16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
Both joining and knitting together indicate that members of the body of Christ are in vital, organic union with each other and the Lord.
and knit together [compacted]
“Knit together” means to compact, to cause to coalesce, to unite. Metaphorically it means to combine mentally. The idea is to bring people together in the company of believers to function as a body. The church is to convene and join together so that it can function properly as a unit in ministry. These words imply a compacted church is a firm consolidation of mature people.
The Greek indicates that “knit together” is also an ongoing process. The church needs to bring people together to unite in an enduring common cause. Since the church is a body composed of many joints or members, it needs a unifying dynamic.
Each member of the body fits together by supporting ligaments. God places believers in their proper place in the church for their mutual relationships from the Head of the church who is Christ Himself.
The phrase “knit together” is used both of a building (2:21) and the human body. In both cases there is a fitting together or union of different parts. This is especially true of the church characterized as a “body,” which has many different organs and parts.
PRINCIPLE:
The church is a complexity of many parts that must cooperate as one.
APPLICATION:
As the human body is held together by joints and ligaments, so the body of Christ is joined by diversified believers who unite and orient to their Lord.
An indication of a mature church is cooperation. As members of the body of Christ joined by ligaments of giftedness, we belong to each other. We need each other. The church grows as individuals grow and contribute to the cause of Christ. We do this best when we keep our focus on Christ.
