No 2

(The Metaphors)

In the New Testament, there are seven metaphors used to describe the Church. Three of these are also used in the Old Testament to refer to Israel directly.

They are: a vineyard (Isaiah 5 - John 15), a flock (Isaiah 40 - John 10), and a spouse (Isaiah 62 - Revel 19). There are three others that allude to Israel indirectly. They are: a kingdom, a famliy, and and building. However, there is one metaphor that is exclusive to the Church in the NT and finds no equivalent in the OT, the concept doesn't even exist.

It is that the Church is a body (1 Cor 12:12 -31). We are the body and Jesus Christ is the Head (Eph 5:23. A body, if it is to function properly, must have three caracteristics; otherwise it cannot survive. It must have unity (vs 12), it must have diversity (vs 14) and it must have harmony (vs25). We will cover all these in later studies.