The Body of Christ

The New Testament gives us different word pictures or images of a physical nature to help us better understand the spiritual nature of the kingdom or church.  In this section we will look at how Jesus and His church are compared to a physical body, having a head, feet, arms, legs, etc.  In this word picture, you see God and Christ as the head...and those in His church as the rest of the body:

The Body Belongs to Christ:

Ephesians 4:11-12 "And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ;" (NAS)

God and Jesus are the Head of the Body:

Ephesians 1:22-23 "And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fulness of Him who fills all in all." (NAS)

Colossians 1:18 "He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the first-born from the dead; so that He Himself might come to have first place in everything." (NAS)

Ephesians 5:23 "For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body." (NAS)

1 Corinthians 11:3 "But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ." (NAS)

Jesus Has One Body, But Each Member Does Not Have The Same Function:

Romans 12:4-5 "For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another." (NAS)

1 Corinthians 12:12-27 "For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body," it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body," it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired. And if they were all one member, where would the body be? But now there are many members, but one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you"; or again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you." On the contrary, it is much truer that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary; and those members of the body, which we deem less honorable, on these we bestow more abundant honor, and our unseemly members come to have more abundant seemliness, whereas our seemly members have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked, that there should be no division in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. Now you are Christ's body, and individually members of it. (NAS)

Ephesians 3:6 "... that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel, " (NAS)

Ephesians 4:11-12 "And He gave some as apostles⁽¹⁾, and some as prophets⁽²⁾, and some as evangelists⁽³⁾, and some as pastors⁽⁴⁾ and teachers⁽⁵⁾, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ;" (NAS)

⁽¹⁾ From the Greek word "apostolos" meaning a delegate; specially, an ambassador of the Gospel; officially a commissioner of Christ." There were fourteen apostles including Judas, who betrayed Jesus, and Paul.

⁽²⁾ From the Greek word "prophetes" meaning a foreteller, an inspired speaker. Miraculous gifts of prophecy, tongues, etc. were to pass away per 1 Corinthians 13:8.

⁽³⁾ From the Greek word "euaggelistes" meaning a preacher of the gospel.

⁽⁴⁾ From the Greek word "poimen" meaning a shepherd. Elders were appointed in every town to shepherd (pastor) and oversee (bishop) the flock.

⁽⁵⁾ From the Greek word "didaskalos" meaning an instructor.

Colossians 3:15-16 "And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God." (NAS)

How Are We Added To Jesus' Body?

1 Corinthians 12:13 -- "For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit." (NAS)

Romans 6:3-4 -- "Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, in order that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life." (NAS)

Click on "Flock" below to look at the next word picture given of Jesus' Church: