and gave Him to be the head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him that fills all in all.
Continuing the theme of Christ’s authority, Paul makes an interesting statement. Jesus, as the head of all creation, is given to the church. And this is no small gift—we’re talking about the Commander-in-Chief of the entire universe! Paul emphasizes that Jesus’ position of ultimate power is the gift.
What exactly is the church? The original Greek word literally means “an assembly or congregation of individuals.” It refers to people, to all those who have put their trust in Christ. Paul wrote long before there were church buildings of any kind or before the church became an institution. In the Biblical sense, the word always refers to people, to the congregation of believers.
Paul goes on to give more details about the church. When he writes that it’s the body of Christ, he’s referring to its nature, that is, its inherent quality. The word “body” means “a large number of people closely united into one society, or family; a social, ethical, mystical body.” In other words, the church is a spiritual organism whose life is in Christ. It’s not simply a group of people or an organization; it’s a community whose existence, power, and purpose are in Jesus. It is Christ’s “hands and feet” to do His work on earth.
The word “fullness” means “something that is, or has been, filled.” It could refer to a ship packed with merchandise. The idea is that the church has been filled with God himself. Remember that Christ, as the ultimate authority, has been given to the church. Therefore, he fills the church with his presence, life, power, gifts, energy, and grace. Paul then clarifies that Christ fills everything (all in all).
When we look at the church’s present state, with all its imperfections, it’s easy to doubt the truth of Paul’s words in these verses. But we must remember that he’s speaking about the church as a whole. When we look back at history, we see that the church has indeed changed the world. A small group of seemingly insignificant people from an obscure province in the Roman Empire grew to impact the furthest reaches of our globe. This would never have happened without the fullness of God within them.
Do individual Christians and churches fail? Of course. Even Paul warns elsewhere about that possibility. But the failure of some doesn’t diminish the truth of these words. The church is engaged in a spiritual war, and all warfare has casualties. Jesus said in Matthew 16, “I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” He has given his fullness to the church to ensure victory.