P. Derek Overfield PhD Thesis - Research@StAndrews:FullText

he is head by virtue of some other reason which does
not necessarily have to relate di::::-ectly to the Churc'h .
In 1:22 OC~ ..
Firstly, it implies that Christ possessed
a headship that was not confined to the limits of the
Church.
Secondly, ·it implies that Christ stands in
a unique position with regard to the Church.
It is
therefore, with reference to this latter point, which
is not insignificant, that the author of Ephesians
chooses to express the action of God in giving Christ
to the Church with the aorist ~5wx€y
21
not totally correct when he says
• Mussner is then
"Haupt und Leib
sind ein unzertrennliche Einheit;
der Leib kann
ohne das Haupt und seine Wachsturnskr~fte
tiberhaupt
nicht existieren".
This is true within the sphere
of the Church of course , but it is equally true that
Christ exercises a headship which is separate to that
which is over the Church. At least then in this
I,
qualified sense 'head' can exist without the 'body',
The twofold significance of oC&w~.. in
1:22 leads us quite naturally on to a discussion of
the nature of the headship of Christ as it is presented
in Ephesians.
seems then to have a twofold significance.
-273-