The Church as Body of Christ
One body, many members — Christ the head, the faithful his living limbs
This teaching describes the Church as the mystical body of Christ, with Christ as the head and believers as its members. Drawn from Paul's letters—1 Corinthians 12, Ephesians, and Romans 12—the image conveys both unity and diversity: each member has a distinct role, yet all are joined in one living organism animated by Christ. The metaphor expresses how Christians are bound to one another and to their Lord.
How it traveled
- 1 PeterRome · 64explains
- 1 CorinthiansEphesus · 67explains
- EphesiansRome · 67explains
- RomansCorinth · 67explains
- 2 CorinthiansPhilippi · 67applies
- ColossiansRome · 67explains
- ActsRome · 84explains
- First Epistle to the CorinthiansRome · 99explains
- JohnEphesus · 100explains
- RevelationPatmos · 100explains
- Epistle to the Ephesians: Shorter and Longer VersionsAntioch · 108explains
- Epistle to the Trallians: Shorter and Longer VersionsAntioch · 108explains
- The First Epistle of Clement to the Corinthians.— · 220applies
- The Epistles of Cyprian.Carthage · 258explains
- The Treatises of Cyprian.Carthage · 258explains
- Of the Manner in Which the Persecutors Died— · 325explains
- The Church History of EusebiusCaesarea · 339explains
- The Life of Constantine with Orations of Constantine and EusebiusCaesarea · 339applies
- The LettersCaesarea (Cappadocia) · 379explains
- The Catechetical Lectures of S. CyrilJerusalem · 386explains
- Select Orations of Saint Gregory NazianzenNazianzus · 390explains
- Selections from the Letters of St. AmbroseMilan · 397explains
- On the Duties of the ClergyMilan · 397explains
- Concerning RepentanceMilan · 397explains
- Homilies on First CorinthiansConstantinople (Istanbul) · 407explains
- The Commentary and Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Galatians and EphesiansConstantinople (Istanbul) · 407explains
- A Commentary on the Acts of the ApostlesConstantinople (Istanbul) · 407explains
- The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the RomansConstantinople (Istanbul) · 407explains
- The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Philippians, Colossians, and ThessaloniansConstantinople (Istanbul) · 407explains
- The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the HebrewsConstantinople (Istanbul) · 407explains
Key passages(20)
Homilies on First Corinthians · John Chrysostom
Homilies on First Corinthians · John Chrysostom
Homilies on First Corinthians · John Chrysostom
The Commentary and Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Galatians and Ephesians · John Chrysostom
Treatise on the Incarnation (qq[1]-59) · Thomas Aquinas
Book Fourth. of the Holy Catholic Church · John Calvin
Book Fourth. of the Holy Catholic Church · John Calvin
Expositions on the Book of Psalms · Augustine of Hippo