As Bonhoeffer
concludes his chapter on the Body of Christ, he tells us that the Body is the
fulfillment of prophecy concerning the temple of God in the Old Testament. The
promise that God gave to David, that David would have a son who would build God
a house, was fulfilled only as shadow in Solomon, but truly fulfilled in Jesus
Christ. The true temple is to be found in Jesus. “The temple which the Jewish
people expect is the body of Christ. The temple of the Old Testament is merely
a shadow of the body of Christ (Col. 2:17; Heb. 10:1; 8:5)” (page 204).
“In this house
God truly dwells, as does the new humanity, the church-community of Christ”
(page 204).
As always,
Bonhoeffer looks to Scripture for his vision and teaching. On page 205 he cites
1 Peter 2:5ff, Ephesians 2:20 – 21; 1 Corinthians 3:11,16; 6:19; Revelation 21:22.
“In whom [Jesus
Christ] the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy
temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling
of God in the Spirit” (Eph. 2:20 – 21; see also Eph. 4:16).
Note that
leading up to Ephesians 2:20 – 21, Paul makes it clear that there is now “one
new man” in Christ, that Jew and Gentile have been made one in Christ. One new
man, one Body, one Temple. This theme is carried into chapters 3 and 4, and how
we can miss it is a mystery to me. The idea that God wants to build again what
He has brought to an end by establishing another physical temple not only has
no basis in the Bible, it blinds us to the glorious reality of our One New Man
in Christ, and of our calling to be God’s Presence in the earth today.
As Paul writes,
“The Jerusalem above is free; she is our mother” (Gal. 4:26).
I have watched,
more than once, people in Sunday school and small group studies read Ephesians 2:11
– 22 and it never occur to them what they are reading. They never question
whether what they believe about a physical temple being rebuilt and even animal
sacrifices being reinstituted might be terribly amiss. They never see the
contradiction between the Bible and the idea that God somehow has two distinct
people groups with two distinct purposes and destinies. They never see that God
has made us all One in Christ, that Christ “broke down the barrier of the
dividing wall” (Eph. 2:14).
This is a
particularly American blind spot, with vestiges in the UK, but Americans can
generally take credit for this distraction which diverts us from Jesus Christ
and our calling and identity in Him.
While Bonhoeffer
did not address this distraction, it is likely because it was not an issue in Germany,
in Europe, or in the Anglo – American circles with which he was associated. It
was not the full – blown religious industry it is today, raking in its millions
of dollars.
I am bringing
this to our attention because it is likely that many readers have never
critically thought about what the Bible really teaches about the One People of
God in Christ, the One Body of Christ. If we believe what Bonhoeffer writes,
which is based on Jesus Christ and Scripture, then we ought to be honest enough to
realize that most of what passes for “end times” teaching is without foundation
in Christ and the Bible.
“You also, as
living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood,
to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Pt.
2:5).
“The temple of
God is the holy church-community in Jesus Christ. The body of Christ is the
living temple of God and of the new humanity” (page 205).
As we conclude
Chapter 10 of Discipleship, Part II, I hope we will review and ponder
what Bonhoeffer has written, for it is far and above what most of us have
encountered in our lives, and it is deeply grounded in Jesus Christ and in His
Word. I hope it challenges you; it most certainly challenges me.
If you have not
yet actually read Discipleship (traditionally known as The Cost of Discipleship),
I hope that you will do so. I recommend the Fortress Press reader’s edition.
In our next
reflection in this series we’ll turn to, the Lord willing, Chapter 11, The
Visible Church-Community.
Much love,
Bob
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