FATHER gave His SON as HEAD

The relation Jesus has with His own is as head of a body (His Church). In Ephesians 1:22-23 we find, "And He put all things in subjection 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." We read in Colossians 1:18, "He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything." Jesus as head is a gift bestowed by God to believers. What does Jesus being “head of the body, the church” imply?

Jesus is head of the body only inasmuch as its members individually obey Jesus. "Body” is a metaphor used to represent the believing men and women who gave an appropriate response to a holy calling from God by the gospel. For the Lord to look favorably upon anyone who is a member of His body means the person looks to Jesus as head. He received from the Father “all things” (Matthew 11:27, Ephesians 1:10-11, 22). Any real lasting growth that is to occur can only come from our connection with Jesus as “head of the body.” As head, Jesus can supply whatever any member of his body needs. Apart from our relationship with Jesus, there can be no life. (See John 6:68, Second Timothy 1:1, First John 5:11-12.) What provisions does Jesus make to encourage growth in His body? One provision is the older men and women of faith who lead.

The Scriptures speak of there being one body having many members. Not all members have the same function. (See Romans 12:3-8.) Some members provide leadership. Among believers who associate one with another, the relationship of older believers to the younger, inexperienced and less mature is to be like that of shepherds. Their admonition is to provide care, protection and instruction. The younger are to be subject to them. (First Peter 5:1-5.) The Hebrew Christians were to remember those who led them, who spoke the word of God to them, and considering the result of their conduct, they were to imitate their faith.” They saw the word of God reproduced in the lives of those who spoke the word of God to them. The admonition given them was to “obey” and “submit.” The word “obey” is peitho, “to persuade, to win over, to be persuaded, to listen to, to obey.” There is a close etymological connection between “obey” (peitho) and “trust” (pisteuo). According to Vine’s Dictionary, “The ‘obedience’ suggested is not by submission to authority, but resulting from persuasion.” The power or authority of their persuasion was “their conduct.” (See Hebrews 13:7, 17.) Those who speak the word and whose conduct agrees with the word they speak are leaders not rulers or dictators. They go before us as examples of what it means to have Jesus as head.

“The body, the church” is a living organism composed of many members, not all having the same function, but each receiving direction, nourishment and strength from its head. The older comparatively more mature are to take the lead in teaching and watching out for the souls of others. The younger surrender their will to the wisdom, experience and knowledge of older men and women of faith. Those who imagine the "church" as an institution with an organized form of government have the wrong idea about what Scriptures say of leaders. God gave Jesus “as head over all things to the church, which is his body.” His has all authority. Our salvation is by faith in Him and not in any other person or orginization.