the head of all principality and power, in the sense of supreme ruler; and as here in the immediately pre- ceding context he is said to be exalted over all princi- pality and power, and in the following cohtext he is said to be the head of the church, which is his body, the two ideas may be here combined. ‘ Him he gave as head over all things, as head to his church.’—This is Meyer’s interpretation. He, the exalted Saviour, the incarnate Son of God, seated as head of the universe, is made head of his church. This view of the passage has the advantage of giving πάντα the same reference here that it has in the preceding verse. All things are placed under his feet, and he head over all things, is head of the church. ͵
The sense in which Christ is the head of the church, is that he is the source of its life, its supreme ruler, ever present with it, sympathizing with it, and loving it as a man loves his own flesh. See 4, 15.16. 5, 28. 29. Rom. 12, 5. 1 Cor. 12,27. Intimate union, depend- ence, and community of life, are the main ideas ex- pressed by this figure.
V. 23. Which ts his body. This is the radical, or formative idea of the church. From this idea are to be developed its nature, its attributes, and its preroga- tives. It is the indwelling of the Spirit of Christ, that constitutes the church his body. And, therefore, those only in whom the Spirit dwells are constituent mem- bers of the true church. But the Spirit does not dwell in church officers, nor especially in prelates, as such ; nor in the baptized, as such ; nor in the mere external