Paul's Metaphors

by J. A. Davidson (Northern Ireland)

PAPER 5 — ANATOMY : THE BODY

The metaphor of the human body is perhaps the most easily understood. We do not need to go to the East to study it and its features are as up to date today as in the Greek or Roman culture of Paul’s day. The Apostle had the inspired skill of teaching the saints through objects they could easily understand. He takes lessons from the human body to develop spiritual truths concerning the head, members, ears, foot, exercise and sickness. In this health conscious age, everyday conversations are often about physical illness. We sympathetically pray for saints who are physically ill but all too often fail to recognise the symptoms of spiritual ailments in ourselves. Many believers have physical problems which form the basis of frequent discussions and sometimes gross exaggeration while we sadly neglect to pray for saints who are spiritually not doing well.

Paul’s writings derive illustrations from the anatomy of the body which can be considered in four ways:-

1) DOCTRINALLY - THE CHURCH IS HIS BODY

1) CONTROL: "And hath put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be the Head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fulness of Him that filleth all in all," Eph.1.22-23. The control, headship, supremacy and unique nearness to Christ in resurrection, are seen in the relationship of the Body to the Head. This teaches:-

  1. Intimacy as we learn His innermost secrets and submit to his will.
  2. Intelligence as we enter into His purpose and what He is doing in the present age.
  3. Interests as intimately linked to Him now and in His glorious future.

ii) COMPOSITION: "For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: so we, being many, are one body in Christ," Rom.12.4-5. Although a variety of distinct members yet the body is one, composed of all believers from the moment of salvation, Jew and Gentile, from Pentecost to the Rapture, the most of which are already in Heaven. This is the Great Mystery, Purposed from Eternity, Purchased at Calvary, Preserved in Entirety, whose Prospect is Glory.

iii) CONSTITUTION: "For as the body is one, and hath many members (constituents), and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body (physical): so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptised into one body," 1Cor.12.12-13. From Pentecost the Holy Ghost is not with His people but in His people. At conversion we are regenerated, indwelt, part of one body, common, once for all. Baptism in the Spirit is never an exhortation in the New Testament, never an experience subsequent to conversion and never an explicit, selective experience true of some and not of others.

iv) COMPLETENESS: "But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into Him (Christ) in all things, which is the head, even Christ: from whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love," Eph.4.15-16. All God’s development with us is to reproduce Christ in us. God never puts less than that which is perfect before us and never lowers the standard to meet our weaknesses. The working of the various gifts is meant to bring about spiritual development in us. Thus as we grow up into Christ in all things, we aim at that perfection so that it should not be such a big change for us when we do reach Heaven. This is the standard and just as the joints of the body function as a unit and the body grows physically, so by help, dependence and fellowship of each other, we are nourished and develop spiritually.

2) SPIRITUALITY - THE ASSEMBLY IN BODY CHARACTER

Now ye are [the] body of Christ, and members in particular," 1Cor.12.27. This is the Church of God at Corinth, the church local in body character. The unity of the assembled local company as we gather to remember the Lord is seen in the breaking of bread. "The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread," 1Cor.10.16-17. Everyone who partakes of the Lord’s Supper enters into communion and this is distinct from the Church which is His Body considered previously.

The Apostle takes up the metaphor of the physical body in 1Cor.12 to show that in the assembly there is:-

i) UNITY: "The body is one, and hath many members," 1Cor.12.12. Under the headship of Christ, the manifestations of the Holy Spirit as seen in the gifts, are to function as the members function in a literal physical body. Each individual member functions in the unity of the body for the benefit of the whole entity. The foot, the hand, the ear, the eye are all needed as expressing diversity in unity.

ii) VARIETY: "If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?" 1Cor.12.17. In the assembly we need ministry to build up, exhortation to stir up, comfort to bind up. Some are marked by shepherd care, others by generous giving, not all are fitted to visit the sick, yet all are required in the sphere for which they are fitted. The eye may be more easily hurt, the foot may be less prominent, the ear may be less comely, yet they function so that the body may see, move and hear. If one member ceased to function the body is disabled. If a prominent member such as an arm or leg is missing, the body is disabled but some smaller internal organs which are never seen, are absolutely vital to the survival of the body. The assembly is not an organisation where everyone has their turn, but a living organism of interdependent members all in subjection to the Head so that there be no schism in the body. Some have professed for a life time, to be working for God and never have learned to work with their brethren.

iii) SOVEREIGNTY: "But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him," 1Cor.12.18. God gives a variety of gifts to further His purposes and He has settled who will do the work. We might have the will and determination to do a certain thing when we are not fitted for, or expected to do it. No one will write with his foot when he still has his hand.

iv) SYMPATHY: "And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it." 1Cor.12.26. If a hand is hurt the body is weaker and if a toe is hurt the progress is hindered. So in the days of suffering as in days of blessing, there is an expression of love and oneness among the Lord’s people that cannot be expressed in the closest relationships of the unsaved.

3) METAPHORICALLY - THE ACTIONS AND THE AILMENTS OF THE HUMAN BODY

We are familiar with such expressions as ‘seated in Christ.’ Paul speaks of ‘walking in the Spirit’ and we have considered the metaphor in an earlier paper of ‘running in the race.’ Paul draws many lessons from the actions, activities and ailments of the human body.

"Walk in newness of life," Rom.6.4. There must be clear evidence in our daily walk that baptism is not the act of a moment, but the fact of a lifetime. "Walk becomingly as in the day" (Newberry) Rom.13.13. As we wait and watch for the Lord’s Return, this imminent event should also have a practical outcome in our walk.

Paul also drew parallels with the ailments of the human body and as he was accompanied on many of his journeys and imprisonment by Luke, the physician and writer, he may have benefited from his company as he uses medical terms in the diagnosis of the spiritual sickness of saints. "If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome (healthy, health giving) words … he is proud, knowing nothing, but sick" (Newberry) 1Tim.6.3-4. The symptoms of physical sickness is usually a lack of energy, too weary to work and what was once a pleasure becomes a toil. If we ever feel an increased tendency to miss the meetings, are content to let someone else do the work, have not the same appetite for the Word of God, or grow a little irritable with others, it is time to take our own spiritual temperature. These initial tendencies may indicate the start of a more serious complaint or even a threat of an acute heart condition.

Paul found that some saints had a very irritating complaint called "itching ears," 2Tim.4.3. These ears will want to hear a selective ministry, have a controlled platform, perhaps even a paid pastor so that they will only hear what suits them.

Other patients which Paul had to deal with, suffered from "canker" or gangrene. This ailment usually affects the feet and spreads, developing into a condition of spiritual mortification.

Some ailments leave the patient difficult to nurse; "gender strifes," irritable and quarrelsome; "oppose themselves," cause division and others are of a headstrong mental state, "highminded," 2Tim.2.23-25.

Paul also wrote to Timothy about those who had a "conscience seared," 1Tim.4.2. These are very difficult cases to help as they trifle with the truth and depart from the faith.

In this health conscious age, doctors favour preventive treatment and this begins with good food and plenty of exercise. This is also what the apostle prescribed. "Nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine … exercise thyself rather unto godliness," 1Tim.4.6-7.

If medicine is required, Paul had no doubt what should be prescribed; "sound (health giving) doctrine," 1Tim.1.10; "sound (wholesome) words," 2Tim.1.13. It is not dangerous to exceed the stated dose of this medicine and if taken and applied, recovery will begin immediately. The ingredients are clearly stated:- "the glorious gospel," 1Tim. 1.11, which will warm the heart of the saints; "the words of our Lord Jesus Christ," 1Tim.6.3, in His earthly ministry; apostolic teaching "heard of me," 2Tim.1.13; the plain Word of God to "reprove, rebuke, exhort," 2Tim. 4.2; the latter may be bitter to take but will have great beneficial results.

4) PROPHETICALLY - THE CHANGED BODY

"It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body," 1Cor.15.44. The resurrection of the dead in Christ will not be the resuscitation of this body nor the reassembling of the former body nor the resumption of material existence but the transformation of this natural body to immortal life, spoken of by Paul as the great harvest of the seed that has been sown. The future body of the believer will be Incorruptible, "raised in incorruption," 1Cor.15.42; Glorious, "raised in power," 1Cor.15.43, and Spiritual, "a spiritual body," 1Cor.15.44. Be diligent in the service of our soon coming Lord, beloved, in this little vessel of clay as we await His coming; the Redeemed Body, "the redemption of the body," Rom.8.23; the Eternal Body, "eternal in the heavens," 2Cor.5.1; how marvellous, it will be a body like our Lord’s, "like unto his glorious body," Phil.3.21.

Said the little verse on the wall of the room of the elderly saint:-

"Be patient with me, God is not finished with me yet."

—to be continued (D.V.)