How specialization harms the church
“I’m not gifted in that area, so I don’t have to do that.”
“That’s not my ministry, so I’ll leave that for someone else to do.”
“I was called to do something else, so that’s not my responsibility.”
I’ve heard those excuses my whole life, and, for a long time, I bought into it. But, in the last few years, I’ve changed my mind. In fact, I think this kind of specialization harms the church.
The question was raised recently by Miguel at “God Directed Deviations” in his post “Aren’t All Christians Supposed to Make Disciples, Be Witnesses, and Evangelize?”
Miguel offers a couple of quotes: one of which supports that specialization based on giftings while the other does not support this kind of specialization. There is some back and forth (but still a good discussion) in the comments as well.
So, what is the discussion about? Well, according to Scripture, we know that some people are gifted at teaching. Others are gifted at encouraging. Still others are gifted at serving. In fact, we find many different spiritual gifts listed in Scripture, and it’s clear that 1) different people have different gifts, 2) no one has every gift, and 3) those with a certain gift should serve in that way.
The question is, then, who is responsible for teaching? For encouraging? For serving? For giving? For pastoring? For administering? For prophesying?
Are those gifted in those areas responsible for serving in those areas? Of course they are. Peter states that emphatically in 1 Peter 4:10. Paul says something similar in 1 Corinthians 12:7.
But, here’s the thing, given that those gifted are responsible for serving in that particular area, it does not follow logically (or scripturally) that others are not responsible for serving in that particular area. In fact, I think that all followers of Jesus Christ are responsible for teaching, serving, giving, encouraging, prophesying, pastoring, showing mercy, and any other type of service toward others.
Why would I conclude that all believers are responsible for these types of service (even when not gifted in that area)? Well, there are several reasons. For one, the results of any kind of service are not dependent upon the one serving, but upon God working through his Spirit in the life of the person serving. Also, the multitude of “one another” passages which are addressed to all believers (at least, all recipients of that particular letter) moves us away from any kind of specialization.
Thus, I believe that ALL Christians are responsible to “teach one another,” even those who are gifted at teaching. I believe that all followers of Jesus are supposed to “serve one another,” even those who are gifted as servants. All believers should “encourage one another,” even those who have been given the gift of encouragement.
So, what happens when only those gifted in teaching teach? What happens when only those who have the spiritual gift of evangelism do the evangelizing? What happens when only the spiritually gifted pastors serve through shepherding others? What happens is that the church is hindered in its growth and maturity, and we began to rely on certain people instead of relying on the Holy Spirit.
The church truly is a relational organism, and we rely on God’s life and power in each and every one of us, in whichever way he chooses to work at any time.
Yes, it is our responsibility, our calling, and our ministry.
The Body of Christ Metaphor: Conclusion
As I explained in the “Introduction” of this series, I am stepping through the passages in the New Testament in which the authors (primarily Paul – perhaps only Paul) use the term “body” in a metaphorical sense. As I read through these passages, I’m going to be asking these kinds of questions: What is Paul comparing to a “body”? What comparison is he making? At what point does it seem the comparison ends? How is this usage similar to or different from other usages?
Now, the term “body” is found often in Scripture. It usually refers to an actual body… that is, a person physical body. But, there are a few times when the term “body” does not refer to a person’s physical body, but is used in a metaphorical sense. I’ve already discussed the usages of “body” in Romans 12:4-5, 1 Corinthians 10-11, 1 Corinthians 12, Ephesians, Colossians and Hebrews 13:3.
Here are few observations based on my study of the metaphorical use of the term “body”:
1. The metaphorical use of “body” is primarily a Pauline metaphor (perhaps only a Pauline metaphor).
2. “Body” primarily refers to a group of believers as a community or corporate unity.
3. Typically, the “body” metaphor is used to emphasize the unity of the group in spite of the diversity.
4. The “body” metaphor is often used during a discussion of spiritual gifts, which is related to the diversity/unity aspects of the group.
5. The heady/body relationship (i.e. “Christ is head of the body”) is only used in a couple of instances when the author is illustrating Christ’s rule or source for the body. (In the “body” metaphor, “head” does not always refer to Jesus Christ.)
6. In a couple of instances, the “body” metaphor is used to focus on close association and the sharing of suffering, joy, etc.
7. Also, in a couple of instances, the “body” metaphor illustrates how different people rely on one another (like parts of a body rely on the other parts).
8. As with other metaphors (such as “yeast” or “lion”), it appears that the meaning if the “body” metaphor changes based on what the author is trying to communicate, illustrate, or emphasize. (Although the idea of a “community” seems to be consistent through each usage of the term “body.”)
So, in conclusion, in the New Testament the term “body” is used metaphorically to refer to several different aspects of the Christian community, with the aspects changing based on the author’s focus in that particular passage.
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“Body of Christ” Metaphor Series
The Body of Christ Metaphor: Hebrews 13:3
As I explained in the “Introduction” of this series, I am stepping through the passages in the New Testament in which the authors (primarily Paul – perhaps only Paul) use the term “body” in a metaphorical sense. As I read through these passages, I’m going to be asking these kinds of questions: What is Paul comparing to a “body”? What comparison is he making? At what point does it seem the comparison ends? How is this usage similar to or different from other usages?
Now, the term “body” is found often in Scripture. It usually refers to an actual body… that is, a person physical body. But, there are a few times when the term “body” does not refer to a person’s physical body, but is used in a metaphorical sense. I’ve already discussed the usages of “body” in Romans 12:4-5, 1 Corinthians 10-11, 1 Corinthians 12, Ephesians, and Colossians and in this post I’ll look at the use of the term body in Hebrews 13:3.
Here is the passage in its context:
Let brotherly love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body. Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous. Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have… (Hebrews 13:1-5 ESV)
There is very little explanation about the use of “body” in this particular passage. The author wants his readers to “Remember those who are in prison… and those who are mistreated,” because the readers are also “in the body.” The connection with the phrase “as though in prison with them” is important, I think. It shows what it means to be “in the body” – it means that you are still connected with one another even though they are physically separated by prison bars.
While “body” here certainly points to a community or corporate unity as we’ve before, this usage is not really the “unity in diversity” illustration that we’ve seen in other letters. Similarly, there’s no indication that the “body/head” connection is in view in this particular metaphor, and the “body” is not specifically described as either belonging to Christ or resulting from being “in Christ” as we’ve seen before.
The “body” connections pointed to in Hebrews 13:3 is closest to the connections illustrated in 1 Corinthians 12:26 –
If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. (1 Corinthians 12:26 ESV)
As far as I can tell, these two uses of the term “body” (1 Corinthians 12:26 and Hebrews 13:3) are unique among the various uses of the metaphor. Only in these two instances do the authors use the “body” metaphor to indicate a close emotional association between the parts of the community.
Finally, if you haven’t noticed before, this final use of the term “body” is found in the Book of Hebrews. The authorship of Hebrews is contested. So, since “body” is only used metaphorically here and in the letters of Paul, this would be a stylistic or linguistic indicator in favor of Pauline authorship of Hebrews. (Of course, you can’t build an entire argument for Pauline authorship of Hebrews on the metaphorical use of the term “body,” but it could be one part of an extended argument.)
So, in Hebrews 13:3, the author uses the “body” metaphor to point to the close personal connection between parts of the community, even if they are physically separated from one another (because one or more are in prison).
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“Body of Christ” Metaphor Series
The Body of Christ Metaphor: Colossians
As I explained in the “Introduction” of this series, I am stepping through the passages in the New Testament in which the authors (primarily Paul – perhaps only Paul) use the term “body” in a metaphorical sense. As I read through these passages, I’m going to be asking these kinds of questions: What is Paul comparing to a “body”? What comparison is he making? At what point does it seem the comparison ends? How is this usage similar to or different from other usages?
Now, the term “body” is found often in Scripture. It usually refers to an actual body… that is, a person physical body. But, there are a few times when the term “body” does not refer to a person’s physical body, but is used in a metaphorical sense. I’ve already discussed the usages of “body” in Romans 12:4-5, 1 Corinthians 10-11, 1 Corinthians 12, and Ephesians and in this post I’ll look at the uses of the term body in Colossians.
The uses of the term “body” in Colossians are very similar to the uses that we found in Ephesians, but with less detail:
And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. (Colossians 1:18 ESV)
Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church… (Colossians 1:24 ESV)
Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind, and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God. (Colossians 2:18-19 ESV)
And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body… (Colossians 3:15 ESV)
In the passages above, as we saw in Romans, 1 Corinthians, and Ephesians, the “body” metaphorical refers to a community of people. When it comes to the community, the metaphorical “body” illustrates how the individuals members relate to one another (both in unity and in interdependence).
Plus, as in Ephesians, 1) the metaphorical “body” is associated directly with the “church,” and 2) the metaphor is expanded to include Jesus Christ in relationship to others as the physical head is related to the physical body. We’ve seen these last 2 items (#1 and #2 in the previous sentence) in Ephesians and now Colossians, but not in Romans and 1 Corinthians.
There is an added aspect of the head/body relationship (in the body metaphor) in Colossians 2:18-19. While the relationship of believers to Jesus Christ is emphasized in Ephesians, Paul goes further in Colossians by stating that those who are “insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind” are also “not holding fast to the head.”
Interestingly, Paul does not connect the “body” metaphor to the diversity/unity of spiritual gifts in Colossians as he did in Romans, 1 Corinthians, and Ephesians. But, then, Paul does not discuss spiritual gifts in Colossians.
So, while the “body” metaphor in Colossians is very similar to the metaphorical use in Ephesians, there is some difference. And, as we saw in Ephesians, the use of the “body” metaphor in Colossians is quite different than Paul’s use in Romans and 1 Corinthians.
In Colossians, the “body” metaphor continues to emphasize the community aspect of the church (a corporate unity) although the diversity aspect is not as emphasized in Colossians. Similarly, Paul also utilizes the “body” metahpor in Colossians to emphasize the necessity of remaining connected to Jesus Christ (as the body must remain connected to the head).
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“Body of Christ” Metaphor Series
The Body of Christ Metaphor: Ephesians
As I explained in the “Introduction” of this series, I am stepping through the passages in the New Testament in which the authors (primarily Paul – perhaps only Paul) use the term “body” in a metaphorical sense. As I read through these passages, I’m going to be asking these kinds of questions: What is Paul comparing to a “body”? What comparison is he making? At what point does it seem the comparison ends? How is this usage similar to or different from other usages?
Now, the term “body” is found often in Scripture. It usually refers to an actual body… that is, a person physical body. But, there are a few times when the term “body” does not refer to a person’s physical body, but is used in a metaphorical sense. I’ve already discussed the usages of “body” in Romans 12:4-5, 1 Corinthians 10-11, and 1 Corinthians 12, and in this post I’ll look at the uses of the term body in Ephesians.
Many of the metaphorical occurrences of the term “body” in Ephesians are one liners, with very little explanation. However, even these one-liners tell us something important about Paul’s use of the term “body” in this letter:
And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. (Ephesians 1:22-23 ESV)
This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. (Ephesians 3:6 ESV)
There is one body and one Spirit – just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call… (Ephesians 4:4 ESV)
For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. (Ephesians 5:23 ESV)
For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body. (Ephesians 5:29-30 ESV)
In these passages, while we continue to see the community / corporate unity of believers in the metaphorical use of “body,” a few new aspects of the term are found in this metaphor: 1) Christ is represented as the “head” of the “body” in this letter, and 2) the “body” is specifically identified with “the church.”
These two new aspects are also found in the longer passage in Ephesians 4 in which Paul examines this metaphor in more detail:
And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. (Ephesians 4:11-16 ESV)
In this passage, Paul ties together the concept of Jesus as “head of the body” with the relationships and interactions of the various members of the “body.” There remains a focus on the community / corporate unity that we’ve seen before, and there remains a focus on the interrelations between the various parts of the body, here illustrated as holding one another together as well as helping one another grow.
However, in this passage, with the addition of the “head of the body” to the metaphor, Paul explains that the individual members are able to hold together and help one another grow specifically because Jesus Christ is the head of the body. This new focus explains the need for an addition to the usual “body” metaphor. This does not mean that neither the Romans nor the Corinthians were able to interact with one another apart from Christ. It means that Paul desired to stress that relationship in this letter, and, thus, he added to his usual “body” metaphor.
(The “head” part of the metaphor is very important in this letter as a contrast to all other “rule and authority and power and dominion,” which is also a focus in this letter. For example, see Ephesians 1:21, Ephesians 2:1-2, Ephesians 3:10, and Ephesians 6:12.)
Interestingly, given the connection with Jesus Christ as “head,” Paul is able to say that (removing other modifiers to get to the basic sentence structure), “The body makes/does the growth of the body (causes the body to grow).”
So, while Paul still uses the “body” metaphor in Ephesians to indicate how individuals should relate to one another as a community, he also adds in the “head of the body” metaphor to point to Jesus Christ as source and ruler of the community. These two aspects together (the body working from the head) causes the community to grow together.
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“Body of Christ” Metaphor Series
The Body of Christ Metaphor: 1 Corinthians 12
As I explained in the “Introduction” of this series, I am stepping through the passages in the New Testament in which the authors (primarily Paul – perhaps only Paul) use the term “body” in a metaphorical sense. As I read through these passages, I’m going to be asking these kinds of questions: What is Paul comparing to a “body”? What comparison is he making? At what point does it seem the comparison ends? How is this usage similar to or different from other usages?
Now, the term “body” is found often in Scripture. It usually refers to an actual body… that is, a person physical body. But, there are a few times when the term “body” does not refer to a person’s physical body, but is used in a metaphorical sense. I’ve already discussed the usages of “body” in Romans 12:4-5 and 1 Corinthians 10-11, and in this post I’ll look at the uses of the term body in 1 Corinthians 12.
This passage contains the most extensive and most descriptive use of the “body” metaphor yet:
For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body – Jews or Greeks, slaves or free – and all were made to drink of one Spirit. For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. (1 Corinthians 12:12-27 ESV)
This passage is very interesting, jumping back and forth between referring to a physical body and a metaphorical body.
First, in the previous section, Paul had been talking about the diversity of spiritual gifts and the unity of purpose in God. He begins the body references in 1 Corinthians 12:12 to illustrate this diversity in unity. In that verse, Paul refers to a physical body and the members of that physical body. Then, at the end of 1 Corinthians 12:12 (“And so it is with Christ”), Paul transitions into the metaphorical use of “body” in 1 Corinthians 12:13. The Spirit baptizes (immerses) people into a body, referring once again to a corporate unity / community as before.
Beginning in 1 Corinthians 12:14 through 1 Corinthians 12:26, Paul again returns to the physical body illustration, further explaining what he meant in 1 Corinthians 12. In this long passages, he discusses the relationships to physical parts of a body to other physical parts of a body, and their mutual relationship to the body itself.
Then, in 1 Corinthians 12:27, Paul returns to the metaphorical use of the term “body” calling the Corinthians by the phrase “body of Christ.” (This is the first time so far that we’ve seen “body of Christ.”) Thus, the descriptions previously of the relationships of physical members to a physical body were given in order to help the Corinthians understand their relationship to each other in Christ.
So, most of the usages of the term “body” in this passage are not metaphorical but instead refer to a physical body for purposes of illustration. Only the occurrences of the term “body” in 1 Corinthians 12:13 and 1 Corinthians 12:27 refer to a metaphorical “body,” i.e., a community or corporate unity. The physical body illustration, however, are important in understanding the relationships among those who make up the community / corporate unity.
Although Paul uses the term “head” in 1 Corinthians 12:22, he does not use it in the sense of Christ being the “head of the body.” Instead, in this passage, “head” is simply used as another example of a member of the body, along with the hand, eye, ear, foot, etc. So, while this metaphorical body (community / corporate unity) is created by the Spirit and belongs to Christ (“body of Christ”), the metaphor is primarily used to indication the relationship between the various members to one another and to the group as a whole. Nothing else is said about the members’ relationship to Jesus Christ or to the community’s relationship to Jesus Christ.
So, in 1 Corinthians 12:12-27, while we find out that the community is created by the Spirit and belongs to Christ, the “body” metaphor is once again primarily used to indicate how the individuals should relate to one another as a community (i.e., diversity in unity).
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“Body of Christ” Metaphor Series
The Body of Christ Metaphor: 1 Corinthians 10-11
As I explained in the “Introduction” of this series, I am stepping through the passages in the New Testament in which the authors (primarily Paul – perhaps only Paul) use the term “body” in a metaphorical sense. As I read through these passages, I’m going to be asking these kinds of questions: What is Paul comparing to a “body”? What comparison is he making? At what point does it seem the comparison ends? How is this usage similar to or different from other usages?
Now, the term “body” is found often in Scripture. It usually refers to an actual body… that is, a person physical body. But, there are a few times when the term “body” does not refer to a person’s physical body, but is used in a metaphorical sense. I’ve already discussed the usages of “body” in Romans 12:4-5, and in this post I’ll look at the uses of the term body in 1 Corinthians 10-11.
The next instance (in canonical order) of a metaphorical use of “body” is found in 1 Corinthians 10:16-17 –
The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread. (1 Corinthians 10:16-17 ESV)
Now, the term translated “participation” above (twice) is the same term often translated “fellowship” or “sharing,” and it is a very important term in this context. In this section of his letter, Paul is distinguishing between fellowship with Christ and fellowship with idols/demons.
While the first use of the term “body” above (in 1 Corinthians 10:16) could refer to either Christ’s physical body (paralleled with “blood”), or it could refer to a corporate unity or community as we saw in Romans 12:4-5. However, the second occurrence of the term (in 1 Corinthians 10:17) seems to refer to the corporate unity or community.
Again, there is a focus on the “many” and “one” characteristic of the Christian community, which is associated with the sharing of the body/blood of Christ. Without going into detail (which he will do in chapter 12), Paul still recognizes the diversity among the parts of the community, even though he also recognizes that they are unified – one.
The next occurrences of the term “body” are found in 1 Corinthians 11 –
Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. (1 Corinthians 11:27-29 ESV)
Both of the instances of the term “body” above could refer to the physical body of Jesus (paralleled with “blood” again). However, it’s also possible that the second occurrence refers to the community in Christ, since the focus in the passage is the relationships (or lack thereof) among the believers in Corinth.
However, either way, this passage does not give us much new information about metaphorical use of the term “body.” Once again, though, we do not see Paul referring to a “body of Christ” as he will later. Instead, if the term is used metaphorically in these passages (1 Corinthians 10-11), it is once again referring to the community of believers who are both diverse and also unified because of their participation in (fellowship with) Christ.
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“Body of Christ” Metaphor Series
The Body of Christ Metaphor: Romans 12:4-5
As I explained in the “Introduction” of this series, I am stepping through the passages in the New Testament in which the authors (primarily Paul – perhaps only Paul) use the term “body” in a metaphorical sense. As I read through these passages, I’m going to be asking these kinds of questions: What is Paul comparing to a “body”? What comparison is he making? At what point does it seem the comparison ends? How is this usage similar to or different from other usages?
Now, the term “body” is found often in Scripture. It usually refers to an actual body… that is, a person physical body. But, there are a few times when the term “body” does not refer to a person’s physical body, but is used in a metaphorical sense.
The first instances (in canonical order) of the metaphorical use of “body” is found in Romans 12, within a passage in which Paul is writing about spiritual gifts:
For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness. (Romans 12:3-8 ESV)
I’m sure that some will disagree with me, but Paul does not actually refer to a “body of Christ” (that is, “Christ’s body”) in this passage. Instead, he says that we are a body “in Christ,” which is different. According to Paul, he and his readers are a “body” together because they are all in Christ together.
So, this appears to be a more general metaphorical use of “body,” much like we find in other literature of the same time period. “Body,” in this case, refers to a “community” or “corporate personality.” (See my post “The Body Metaphor in Paul: Familiar and yet unique” in which I examine Robert Bank’s discussion of the term “body” in different religious, philosophical, and social contexts in the first century.)
In fact, there is no suggestion in this passage of Jesus’ relationship to the “body.” Paul does not refer to Jesus as the head of the body, which he will state in other passages. Instead, he only says that the body exists because “we” are “in Christ.”
In this passage, then, the “body” metaphor reminds the readers of their connection to one another because they are “in Christ.” The focus is on their unity with one another and their connection to one another. Similarly, Paul uses the “body” metaphor in this passage to remind his reader that their unity is made of a collection of diverse (different) parts. Their diversity does not damage or deny their unity. (We’ll find that Paul often uses the “body” metaphor to reinforce this idea of unity with diversity.)
So, in Romans 12:4-5, Paul uses the “body” metaphor to remind his readers that they are a corporate unity or community in Christ with one another even though they are different (specifically, even though they have been given different gifts).
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“Body of Christ” Metaphor Series
The Body of Christ Metaphor: Introduction
While reading a chapter in one of my favorite books on the church, I was inspired to study the “body” metaphor in Scripture. (See my post “The Body Metaphor in Paul: Familiar and yet unique.”) While reading that chapter, I realize that I had never looked into that metaphor for myself. I don’t really expect to find anything different or unusual. But, since I want to study it more, I thought I would share what I found on my blog.
Metaphors are interesting… and dangerous. As a figure of speech, a metaphor is a great way to explain one thing by comparing it to something else, usually something more familiar. Of course, the danger is that it’s easy to press a metaphor too far or to assume that people using a similar metaphor making the same kind of comparison.
For example, Jesus uses leaven as a metaphor, but he uses it different ways. (Consider Matthew 13:33 and Matthew 16:6.) Also, it’s easy to take a comparison too far, assuming too many points of comparison between original point and the metaphor.
I wonder if Paul always uses the “body” metaphor in the say way, or if he uses it in different ways at different times, depending on the point he is communicating or explaining to his readers. So, as I read through these passages, I’m going to be asking these kinds of questions: What Paul comparing to a “body”? What comparison is he making? At what point does it seem the comparison ends? How is this usage similar to or different from other usages?
(By the way, I mention Paul above because he is the only New Testament writer who uses the “body” metaphor. Well, there is one usage in the Book of Hebrews. Perhaps Paul wrote that, and perhaps he didn’t. I think he did, but it doesn’t really matter in this discussion.)
The word “body” is used many times in Scripture, often referring to a physical body. In this study, I’m particularly interested in those metaphorical usages of the term “body”… those times when we usually refer to it as “the body of Christ” even if the “of Christ” is not actually part of the passage.
As far as I can tell, these are the verses or passages in which the term “body” is used in that metaphorical sense.
Romans 12:4-5
1 Corinthians 10:16-17
1 Corinthians 11:27-29
1 Corinthians 12:12-27
Ephesians 1:23
Ephesians 3:6
Ephesians 4:4-16
Ephesians 5:23
Ephesians 5:30
Colossians 1:18
Colossians 1:24
Colossians 2:19
Colossians 3:15
Hebrews 13:3
So, over the next few days, I’m going to step through those passages. I’ll probably combine some of the passages into single quotes. But, the longer passages will each require their own post.
I look forward to your input as I work through the “body” metaphor in Scripture.
To kick this off, I thought I’d ask you a question: What is the first thing you think of when you hear the phrase “body of Christ”? (And, if possible, I’d prefer to just a short answer… as short as possible. I’m not asking for a complete description… just the first thing you think about.)
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“Body of Christ” Metaphor Series
Learning about prophets from prophets
God has not gifted me in prophecy. I’m not a prophet. I don’t even play one on TV. But, like Paul, I know that prophecy is beneficial for the church, just like all the gifts and services of all God’s children are beneficial for the church.
I was interested, then, in reading the thoughts of two prophets about the spiritual gift of prophecy.
Miguel at “God Directed Deviations” wrote a post called “Prophetic Agitation.”
Donald at “Unapologetic Prophet” wrote a follow-up post called “No School for Prophets: We Are Equipped, Not Academically Created.” (which is true for all of God’s children, by the way.)
Their posts reminded me of something… something that I already knew. But, still, the reminder was good.
God uses us to equip others to serve. And, he uses others to equip us to serve. Yes, God provides the gift, the opportunities, the passions, etc. But, as Paul wrote, he uses others to equip us so that we are ready to serve others.
We can definitely learn generally from people like Miguel and Donald, even though we’ve never met in real life, and have never spent time together – much less a significant amount of time. But, from what I’ve learned, God primarily uses those who are close to us in real life.
Who are your equippers (prophets, evangelists, or any other gifted persons)? Who are you to equip? Look around you? See those people who God has brought into your life. That’s who.