Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Ephesians 1:23

"which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all." — Ephesians 1:23 (ASV)

The church is described as Christ’s body (Colossians 1:18). It is so not only in symbol but in fact (cf. 4:4, 12, 16; 5:30). The church is not an institution but an organism. It exists and functions only by reason of its vital relationship with the risen Lord as its Head. This picture of the church as a body deriving life and power from its Head is developed only in Ephesians and Colossians. In Paul’s earlier letters the church is regarded as a body because its members are coordinated in a common function (1 Corinthians 10:17; 1 Corinthians 12:22–27; but cf. 1 Corinthians 11:3).

The church is further described as “the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.” The precise significance of these enigmatic words has been widely discussed. “Fullness” (GK 4445) here suggests two things: (1) that which is filled with Christ; i.e., the church contains the fullness of Christ; (2) that which is filled by Christ; i.e., the church is filled by Christ not only with his own life and presence but also with the gifts and blessings he bestows. As his body, the church manifests Christ to the world, but it can do so only as he fills it with himself (Colossians 3:19) and with all his gifts of grace (Ephesians 4:7, 11; cf. 1 Corinthians 12:1–11). But this Christ also fills the whole universe. He is at once immanent within the church and transcendent over it, as he is both within and above the cosmos. This carefully balanced statement of Christ’s role was designed to encourage the church militant here on earth.