Ephesians 5:29b – Caring for the Church

… but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church—

Summary: What does it mean to care for your body? A second look at this question reveals that Paul is right. Everyone does care for their body.

Today, Paul explains what he means by people who “hated their own body.” If someone were to hate their body, they would not meet even the most basic need. Someone who hates their body would react very differently than everyone else.

Hungry? Sorry, body, no dice. No food for you today.

Thirsty? Once again, my response is “pound sand.” I don’t care if you are thirsty.

In pain? Good! I like it when you hurt!

Bladder full? Bowels bursting? That’s just the way it is. Suffer!

Can you imagine a person responding to their body this way? Of course not! Paul is right. On a basic level, we all provide minimal care for our bodies.

The difference between good care and bad is how well a person cares for their body. Someone who takes good care of their body feeds it the healthiest food. They drink clean water and avoid harmful things. They exercise the body and keep it clean. In short, they provide for all the basic needs and more.

So, how does Christ feed and care for his church?

Before we answer this question, let’s ask another one: What is “the church?” Paul has answered this question many times. Just a few verses prior, he writes, “Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior” (Ephesians 5:23).

Notice what he doesn’t say. Paul doesn’t name a particular church tradition. He doesn’t say that you have to be Catholic, Lutheran, Baptist, or Greek Orthodox (to name a few). The body of Christ is directly connected to its head. There is no intermediary. People who are part of Christ’s body can be anywhere.

Think about that for a moment.

Anywhere.

One criterion for being in the body of Christ is that a person is redeemed by the blood of Christ (Ephesians 1:7). When this happens, when they believe, they are “marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit” (Ephesians 1:13).

Then what?

Is the church only one person?

Jesus says, “For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” (Matthew 18:20). That is the church.

The Greek word translated as “church” is “ekklēsia.” The word “ekklēsia” describes “a gathering of citizens called out from their homes into some public place, an assembly, [and] an assembly of the people convened at the public place of the council for the purpose of deliberating.” *

Again, we might ask, “How does Christ feed and care for his church?”

Part of the answer is found in the Old Testament. Solomon writes, “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” (Ecclesiastes 4:12)

The answer to the question is in the Bible and requires much more space than we have available here. In short, God has provided us with himself by giving us his Holy Spirit. He has provided his wisdom and instruction in the Word. He provides his Son, Jesus, and he provides us with fellowship with other believers. There is much more we could mention, but this is a good start.

Application: Help Jesus care for his body, and in turn, allow the body of Christ to care for you.

Food for Thought: How do you see Christ caring for his body?

*”G1577 – ekklēsia – Strong’s Greek Lexicon (niv).” Blue Letter Bible. Web. 17 Sep, 2023. https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g1577/niv/mgnt/0-1/.