, though the truth of it is ignored in practice by the Christian profession in general.
Here as in Romans 12:44For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: (Romans 12:4), the natural body is used to illustrate the “one body”. Our natural body has many members, but all the members of the body, being many, are one body; so also is the mystical body of Christ; or using the precise language of the Scriptures, “so also is (the) Christ.” When Saul of Tarsus was struck down while seeking to rid the world of the followers of the Lord (Acts 9:44And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? (Acts 9:4)), he heard a voice speaking to him, and saying, “Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me?” And he said, “Who art Thou, Lord?” And the Lord said, “I am Jesus whom thou persecutest...” He and His people are one; the church is His body (Eph. 1:22-2322And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, 23Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. (Ephesians 1:22‑23)).
This new body was formed on the day of Pentecost in the power of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:5; 2:1-45For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. (Acts 1:5)
1And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. 4And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. (Acts 2:1‑4)), but it is quite plain that neither Peter nor John, nor James, nor the other apostles realized at first, except in a very limited way, what had then taken place.
They knew that “that same Jesus” whom the house of Israel had crucified, God had made both Lord and Christ (Acts 2:3636Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. (Acts 2:36)), and that the Holy Spirit had come down as promised; that Israel’s blessing now depended on their acknowledging Christ.
Very interesting it is to note in the book of Acts the gradual unfolding of the truth of God as the saints were able to receive it. A special line of things was given to the converted Saul of Tarsus, when as the Apostle Paul he was directed to make known the truth of the church, Christ’s body, with much more than is contained in his epistles, that, to the Ephesians notably.
“For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free, and have been all made to drink into (or of) one Spirit” (verse 13).
This, the only body of believers that God recognizes on earth, is, entirely the work of the Holy Spirit; Christians do not “join” it; they are brought into it when they receive Christ as Saviour; water baptism is not in view here, as is plain from Acts 1:55For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. (Acts 1:5), and 11:15-16. Indeed in Mark 10:38-3938But Jesus said unto them, Ye know not what ye ask: can ye drink of the cup that I drink of? and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? 39And they said unto him, We can. And Jesus said unto them, Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of; and with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized: (Mark 10:38‑39), and Luke 12:49-5049I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled? 50But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished! (Luke 12:49‑50) the Lord speaks of His suffering and death as His “baptism”, and in the former passage also He refers to the cup of which He was to drink; this brings before us the scene in the garden of Gethsemane (Luke 22:4242Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. (Luke 22:42)).
Verse 14. God’s thoughts and ways are always far higher than our own. In the body are many members, and each has his (or its) own place to fill; there variety is seen in unity, for all the members together constitute one body, and if in a healthy, normal state, all of them are altogether subject to the head.
Should any of the members of Christ’s mystical body be discontented with their lot, as it is said, If a foot shall say, Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body; or if an ear should say, Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body? The hand is more useful than a foot, truly, and an eye would be more difficult to have to do without than an ear, but each is exactly needful for the body. So, rather than being discontented because your place, or mine, in the body of Christ seems inferior to that of another, let us see that we are, each of us, fulfilling our little individual part as members of that one body. And we must not forget that God has set us as members, every one of us, in the body, as it has pleased Him; if this be realized, there is contentment in the heart.
If all were one member, there would be no body, after all; but now are there many members, yet but one body. To this point (verse 20) the Holy Spirit has been occupied with the feebler or less important members of Christ’s body. What tender regard God has for those that are His own, even the feeblest!
Verse 21. But the eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need of thee; nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. This supposes a more important member, conscious of his importance, looking with disdain on a less useful member. Let him remember, that, much rather, the members of the body which seem to be weaker, are necessary, and those members of the body which we esteem to be the more void of honor, these we clothe with more abundant honor, and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness; but our comely parts have not need (verses 22-24). So we drape, or clothe our bodies and limbs and feet, but not our faces.
But God has tempered (or blended) the body together, having given more abundant honor to the part that lacked, that there might be no division in the body, but that the members might have the same care one for another. So there would be some without outward honor put on them who may be very useful in the assembly; others like Epaphras in Colossians 4:1212Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God. (Colossians 4:12), who “labored fervently” in prayers, for the saints he knew; such are far more important in the body of Christ than were some at Corinth who displayed themselves in miracles or tongues, for God uses and honors what we are apt to think little of. It is well to have His thoughts about those that are His own; then we shall have a loving interest in all of them.
Verse 26. If one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; and if one member be glorified, all the members rejoice with it. This is noticeable as to our human bodies; how quickly an injury to one part, however slight, is felt all over the body! And when it is healed, the whole man feels better.
Now in the present divided state of the church of God, there is great hindrance to the practical exposition of verse 26, but it is certain from the language of the verse that if saints unknown to us and far away, even on the opposite side of the world, are suffering, are worldly, or are blessed in their souls, we are affected by it, because we are one body in Christ.
Verse 27 states an important principle. The local assembly stands as the body of Christ, of which it is the local expression. The writer already quoted, says in this connection,
“The general expression shows that in the walk of the assembly, and in its general interests, a local assembly can not be separated from the whole body of Christians on earth; and the language employed here shows that as to their position before God, the Christians of one town were considered as representing the whole assembly as far as regarded that locality; not as independent of the rest, but on the contrary as inseparably united to the others, living and acting with respect to that locality as members of the body of Christ, and looked upon as such in it, because every Christian formed a part of that body, and they formed a part of it likewise. From the verses that follow we see that the Apostle, while looking upon the Christians there as the body of Christ, the members of which they were, has in his mind the whole assembly as the assembly of God.”
Verse 28. We have traced the forming of the assembly, or church, and the distribution of gifts, the Holy Spirit dividing to each severally as He wills; we have seen the assembly as the body of Christ, the members every one set in the body as it hath pleased Him.
Now we come to the provision which in the saints God has made for the care and upbuilding of the assembly. “God hath set some in the church, first apostles; secondarily prophets; thirdly teachers; after that miracles. . .” Apostles and prophets were provided for the assembly’s beginning. Strictly speaking, they are not found today, but the apostles’ inspired writings form a most important part of revealed truth; in that sense, too, apostles and prophets are at the head of the list of Christ’s gifts to the assembly in Ephesians 4:1111And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; (Ephesians 4:11), which are to continue until we reach the glory.
Some of the provisions God made, as given in 1 Corinthians 12:2828And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. (1 Corinthians 12:28), have been called sign-gifts, because it is said that they were a sign to unbelievers. They were, no doubt, and needed for the beginning of Christianity, but there is no intimation that they were to continue, and they are not found in the list in Ephesians 428Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. (Ephesians 4:28).
In Mark 16:2020And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen. (Mark 16:20), we are told of the beginning, “And they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the Word with signs following.”
Moses, it has been remarked, wrought miracles, and Elijah too, but the later prophets, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and others did not. The “tongues” and other alleged tokens of the Holy Spirit which some are building much upon at the present time do not bear the marks of divine approval.
Verses 29-31. In these God-given provisions for the carrying on of His work, all could not hold office, but all may, and should, covet earnestly the best gifts, that is, those by which the assembly should be built up. And yet, says the Apostle to the power-seeking Corinthians, show I unto you a more excellent way – which is given in Chapter 13.