The church has been able to
meet the needs of the people as He has been lifted up (John 12:32)
that men might turn to Him for light and life (John 1:4; 8:12; 12:46;
Matthew 11:27-30).
The Head of the Church is Jesus Christ. When Simon Peter made the
declaration, "Thou art the Christ the Son of the living God," Jesus
said unto him, "Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood
hath not revealed it unto thee, but My Father which is in heaven. And
I say unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build
My church" (Matthew 16:16-18; Ephesians 2:20). "The question is, What
is this rock? The Romanists say, 'It is Peter'; but Christ did not so
say. His statement was, 'Thou art Petros and on this petra I will
build My church.' The words are cognate but not identical; the former
is masculine and the latter feminine; petra is a rock; Petros is a
stone hewn out of the rock." When Christ uttered these words He was
on His way to Jerusalem where He was to be crucified. In the face of
the cross, the Master was preparing His disciples for a great trial
and the time when, in bodily presence, He should depart from the
earth. It was necessary that He should now speak plainly in regard to
Himself and His mission.
Paul, in writing to the Colossians, said of Christ, "And He is the
head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the first-born
from the dead; that in all things He might have the preeminence"
(Colossians 1:18; compare Ephesians 1:22,23).
Pages:
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103