A Spiritual House

When the followers of Jesus discovered their identity in Christ, New Testament writers provided several metaphors to help them understand their new status.

Some New Testament comparisons are extensions of Old Testament illustrations. John recorded Jesus when He used the vine as a metaphor: I am the vine, you are the branches. (Jn. 15:5a NIV) The Vineyard planted by God was an Old Testament image and familiar to people who grew up in the synagogues.

Paul compared the Church to a Body: For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body. . . . (I Cor. 12:13a) He looked to Jesus as the head of the body, and he emphasized the need for cooperation and love among believers united under Jesus.

Peter referred to the prophet Isaiah when he compared the Church to a house: As you come to him, the living Stone . . . you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house. . . . (I Pet. 2:4a,5a)

Each comparison presents a unique aspect of the believer’s relationship to Jesus. He is the channel of life and sustenance for His Branch, the Head of His Body, and the Cornerstone or foundation of His House.

Originally published July 1, 1983.