WHAT is meant by this illustration? What is the relation between the Head and the body? What are the functions of the Head to the body, and the body to the Head. These are questions we seek to answer briefly.
It was said in derision of Christians, who sought to gather to the Lord's name in simplicity, and in obedience to the word of God, that they had strong arms and legs, but no head. That there were strong legs and arms was in reality the admission that there was a good healthy head. The amputation of an arm or a leg does not necessarily imperil life, but a headless body is a dead body. These critics made the mistake of not looking high enough. They looked in the wrong direction. They might look to Rome to see the head of the Romish system. They might look to Canterbury to see the head of the Anglican system. They might look to Edinburgh to see the head of the Presbyterian system. They might look in this earthly direction or that for the head of this system or that.
Where was the Head of these despised Christians, who had strong legs and arms, but no head? For that you would have to look up to Heaven, and see the only HEAD that Scripture recognizes as the Head of His church, even our Lord Jesus Christ in the glory of God. With such a Head, acknowledged and responded to, it was no wonder that these believers had strong legs and arms.
A little thought as to the human body in relation to the human head will help to answer our questions. There can be no movement of the human body save under the direction of the human head. See that great musician. His audience sits entranced as he fills the air with the sound of ravishing music. His fingers fly at lightning speed over the ivory keys. Each lightning action is the result of the brain telegraphing to the fingers what chords to strike. A hundred such telegrams have passed through the nerves of his body in an incredibly short space of time. Or take the exercise of walking. The movement of, both legs, the swinging of the arms, the eyes noting the road, the ears warning of oncoming traffic to be, avoided, and much besides, are all synchronized in the act of walking; The head directs, the members of the body respond.
And this is the illustration that Scripture employs to show the wonderful connection by the Spirit of God between the Divine Head in heaven and the members of His body on the earth. Thus we learn that one of the great functions of the Head in heaven is to direct, and the function of the members on the earth is to respond to the Divine instructions.
Another function of the Head is to furnish spiritual and heavenly nourishment to the body on earth, maintaining it thereby in health and strength. The following Scriptures make this abundantly plain. " From whom [Christ, the Head in heaven] 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." (Eph. 4:1616From 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 4:16).) "[Christ]... the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God." (Col. 2:1919And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God. (Colossians 2:19).) The " joints and bands " refer to the channels through which the Head in heaven is pleased to minister spiritual nourishment to His members on the earth, through the agency of the gifts He bestows on His church, and of the members of the body generally. Just as in nature the human head is that part of the human body from which nourishment flows to every part of the body, so spiritual nourishment flows from the. Head in heaven through the " joints and bands," and by " the body... edifying... itself in love."
Even the Psalms know something akin to this, foreshadowing this great truth. We read, " Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments." (Psa. 133:1, 21<<A Song of degrees of David.>> Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! 2It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments; (Psalm 133:1‑2)) Oil in the Old Testament is typical of the Holy Spirit. In the New Testament the Holy Spirit is called the "unction" (1 John 2:2020But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. (1 John 2:20)), and the " anointing " (1 John 2:2727But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him. (1 John 2:27)). In this beautiful Psalm we get an illustration of the pouring out of the Holy Spirit in the ointment descending from Aaron's head, down to his beard, and thence to the skirts of his garments. The Spirit of God descended from the Head in heaven to indwell all the members of Christ's body on earth. Descending to Aaron's beard may set forth the way that our Lord conferred the Spirit first on His apostles, and then the Spirit being bestowed upon every believer answers to the precious ointment reaching the skirts of Aaron's garments.
So we find that the apostles, companying with the Lord, seeing Him with their eyes, hearing Him, observing Him, produced a first fellowship, which is " with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ." (1 John 1:33That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. (1 John 1:3).) This fellowship was passed on to the rest of the believers, that their joy might be full, and continues to this day.
Many alas! have neutralized to a very large extent the happy relation of direction, nourishment and supply between the Head in heaven and the members of Christ's body on the earth by introducing human organizations, and thus stifling the free action of the Spirit of God, especially by the introduction of one-man ministry, thus establishing a priestly caste, limiting very largely the activity of the Spirit to one individual. This results in setting aside what others might happily supply for the good of the whole, if the Spirit were left free to act, as is His prerogative.