The objective of this lesson is to stress the fact that Paul's body illustration focused on interactive relationships rather than organizational structure.
For retirement age Christians, the sermons they likely heard frequently concerning the church focused on "the church as a body." Such sermons were common for at least two reasons. Reason one: there was a period that greatly was interested in identifying the organizational structure of Christ's church. Reason two: Paul used the body concept to illustrate the "called out's" interactive nature. During a specific period, interest in the organizational structure of the church and Paul's body illustration seemed to fit together nicely.
Paul's body illustration easily served the purposes of those who opposed the structure of the papacy or those who opposed religious structures/organizations not found in the New Testament. In a concern for biblically structuring the church, it was easy to assume Paul's concerns in his body illustration were organizational.
One fact deserves consideration. The then prevailing interest in the organizational structure of the church adapted Paul's illustrations to the concern of the time. The point of Paul's body illustrations were assumed to be an organizational commentary. "Christ, not a human past or present, is head of the church. Christ, not a human past or present, has authority over the church. Christ, and no one else, instructs the church in what it should be and do."
It is easy to assume the Bible's illustrations are "now" centered and directly address the concerns of today. It is demanding to learn and understand the situations of the ancient world and seek to understand an illustration in the context of that time's problems/concerns. Before we apply a biblical illustration to a "now" concern, we must be sure to understand the point of the illustration when it was first given.
In context, the two primary scriptures on the church as a body (Romans 12:3-8 and 1 Corinthians 12:12-31) were not about organization. In neither were Paul's concerns organizational. In neither was Paul concerned because a human sought to replace Christ as head of the church, or authoritarian over the church, or instructor who controlled the church.
The primary concern of Paul's body illustration was not centered in organizational structures or pyramid directives. His primary concern centered in their interaction and the way they treated each other.
The "before" of Romans 12:3-8 discussed the personal transformation of Roman converts into Christians who wished to determine God's will. The "after" of Romans 12:3-8 focused on how transformed Christians in Rome were to treat each other (and enemies). The emphasis ended with, "Instead of allowing evil to overcome you, use good to defeat evil." The emphasis was not on organization, but on the mind, heart, and behavior of responsible body parts.
Read and reflect on Romans 12. Carefully note that the subject prior to verses 3-8 is personal transformation to become Christians who seek to discover God's will (their old concept of the gods' will was terribly flawed). Carefully note that understanding God's concern involved realizing they were a body, treating each other with loving concern, and treating enemies with kindness. The flow is NOT transformation to Christians who are defined by God's will, organizational structure, proper interaction/treatment of others. The flow IS transformation to Christians who are defined by God's will, mutual dependence (body illustration), proper interaction/treatment of others.
1 Corinthians 12:12-31 occurred in a discussion about the use of spiritual gifts. Some in the congregation at Corinth used spiritual gifts to advance personal agendas. Paul said that was an abuse of those gifts. Those gifts existed to benefit the congregation, not to advance personal agendas. To use the gifts in ways (1) that caused confusion within the congregation or (2) that sought to elevate the position/significance of the person possessing the gift was an abuse of God's purposes. God made the gifts possible to benefit the congregation, the body.
These Christians were abusing their gifts by using them in ways that hurt their congregation. God's objective in the gifts was to benefit ALL (the entire body!), not the elevation and advancement of individuals to the neglect of the congregation. Members (parts) in a biological body function for the body's benefit, not a part's private agenda.
Cultures easily change the emphasis of the illustrations within scripture. The illustration's point is determined by the inspired writer as he addressed the spiritual need of the original recipients of the writing, not by uninspired readers centuries later. For example, for decades it was easy for scripture's readers and teachers to look at Paul's body illustrations, look at Christ as head of the body, and think of Christ as the CEO of the church.
In seeking to understand the purpose of an illustration, the objective is not to FIRST decide how the illustration applies to a "now" situation. The FIRST objective is to understand the writer's concern in the "then" situation. Only after we understand the illustration's original purpose should we make an honest application to a current concern.
Think. Did the first century world have organizational structures comparable to the modern and postmodern world's business organizations? Did they think in terms of a position we know as a CEO? We live in a time of large organizations with CEOs. This is a common reality in our business world, even a reality in our global community. However, we are considering a common "now" reality, not a common "then" reality.
For decades it was natural in this culture to think in organizational terms. "Big business" and offices of "CEOs" are common place in our world. Those were not realities in their world. Paul's point to Christians in Rome or Corinth did not deal with situations that did not exist in their age!
The body illustration is a biological illustration, not an organizational illustration. It is concerned about relationships within the body, not the structure of the body. Each member is connected to every other member. All members are necessary if the body is to function by God's design and intent. Members help each other, not hurt each other. They help each other because they are parts of Christ's body who exist for the good of Christ's body.
Paul's body illustration is a biological illustration that stressed the importance of interactive relationships in God's will.
Christians are not in competition with each other. The value of his/her function is not determined by a visible profile. Some body parts are rarely visible, but their function is essential to the body's health. In a healthy body, the body does not exist to champion one part, but all parts exist to benefit the entire body.
The emphasis was not on conformity and attendance, but on actively belonging to a loving, caring community of believers.
Consider a ridiculous illustration. How does a thumb know it is a thumb? How does it know it is a thumb instead of a big toe, or a knee cap, or an elbow joint? How does a thumb know how to do the work of a thumb instead of the work of a big toe, knee cap, or elbow joint? Is the thumb's identity and function determined by the choice or decision of the thumb? To suggest such is utterly foolish!
The head tells each body part its function as it gives that body part its identity. Christ instructs each of us in our function and gives each of us our identity.
The thumb knows it is a thumb because of its connection to the head. In a biological body, the head tells a thumb "this is what you are." The thumb does the work of a thumb because the head instructs it to do that work. Who benefits? The entire body! The opposable thumb benefits the entire body in thousands of ways the body never consciously considers--until the thumb is incapacitated!
The thumb exists to benefit the body. The Christian exists to befit the community of believers. By functioning well, he/she reflects God's nature and concerns to everyone.
In the illustration, what role does the head serve? The head determines the identity and function of the thumb. Just as the thumb derives its identity from the head, the Christian derives his/her identity from Christ. Just as the thumb derives its function from the head, the Christian derives his/her function from Christ. A Christian's identity and function is not self-determined, is not selfishly determined, is not determined by some force outside the "called out" (like the gods then, or pleasure now). "I" learn who "I" am and "I" understand "my" function (purpose) from Christ just as each part of the biological body learns who it is and what its function (purpose) is from the head.
When we understand who we are in Christ, the entire congregation benefits.
A biological body has multiple parts. Parts frequently are radically different with radically different functions. Yet, the function of each different part contributes to the health and well-being of the body. Lungs and the liver are radically different with completely different functions. Yet, the health and survival of the body depend on both, with each functioning for the body's well being. Lungs do not seek to be a liver and a liver does not seek to be lungs. Lungs make it possible for oxygen to be consumed by the body--the survival of the entire body depends on that process. A liver makes possible a purification process--the survival of the entire body depends on that process. While each part seeks to function well, the objective is to benefit the body. When lungs or a liver function in ways that are destructive to the body, they assure their own death. Their function has continuing significance only if the body is healthy. Apart from the body, neither they nor their function has meaning or purpose.
The diversity of parts who mutually depend on each other is essential if there is to be a functioning, healthy body.
And what determines the function of a body part and the purpose of a body part? The head! Christians must understand (1) Christ determines their function and purpose; (2) thus, obvious differences will exist among Christians. The objective is not the elevation of self, but the well being of the entire body.
The point of Paul's illustration: just as the biological head of a body declares the function and identity of each body part, Christ declares the function and identity of each Christian.
Thought Question: from your perspective, why is it important to see Paul's body illustration from a relationship view point?
At the core, this is a key understanding: instead of viewing the church as an organization with attendance requirements, view the church as a community that provides care and love for all in it. [A personal involvement, interactive view instead of impersonal, detached, attendance view.]
Link to Student Guide
Lesson 11