The Church, the Temple, and the Body of Christ

Summary:

The Church

The word "church" comes from the Greek word ekklesia, which comes from two words meaning "out-from" and "called" - putting these words together it means "called out from." A church is an assembly of people called out from other people for any reason. It does not refer to a particular type of building or a house, even though the church may meet in a particular type of building or in a house.

Throughout the new covenant writings (Acts - Revelation) the word "church" is primarily used to refer to the people who have already believed regarding the Lord Jesus Christ and have become holy-people (children of the only true God, saints, Christians). The truth that all holy-people have received the gift of holy spirit is what distinguishes this church from any other group of people.

The Temple

The Greek word ieron is translated as "temple" and usually refers to the temple building in Jerusalem. This temple was the place where God was present for/with His people during the old covenant times (prior to Acts chapter 2).

The temple had an outer wall which divided...

  • the people whom God had chosen to be His people, who were Israel - they sometimes believed and obeyed Him and therefore were permitted inside this temple enclosure,
  • from those people who did not believe what He said and therefore they rejected Him - these Gentiles (other nations) were kept outside of the outer wall of the temple.

Inside of the temple there was a middle wall (a partition), which bordered-off...

  • the "Holy of Holies" - where God's presence was manifested and where the High Priest had access to God's presence only once a year,
  • from the people of Israel who came into the temple.

As well as this, over the years there were a certain number of people who were of the Gentile descent but who wanted to become part of God's people because they believed what He said. God gave permission for those people to go within the outer wall of the temple, but they could only go inside a certain distance. There was a second middle wall inside the temple between...

  • Israel (who could go inside as far as the middle wall which bordered-off the Holy of Holies)
  • and the Gentiles who also wanted to worship and serve the only true God. Also, these Gentiles had to become circumcised in flesh to demonstrate that they truly wanted to have God as their God and to partake of the covenant, which God originally made with Abraham and which later became part of God's covenant with Israel.

The Interior Temple

There is a different Greek word naos which is also translated "temple" by other translators. However, the True Bible Study word translation writes "interior-temple" to specify what part of the temple is being referred-to by this Greek word.

 Prior to the time when Jesus accomplished salvation, the interior-temple usually referred to the innermost-part, the most sacred area within the temple in Jerusalem, where the only true God's presence was manifested-forth during the old covenant times, called the "Holy of Holies."

Today God's interior-temple is not a stone or brick building or other destructible materials such as a physical temple in today's Jerusalem. God's interior-temple is made up of His people who have received the gift of holy spirit, and the Lord Jesus Christ is the foundation. It consists of all holy-people (true Christians) no matter what location we may live-in on the earth.

There will again be a temple including an interior-temple area in Jerusalem between Christ's coming to gather all holy-people together with him in the air and the descending of the new Jerusalem as written about in Ezekiel chapters 40-48 and Revelation 21:2. However, in the new Jerusalem the interior-temple will be as written in Revelation 21:22.

The Body of Christ

All holy-people (Christians) are limbs of the one spiritual body of Christ. This is similar to a physical foot and arm and eye, etc, being in a person's physical body - many limbs and all the limbs together constitute one body. We are the one spiritual body of Christ and Christ is the head, plus we all share-in-common the same holy spirit-life.

Scripture References and Details:

Ephesians chapter 1 refers to when and how the church was created:

Ephesians 1:20-23:
.20which He in-worked in Christ, having raised him up out-from dead-people and having caused (him) to-sit-down in His right-side in the heavenlies .21super-above all rulership and authority and ability and lordship and every name being named not only in this age but also in the (age) being about to (come) .22and "He subjected all-things under his feet," and He gave him (who is) head over all-things to the church .23which is his body (which is) the fullness of the (one) filling all-things in all-people.

Paul writes that God in-worked (produced effects by being in work, energized)...

  • the strongness of His strength
    • within the Christ (the Anointed-one, the Messiah)

...how?...

  • God raised Jesus Christ up out-from dead-people
  • and God caused the resurrected Christ to be seated within His right-side in the heavenlies (God's spirit realm)

...super-above (up-above, on-top, up-over) all or every:

  1. rulership (first-placed, chief or dignified hierarchical position),
  2. and authority (authoritative power, permitted right),
  3. and ability (able power, capability),
  4. and lordship (mastership, dominion),
  5. and all/every name being given a name (a "name" incorporates the fullness of everything involved with the one named)
    • not alone during the present age (duration of life),
    • but also in the age that is on the point of taking place (in the process of arriving),
  6. and "He subjected all-things under his feet" (God arranged all things in the position of being underneath, legally in complete submission or subjection to Christ's feet; refer to Psalm 8:6),
  7. and He gave Christ who is head over all-things to the church
    • which is his body
    • and Christ's body is
      • the fullness (the filling, full contents, fulfillment)
      • of the one, Christ,
      • who is causing himself to fill (to make full with himself, fulfilling)
      • all things
      • within all holy-people.

God willingly presented Christ, who is head over all-things, to/for the church. The word "head" figuratively refers to his being the chief or principal part. God placed Christ in the position or function of being the head over all-things to/for the church - and this church is Christ's body. Christ is the head and all holy-people are limbs (members) of his one spiritual body because Christ fills us with his own fullness – we have the spirit of Christ in us (refer to Colossians 1:27).

Acts chapter 9 refers to the church:

Acts 9:31:
.31Therefore indeed the church, according to the whole of Judea and Galilee and Samaria, had peace, being edified and journeying with the fear of the Lord and with the encouragement of the holy spirit it was multiplied.

At that time the church was not being persecuted and so it was peaceful...

  • being edified (built-up as a house is built up bit-by-bit and layer-by-layer)

...and the holy-people who were in this church were going about daily life...

  • with the fear of the Lord (being afraid at the consequences of their performance of any wrong behavior, and so they were manifesting the awe and respect that is rightfully due and ought to be shown towards the Lord Jesus Christ)
  • and with the encouragement of the holy spirit (the exhortation issuing from the gift of holy spirit within all of them)

...and the church was filled into fullness with holy-people.

I Corinthians chapter 1 refers to the members of the church:

I Corinthians 1:1-3:
1:1Paul, called, an apostle of Christ Jesus by means of (the) intention of God, and Sosthenes, the brother - .2to the church of God, the (church) being in Corinth, (consisting of people) having been made-holy2 in Christ Jesus, called, holy, together with all the (people) calling-upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to-themselves in every place, theirs and ours; .3grace to you and peace from God our Father and (our) Lord Jesus Christ.

In verse 2 Paul addresses this letter to...

  • the church of God,
    • emphatically and specifically the church being in Corinth (this church is the church that belongs to God existing in the location of the city of Corinth; he wrote "church of God" to distinguish it from any other church being in Corinth at that time which did not belong to God),
  • consisting of people who have already been made-holy and continue holy (sanctified people, saints, people who remain sanctified, set-apart from the state of being common, defiled or unclean against God by coming into the state of corresponding to the essence of God Who is Holy Spirit) - how? -
    • within the cause and sphere of action of Christ Jesus (referring to the truth that they had previously received God's gift of holy spirit via the Lord Jesus Christ),

...together (jointly, in conjunction) with all the holy-people who are...

  • calling upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to themselves (inviting him to themselves by turning appealingly towards him; during the current age it is only the people who have already received the gift of holy spirit who can call upon him to themselves)
  • in every place (everywhere, in all locations that holy-people are living),
  • theirs and ours (emphatically he is the Lord/Master of the holy-people in other locations and of us also).

It is the holy spirit-life within every holy-person, which is the spirit of Christ, that made everyone in this church in Corinth holy in Christ Jesus. Paul did not write that it was because of the particular type of clothes or shoes they wore, nor the type of hairstyles they had, nor whether they drank coffee or not, etc. This church in Corinth belonged to God and consisted of people who had already been made holy in Christ Jesus - they were called and holy, and they were calling upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to themselves.

I Corinthians chapter 14 refers to our behavior in the church:

I Corinthians 14:12:
.12Thus also you, since you are zealots of spirits you must seek-after in order that you may exceed towards the edification of the church,

Since you are people who are zealous pertaining to the many ways by-which the holy spirit within us contributes to each one of us...

  • you must look for the purpose and result that all of you would exceed (abound)
    • towards the edification (building-up)
      • of the church.

In verse 33 Paul writes:

Verse 33:
.33for God is not of instability but of peace, as in all the churches of the holy-people.

God is not consisting-of and characterized-by instability (of not standing down firm or fixed on what He says, of not having the quality or state of being stable, of being unsteady)...

  • but God is of (consisting-of and characterized-by)
    • peace,
    • as He is in all the churches of the holy-people (not only in the church located in Corinth).

Peace is tranquil harmony, tranquility, peaceful wholeness, without any strife or disagreement. We may think of peace as the opposite of war, the opposite of conflict, the opposite of being at odds with the other party. All of God's children are at peace with God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ because it is given to us from God and the Lord Jesus Christ, therefore all Christians should behave peaceably with one-another also.

Romans chapter 16 refers to local churches: 

Romans 16:1 and 2:
16:1But I commend to you Phebe your sister being also a minister of the church, the (church) in Cenchrea, .2in order that you may accept her towards-yourselves in (the) Lord worthily of the holy-people and you may stand-beside her in what-ever matter she may have need of you, for she also was caused-to-become a patroness both of many other-people and of me myself.

As Paul approaches the end of his letter (epistle) to the holy and Godly-loved people in Rome, he includes commendations and greetings. He writes: I commend Phebe to you...

  • your sister (she is your sister in the spirit category because she has received the same gift of holy spirit as all of you)
    • who is also being a minister (one who serves to benefit others, not 'being-subject' to them but doing work to bring others profit, one who carries-out her day-by-day ministerial duties, her duties of service to/for God)
      • pertaining to the church,
      • emphatically and specifically the church located in Cenchrea (a port/harbor at the eastern side of Corinth),

...for the purpose and result that...

  • you would accept her towards yourselves (welcome her, receive her, willingly take her to yourselves)
    • within the cause and sphere of action of the Lord (emphasis is being placed on the truth that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Master, and confirming the validity and authenticity of his lordship, including dominion and authority, over and relative-to his slaves, plus the respectful submission due to him by his slaves)
      • worthily of the holy-people (in a manner that is of equal value, of like worth with Christians, as being correctly weighed on a scales and thus deserving)
  • and you would stand near-by her (present yourselves beside her in the sense of being supportive of her)
    • in what ever matter (during any performance, action, the result of something she practices, business, fact, deed, event)
      • she would have need of you (have a necessity for your useful help),

...in truth, emphatically she also became...

  • a patroness (one who protects, helps, and supports others)
    • both of many other people
    • and emphatically of me.
Verses 3-5:
.3You must greet Prisca and Aquila - workers-together with me in Christ Jesus, .4the-people-who put the neck of themselves under(-risk) on behalf of my soul, to whom not only I thank but also all the churches of the Gentiles - .5and the church according to their house. You must greet Epaenetus, my loved-person1, who is from (the) beginning of Asia into Christ.

You must greet Prisca and Aquila (salute them, draw this wife and husband to yourselves), who are...

  • joint-workers with me (they expend their energy in conjunction with me, my coworkers)
    • in Christ Jesus (emphasis is being place on the truth that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Anointed-one; within the cause and sphere of action, character, and attributes of Christ Jesus),
  • the people who put the neck of themselves under risk (they put themselves in danger of execution)
    • in the interests of my physical life (so that I can continue living my everyday life in the natural realm as evidenced by my breathing, to keep me from being killed by those who oppose me),
  • to whom not only emphatically I thank (not alone am I myself grateful to them)
    • but also all the churches of the Gentiles (every one of the assemblies of holy-people, who are of the Gentile background, are thankful to them)

...and also you must greet the church of holy-people who gather together in their house periodically (to learn God's Word, pray, etc).

Colossians chapter 4 refers to another local church:

Colossians 4:15:
.15You must greet the brothers in Laodicea, and Nymphas and the church according to her house. 

You must greet the brothers (all those who have received the gift of holy spirit, holy-people) in Laodicea, also Nymphas and the church that is in her house.

This woman Nymphas gathered an assembly of holy-people in her house from time to time so that they could sing and pray and hear manifestation of holy spirit (refer to I Corinthians 12-14) and share and teach God's Word, and have meals together, etc.

Philemon chapter 1 also refers to a local church:

Philemon 1:1 and 2:
1:1Paul a prisoner of Christ Jesus and Timothy the brother – to Philemon the loved-person1 and worker-together with us, .2and Apphia the sister, and Archippus the soldier-together with us, and the church according to your house;

Paul addressed this letter to...

  • Philemon
    • the one who is loved with God’s kind of love (he is beloved)
    • and joint-worker with us (you expend energy in conjunction with myself and Timothy, our coworker in the things of the ministry),
  • and Apphia
    • the sister (this woman was a sister of all the holy-people because she also had received the gift of holy spirit),
  • and Archippus
    • the soldier together with us (joint soldier, serving as a soldier with military precision in conjunction with us, we soldier together in the spirit realm; refer to Ephesians 6:10-18),
  • and the church according to your (Philemon’s) house.

This man Philemon also used to gather an assembly of holy-people in his house from time to time.

I Timothy chapter 3 refers to the behavior of those who oversee a local church:

I Timothy 3:1(b)-7:
3:1(b)If someone reaches-for overseership he intensely-yearns a beautiful work, .2therefore it is necessary (for) the overseer to be irreproachable, husband of one wife, sober, sound-thinking, orderly-arranged, loving-strangers, apt-to-teach, .3not wine-oriented, not quick-to-strike but considerate, without-fighting, without-loving-silver, .4beautifully standing-before (his) own house having (his) children in subjection with all reverential(-behavior) .5(but if someone did not know2 to stand-before (his) own house, how will he be-concerned-for God’s church!), .6not newly-planted in order that having been conceited he may not fall-in into judgment of the devil, .7but it is necessary also to have a beautiful witness from the (people) from-outside in order that he may not fall-in into reproach and trap of the devil.

Paul writes regarding the walk (behavior, conduct) of any holy-person who reaches for overseership...

  •  someone who stretches himself out to attain (reaches at/after)
    • an overseeing function (the work of watching, scoping, the duty or function to have watchful-care and guardianship pertaining to other holy-people)
  • he intensely yearns a beautiful work (notice it says “work” and it does not say “gift”.

Verse 4 says that a holy-person who reaches for an overseer function in the church should be standing in-front-of those living in his own house, all the household, as the leader presiding over them in a manner that has a manifested decorous, harmonious and acceptable goodness. This includes his children being in submission to him and behaving in a manner having deference to God and all the things of God, the kind of behavior which is deserving of reverence and respect from their father and others towards his children.

However, if that holy-person does not perceive to preside over those within his own household - how will he be concerned for God’s church; how will he have an object of thought for/to God’s assembly of holy-people; how will he have care-for and take-care-of the church of God! 

In verses 14 and 15 Paul writes:

Verses 14 and 15:
.14These-things I write to you, hoping to go towards you in quickness .15but if-ever I may be-slow, in order that you may know how it is necessary to behave in (the) house of God which is (the) church of (the) living God, (the) pillar and seat of the truth, 

Paul explains to Timothy that he is writing these things to him expecting at a future time to go towards him with speed. But even if it should happen that he would have a delay in going, what Paul writes in this letter is for the purpose and result that Timothy would know how it is necessary to behave…

  • within the house of God (God’s dwelling, among His household)
  • which is the church of the living God (this is the assembly of God Who is alive – the living God’s church),
    • the pillar and seating of the truth (it is the column or firm-support and it is the settlement or stationary location of the essential reality, God's inherent verity – this is the spiritual state and standing of God’s house, the church where God Who is alive lives).

We (holy-people) have the spirit of Christ in us and all that he has accomplished we have accomplished in the spirit category. Presently we can believe as Christ Jesus believes, and we can behave in reverence as he behaves in reverence of/towards God Who is his Father and our Father.

All of us are in God's house, we are the church of the living God, and we are waiting to be taken-up in glory by our Lord Jesus Christ when he comes to gather us all together with him in the air.

I Corinthians chapter 9 refers to the livelihood of those who work with/for God:

I Corinthians 9:13-15(a):
.13You knew2 that the (people) working the sacred-things eat from the temple, the (people) attending to the sacrificial-altar distribute-together with the sacrificial-altar, don't you? – (yes) – .14thus also the Lord throughly-arranged for the (people) messaging the good-message to live from the good-message; .15(a)but I did not use2 not-one of these-things.

The word translated as “sacred-things” in verse 13 comes from the same Greek root word that gives us the words: temple, priest, Jerusalem, temple utensils and services and areas and all belonging to God.

Paul was reminding the Corinthian church of how during the old covenant times God made provision for His servants in the temple to be given food to eat, shelter, etc, because their lives were dedicated to ministering to God's people. They were doing what God wanted them to do, and the people who worked in the fields with the animals, or planted, or reaped their own harvest were doing what God wanted them to do also. Then all of them were to partake of each other's work and help each other as they all carried-out God's will.

In the manner in which God had made provision for all of His people during the old covenant times...

  • the Lord has also arranged through-and-through (put fully in order)
    • that the people who are bringing the message
      • consisting of the good-message (the gospel, the only message which is good or well, which is what God has given mankind to believe regarding Himself and His son, the Lord Jesus Christ)
    • to other people,
    • ought to live (to have life in all of its fullness) out-from the good-message during this present age (which began on the day of Pentecost recorded in Acts chapter 2).

Paul and every person who messages the good-message of Christ should be taken care of by the other holy-people.

However, Paul makes it clear to the Corinthian holy-people that...

  • he himself has not and still does not use any of these availabilities and privileges which God and the Lord Jesus Christ have entitled him to use (because he messages the good-message)
    • for his personal purposes or as a means to sustain or maintain himself.
Verse 15(b):
.15(b)But I did not write these-things in order that thus it may become in me... 

Even though Paul writes these things pertaining to how the men/women who are carrying-out God's will messaging the good-message ought to be taken care of by other holy-people, he writes:

  • but I did not write these things
  • for the purpose and result that in this manner it would come to pass in me.

He is making sure that they do not think that he is writing this suggesting that they begin giving him all kinds of provisions now, or so that they would feel obliged to give him things, or that they would feel guilty for not having given him sustenance before this time. They were not to base their giving and receiving, their whole living, on guilt or feeling obligated to any man or because it would "look good" - that would only be lying, using a disguise and it may result in corruption, bribery, egotism, boasting, etc, among themselves.

In verse 18 Paul writes:

Verse 18:
.18Therefore what is the compensation to me? In order that good-messaging I may put the good-message without-expense with-a-view not to abuse my authority in the good-message;

What is the compensation to/for me (what wage do I receive)? It is for the purpose and result that while I am preaching the gospel of God's Word I may put (I would place, set) this good-message without expense (free of charge, without cost to the people to whom I speak).

Paul was so thankful for the privilege of being allowed to good-message that he considered being able to put the good-message without expense to others to be his compensation. Paul did not charge other people for him to carry-out his apostleship towards them – he was not doing it for the money!

They did not have to spend anything in order to hear the good-message which Paul made-known. Why would Paul do this? He writes: for the purpose of not abusing (over-using) my authoritative power in the good-message. Paul's purpose was not to abuse the rights and/or privileges which he had authority to exercise within (inside the sphere of action of) the good-message with-which he was trusted.

Verse 23 reads:

Verse 23:
.23but I do all-things because-of the good-message in order that I may become a sharer-in-common-together of it.

Paul writes: I do all these things on account of the good-message for the purpose and result that I would cause myself to become...

  • a sharer in common together (a joint partaker of/with/in the same-thing, a co-sharer, having participation, communion, partnership sharing together with what would be common to both parties, which in this case is in conjunction with other holy-people)
    • of/with the good-message.

He wanted to share in common together with others of everything that the good-message makes available to mankind. He was not being deceptive towards these people, but he was teaching them from their level of thinking and understanding so that he could raise them up to the level of the good-message, raise them up in their thinking and understanding giving them the opportunity to believe what God says and receive all the blessing that is now available from God by means of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Acts chapter 20 refers to the watchful care by the overseers of the church:

Acts 20:28-31:
.28You must have-attention to yourselves and to all the little-flock among which the Spirit, the Holy (Spirit), put you (to be) overseers to shepherd the church of the Lord which he acquired-for-himself by means of the blood, (his) own (blood). .29I knew2 that weighty wolves will come into you after my departure not sparing the little-flock, .30and from you yourselves adult-males will stand-up uttering-forth (things) having been throughly-turned2 to pull-away the learning-disciples behind them. .31On-which-account you must wakefully-watch remembering that three-years night and day I did not stop with tears admonishing each one (of you).

Paul says to those who were assigned a leadership function within the church: "You must turn your minds, thoughts and attention…

  • towards/for yourselves and
  • towards/for all the little-flock (figuratively referring to every one of the holy-people in your areas of responsibility)
    • among which the Spirit,
    • emphatically and specifically the Holy Spirit (referring to God Himself, emphasizing the truth that He is Spirit and He is Holy, His essence and realm of power, authority, and action, that He is the source of all He gives, and He communicates this information spiritually, that is: via the gift of holy spirit within holy-people)
  • placed you to be overseers (watchers, people who scope, who have been given the duty or function to have watchful care and guardianship) – why? –  
    • to shepherd the church of the Lord (to take care of and protect, to exercise the whole office of a shepherd which involves not only feeding the flock but also leading and guiding and guarding, etc - to shepherd the assembly of holy-people belonging to the Lord Jesus Christ),
      • which he acquired for himself (he made the church to be around/about himself)
      • by means of the blood,
      • emphatically and specifically his own blood (through the shedding of his own blood and thus making redemption and salvation available)."

Paul continues: "Emphatically I knew and continue to know (perceive) that…

  • weighty (heavy with fullness, heaviness with a lot of pressure and burdensome severity)
    • wolves (figuratively referring to certain people who are dangerous, emphasizing their attacking, rapacious, violent, devouring character and attributes) 
  • will come into you after my departure (they will move into your company after I go away from you at this time)
    • not sparing (not abstaining from using or doing something to/with)
      • the little-flock.

Also, grown men, out from among you yourselves, will stand-up speaking things that have been and stay completely turned-around (twisted 180 degrees from the truth of God's Word, perverse, distorted, turned the wrong way) for the purpose of drawing away the learning-disciples (students) to follow after them.

Wherefore you (elders who are overseers to shepherd the church)…

  • must wakefully watch (be watchful, keep awake; figuratively: have your eyes open and be spiritually alert and sensitive to what God and the Lord Jesus Christ want you to know and do)

…remembering (calling to your minds, having in memory) that for the space of three years, night and day (at all available times), I did not stop (cease, willingly take my rest) in company and association with tears admonishing each one of you (with strong emotion putting you in mind of these things)."

I Corinthians chapter 10 refers to our behavior towards three (3) groups of people:

I Corinthians 10:32:
.32You must become un-stumbling-people both to Judeans and to Greeks and to the church of God,

You must cause yourselves to become people who do not stumble off of the truth of God's Word that you already know to/with...

  1. Judeans (people of the Israeli background who have not yet believed what God says and thus have not received the gift of holy spirit within them)
  2. and Greeks (Hellenists, Greek-speaking people of the Gentile background, referring to people belonging to nations other-than Israel who have not yet believed what God says and thus have not received the gift of holy spirit within them)
  3. and the church of God (all holy-people who have already heard and believed what God says and have already received the gift of holy spirit within them).

We should not cause other people to stumble from the truth of what God says and wants all people to hear and believe and obey.

Acts chapter 19 refers to a "church" - but this particular church did NOT consist of holy-people:

Acts 19:32:
.32Therefore indeed other-people shouted some other-thing, for the church was having been confused2, and more-people had not known by-reason-of what-thing they had come-together.

In the theatre area there was a mob and some people were shouting one thing and other people were crying out something else! In fact, the church – referring to the assembly of that mob of people – was confused and they stayed confused (perplexed, mixed-up in their minds).

Also a lot of people (the majority) did not perceive what the purpose for coming together like that was all about – but they joined-in anyway!

Verses 39 and 40 record some of what the public official in that city said to them:

Verses 39-41:
.39But if you earnestly-seek-after something further it will be loosened-upon in the lawful church. .40For also we face-danger to be arraigned of a standing (of insurrection) concerning today, not-one cause being from-the-beginning concerning which we will be able to give-away a word concerning this combination." .41And having said these-things he loosened the church.

While speaking to the mob of people who were rejecting God's Word, the public official told them that if they intensely look for something more, it must be solved in the lawful church - the assembly of called-out people specifically for that matter, which is within the range of the law, according to the laws of that province. Then, he let that particular church go away from that location.

Matthew chapter 21 refers to the physical temple located in Jerusalem during the old covenant times:

Matthew 21:12-14:
.12And Jesus went into the temple and he threw-out all the (people) selling and buying in the temple, and he turned-down the tables of the money-changers and the seats of the (people) selling the doves, .13and he says to them, “It was written2, ‘My house will be called: house of prayer’ – but you make it a cave of robbers.” .14And blind-people and lame-people came-towards him in the temple and he attended-to them.

Jesus went into the temple and he cast out all the merchants selling and buying (trading and buying as in the marketplace) within the outer courts of the temple.

He also overturned the tables of the money-changers (where they would profit by exchanging things for the small coins needed by some at this time to be given to the temple) and the seats (chairs, suggesting an authoritative and judging position over others) of the people selling the doves that were needed by some for offerings (refer to Leviticus 1:17).

Jesus says to them, “It was written and continues written (God’s Word has not changed; it is still written)...

  • ‘My house will be called (My dwelling, home, habitation will from now on be called by the name):
    • house of prayer (house of communication to/with Me, God, the general speaking towards/with Me)’

...but you make it a cave of robbers (a cavern containing men who plunder by violence and open force).”

Jesus cleansed the temple for the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread (refer to Isaiah 56:7 and Jeremiah 7:11).

Then blind-people and lame-people went towards Jesus in the temple and he attended to them (he treated them therapeutically; he took care of them as necessary).

Acts chapter 17 refers to interior-temples made by the hands of mankind:

Acts 17:24 and 25(a):
.24the God, the (God) having made the world and all the-things in it, this-(God) being-from-the-beginning Lord of heaven and of earth does not dwell-down in handmade interior-temples, .25(a)nor is He attended-to by menly hands (as though He is) supplicating-for something.

Paul is speaking in these verses and says:

  • "The God,
    • emphatically and specifically the God Who has made the world (the ordered-arrangement of the whole universe)
    • and all the-things within it (not only a certain portion of it like the gods you have who only represent some phase of human life or nature or something else),
  • this God
    • from the beginning, the start, originating being Lord (Master) of heaven (everything above the earth) and of earth (everything on or in the earth),
  • does not permanently dwell (settle-down, fixedly house or inhabit)
    • within handmade interior-temples (the holiest temple areas made by the hands of mankind like your idols fit inside your shrines and grottos),
  • nor is He attended to (treated therapeutically, taken care of as necessary, as to heal Him and make Him better)
    • by the power of menly (human) hands,
    • as though this God is in need of something and is expressing His lack towards mankind so that they would provide it for Him."

I Corinthians chapter 3 refers to what the interior-temple of God consists of today during the new covenant times:

I Corinthians 3:16 and 17:
.16You knew2 that you are (the) interior-temple of God, even the spirit of God dwells in you, don't you? – (yes) - .17if someone corrupts the interior-temple of God, God will corrupt this (person or spirit), for the interior-temple of God is holy, the-people-whom you are.

Paul and Apollos had previously taught the Corinthian people God's Word and in this letter Paul has already written that they are God's tillage, His house being built, and that the foundation is Jesus Christ. Now Paul asks them:

  • Don't you know that you (all of you collectively) are
    • the interior-temple of God (the innermost-part of God's temple, as the most sacred area),
  • and that the spirit of, belonging-to and proceeding-from God
    • dwells within you?

Every holy-person has received God's gift of holy spirit by means of the Lord Jesus Christ within him/her and it has all the ability, authority, etc, of the resurrected Christ. This holy spirit presently and actively dwells (inhabits, is housed) within all holy-people. Nothing or nobody can change this holy and spiritual truth.

However, as regards the walk (behavior, conduct, fellowship or state) category which can fluctuate...

  • if some person or spirit corrupts (causes to decay, brings into a worse state, mars)
    • the interior-temple of God,
  • there is no doubt about it but that God will in the future corrupt this person or spirit!
  • How?
    • In fire.
  • Why?
    • In truth, God's interior-temple is holy (sanctified).

Paul teaches with emphasis that the interior-temple of God consists of all who are God's people - all of the church, all holy-people (Christians), no matter what location we may live in.

God's interior-temple is not a stone or brick building or any other materials which can be burned-down. God's interior-temple is made up of His people who have received the gift of holy spirit, and the Lord Jesus Christ is the foundation. God's people cannot be burned-down by that fire which God by means of the Lord Jesus Christ will initiate to purify and "clean up" the world and all in it at a future time.

II Corinthians chapter 6 refers to the interior-temple of the living God:

II Corinthians 6:16:
.16But what consent (is there with the) interior-temple of God with idols? For you are (the) interior-temple of (the) living God – according as God said that "I will indwell in them and I will walk-in (them) and I will be their God and they will be My people,"

What consent (what strong assenting with another, as putting down one's vote being in concord of opinion together with the other)...

  • is there
    • with God's innermost part of the temple
    • in company and association with idols?

None! There is no consent between them because one is the antithesis of the other.

Next, Paul teaches regarding the interior-temple of God relative-to the present time-period - which is between the day of Pentecost (recorded in Acts chapter 2) and the future coming of Christ to gather all holy-people together with him in the air.

  • In truth, emphatically you (holy-people - not someone else or some physical place - you yourselves)
    • are the interior-temple
      • of the living God.

All holy-people are the interior-temple of God Who is alive. The only true God is not a figment of mankind's imagination, nor has He died, nor has He been updated by a bigger version and/or better model or release made by mankind!

God is alive - living.

Emphatically you are the interior-temple of the living God, which is according as God communicated with words (refer to Leviticus 26:11 and 12 and Ezekiel 37:27):

  • "I will indwell in them (at a time still-future to while I am saying it now I will actively inhabit, house within/among them)
  • and I will walk-in them (as moving about on foot within/among them)
  • and I will be their God (the God of, belonging-to them)
    • and emphatically they will be My people (collectively as one group belonging to Me)."

What God said during the old covenant times has already come to pass pertaining to all holy-people today in the spirit category - we are God's people now.

Revelation chapter 3 refers to the interior-temple and the new Jerusalem:

Revelation 3:12:
.12The (person) being-victorious - I will make him a pillar in the interior-temple of my God, and he may never yet go-out outside, and I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, the (one) descending out-from heaven from my God, and my name, the new (name).

The Lord Jesus Christ says: The person being victorious (actively gaining the victory, conquering)...

  •  I will make him a pillar in the interior-temple of my God (not a literal pillar but in the figurative sense I will make the person being victorious a column, a firm-support with responsibility within the innermost part of my God's temple),
    • and he may never yet go-out outside (he would not come out from it leaving it at any time),
  • and I will write on him (identifying the person who is being victorious with/by) 
    • the name of my God (designating him as belonging to God and living within His authority, ability, etc)
    • and the name of the city of my God (designating him as being a citizen belonging to this city and living within its realm; God is the One Who governs this fortified, walled town, providing protection to those dwelling within it),
      • which is the new Jerusalem (the Jerusalem that is newly-made and different compared to the old city previously in existence, new in comparison to what existed previously, a new one replacing the former one),
      • emphatically and specifically the one that is descending out-from heaven (moving downwards, coming down from the sky above)
      • from my God,
    • and my name,
      • emphatically and specifically the new name (newly-made and different compared to the old name previously in existence, new in comparison to what existed previously, a new name replacing the former name).

The person having an ear must hear what the spirit says to the churches.

Colossians chapter 1 refers to the body of Christ which is the church:

Colossians 1:18:
.18and he is the head of the body of the church,

The Lord Jesus Christ himself is the head (the chief or principal part) of the body of the church. This church is Christ's body, and the body could not live or function without the head.

Christ is the head, from where the rest of the body is to take its instructions. All holy-people are limbs of Christ's body because of having received holy spirit-life, which is the spirit of Christ within us. 

In verse 22 Paul writes:

Verse 22:
.22but now you were fully-reconciled in the body of his flesh by means of the death to present you holy and without-blemish and not-arraigned down-before Him.

Emphatically at the present time you Colossian holy-people have already been fully-reconciled within the sphere of action of the body of Jesus Christ's flesh through the death which he endured. Why? To cause you to stand beside or near-by...

  • holy (sanctified, set-apart from the state of being common, defiled or unclean against God, corresponding to the essence of God)
  • and without blemish (unblemished, no fault to be found because of some defect as a spot or damage in you)
  • and not arraigned (no charge or accusation to be called or brought against you)

…in the full sight or presence of God.

This is referring to the holy spirit category because all of us holy-people have holy spirit-life within us, which is the spirit of Christ, and so everything that Christ has accomplished and is today - we have and are spiritually.

Verses 23 and 24:
.23Since indeed you remain-on with the belief having been founded2, and seated, not being removed away-from the hope of the good-message of-which you heard, the (good-message) having been heralded-forth in all creation, the (creation) under heaven, of-which (good-message) I, Paul, became a minister, .24now I joy in the sufferings on your behalf and I fill-up-instead the lacking-things of the pressures of Christ in my flesh on behalf of his body which is the church

In verse 24 Paul writes that it is pertaining to this good-message that he himself became a minister (a person who serves to benefit others, not 'being-subject' to them but doing work to bring profit to others, serving the good-message to people). He continues:

  • I rejoice during the sufferings on your behalf (the experiences of things which affect me in your interests)
  • and I fulfill in your place (as filling-up a chasm or measure with something)
    • the things that you lack (the wants, deficiencies, the things that fall-short or are behind on your part)
    • pertaining to the pressures of Christ (the compressions, stress that afflicts, whatever may be pressing-upon or squeezing, whether it is physical or mental or spiritual relative-to Christ)
    • within my physical flesh
    • in the interests of
      • his body
      • which is the church.

The body of Christ is the church because all holy-people who constitute the church are limbs (members) of the one spiritual body of Christ - Christ himself being the head of his body.

Ephesians chapter 2 refers to full reconciliation in one body to God and also refers to the interior-temple:

Ephesians 2:13-18:
.13but now in Christ Jesus you, the (people) at-some-time being distant, were caused-to-become near in the blood of Christ, .14for he is our peace, the (one) having made both one and having loosened the middle-wall of the fenced-enclosure, the enmity, in his flesh, .15having rendered-ineffective the law of the commandments in order that he may create the two in himself into one new man making peace .16and he may fully-reconcile both in one body to God by means of the cross, having killed the enmity in himself .17and having come he good-messaged peace to you, the distant-people, and peace to the near-people, .18because by means of him we both have the access in one spirit towards the Father.

You (holy-people) are at the present time within Christ Jesus (because you have already received the gift of holy spirit from God by means of the Lord Jesus Christ)...

  • however, at a past time your were being distant (a long way away, far)
    • from God and God's people
  • but you were caused to become near
    • within Christ's blood (his blood was shed, he died on your behalf).

In truth, Christ Jesus himself is our peace (tranquil harmony, tranquility, peaceful wholeness, without any strife or disagreement). How?

Christ Jesus is the one who has already...

  • made both one (Christ has brought-about the completed action of both)
    • the distant-people (the Gentiles/other-nations who believe what God says)
    • and the near-people (Israelites/Judeans who believe what God says)
      • becoming one (not two different and separate peoples - but one),
  • and loosened (Christ unbound what was bound, he untied, unfastened)
    • the middle-wall of the fenced-enclosure (the inside dividing partition of the surrounding wall of God's spiritual temple - this is similar to the natural/physical realm where there was a partition between God's area and God's people's area within the temple during the old covenant times - and so when it was loosened then freedom of movement was given to those within the temple),
      • and this middle-wall was the enmity (the opposition, hostility between God and people)

...in his flesh. Christ Jesus did this within the sphere of action of his flesh. How?

Christ Jesus is the one who has...

  • rendered ineffective (caused to be inactive, inoperative and useless)
    • the law of the commandments (Jesus Christ fully completed all of them, including death on the cross; there is nothing else to be done as far as the law that God had given to Moses, Joshua and others for the sons/descendants of Jacob/Israel, to fulfill during the old covenant times)
  • for the purpose and result that
    • he would create the two (Israel and Gentile who believe what God says)
      • within himself
      • into or resulting-in one new man (only one)
      • making peace (only those being within Christ become one new man, and Christ is the one who is producing peace among all within him)
    • and he would fully-reconcile both (Israel and Gentile),
      • within the sphere of action of his one spiritual body,
      • to the only true God

...by means of the cross. Christ Jesus did this through his death on the cross. How?

Christ is the one who has...

  •  killed outrightly the enmity in himself (he put to death the opposition, the hostility between both the Israeli-Gentile peoples together and God, within the sphere of action of himself - he died for the sins of all mankind),
  • and he has come (in this context he came when the gift of holy spirit was shed-forth to mankind, which is the spirit of Christ, recorded in Acts chapter 2)
  • and he has good-messaged (gospelized, evangelized)
    • peace to/for you - the distant-people and the near-people (peace was good-messaged by Christ to you Gentiles and descendants of Israel who believe what God says).

In verse 15 the Greek word translated "new" - one new man - emphasizes the truth that this man is newly-made and different from what was previously in effect, new because it is different from that which had been formerly, new because it replaces the old! This new man came into being on the day of Pentecost, recorded in Acts chapter 2.

The usage of the word "man" is a figure of speech in order for God and the Lord Jesus Christ to communicate with mankind on the level of mankind's understanding. This "one new man" is not a fleshy or a natural/physical man - but it is spiritual, made-up or consisting of every person who has received holy spirit-life from God by means of the Lord Jesus Christ.

We (holy-people, Christians) are all in Christ, in his one spiritual body. We are all limbs of his body. This is similar to the physical foot and arm and eye, etc, being in a person's physical body - many limbs, and all the limbs together constitute one body. We are the one spiritual body of Christ and Christ is the head, and we all share-in-common the same holy spirit-life.

Why has Christ good-messaged peace to those who receive the gift of holy spirit? Because it is by means of Christ (through him) that...

  • we both (holy-people of the Gentile/other-nation background and holy-people of the Judean/Israeli background)
    • have the access (the one and only leading or bringing towards, the approach)
      • in one spirit (the gift of holy spirit within every holy-person)
        • towards the Father (with God our Father, in His presence).

God is the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Father of all holy-people. The word "Father" emphasizes our sonship relationship with God because we have the spirit of Christ in us. Our holy spirit-life has all the righteousness and ability that the resurrected Christ himself has, because we are limbs of his body - the one spiritual body of Christ. It gives us freedom of access to our spiritual Father Who is God. It also gives God freedom of access to us via our holy spirit-life. There is two-way spiritual communication between us.

Verses 19-22:
.19Consequently you are no-longer strangers and sojourners but you are citizens-together with the holy-people, even God's household-people, .20having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets – Christ Jesus himself being (the) extreme-corner, .21in whom all (the) building joining-together increases into (the) holy interior-temple in (the) Lord, .22in whom also you are being built-together into (the) dwelling-down-place of God in spirit. 

Paul continues:

In correspondence to what I have just written, you are no-longer (not anymore)...

  • strangers (foreigners, people who do not belong to God's family)
  • and sojourners (people who house or dwell as temporary residents, as settlers beside or near the family, but who do not have the citizenship rights as the true dwellers have)

...but you are...

  • citizens together (people who have citizenship, the rights of people within a walled-town or city in conjunction)
  • with the holy-people,
    • emphatically you and all other holy-people are
      • household-people belonging to God (people who are presently, and will continue to be, members of God's household, His family dwelling within His house, building, dwelling).

God's household-people have been built resting or based upon...

  • the foundation (that-which is put or laid being fundamental, like the foundation of a building whereby the rest of the building stands on top of it and is supported by it)
    • laid by
      • apostles (holy-people who are sent forth or away from the Lord Jesus Christ on a specific mission or assignment to a person or people)
      • and prophets (holy-people who speak-forth God's words being revealed to them concerning the past, present and/or future to, before, in front of a person or people) –
    • Christ Jesus himself being the extreme-corner (the pointed corner, the tip, the top angle being the extremity which is necessary to bear, support and integrate the whole building because of its position in relation to the rest of this building or house).

Christ Jesus himself (nobody or nothing else) is being the one in the honorable position of the extreme corner. The cornerstone is laid to be the joining and supporting strength to the two walls which are connected to it. Christ Jesus is the one in whom all holy-people, from both the Israeli and the Gentile backgrounds, are being connected. We are limbs of his one spiritual body – if Christ Jesus were not the extreme corner, then there could not be any building, no house!

It is within Christ Jesus that...

  • all the building (every part of this one building - in the figurative sense, not the literal sense of a physical building) -
    • which is joining together (fitting or framing itself together because all parts, the holy-people who are all in Christ, are laid fitting in conjunction with/to/into one-another) -
  •  increases (grows, augments, expands)
    • into the holy interior-temple
      • in the Lord Jesus Christ.

God's interior-temple is made up of His people who have received the gift of holy spirit, and the Lord Jesus Christ is the extreme corner.

It is also within Christ Jesus that...

  • you (holy-people) are presently being built-together
    • into God's dwelling-down place (His permanent dwelling place, the settled-down housing, fixed habitation, inhabited building of God Himself)
      • in spirit (within that holy spirit-life which all true Christians have already received, which is the spirit of Christ).

Ephesians chapter 4 refers to one body and one spirit:

Ephesians 4:4-6:
.4(for there is) one body and one spirit, according as also you were called in one hope of your calling, .5one Lord, one belief, one baptism, .6one God and Father of all (holy-people), the (One being) upon all and through all and in all;

The truth is that there is...

  1. one body (the one spiritual body of Christ of which all holy-people are limbs/members)
  2. and one spirit (the one holy spirit-life which is the spirit of Christ in all holy-people)

…according as also you were called (invited) in or within…

  1. one hope of your calling (one expectation of a still-future event which has been promised to you by God and you believe it, and this hope pertains-to your calling, the invitation issued to you and which you accepted),
  2. one Lord (one Master who is the resurrected Christ Jesus),
  3. one belief (the information that God has made known to us to have confidence-in with assured certainty and surety - the belief/faith regarding Himself and His son, the Lord Jesus Christ),
  4. one baptism (only one baptism because we all have been immersed, surrounded in/within holy spirit and we remain that way, we have been washed clean permanently in holy spirit-life),
  5. one God and Father of all holy-people (one God Who is also the Father of all holy-people because we have the spirit of Christ in us, and God is the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ also) – and God is the One Who is being:
    • upon all (God is the One Who is always being on, upon, over all holy-people and therefore in the presence of all holy-people, and He is upon the Lord Jesus Christ also),
    • and through all (God is the One Who is always being through all holy-people because He is the One by means of Whom we are who we are spiritually, and He is through the Lord Jesus Christ also),
    • and in all (God is the One Who is always being within all holy-people because we have His spirit within us, and He is in the Lord Jesus Christ also).
Verse 7:
.7but to each one of us the grace was given according to the measure of the free-gift of Christ,

God has given the grace to each one of us - and the grace given is in accordance with the measure of the free-gift of Christ. God has not kept the resurrected Christ, and all that Christ has made and continues to make available, to Himself without allowing us to share and partake of this grace!

God is carrying-out and fulfilling His promise, His Word which He first spoke in Genesis 3:15. He has already made holy spirit-life available to mankind by way of His son, the Lord Jesus Christ (refer to Acts 2:1-4, 38 and 39). This free-gift (the spirit of Christ) is "free" to us because Jesus Christ paid the price that was owed in order to make it freely available to mankind.

We all have the spirit of Christ in us – this does not change, and nobody has more or less, and the grace given to us is according to the standard of the free-gift of Christ. Because of having received holy spirit-life, each one of us has the same ability and power as the resurrected Christ himself available to us to use - we are limbs of Christ's spiritual body which is the church, and Christ is the head of the church.

In verse 11 Paul writes:

Verse 11:
.11and he has given2 indeed the apostles, and the prophets, and the good-messagers, and the shepherds and teachers

Christ himself (no other) gave and he continues giving...

  1. the apostles (holy-people who are sent forth or away from the Lord Jesus Christ on a specific mission or assignment to a person or people; this word places emphasis on being sent),
  2. the prophets (holy-people who speak-forth God's words being revealed to them concerning the past, present and/or future to, before, in front of a person or people; this word places emphasis on speaking to others), 
  3. the good-messagers (holy-people who speak the good message, evangelists, those who gospelize or evangelize to a person or people; this word places emphasis on what is spoken which is the good message),
  4. the shepherds (holy-people who shepherd, take-care of and protect, exercise the whole office of a shepherd, which involves not only feeding with the Word of God but also leading and guiding and guarding, etc, as a shepherd takes-care of his flock of sheep; this word places emphasis on shepherding others – sometimes called "pastor" in today's society),
  5. and teachers (holy-people who teach/instruct with God's Word, right doctrine, to other people as directed by the Lord Jesus Christ; this word places emphasis on instructing others)….

These holy-people have exactly the same holy spirit-life which every other holy-person has received from God by means of the Lord Jesus Christ - plus they have received added grace (unmerited favor) from God by means of the Lord Jesus Christ to enable them to carry-out the specific qualities of their assignments, etc, asked of them in the reception of that grace. These apostles, prophets, good-messagers, shepherds and teachers are to carry-out their assignment or mission(s) from the moment of commissioning onwards until completed.

Why does Christ continue to give the apostles, and the prophets, and the good-messagers, and the shepherds and teachers?

Verses 12 and 13:
.12towards the full-equipping of the holy-people into work of ministry, into edification of the body of Christ, .13up-until we all may come-down into the oneness of the belief and of the full-knowledge of the son of God, into a complete adult-male, into (the) measure of stature of the fullness of Christ,

Paul explains that the purpose is:

  • towards the full-equipping of the holy-people (referring to the action of making all of us fitted-out, having all that is needed in the walk/behavior category to carry-out our duties or functions for God and the Lord Jesus Christ) 
  • into work of ministry (with a view to expending energy pertaining to the duty of service to benefit others, not 'being-subject' to them but doing work to bring profit to them, the day-by-day ministerial duties, the functions of service for God and the Lord Jesus Christ),
  • into edification of the body of Christ (with a view to the action or process of building upwards and establishing of Christ's body, the one spiritual body of Christ which consists of all holy-people with Christ being the head of his spiritual body)

…for the limited time-period that this action takes and ending when we would all (every one of us) arrive…

  • into the oneness (unity)
    • of the belief (the belief that God gives us to believe, have faith in, trust regarding Himself and His son, the Lord Jesus Christ)
    • and of the full-knowledge of the son of God (the full, clear and exact personal knowledge pertaining to the son of God who is the Lord Jesus Christ),
  • into a complete adult-male (a perfectly grown man by the ultimate arrival of the state of completeness),
  • into the measure of stature of the fullness of Christ (Christ's filling, the result of his action of filling, the full-contents of the Anointed-one, the fulfillment belonging-to and proceeding-from the Messiah).

Again, we must recognize that this refers to the walk (behavior, conduct) category because God has already blessed all of us holy-people in every spiritual blessing in the heavenlies in Christ (refer to Ephesians 1:3). 

Verses 14-16:
.14in order that no-longer we may be infants being surged and being carried-around with every wind of teaching in the trickery of men, in every-working towards the method of wandering – .15but being-truthful in love1 we may cause-to-increase all-things into him who is the head: Christ, .16out-from whom all the body joining-together and compacting-together, by means of every ligament of the full-supply and in-working in (the) measure of each one part, makes-to-itself the increase of the body into edification of itself in love1.

For the purpose and result that...

  • no-longer (not anymore) we would be infants (minors being under-age, immature and behaving as a baby having received life but still without the power of adult/mature speech and so being childish) during the everyday living of our lives,
  • being surged (caused to be tossed as rising and falling waves)
  • and being carried-around (caused to be brought about in motion)
    • with/by every wind of teaching (all the blowing stream of air that may force the motion of that-which it comes in contact against but the response depends on the stability or instability of that-which it hits against - here referring to a wind consisting of instruction or doctrine contrary to the true teaching of God's Word)
      • in the trickery of men (within the sphere of action of dice or cube gambling with slyness and deceit),
      • in every-working (within the sphere of action of every/all working - used here in the bad sense of being prepared and ready to do anything considered to be needed towards and for the purpose of attaining personal goals and ambitions, unscrupulous in all workings, in craftiness which is contrary to God's will)
      • – towards the method of wandering (the systematic way or procedure pertaining to the error caused-by and issuing-from the devil/satan, not-staying in the rightful place, leading astray in error away from the truth of God's Word)

…but…

  • being truthful in love1 (while we are speaking the truth which is God's Word and behaving truthfully within the sphere of action of Godly-love)
    • we may cause-to-increase all-things into him (we would cause all the things we are involved-with to grow, cause the growth of, augment, expand all-things directed or with-a-view to/for him)
    • who is the head:
      • Christ.

Who is the head? Christ is the head (figuratively referring to his being the chief or principal part) of his one spiritual body of-which we are limbs.

It is originating and issuing from Christ (not from another part of the body) that…

  • all the body (the whole body, every part of it)
    • which is joining-together (fitting or framing itself together because all parts, the holy-people who are all in Christ, are laid fitting in conjunction with/to/into each-other)
    • and is compacting-together (bringing or coming in conjunction as knitting and so uniting itself),
    • by means of (through)
      • every ligament (all/every connecting tissue, as that-which ties the bones and keeps organs in the physical body together)
        • of the full supply (furnishing upon what has already been supplied joyfully, furnishing everything needed)
      • and in-working (work being done within, active energy)
        • within the measure (standard)
        • of each one part of the one spiritual body of Christ
  • makes to/for itself
    • the increase of the body (the augmentation, growth, expansion of the body) 
    • into edification of itself (directed or with-a-view to/for the action or process of building upwards and establishing itself)
    • within the sphere of action of Godly-love.

Spiritually all of us holy-people are complete because we have as much as is available to us at this present time. We are blessed in every spiritual blessing (refer to Ephesians 1:3) and it is in Christ that all the building joining-together increases into the holy interior-temple in the Lord, in whom also we are being built-together into the dwelling-down-place of God in spirit (refer to Ephesians 2:22). And we have the hope of all that we will receive in Christ when he comes to gather us all together with him and gives us our spiritual bodies, etc (refer to I Corinthians chapter 15).

However, right now we still have our fleshy bodies and minds with the fleshly/worldly influences, and therefore in the walk (behavior, conduct) category we can fluctuate – it is up to each one of us to decide to walk with and for God and our Lord Jesus Christ during the everyday living of our lives.

Ephesians chapter 5 refers to the interaction between Christ (the head) and his church (his body of holy-people):

Ephesians 5:21-24:
.21subjecting-yourselves to one-another in fear of Christ: .22wives, to (your) own husbands as to the Lord .23because (the) husband is head of the wife as also Christ (is) head of the church, himself (being the) savior of the body, .24but as the church is subject to Christ thus also the wives to the husbands in everything;

In this record, Paul continues teaching the holy-people how they ought to walk (behave, conduct themselves) by the freedom of their will during the everyday living of their lives:

  • be in submission to/with one-another
    • - what is the context of this submission? -
  • in fear of Christ (within the sphere of action of fear relative-to Christ).

Each one of us has the spirit of Christ in us, and therefore we ought to subject ourselves to one-another in fear of Christ. This fear refers to our fright, our being afraid at the consequences of the performance of any wrong behavior. We should manifest the awe and respect that is rightfully due and ought to be shown towards the Lord Jesus Christ, whom God has placed at His right-hand side, the position of being second-in-command to God Himself.

In Ephesians 5:22 - 6:9 Paul continues to explain exactly what "subjecting-yourselves to one-another in fear of Christ" means in application for holy-people (Christians).

  • The wives (women - translated "wives" depending on the context),
    • you are to subject yourselves
      • to your own husbands (adult-males, grown-men - translated "husbands" depending on the context)
  • in comparison to
    • how you are to subject yourselves
      • to the Lord Jesus Christ
    • - why? -
  • because of the truth that the husband
    • is head of his wife
  • as also the Christ is head 
    • of the church,
      • himself being the savior of the body (Christ is the one who accomplished salvation of/for his body which is the church, he is the body's savior),
  • but - as the church is to submit itself to Christ,
    • it is in this manner also that the wives are to submit themselves to their husbands in all (everything).

What is the comparison? As the church is subject to Christ thus also the wives to their husbands in everything – this is the arrangement.

However, it is by freedom of will that the husbands and the wives decide to behave themselves within this arrangement - as it is by freedom of will that Christ decides to behave himself in accordance with God's will. 

Verses 25-30:
.25husbands, you must love1 (your) wives according as also Christ loved1 the church and gave himself over on behalf of her .26in order that he may make her holy, having cleaned (her) with the washing of the water in (the) spoken-matter .27in order that he may present the church in-glory to himself, not having a spot or a wrinkle or something of the things-of-this-kind but in order that she may be holy and without-blemish, .28thus also the husbands owe-it to love1 the wives of themselves as the bodies of themselves, the (husband) loving1 the wife of himself loves1 himself, .29for not-one (adult-male/husband) at-some-time hated the flesh of himself but he fully-nourishes and cherishes it according as also Christ the church .30because we are limbs of his body,

In Ephesians 5:25-30 the Greek word "church" is a feminine noun and that is why the church may be referred to as "she" or "her" or "herself" (not meaning that everyone in it is of the female gender).

  • The husbands,
    • you must Godly-love
      • your wives
  • according as also Christ
    • Godly-loved
      • the church
    • and gave himself along (handed himself over by the freedom of his will carrying-out God's will accomplishing redemption and salvation)
      • on behalf of her (the church)
    • - why? -
  • for the purpose and result that he would make her holy (sanctify the church),
    • having cleaned her (made her free from all mixture, caused her not to be mixed with something else)
      • with/by the washing of the water (bathing as in a wash-vessel or bath - referring to the bathing of holy spirit, as a result of the blood which Jesus Christ shed for sins)
      • in the spoken-matter (referring to what was promised in that specific discourse which God first uttered and it was recorded in Genesis 3:15; refer also to Romans 10:8-10),
    • - why? -
  • for the purpose and result that Christ himself would cause the church to stand beside or near-by himself being within glory (importance, splendor and renown),
    • not having
      • a spot (stain)
      • or a wrinkle (as folded skin drawn together)
      • or anything of this sort of things (any such things),
    • but contrary to having something like that, Christ did what he did for the purpose and result that she, the church, would be
      • holy (sanctified)
      • and without-blemish (unblemished, no fault to be found because of some defect as a spot or damage in her),
  • it is in this manner also that the husbands owe-it (are obligated, ought)
    • to Godly-love the wives of themselves (their wives, the women belonging to them - not to someone else)
    • as the bodies of themselves (their bodies),
      • the husband Godly-loving the wife belonging to him Godly-loves himself,
  • for not one adult-male/husband at any time hated (active ill-will towards)
    • the flesh of himself (the flesh of the body belonging to him; the Greek word translated "flesh" is a feminine noun),
    • but on the contrary he fully nourishes (makes it thick and fat from inside to outside, as by feeding)
    • and he cherishes it (heats and keeps his flesh warm, as with incubation)
  • according as Christ also nourishes and cherishes the church
    • because we (you and I – all of us holy-people) are limbs of his body.

All holy-people (Christians) are limbs of the one spiritual body of Christ. Christ is the head, and we all share-in-common the same holy spirit-life - it is the spirit of Christ within us.

Verses 31 and 32:
.31"in-the-place-of this, a man will leave-down (his) father and mother and he will be glued-together-towards his wife and the two will be into one flesh" – .32this mystery is great, but I say (this) into Christ and into the church;

Paul continues to teach and explain by referencing what was previously written in the Book of Genesis regarding the first man and woman. The following verses include the context also:

Genesis 2:21-23:
And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;
And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.
And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.

Next in Genesis 2:24 comes the statement regarding this intimate Godly relationship referenced in the Book of Ephesians. This was not spoken by Adam when he said what is recorded in verse 23, but it was spoken and written-down when God gave the revelation to write this portion of the Book of Genesis, which was after the fall of the first man, Adam, and after the promise of the Christ was made (refer to Appendix to Romans, the fall of Adam).

Verse 24:
Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

The context in Genesis is what God had done, by means of Adam.

  • God made a woman with one of Adam’s ribs which was part of the body God had given to him. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

The context in Ephesians is what God has done, by means of the Lord Jesus Christ.

  • God made the church with the resurrected Christ’s body. And Christ fully-nourishes and cherishes the church, which is his body, and we are limbs (members) of his one spiritual body.

Paul wrote in Ephesians 5:31 and 32:

  • in the place of this (for this reason)
    • a man will leave-down his father and mother (in the sense that he must actively leave them remaining behind where they are and he continues on to do what he must do)
    • and he will be glued together towards his wife (he will be caused to adhere, stick, cleave himself with his woman),
      • and the two of them will be with-a-view-to and resulting-in one flesh (not two different fleshes existing and behaving separately from one another)
  • – this mystery is great (this secret, which is now being revealed to you, is large in measure, degree, number, estimation, quality, etc),
    • but I say this mystery into Christ and the church (this mystery pertains to Christ and the church which is his body).

The word “mystery” throughout Paul’s letters means “secret.” A mystery contains the details that are known and can be understood by those involved in it and by those to whom it has been revealed – it is not inexplicable to those involved in it.

Christ has been glued together with the church. We are one body spiritually. All of us, including Christ who is the head, now have the same (one) holy spirit-life, and when Christ comes and gathers us all together with him we will receive our spiritual bodies like the one he received from God when God raised him up from among the dead-people.

Also, Christ did not leave God behind somewhere forsaking God, but Christ still has God remaining being his Father and now God is our Father too. We all have access to God and God has access to us via our holy spirit-life.

Paul returns to addressing how the husband and wife ought to walk (behave, conduct themselves) as they await the coming of Christ to gather all holy-people together with him.

Ephesians 5:33:
.33besides, even you the (holy-people), one-by-one, each (husband) thus must love1 the wife of himself as himself, but the wife in order that she may be fearful (towards her) husband;

Moreover (more/other than what I have already written above regarding how and why you ought to behave yourselves appropriately)...

  • emphatically also you who are holy-people, according to one (everyone, nobody is excepted),
    • each husband among you by the freedom of his will in this manner (the manner of Christ and the church, his body)
      • must Godly-love your wife
      • as you must Godly-love yourself (refer to verses 25 and 28 above);
    • and the wife among you by the freedom of her will must behave herself for the purpose and result that
      • she would be fearful towards her husband (have fright, be afraid at the consequences of the performance of any wrong behavior, and therefore she would manifest the awe and respect that is rightfully due and ought to be shown towards her husband; refer to verses 21, 22 and 24 above).

I Corinthians chapter 12 refers to the body of Christ having many limbs in it, and all the limbs are needed for the body to function the best way:

I Corinthians 12:12-14:
 .12for fully-as the body is one (body) and it has many limbs, but all the limbs of the body, being many, it is one body – thus also (is) Christ, .13for also in one spirit we all were baptized into one body, whether Judeans or Greeks or slaves or freemen, and we were all given one spirit to drink, .14for also the body is not one limb but many.

Paul uses the physical body as an illustration to help us understand spiritual-things. In verse 12 he writes:

In truth, fully-as the physical body is...

  • one body (not two or more),
  • and this one body has
    • a lot of limbs (members, such as arms, legs, a nose, a mouth, etc),
    • but every one of the limbs together, which are a lot of limbs,
  • make-up that one physical body -

…in this manner also is Christ, for also we (holy-people) all were baptized (immersed, surrounded)...

  • within one spirit (one holy spirit-life – not two or more)
    • into one body (the resurrected Christ's spiritual body – not two or more),
      • no matter whether we are of the Judean (Israeli) background,
      • or the Greek background (Gentile, people of nations other-than Israel/Judah),
      • or slaves (in servitude to other men),
      • or freemen (at liberty from service to other men),

…and all of us holy-people were given to drink (let drink and so we all received)...

  • one spirit (holy spirit-life),

…for also...

  • the body of Christ is not only one limb,
    • but it is a lot of limbs put all together.

Every holy-person has been baptized in holy spirit and this is how each one of us became a limb (member) of the one spiritual body of Christ.

Verses 15 and 16:
.15If-ever the foot may say, "Because I am not a hand I am not from the body" – not by-this it is not from the body; .16and if-ever the ear may say, "Because I am not an eye I am not from the body" – not by-this it is not from the body.

In this section Paul writes about the limbs of the physical body as though they could speak, in order to more effectively teach how the one spiritual body of Christ functions with many limbs.

If the foot should say that because it is not a hand (a different part of the body) then it does not emanate out-from the body – is a consequence of saying this causing the foot to not be part of the one body? No, the foot is still part of the body whether it considers itself to be so or not! This limb is supposed to function as a foot within the body.

If the ear should say that because it is not an eye (a different part of the body) then it does not emanate out-from the body – is a consequence of saying this causing the ear to not be part of the one body? No, the ear is still part of the body whether it considers itself to be so or not! This limb is supposed to function as the ear within the body.

If a holy-person should say that because he is not someone else (a holy-person who has a different function within the one body of Christ) then he does not emanate out-from the one body of Christ – is a consequence of saying this causing this holy-person to not be part of the one body of Christ? Does his denial in the everyday living of his life of the spiritual truth cause what God says to not be true? No, this holy-person is still part of the spiritual body whether he considers himself to be so or not! This holy-person is supposed to function as God and the Lord Jesus Christ intend him to function within the one body of Christ.

Verses 17 and 18:
.17If the whole body (is) an eye, where (is) the hearing? If (the) whole (body is the) hearing, where (is) the smelling? .18But now God put the limbs, each one of them, in the body according as He intended.

If the whole physical body were an eye (which is for seeing), then where would the faculty or sense of hearing be? There would not be any! If the whole physical body were the hearing, then where would the faculty or sense of smell be? There would not be any! But emphatically at the present time, God has put (God did it Himself - He placed, set) the limbs, every particular one of them, within the physical body to function according as He intended (willed).

God did what He Himself intended – not as any of the limbs in the body intended; for example: the eye did not dictate to God that it wanted to be the faculty of seeing and not of hearing when God formed the physical body of mankind and so God did what He was told to do by that limb!

If the whole spiritual body of Christ functioned only in one manner, then the spiritual body of Christ would have no capacity to do any other necessary spiritual function(s) which God and/or the Lord Jesus Christ may want it to perform. But at the present time (since the day of Pentecost recorded in Acts chapter 2), God has put (God did it Himself - He placed, set) the limbs/members, every particular holy-person, within the one spiritual body of Christ to function according as He wills, and with the Lord Jesus Christ carrying out God’s will. Of course it is up to the freedom of will of each holy-person to carry-out his/her particular function when it is needed to be done within that one body of Christ.

Verses 19 and 20:
.19But if all-things were one limb, where (would be) the body? .20But now (there are) many limbs but one body.

If all-things (everything that makes-up the physical body) were made into only one limb, then where would the body be? There would be no body, only one big limb! God did not make every man and woman to be the same limb, but there are a lot of limbs which make-up the one physical body which each of us has.

If everything, which makes-up the one spiritual body of Christ, were only one limb, then there would not be any spiritual body of Christ because it would be only one limb, one part of the whole! But the truth is that there are a lot of limbs and all the limbs together constitute the one spiritual body of Christ.

Verses 21-26:
.21But the eye is not able to say to the hand, "I do not have need of you," or again the head to the feet, "I do not have need of you" – .22but much rather the limbs of the body considering to begin weaker are constraining (limbs), .23and which (limbs) of the body we consider to be more-dishonorable to these we put-around more-exceeding honor, and our indecorous (limbs) have more-exceeding décor, .24but our decorous (limbs) do not have a need – but God mixed-together the body having given more-exceeding honor to the lacking (limb) .25in order that there may not be division in the body but the limbs may be anxious-about the same-thing on behalf of one-another, .26and whether one limb suffers all the limbs suffer-together with (it), whether a limb is glorified all the limbs joy-together with (it).

In a physical body, the eye does not have the ability (able-power, capability) to say to the hand that it does not have a needful-use or necessity for it to be a particular limb of the same body; nor does the head have the ability to say to the feet that it does not have a needful-use or necessity for them to be two limbs with similar functions within the same body. 

But contrary to one limb not needing another limb in the same physical body, a lot more-so those limbs of the body supposing to originate weaker (naturally made with less physical strength) than other limbs, presently and actively are constraining limbs (limbs which are necessary due to constraint, applied-force). The body cannot function with vitality and productively without them.

  • The limbs of the body which we suppose to be, in comparison to other limbs,
    • more without honor (estimated as being less valuable, deemed not to be worthy of price),
  • then to these we place around them (bestow, confer)
    • a more-abundant estimation of value or price;
  • and our indecorous limbs (not elegant, not well-figured, unseemly from a fleshly point of view)
    • have a more-abundant décor (goodly-elegance with propriety of conduct or deportment, wellness in outward-figure, seemliness);
  • but our decorous limbs do not have a need (a requirement for use of something lacking - they don't need something else). 

But contrary to any potential unbalance within the physical body...

  • God has mixed-together the body (intermingled, blended, combined parts in conjunction with each other to make a whole compound)
    • after He had given more-abundant honor (estimation of value or price)
      • to the limb which is wanting (deficient, falls-short, being behind others from the fleshly viewpoint as not being needed)
      • - why? -
  • for the purpose and result that
    • there may not be division (a schism, partition, splitting)
      • within that one body.

But contrary to the body being divided up into separate limbs or separate groups of limbs being stuck together without other limbs - God mixed the body together in this manner...

  •  for the purpose and result that
    • the limbs of the body (all of them)
    • may be anxious about (mentally distracted with care concerning)
      • the same thing (to the same end or purpose)
    • in the interests of every one of them together.

The body is made-up of limbs mixed-together, not separated from each other, and in order for the one body as a whole to function productively and with vitality all the limbs must function to the best of its ability as God has given it the ability to do so.

Also, because God mixed-together the body...

  • whether one limb in the body presently and actively suffers,
    • then all the limbs suffer in conjunction with it (because what affects one limb affects the whole body in one way or another),
  • or, whether a limb is glorified (given importance, splendor, renown),
    • then all the limbs joy in conjunction with it (even though only one limb actually receives this particular glory which would cause this limb to be joyful, the rest of the limbs rejoice together with it - they are not jealous of it!).

So also is the one spiritual body of Christ.

Verse 27:
.27But you are (the) body of Christ and limbs in-particular;

In the spirit category: all of you (holy-people, Christians) are the spiritual body of the resurrected Christ, and you are limbs (members) with each one of you being individual parts of the whole body – every part comes out-from the interior of the body.

All holy-people are connected to Christ and to each other by means of that holy spirit-life within each one. Christ is the head of the body and we are the other limbs of his spiritual body with different functions. Christ is continuing to do those things which God asks him to do, and we should also function correctly.

Romans chapter 12 refers to the various functions of the limbs within one body in Christ:

Romans 12:3-5:
.3For I say by means of the grace, the (grace) having been given to me, to every-person being among you, not to super-think against that-which it is necessary to think but to think with-a-view to soundly-think as God distributed a measure of belief to each-person; .4for fully-as we have many limbs in one body but all the limbs do not have the same practice, .5thus we (being) many-people are one body in Christ but uniquely limbs of one-another;

When any holy-person (Christian)...

  • is given an assignment to do,
  • or is given added information revealed to him/her
    • by God or by the Lord Jesus Christ
      • via their holy spirit-life or via whatever way God wishes to communicate His will regarding specific situations,

...then that holy-person is to believe what God says and obey Him.

Each holy-person is to think-soundly as God distributed a measure of belief to him/her. In Romans 12:4 and 5, Paul explains by giving the illustration of how a person's physical body operates to its own benefit - the whole profit. He writes:

Even just as…

  • we have a lot of limbs (members, for example we have a right hand and a left hand, feet, elbows, a nose, eyes, ears, kidneys, a heart, lungs, etc)
    • in one body (within one physical, fleshy body)
  • but all the limbs do not have the same practice (every limb in a body does not have the same habitual action to perform in the process of accomplishing something in the physical category; each limb has its own particular function within that one body and this is what allows each one to act in its own individual manner – not the same way as every other limb in that one body),

…in this manner…

  • we - being a lot of holy-people - are
    • one body (figuratively referring to the spirit category)
      • in Christ (we are within the cause and sphere of action, character, and attributes of Christ)
  • but we are uniquely limbs of one-another (the body consists of limbs who do not have the same practice from one to another; the members have assigned practices to carry-out one-by-one, each one, and all are connected to one-another so that the body functions correctly).

This one spiritual body of Christ has limbs (every holy-person) and each limb has its own particular function – this is what allows each one to act in its own individual manner in accordance with the measure of belief distributed to it by God (as verse 3 above). Each one of us should function as he/she is assigned, but yet each one of us is connected to all of the other limbs. We are not all placed as one-limb all doing exactly the same thing - that would not be a well-functioning body!

We have already been taught that the one thing that connects and unifies all of us is the holy spirit-life within us, and when each one of us functions as we are instructed to function within that one body, then each one of us is benefited individually, plus the whole body collectively is benefited. It is noteworthy that Paul does not say that anyone is left-out, or that it is for some holy-people only but not all.

This is similar to a physical body – when each limb functions as it is supposed to function, then each limb benefits itself, plus the whole body is benefited. However, if one limb of the physical body does not function properly, the lack of its functioning affects the rest of the body, and sometimes other limbs of the body have to take on an extra task in order to cope with that lack of supply of the one limb not functioning correctly. But when all limbs function as they are designed to function, then the body can perform many different tasks by working together, e.g. walking, swimming, lifting items, etc.

Verses 6-8:
.6but having different gracious-gifts according to the grace, the (grace) having been given to us – whether prophecy according to the proportion of the belief, .7whether ministry in the ministry; whether the (person) teaching in the teaching, .8the (person) encouraging in the encouragement, the (person) sharingly-giving in singleness, the (person) standing-before (others) in earnest-diligence, the (person) being merciful-towards (others) in cheerfulness;

Paul continues by giving us examples of particular practices or functions within the one spiritual body of Christ and how we are to carry them out during the everyday living of our lives. He uses the figure of speech whereby only part (some of the practices) is mentioned but the whole (all of the practices) is to be understood as being included.

He writes: we (the limbs being one body in Christ) continue having…

  • different gracious-gifts (gracious gifts that are carried or borne in various ways, so that any assigned practice, function, duty, task within the one body can be carried-out effectively; refer to I Corinthians 12:4)
    • in accordance with the grace (the bestowed unmerited or undeserved favor),
      • emphatically and specifically the grace that has been given to us (each one of us) –
  • whether prophecy (if we receive words to speak-forth to, before, or in front of another person or people as directed by God via our holy spirit-life concerning the past, present and/or future) – we must prophesy…
    • in accordance with the proportion of the belief (which God distributes to each one of us, as stated in verse 3 above, the faith, the information that God makes known specific to that prophecy for us to have confidence-in with assured certainty and surety; refer to I Corinthians 12:9 and 10 for the relationship of prophecy to belief),
  • whether ministry (if we receive day-to-day ministerial duties or functions of serving others to benefit them, not 'being subject' to them but doing work to bring them profit from God’s and the Lord Jesus Christ’s viewpoint; refer to I Corinthians 12:5) – we must minister…
    • within the cause and sphere of action of that ministry;

…and examples of saying and doing these are…

  • whether the person teaching (if a particular limb is giving instruction to others) – this same limb must teach…
    • within the cause and sphere of action of that teaching (instruction, doctrine),
  • the person encouraging (if a particular limb is exhorting, calling others beside himself as a concerned father or mother would call/invite their children close to them under their arms so as to help them to do what is right) – this same limb must encourage…
    • within the cause and sphere of action of that encouragement,
  • the person sharingly giving (if a particular limb is imparting, freely giving something in company and association with another who has a need; the action of giving is to benefit both parties involved) – this same limb must sharingly-give…
    • within the cause and sphere of action of singleness (plainness, straight-forwardly without any double-meanings, false motives or intentions on his part, no duplicity in the mind regarding what he is doing),
  • the person standing before other people (if a particular limb is standing in-front-of others as a leader presiding over them in some manner) – this same limb must stand before others…
    • within the cause and sphere of action of earnest diligence (speedy application or performance of duty, assiduity),
  • the person being merciful towards others (if a particular limb is showing mercy, actively not bestowing merited judgment, withholding punishment even though it is deserved, and thus he is giving active relief towards other people) – this same limb must be merciful towards others…
    • within the cause and sphere of action of cheerfulness (radiance, a glowing-shine, hilarity).

Paul provides further information regarding behavior and functioning of the one spiritual body of Christ in Romans 12:9-21.

I Corinthians chapter 10 refers to the church sharing with the accomplishments of Christ:

I Corinthians 10:15-17:
.15As to thoughtful-people I say (that) you must judge that-which I say: .16the cup of blessing which we bless, it is a sharing-in-common of the blood of Christ, isn't it? – (yes) – the bread which we break, it is a sharing-in-common of the body of Christ, isn't it? – (yes) – .17because we (being) many-people are one bread, one body – for we all (of us holy-people) share out-from one bread.

Paul teaches about those times during which we (holy-people, Christians) gather-together with one another in celebration of all that God has already done and continues to do for/to/with us by means of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The blessing of the blood of Christ is the remission (dismissal) of sins, for without the shedding of blood there could not be any remission of sins. Our blessing is that we share the blood of Christ in common – our sins are dismissed.

Jesus Christ's physical body was killed – but God raised Jesus Christ from the dead and now he has his spiritual body and he cannot and will not die again. We spiritually share the body of Christ in common because we have believed what God has said and thus God gave us the gift of holy spirit by means of the Lord Jesus Christ. We are limbs of his spiritual body. Spiritually we have received the deposit which is our holy spirit-life, which is our guarantee that we will receive our new spiritual bodies when Christ comes to gather us all together with him. Our bodies will be formed together with the body of his glory.

Verse 17 says that we – all of us many holy-people – are...

  • one bread,
  • one body.

In truth, all of us share out-from one bread, the one true bread in the spirit category. We partake in association with one another of the one bread who is Christ. Christ is the one who sustains and maintains us. Christ himself is the bread which he gave to us so that we all share equally and fully of his spiritual body. We are all limbs of his body, and this is available now because of what his death, resurrection, ascension into heaven, etc, accomplished.

Christ is our life because we have his holy spirit-life (refer to Colossians 3:4). We are limbs of his spiritual body and we cannot be separated from him or from one-another in the spirit category.

I Corinthians chapter 11 refers to the church remembering what Christ accomplished:

I Corinthians 11:23-25:
.23For I received from the Lord that-which also I gave-over to you that the Lord Jesus, in the night which he was given-over, took bread .24and having expressed-thanks he broke (it) and said, "This is my body on behalf of you, this you must do with-a-view-to my remembrance"; .25likewise also (he took) the cup after the meal saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, this you must do as-often-as if-ever you may drink with-a-view-to my remembrance";

The Lord Jesus Christ used a figure of speech called a metaphor (a declaration that one thing is/represents another thing) to emphasize and illustrate by demonstration exactly what he meant.

Jesus taking the bread and breaking it into pieces giving to each one of them...

  • is or represents
    • his giving of his physical body being the sacrificial-offering to the only true God on their behalf (in the place and interest of all of mankind to redeem them from the power of the devil).

The people who believe what the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished must do this same thing of taking the bread and breaking it into pieces giving to each one of us for the purpose of our remembrance of the Lord Jesus Christ. We are to call him up in our minds (remind ourselves of him), which includes his sacrifice and all that he has accomplished.

The fullness of this today is that all holy-people now share of his spiritual body which is incorruptible (not corruptible as the fleshy body) and we have the definite hope of receiving our own spiritual bodies when Christ comes to gather us all together with him.

Jesus taking the cup and giving the contents of it (the drink itself was wine) among each one of them...

  • is or represents
    • the new covenant (the newly-made binding agreement which is different from the old covenant which was previously in effect)
      • within his blood (which was shed for the remission of sins in the making of this new covenant).

Jesus died losing his physical life (soul) by the shedding of his blood and after his resurrection he shared his new life (holy spirit) with those who believe.

The people who believe what the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished must do this same thing of taking the cup and sharing the wine in the cup among each one of us for the purpose of our remembrance of the Lord Jesus Christ. We are to call him up in our minds (remind ourselves of him), which includes the shedding of his blood and all that he has accomplished.

The fullness of this today is that all holy-people now share of his holy spirit-life (not soul/breath life) and we have the definite hope of receiving the fullness of life when Christ comes to gather us all together with him.

The new covenant which the Lord Jesus referred to was going to come into effect at the moment that the complete redemption and salvation was made available to mankind, which occurred on the day of Pentecost (recorded in Acts chapter 2) when God by means of the Lord Jesus Christ shed forth the gift of holy spirit. Of course, it is only the people who believe what God says regarding Himself and the Lord Jesus Christ who actually receive the blessing.

This new covenant of the spirit replaced the former covenant of law and circumcision. Jesus did not know exactly when this was going to occur at the time he spoke of it to those with him when he ate his last meal before his death.

Verses 26 and 27:
.26for as-often-as if-ever you may eat this bread and you may drink this cup you message the death of the Lord continuously-until where he may come; .27so-that whoever may eat the bread or may drink the cup of the Lord unworthily will be liable of the body and the blood of the Lord.

In truth, as many times as you (holy-people, Christians) should...

  • eat this bread (whenever you eat bread together during your meetings)
  • and drink this cup (whenever you drink wine together during your meetings),
    • you really announce (bring the message home)
    • regarding the death of the Lord Jesus Christ (his total sacrifice including the shedding of his blood)
      • during the whole duration of time to when he will come.

Today also, whenever we eat this bread and drink this cup together we message the death of the Lord. We should do it in remembrance of him, thereby acknowledging all that he accomplished for us by...

  • his death,
  • burial,
  • resurrection,
  • ascension into heaven,
  • being seated at the right-hand side of God,
  • pouring-forth the gift of holy spirit on the day of Pentecost,
  • and the truth that all Christians are spiritually members of his spiritual body, all of us together are one body, one bread,

...and we look forward to his coming to gather us all together with him.

  • Should any holy-person eat bread and drink wine
    • supposedly done in remembrance of the Lord Jesus Christ,
    • but actually done in a manner which is not of equal value (without the correct worth, worthless, as being incorrectly weighed on a scales, not in like worth)
      • to/with the way which the Lord Jesus Christ instructed that it must be done,
  • will be held-in or made-subject pertaining to the consequences of rejecting what the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished by the killing of his body and the shedding of his blood –
    • that holy-person cannot receive the blessings associated with it in the walk (behavior, conduct) category during his/her everyday living of life.
Verses 28-30:
.28But a man must prove himself and thus he must eat out-from the bread and he must drink out-from the cup, .29for the (person) eating and drinking not throughly-judging the body eats and drinks judgment to himself – .30because-of-this many-people among you (are) weak and sickly and sufficient-people sleep.

A Christian man must put himself to the test (examine himself) in order to approve himself in-relation to this matter by making sure that he is behaving in accordance with what the Lord Jesus Christ said. It is in the manner stated in verses 23-26 that he must eat out-from the bread from-which all present share and he must drink out-from the cup of the Lord from-which all present share during that assembly of holy-people together.

  • The holy-person who is not making a differentiating decision (wholly distinguishing or discerning)
    • regarding the body (the Lord Jesus Christ’s body – all that he accomplished with/by his physical body and which resulted in the one spiritual body of Christ of-which all holy-people are limbs)
  • while he is eating and drinking,
    • in truth he eats and drinks judgment to himself (a pronounced decision, a sentence passed on himself, his own physical body, during the everyday living of his life).

Spiritually every holy-person remains a limb (member) of the spiritual body of Christ because his holy spirit-life cannot be lost - but it is only in the physical flesh category that he can leave himself open to that-which is less than what God would want every holy-person (Christian) to manifest and live every day of our lives.

Paul explains: it is on account of what I have just written that...

  • a lot of you are weak (without strength, infirm)
  • and sickly (not strong, languid, not thriving)
  • and the number of people is coming to enough (reaching the point of satisfying sufficiency)
    • who have fallen asleep (referring to death – they had died prematurely because of natural causes, before the usual span of natural life).

This is the implementation of the temporary judgment in the physical category against those holy-people who do not eat and drink together as the Lord Jesus Christ instructs.

I Corinthians chapter 6 refers to the behavior of the limbs of the body of Christ, and to the interior-temple:

I Corinthians 6:13-17:
.13The foods (are) for the belly and the belly (is) for the foods - but God will render both this-thing and these-things ineffective; and the body (is) not for fornication but for the Lord and the Lord for the body - .14but God both raised-up the Lord and He raises us up-out-from (deadness) by means of His ability. .15You knew2 that your bodies are limbs of Christ, don't you? – (yes) – therefore, having lifted the limbs of Christ, should I make (them) limbs of a female-fornicator? – may it not become! .16You knew2 that the (person) being-glued-together to a female-fornicator is one body (with her), don't you? – (yes) – for He says, "The two will be into one flesh"; .17but the (person) being-glued-together to the Lord is one spirit!

These verses emphasize the total contrast - between the physical category of this world - and who we are spiritually having become children of the only true God because we have holy spirit-life within us.

Regarding the everyday living of this life, yes, we must physically eat physical food in order to stay physically alive. But Paul explains that in this physical realm:

  • the foods that we eat are for and go-to the belly,
  • and the belly is made for and it receives the foods
    • – but God will render both the belly and the foods ineffective (inactive, inoperative, useless).

We are not to live our lives concentrating on getting foods, nutritious or otherwise, for the belly, because even if we have the so-called "perfect" physical body or a not-so-perfect physical body, it matters nothing to God, because the outcome will be that God will render both the foods and the belly ineffective; flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God (refer to I Corinthians 15:50).

Also, the physical body is not for fornication (wrongful sexual activity/relations); that is not the purpose for having a physical body. But on the contrary - the physical body of a holy-person is for the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Lord is for the body. This is true because:

  • God has already raised His son, the Lord Jesus Christ, up out-from among the rest of the dead-people by means of God's own ability (able-power, capability) and He gave him his new spiritual body,
  • and God gives His gift of holy spirit to all who believe what He says by means of the resurrected Christ Jesus who is Lord - thereby spiritually raising us up out-from among the deadness of our physical bodies and the rest of the spiritually-dead people who are living with only a physical body and soul-life in this world.

We were made alive spiritually the moment we received holy spirit-life which is the spirit of Christ, and in the future we will be gathered-together by the Lord Jesus Christ and we will also be given spiritual bodies – all of this is made available by means of God's ability.

In verse 15 Paul continues: you knew and you still know (perceive), don’t you, that...

  • your bodies are
    • limbs of Christ (members of Christ's body spiritually)?

This question is constructed in such a manner in Greek that the answer must be affirmative - "yes, we know this." We are joined or tied together spiritually in Christ's body (not multiple bodies but one, just like one physical human body has different limbs in it such as two arms, legs, a nose, etc).

Christ himself is the head of his one body. Christ has not been cut-up and distributed in little pieces to each of us, but we received the spirit of Christ because it is the same spirit, the spirit that God gave Christ when He resurrected him. Instead of viewing ourselves as physical bodies needing food for the belly, etc - we ought to view ourselves from God's viewpoint. 

Verse 15 continues with another question:

  • therefore,
  • having lifted (taken-up and carried)
    • the limbs of Christ's body away-from where they ought to be in the walk (behavior, conduct) category,
  • should I (Paul myself as an example)
    • make them the limbs of a female-fornicator (a prostitute, one who sells herself to partake in sexual relations with another in order to receive payment for it, she sells herself and does what the other says so-as to receive a reward from her ‘partner’)?

In the context of this passage Paul is referring to holy-people (Christian men and women), who have holy spirit-life within them but who refuse to believe all that God has given them by means of their holy spirit-life. They sell themselves figuratively speaking, opening themselves up to receiving information, etc, from the world and devil-spirit influences. They would be spiritually fornicating with idols (being intimate with the devil and the things of the devil) while physically having sexual relations at the meetings as a form of sacrifice in order to gain spiritual favor from God - this spiritual favor would be the payment they would ask in return for their "service to God"!

But the thought of such a thing being so repulsive to Paul is conveyed in his expression of:

  • may it not become (may it not come into being that such a thing could happen at any time)!

How could a holy-person who is a limb of the body of Christ make himself a limb of a female prostitute in the walk (behavior, conduct) category from God's point of view? Because as Paul explains:

  • you knew and you still know (perceive),
    • don’t you,
  • that the person who is being glued together (adhering, sticking, cleaving himself)
    • to a female fornicator
      • is thereby one body with her?

Again, the unwritten answer is "yes, we know this." Anyone who makes the decision to fornicate with fornicators is in fact a fornicator himself/herself - no matter what he/she may think is the reason for doing such acts.

Paul continues teaching by reminding them:

  • God says that the two people
    • will be into (directed to, resulting in)
      • one flesh (only one flesh from God’s viewpoint, not two different fleshes existing and behaving separately from one-another).

God revealed this information to Moses when he was writing about the first man and woman, Adam and Eve. God is the One Who brought this to light by speaking it (refer to Genesis 2:21-24). 

In verse 17 Paul continues:

  • the person being glued together (adhering, sticking, cleaving himself)
    • to/with the Lord
      • is one spirit (only one spirit, not two different spirits existing and behaving separately from one-another).

This is God’s and the Lord Jesus Christ’s viewpoint of all holy-people, because when we believed what God has given to be believed regarding Himself and His son, the Lord Jesus Christ, we were given holy spirit-life, the same life that our Lord/Master has. We became one spirit. We have the spirit of Christ within us. We are limbs of the one spiritual body of Christ. We (holy-people) and our Lord Jesus Christ are one spirit – in comparison to a husband and wife being one flesh.

Verses 18-20:
.18You must flee fornication; every sin which if-ever a man may do is outside-of the body, but the (person) fornicating sins into (his) own body. .19Or, you knew2 that your body is (the) interior-temple of the holy spirit in you which you have from God, and you are not of yourselves, don’t you? – (yes) – .20for you were bought of price; indeed you must glorify God in your body.

You must flee (put yourselves in flight) away from...

  •  fornication (physically – wrongful sexual activity/relations; spiritually – being intimate with the devil and the things of the devil);
    • because all/every sin (sinful action, every deed which is contrary to God)
    • which a man may do (perform) during the everyday living of his life
      • is on the outside of the physical body,
    • but the person who is fornicating (carrying-out that-which a fornicator does, having wrongful sexual activity/relations, committing pornographic actions)
    • sins (misses the correct-mark, swerves from what is right)
      • into his own body.

He directs that sin from the outside into the inside of his own body, since the person being glued together to a female-fornicator is one body with her. The person fornicating sins into his own body, not into the other-party involved with him during the action of fornication as though they were two separate fleshes.

Paul and others had previously taught the holy-people in the church in Corinth regarding holy spirit and all that it involved having the power and ability of the resurrected Christ inside their physical bodies. Next here in this letter he asks them:

  • You knew and you still know (perceive), don’t you,
  • that your body (singular – altogether as one unit)
    • is the interior-temple
      • of, belonging-to and containing the holy spirit within you
      • which (spirit) you have from God
  • and you are not belonging to yourselves?

Again, the unwritten answer to this two-fold question in the Greek construction must be in agreement – "yes, we know."

Paul expected the Corinthian holy-people to know this truth. There is no place for "doing it my way" or "doing what the committee says" if it is against what God says! The interior-temple of God now consists of all holy-people, no matter what location we may live in.

In truth, you were bought of price. You were bought as a person buys in a market-place and pays the correct honorable price, the holding-worth of the item, the value of the item concerned. Jesus Christ is the one who paid the price that was necessary for redemption – his perfect walk with and for God his Father including his sacrificial offering of himself. The totality and fully-manifested reality of having been bought of price will come to pass when the resurrected Christ will come to gather all holy-people together with him.

You were bought of price – absolutely you must glorify God in your body. Indeed all of you together must actively give God the glory (the importance, splendor, renown) within your body (one-unit because of having the same holy spirit-life within you, you are the one spiritual body of Christ).

All that you do with your body during the everyday living of your lives must be to God's glory.

Colossians chapter 2 refers to the accomplishments of Christ - his body:

Colossians 2:16 and 17:
.16Therefore someone must not judge you in eating and in drinking or in particular of a feast or of a new-month or of sabbaths .17which-things are a shadow of the (things) being about to (come), but the body (is) of Christ.

Paul writes that no-one must make a decision regarding you (holy-people, Christians)...

  • in eating (basing his/her judgment on or within the act of eating food, determined on what/where/how/when you eat)
  • or in drinking (basing his/her judgment on or within the act of drinking a drink, determined on what/where/how/when you drink)
  • or in particular of a feast (whether you are observant, or not, of the celebration of a certain festival)
  • or of a new month (the observance and celebration of the time of a different month, which is calculated by viewing the new moon in the night sky)
  • or of sabbaths (whether you rest from labor, or not,  during days which have been designated as "sabbath days").

Nobody must base their decisions or judgments on these things to determine whether a person is a Christian having holy spirit within him/her or not, or whether a Christian is good or bad in the walk (behavior, conduct) category during the everyday living of life, or not. Why not?

  • Because these things are a shadow (shade) of the things being on the point of coming (things in the process of coming but have not yet come to pass, the shadow is not the actual thing itself),
  • but the body is of Christ (the one spiritual body of which we are all limbs belongs to Christ - Christ's body is the true reality).

The shadow things were applicable during the old covenant looking forward to the coming of the Christ and his accomplishments - but...

  • today during the new covenant (from Acts chapter 2 onwards)
    • these things are not relevant to any holy-person (Christian)
      • because we have the things themselves in Christ.

We (holy-people) are Christ’s body - spiritually.

Romans chapter 7 refers to serving God in newness of spirit:

Romans 7:4-6:
.4So-that, my brothers, you also were put-to-death to the law by means of the body of Christ with-a-view-for you to become to a different (husband), to the (one) having been raised-up out-from dead-people in order that we may bear-fruit to God; .5for when we used-to-be in the flesh, the sufferings of the sins, the (sufferings) by means of the law, used-to-be caused-to-in-work in our limbs with-a-view to bear-fruit to death, .6but now we have been rendered-ineffective away-from the law having died in that-which we used-to be-held-down, so-that we serve-as-slaves in newness of spirit and not (in) oldness of writing.

Paul writes to the holy-people addressing them as "my brothers" in the holy spirit category:

  • Emphatically you were caused to become
    • dead relative to the law (the claims, laws, rules, precepts of the law of Moses that God had given to him to help God’s people behave correctly during the old covenant)
  • for the purpose of you becoming
    • to/with a different husband (figuratively in this illustration as becoming married to a different adult-male, becoming subject-to or under the lawful-authority of a different husband),
      • specifically, to the one who has been raised up out-from dead-people (Jesus the Christ was caused to rise up alive out from being among the rest of the dead-people)
  • for the purpose and result that
    • we would bear fruit to God (bring or carry produce, cause fruit to be produced, produce fruit to/for God).

In truth, when we used-to-be (all holy-people were continuing to be/exist during a past time, historically) …

  • in the flesh (within the realm of the physical fleshy body without holy spirit-life)
    • the sufferings of the sins (the experiences, the things that affected us pertaining to the errors, missing the mark of God’s Word to us, swerving from the truth of what God said to/for us),
      • emphatically and specifically the sufferings by means of the law (through the law of Moses),
    • were continuing to be made to do work within our limbs (were being energized within the members of our physical bodies)
      • for the purpose of bearing fruit to death (to bring or carry produce, cause fruit to be produced, produce fruit to/for death, lack of life),

…but now (emphatically at the present time)…

  • we have been rendered ineffective (caused to be inoperative, inactive, useless)
    • relative to the law (we have been separated from the law of Moses)
      • having died in that-which we used-to be held down (we have already died in relation to the Mosaic law which is what was continuing to have us fast or firm in the sense of suppressing us, historically we were restrained in/by it),
  • with the consequence and result that
  • we presently and actively serve as slaves (we are serving in the position and capacity of being slaves, bound-people carrying out service to/for God)
    • in newness of spirit (within the cause and sphere of action of the new quality which proceeds-from and consists-of spirit, referring to the holy spirit-life that we now have within us)
      • and not in oldness of writing (the quality that has existed for a long time which proceeded-from and consisted-of that-which has been written down, written letters, referring to the law that was given by God on Mount Sinai to Moses for Israel a long time ago on tablets of stone, physically written-down laws or precepts).

This spirit is the spiritual life of the resurrected Christ (refer to Romans 1:4). We serve as slaves in newness of spirit.

Colossians chapter 3 refers to the new man:

Colossians 3:8-11:
.8but now you must put-away-from-yourselves, even you, all-things: wrath, rage, badness, blasphemy, shameful-wording out-from your mouth; .9you must not lie into one-another; having unclothed-away the old man together with his practices .10and having clothed-yourselves-with the new (man), the (new man) being newed-up into full-knowledge according to (the) image of the (One) having created him .11where there is not in (him) a Greek and a Judean, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave, freeman – but Christ (is) all-things and in all-people;

Verses 8 and 9 indicate that all holy-people have freedom of will to do what God says - you put them away from yourselves – you must not lie. God's gift of holy spirit does not dominate anybody, it does not force anybody, it does not control anybody, it does not strike anybody down on the ground shaking or unconscious! Every holy-person (Christian) has freedom of will to believe and do what the only true God says.

How is it available for holy-people to be able to walk as God wants all of His children to walk (to behave ourselves during the everyday living of life while we await Christ's coming to gather us all together with him)? All of us holy-people have holy spirit-life within us - which is the primary requirement since the day of Pentecost (refer to Acts chapter 2) - and therefore in the spirit category:

  • You have already unclothed away (you have gotten out-of and away-from what was being on/over you, as stripping off one's garments and putting them away from you)
    • the old man (that man that has existed for a long time, since the fall of Adam, the first man, which is the man consisting of the fleshy body and its soul/breath-life and including everything that emanates from this "old man" such as his way of thinking and behaving without holy spirit-life)
      • in conjunction with his practices (together with the old man's doings, his habitual actions done in the process of accomplishing something for himself)

…and (also, in addition)…

  • you have already clothed yourselves with (you have put-on as a garment by going inside of it, enveloped yourselves with)
    • the new – the new what? – the context indicates: the new man (figuratively referring to the holy spirit-life within you which is the spirit of Christ in you, Christ being the second and last man),
  • the new man being newed-up (being caused to be made new with an upward motion, being continually renewed)
    • into full-knowledge (with a view to, directed to, regarding full, clear and exact personal knowledge).

All holy-people have already received holy spirit-life which is the new man. We don't have to do anything else to receive it because we already have it. Our holy spirit does not get bigger and bigger, nor does it wear-out or get old and need to be replaced every day, nor does it become "more spiritual" - this is not what Paul is saying.

The truth is that day after day our holy spirit continues to receive information from God or from the Lord Jesus Christ regarding different situations and topics as we live our everyday lives – it is being newed-up and what it receives is different compared to what it had the day before (refer also to II Corinthians 4:16). This full-knowledge is in accordance with...

  • the image (icon, resemblance, representation)
    • of the One having created him (God is the One Who has already brought this new man into being, into existence)

...where there is not in him (not within the sphere of action of the new man)...

  • a Greek person (one who is of the Gentile Hellenistic background)
  • and a Judean person (one who is of the Judean/Israeli background),
  • a person who is circumcised (physically indicating that he wants to keep the law of Moses and old covenant)
  • and a person who is uncircumcised (physically indicating that he does not want to keep the law of Moses and old covenant),
  • a barbarous person (meaning a non-Greek, because the Greeks referred to people who did not speak their language as barbarians),
  • a Scythian person (one who is extreme in barbarism),
  • a slave (a person who is in bondage or servitude to other men),
  • a freeman (a person who is at liberty from bondage or service to other men),

…but (contrary to such racial, genealogical, class, career, educational, or intellectual divisions)...

  • Christ is all-things (all the things that God has made him to be)
  • and Christ is within all holy-people.

Christ is the image of God (refer to Colossians 1:15). God by His grace gives information, strength, power, etc, to Christ who by his grace gives information, strength, power, etc, to every holy-person via the new man within every holy-person, which is the spirit of Christ in us (refer to Colossians 1:27). Christ is the head of his body, the church, and we (holy-people) are all limbs of the one spiritual body of Christ.

Philippians chapter 3 refers to the body of Christ's glory:

Philippians 3:20 and 21:
.20for our citizenship is-from-the-beginning in (the) heavens out-from where also we eagerly-await (the) savior (who is the) Lord Jesus Christ .21who will change-the-outward-figure (of) the body of our humiliation (to be) formed-together with the body of his glory according to the in-working (for) him to be able and to subject all-things to him.

The citizenship that all holy-people have has its origin and continued existence within the sphere of action of the heavens. God is the One Who governs His walled town, His protected city, His kingdom with His dignity and power - and we are the citizens.

Also, it is out-from heaven that we eagerly await the savior who is the Lord Jesus Christ. He will at a future time...

  • change the outward figure (alter the external figure, outward shape, scheme, schema, outline, including the demeanor, deportment, expressed personality) 
    • of the body of our humiliation (of the physical body which we still have, and this body is and emanates our humbling, our state of lowliness, of low degree, it is what makes us to be in the lowly position relative-to what we will have in the future - right now we still have the body that is in a low-degree; it is like a tent or a vessel around or containing our holy spirit-life)

...and it will be a body...

  • formed together with (jointly formed, co-formed; its whole make-up will be fashioned or share the form in conjunction with)
    • the body of his glory (the body of the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ - this body is and emanates his state of glory, importance, splendor, and renown).

The Lord Jesus Christ is in his glorious position because God raised him out-from among the dead-people giving him his new spiritual body and God placed him at His right side. Christ will change the outward-figure of the body of our humiliation to be formed together with the body of his glory...

  • in accordance with the in-working (God's energizing) with the purpose
    • to give him the able-power (to enable Christ, to make him capable)
    • and to subject all-things to him (to cause all things to be in submission, to be arranged in the position of being underneath Christ, excluding God his Father).

God has given Christ the ability to carry out those things which God asks of him, and God is the One Who subjects everything under the Lord Jesus Christ, so that in the future Christ will subject everything including himself to the only true God (refer to I Corinthians 15:22-58).