In this blog, I want to pick up the story again from my blogpost called ‘The People of the Messiah’. I explained there why Paul chose that word εκκλησία/ekklesia, and what it means. Before we discuss the term “body of Christ”, I need first to mention two ways in which εκκλησία is used:
The εκκλησία is both the universal church, as in Eph. 3,10, and the local church as in 1 Cor. 1,2 – where the local church in Corinth is meant. The important thing is that the local εκκλησία in Corinth, is not seen as part of the universal church in the sense that to get the universal church, you have to add up all the local churches in Corinth and in other places, to arrive at the total sum. The local church in Corinth – any local church – is representative of the universal church in that locality. This means that the whole power of Christ is available to every local congregation and that each congregation functions in its community as the universal church functions in the world as a whole; and stands in solidarity with it (the universal church). We need to think in the same way about “body of Christ”.
THE TERM BODY OF CHRIST
“Body of Christ” as a term for the company of Christian believers is found in Paul’s letters to the Romans, 1 Corinthians, Ephesians and Colossians*. In Romans and 1 Corinthians, it is used as a comparison (1 Cor. 12,12), an illustration for what the church – the ekklesia is. In Ephesians and Colossians this idea is developed somewhat, Christ there being the head of the body – i.e. “body of Christ” is invested with Christological significance. This blogpost will be about its first use, in Romans and 1 Corinthians. Then we will look at Ephesians and Colossians in a later blog.
*Romans chapter 12, 1 Corinthians 10,16 and chapter 12; Ephesians 1,12; 2,16; 3,6 and chapter 4 and Colossians 1-3
The relationship between Christ and his body, is not one of identity: Paul never says that the church is Christ; as if the church were simply a continuation of the Incarnation. Paul preserves a distinction between the two. As head of the church in Ephesians and Colossians he is continuous with the other members. Yet he is Lord of all; in this he is discontinuous!
DIVERSITY NOT UNIFORMITY
In what follows, I am primarily looking at 1 Corinthians 12 , where the idea of “the body of Christ is most fully worked out (but see also Romans 12,3-8). I am assuming that you know this chapter well. The first thing to notice about this word “body” is that the fellowship – the κοινωνία/koinōnia of believers, is being compared to something living – a living organism – and not first an institution. The members of this fellowship are the different body parts – and they are all fitted onto the same body – fitted as GOD WILLED THEM TO BE FITTED (1 Cor. 12,18)! Different body parts have different functions. This is according to the will of God – HE DOES NOT CREATE COPIES OR CLONES OF ANY KIND. It is men and women who get hung up on comparison and comparing one another – NOT SO GOD! He WANTS diversity** and uniqueness – AND FOR THE ONE WHO MIGHT SEEM THE MOST INSIGNIFICANT MEMBER OF THE BODY, HE WANTS THE SAME LOVE AND RESPECT THAT THE OTHER MEMBERS RECEIVE – BECAUSE THAT MEMBER WAS PUT THERE BY GOD HIMSELF – HE GIVES THEM SIGNIFICANCE IF YOU AND I CAN´T SEE IT!
But all the members are on the SAME body! AND EVERYONE HAS GIFTS, AND HAS A PART TO PLAY! There is no competition in the body of Christ, because each of us are set there to perform different functions. Instead, WE ARE TO HONOUR AND PUT THE OTHER MEMBERS FORWARD!
**NB! Diversity does not extend to gender diversity – gender as a social construct is a modern conception. The Bible teaches that he created them male and female.
UNITY
“For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body— Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.” 1 Cor. 12,12-13
These verses from chapter 12 serve to underline the unity that is to be in the body of Christ. The unity is created by the Holy Spirit, for by him, we are all baptised into the same body. The unity is there – IT IS A FACT, because God the Holy Spirit created that unity. It is not therefore something that Christians must strive to create, rather something THEY MUST STRIVE TO MAINTAIN!
And we are not to think of organisational unity, though that is to be preferred within the local congregation – and Paul mentions this several times see e.g. Phil. 4,2-3. Neither are we to think of intellectual unity – being a Christian is not like having to wear an intellectual straight-jacket – Christians have varying opinions on many issues. Having said this there needs to be a high degree of doctrinal unity: All Christians should acknowledge the Bible as Holy Scripture, and most denominations accept the 3 great creeds: the Apostolic, the Athenasian and the Nicene Creeds. No! The unity which is created by the Holy Spirit is a SPIRITUAL UNITY OF LOVE AND PURPOSE WITH RESPECT TO THE GOSPEL! And you know that Spirit anywhere in the world, because it expresses itself spontaneously in a love for Jesus Christ!
To have a unity of purpose, however, does not mean that we all have to agree on the same method! The Spirit creates – and we as brothers and sisters in the Lord need to walk in – the love that Jesus spoke of in John 13,34-35 – being mindful of the prayer of Jesus in John 17,11:
“that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” Jn. 17,21
It is when Christian brothers and sisters can put aside disagreements on matters which are important to them, but not central to the faith, and demonstrate this love and unity within the body of Christ, that the world will sit up and listen:
I want to end this section on unity in Christ, by saying that I believe this to be of the first importance to the Father; that his children love each other and demonstrate that unity in Christ. And if we on occasion feel we struggle in our relationship with one brother or sister, either in our own church, or in another, we need to contemplate this fact: This is one for whom Christ died! Receive that person unto yourself in the name of Christ Jesus, because he receives them!
THE CORINTHIAN CHURCH
The church of Christ in Corinth in the mid 50s of the first century was somewhat dysfunctional***, with respect to the love and unity that should be in the body of Christ. Part of the reason for this seems to be in 1,12-13; that there are factions in the church. This surfaces when Paul discusses the Lord’s Supper or the Eucharist (from ευχαριστία/eucharistia in Greek, which means thanksgiving or gratitude) – in chapter 11, and indeed seems to be part of the reason for chapters 12-14; particularly in the discussion of spiritual gifts in chapter 12.
***Indeed when Pope Clement 1, wrote his first letter to the Church in Corinth in the mid 90s, some decades after Paul’s 1 Corinthians, it seems as if problems persist.
1, 12-13: DO NOT SET LEADERS UP ON A PEDESTAL!
We are to honour and respect those who are over us in the Lord (1 Thess. 5,12-13). But we are not to set them up on a pedestal. 1 Cor. 1,12-13 is a timely reminder to Christians of all generations of this. We are not to allow any Christian leader or otherwise to have the status of guru in our lives, but are to focus our attention on, and follow Christ as Lord! Remember the words of Jesus:
“But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.”
Mt. 23,8 KJV
THE LORD´S SUPPER
It seems when the Corinthians assembled to eat together and to celebrate the Lord’s Supper (11,17-34), that there were anomalies; some had food, some had none, and some got drunk (11,21). “This is not the Lord´s Supper”, says Paul! “Do you not have your own houses to eat and drink in?? Do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing??” He then proceeds from 11,23-26 to remind them of what he has delivered to them, and what he had received from the Lord; that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is given for you etc.
He thus anchors the Lord’s Supper and the interpretation of it, to the remembrance of the death of Jesus, and to what Jesus himself on that night had said!
In 1 Cor. 10,16-17, there is a passing reference to the Lord’s Supper in another connection:
“The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.” 1 Cor. 10,16-17
When the Corinthians assemble together to celebrate the Lord’s Supper, they deny the very reason for their coming together, and they deny the unity that is to be in the body of Christ! Is Christ honoured, or his death remembered in this? What happened to sharing with those who have nothing? What happened to esteeming highly the least among you? This does not honour the Lord according to Paul.
11,27-32 become problematic for some people: What is it to eat the bread and to drink the cup in an unworthy manner? What is it to be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord? What is it to eat and drink without discerning the body? Christians accuse themselves of all kinds of sins, and disqualify themselves from partaking at the Lord’s Supper. But can I say this: 1) Yes, we need to take our sin seriously – we need to confess it, because we are participating in the blood of Christ! Confess your sin, and trust his promise in 1 Jn. 1,9; be bold! Some cannot trust God alone for forgiveness, but if they partake of the bread and the wine while asking God´s forgiveness, their faith is aided by this concrete action! Brilliant! 2) Partaking without discerning the body! I believe he is referring to the unity of Christ: If we partake of the Lord’s Supper, while in conflict with, or not having forgiven our brother or sister, we are denying the body, denying it´s unity. If we think others are less than ourselves, not understanding that we all needed the same grace to come to faith in Christ, we are denying the body. That is why Paul says that we are to examine ourselves, and then partake!
THE FUNCTIONING OF THE BODY
Returning now briefly to 1 Corinthians chapter 12: I think if you read chapter 14 in conjunction with 12, you get some idea of what the problem was at Corinth. First, it was not that they had spiritual gifts! They were richly endowed with spiritual gifts, and commended for it, read 1,5-7. It was love that was lacking; hence chapter 13, wedged in between 12 and 14! Partly it was a question of church order, read 14,26-33. Were they boasting about speaking in tongues, not realising what tongues are for? Read 14,1-12. And lastly, I believe there is hint in Paul’s discussion of the gifts in chapter 12, that some gifts or some functions were not being valued as they should; or that they all wanted the most spectacular gifts. But all functions are equally valuable, and all are needed. See what is said above about this.
My next blogpost I hope will be entitled: THE BODY OF CHRIST: HOLD FAST TO THE HEAD! – looking at the body of Christ in Ephesians and Colossians. Then I want to write one entitled: SPIRITUAL GIFTS – looking at 1 Corinthians 12-14 and Romans 12 + Ephesians 4. 😀👍