Joints – Part 4

We are looking in detail at Ephesians 4:11 – 16 (here @ BibleGateway). Yesterday we looked at one verse, one sentence, verse 13. Today we look at the last sentence in the passage 14 - 16. 

Tomorrow we will summarize what we have seen. I would like to hear what you have seen in this. Please comment on any of the posts. 

Spoiler alert, this is long.

4:14

ἵνα μηκέτι ὦμεν νήπιοι, κλυδωνιζόμενοι καὶ περιφερόμενοι παντὶ ἀνέμῳ τῆς διδασκαλίας ἐν τῇ κυβείᾳ τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ἐν πανουργίᾳ πρὸς τὴν μεθοδείαν τῆς πλάνης,

As a result, (or “in order that”) we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming;

Effect Temporal iEnd Locative Locative iMeans General iMeans iMeans iMeans iMeans

One result of equipping is that a member of the community can determine false teaching. That would seem to imply that they have developed sufficient skill in Bible study to validate objectively, biblically something that is taught. When one looks in detail at the fourfold assignment of leadership in the body it become obvious why the result of the leadership engaging would be the ability of the body to withstand false teaching.

 

4:15a

ἀληθεύοντες δὲ ἐν ἀγάπῃ

but speaking the truth in love,

Contrast iEnd iMeans; in Love 1:4, 3:17, 4:2, 4:15a,4:16g, 5:2

Starting with this clause, Paul connects this line of thought to the thread of in love that started in 1:4 (here @ BibleGateway). Therefore one of the results of the equipping of the saints is that they are living more completely out of love. The interactions as they individually engage are spoken and presented in an attitude of love for one another as Christ commanded in John 13:34 – 35 (here @ BibleGateway). 

NB “Speaking the truth in love,” in a real sense is a umbrella statement that covers all of the interactions, joints, and individuals regardless of their level of engagement in the Body. The contrasting elements are being carried about by every wind of doctrine as opposed to growing up in all aspects into Him. This would seem to summarize the effect of the fourfold assignment of the leadership of the community.

 

4:15b

αὐξήσωμεν εἰς αὐτὸν τὰ πάντα,

we are to grow up in all aspects into

iEnd Emphatic

The intention is that we are to grow into Christ. The emphatic all is strengthened by the word order in the Greek, literally, “we are to grow up into Him the all”, the neuter all indicates the idea of aspects. All aspects of Christ life and character is the goal. It is not just a partial growth that is imagined but a growth into all of Him. Again this is imagined by Paul to be done in a manner that is consistent with speaking the truth in Love.

 

4:15c

ὅς ἐστιν ἡ κεφαλή,

Him who is the head,

Locative; cf. 4:13 fullness of Christ

Note that the metric is Christ. We are to grow up into Him, ὅς ἐστιν ἡ κεφαλή, Χριστός, (which is the head, Christ) mirrors εἰς μέτρον ἡλικίας τοῦ πληρώματος τοῦ Χριστοῦ (into the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ) in 4:13. Thus we are measured not by any man but by how much our character and our actions are similar or different from Christ. 

 Not to be overly repetitive here but the overarching context is love. Each of our interactions, equipping actions – for lack of a better label – is to be under the umbrella of love. This removes equipping from the academic realm and places it in the arena of relationship. Relationship that is defined below as a joint, and one that is intentionally created by the Lord. Each encounter we have with one another is an opportunity to properly work in love. 

Further, considering the sovereign providence of God, each interaction we have with other people whether they are believers or not, literally each person we encounter is intentionally placed on our path, scrutinized by the Lord. He has sovereignly placed them on our path. If that is the case, and it seems to be so, then our ability to engage with one another intentionally, diligently, in the body becomes the crucible wherein we learn to engage with each individual with which we come in contact intentionally, with love, for the purpose of increasing their love for Christ and others.

 

4:15d

Χριστός,

even Christ,

Emphatic

The "even" is supplied by the committee because of the use of Christ here. It is not necessary for clarity; the use of the title here emphasizes the goal.

 

4:16a

ἐξ οὗ πᾶν τὸ σῶμα

from whom the whole body,

Locative Emphatic 2:21a, 4:16

Christ is the one that is driving, or the source of what Paul is about to declare. Note the mirroring of "all" in 15b with "whole" here. This is not imagined to be a partial engagement or result; all the body is to grow in all aspects into the fullness of Christ 

NB. The theme of all or whole runs through this chapter. This seems to grow out of or be an extension of the theme of unity in 1 – 6 (here @ BibleGateway). Consider the inclusive and unifying terms:

Verse	Term(s)
1	you
2	All, one another
3	Unity
4	One, one, you, one
5	One, one, one
6	One, all, all, all
7	Each, one, us
12	Saints, body
13	All, unity, fullness
14	We
15b	We, all
16a	Whole body
16c	Every
16e	Each
16f	Body

4:16b

συναρμολογούμενον καὶ συμβιβαζόμενον

being fitted and held together

iEnd

Christ is the one who is acting. He is fitting and holding together the Body. These are both present passive participles so, ongoing action. 

   

4:16c

διὰ πάσης ἁφῆς τῆς ἐπιχορηγίας

by what every joint supplies,

iMeans Emphatic

16b is the end, the means is the contribution of the joints. Joints are the junction or meeting of one or more members of the body or of a mechanical device. It is the relationship between the members that is in mind here?

I have always read these two clauses as emphasizing the importance of the individual.  While that is certainly in mind. The growth happens at the junction of, the joint, the intentional interaction between the members of the Body, again in the context of Love… 

Proverbs 27:17 (NASB95) Iron sharpens iron, So one man sharpens another. 

Proverbs 27:19 (NASB95) As in water face reflects face, So the heart of man reflects man.

 

4:16d

κατ᾽ ἐνέργειαν ἐν μέτρῳ ἑνὸς ἑκάστου μέρους

according to the proper working of each individual part,

Criteria Emphatic Emphatic Emphatic

An implication is that the contribution of the joint, is dependent on each of the members of the joint, at the joint, properly functioning. 

An implication of this would have to be that one of the results imagined by the equipping of the saints is the identification, activation, and diligent engagement in operating in one’s gift in the body. 1 Timothy 4:14 – 16 (here @ BibleGateway) is a crucial passage on this result: Do not neglect the spiritual gift within you, which was bestowed on you through prophetic utterance with the laying on of hands by the presbytery. Take pains with these things; be absorbed in them, so that your progress will be evident to all. Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things, for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you. 

If this exhortation is given to a leader, it is also applicable to those under his shepherding, or the command to make disciples and its element of teaching all that Christ commanded, is of no consequence. 

All of this results in raising the importance and intensity of what is done in the local body. 

Key implication: a joint is the relationship between two or more members of the Body.

 

4:16e

τὴν αὔξησιν τοῦ σώματος

causes the growth of the body

iEnd

The supply of the joint causes the growth of the Body. For years I have read this incorrectly as the contribution of each individual part. True, the proper working of each part, affects the supply of the joint. 

The verb αὔξησιν (growth) here in 16e is in the same word group as the verb αὐξήσωμεν (we are to grow up) in 15b. This ties these two clauses together tightly. We are to grow into Christ in all His fullness, that is caused here by the interaction of the members working intentionally and properly in those interactions. 

As there are differing types of joints in the body, there are differing types of relationships in the body.

Member	Member	Type of Meeting
Pastor	Congregation	Worship
Teacher	Class	SS or class
Team leader	Team	Team Meeting
Leader	Group	Small Group, Bible Study
Disciple Maker	Growing Christian	One on One
LDM	DM	Man to Man
Pastor	Elders	Elder Meeting
Pastor	Staff	Staff Meeting

I have typically viewed the two highlighted on the list as the only effective joints. However, if the illustration is to hold that cannot be the case. We must view all these as important. Further, we must work to equip all the individuals to work properly.

 

4:16f

ποιεῖται εἰς οἰκοδομὴν ἑαυτοῦ

for the building up of itself

Purpose/Substantiation iMeans

The purpose of this process and arrangement is the building up of the Body of Christ… 

This is a repetition and emphasis on the building up of the individual and by extension the Body in the fullness of Christ. NB. The equipping of each individual is required in order to insure the proper working and thus the contribution of each of the joints to this building.

 

4:16g

ἐν ἀγάπῃ.

in love.

Locative iEnd; in Love 1:4, 3:17, 4:2, 4:15a, 4:16g, 5:2

…the end of the building is love. Note that this sentence started with speaking the truth “in love”. Which would imply that all of this is done in an atmosphere of love. Note that this aligns with Paul’s exhortation to Timothy in 1 Timothy 1:5 (here @ BibleGateway).