The text asserts—1. That we are members of Christ’s
body. 2. That we are partakers of his flesh and of his bones, in such a sense that our relation to Christ is analogous to Eve’s relation to Adam. _ The three general interpretations of the passage are, First, That as Eve derived her physical life from Adam, so we derive our spiritual life from Christ. This says too little, as it leaves out of view the specific affirma- tion of the text. Second, That as Eve was formed out of the substance of Adam’s body, so we are partakers of the substance of Christ’s body. This is Calvin’s interpretation, which includes the views given by Romanists, by Lutherans, and Transcendentalists. This goes beyond the declaration of the text, and imposes a meaning upon it inconsistent with the analogy of Serip- ture. The third interpretation takes a middle ground, and understands the apostle to teach, that as Eve de- rived her life from the body of Adam, so we derive our life from the body of Christ, and as she was partaker of Adam’s life, so we are partakers of the life of Christ. The doctrine taught, therefore, is not community of substance between Christ and his people, but commu- nity of life, and that the source of life to his people is Christ’s flesh.
In support of this interpretation it may be urged: 1. That it leaves the passage in its integrity. It nei- ther explains it away, nor does it make it assert more than the words necessarily imply. The doctrine taught remains a great mystery, as the apostle declares it to be. 2. It takes the terms employed in their ordinary
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