RE 103 Images of Church

Images of the Church
The Church Course
Document # TX001503
Objectives
1. Willingly share to the aspects of reality or refer to a person on the

images.
2. Point out the key biblical images used to explain the nature of the
Church.
3. Grasp the reality of the Church by discussing her biblical images.
4. Make the meanings of the images of the Church part of one’s

everyday life.
5. Pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit to avoid staying from love
and service of Jesus.
10/19/2020
Body of Christ
Together, we form
the Body of Christ. If
one suffers, all parts
suffer. If one part is
honored, all the parts
share its joy.
3
Body of Christ (continued)
• This is the most prominent image in Paul’s
letters and the only one with no Old
Testament equivalent.
• Christ the Head rules and
nourishes the Body. He is
the only Head, and the
Holy Spirit is the breath
that animates the Body.
©maristlaityaustralia.com
4
• In the letters of Paul, the
expression “the body of
Christ” refers to:
– the human body of
Jesus Christ
– his presence in the
Sacrament of the
Eucharist
– his body, which is the
Church.
Image in public domain
5
“Now you are Christ’s body, and individually
parts of it” (1 Corinthians 12:27).
“We, though many, are one body in Christ”

(Romans 12:5).

6
“Grow in every way into
him who is the head, Christ,
from whom the whole body,
joined and held
together . . . , brings
about the body’s growth
and builds itself up in love”
(Ephesians 4:15–16).
7
Bride of Christ
• The Church is the Bride and, therefore,
Christ is the Groom, to whom the Church is
promised and given.
• This metaphor speaks of Christ’s great love
for the Church.
©Shutterstock/Stephen Coburn
8
Bride of Christ (continued)
• The unity of Christ, the Groom, and the
Church, the Bride, reveals something of the
intimate relationship God intends for husband
and wife, as Christ and the Church can be
described as two becoming one flesh.
• At Christ’s return, God’s
People are described as
a bride beautifully dressed
for her husband (Christ).
9
Christ’s Flock
• Jesus is the Good
Shepherd, the Great
Shepherd, and the Chief
Shepherd, who knows
and watches over his
sheep and gives his life
for them.
• They know his voice and
follow him.
10
Christ’s Flock (continued)
• To describe his relationship to his disciples,
Jesus says he is the gate by which the
sheep (his disciples) enter the fold.
©Shutterstock/Gail Johnson
11
Kingdom of God
It is the Kingdom of God’s beloved Son, a
Kingdom of “righteousness, peace, and joy in the
holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17) in which he exercises
his rule in his People through the Spirit.
12
Vine and Vineyard
Jesus uses the
metaphor of the vine
and the branches to
describe the intimate
relationship he has
with his disciples.
13
Vine and Vineyard (continued)
• He is the true vine, his Father the vine
grower, and his disciples the branches.
• Only if they abide in him, and he abides in
them, will they bear fruit.

14
Temple of the Holy Spirit
• God’s People are a building “not made with
hands” (2 Corinthians 5:1), which God is
constructing.
Thechildrensvoice.org
15
Temple of the Holy Spirit (continued)
• The Old Testament temple has become the
people in whom he now dwells by his Spirit,
Jesus Christ being the foundation or
cornerstone.
• Individual Christians are stones built into
this temple.

16
• Peter refers to Christians as “living stones.”
• The structure of the temple of the Holy Spirit
depends on Jesus Christ as the “cornerstone”
for its coherence and stability.
©orbiscatholicussecundus.blogspot.com
17
• Paul gives a severe warning to any who
would cause division in the fellowship, as
was happening in the Corinthian Church: “If
anyone destroys God’s temple, God will
destroy that person; for the temple of God,
which you are, is holy” (1 Corinthians 3:17).
mikeandaviva.blogspot.com
18
Family
• This is the most pervasive metaphor for the
Church in the New Testament.
©Shutterstock/JHogan
19
Family (continued)
• We become children of God
the Father by having faith
in Jesus Christ, the Son,
and by receiving the
Holy Spirit.
• Baptism is the symbol
of our adoption into
the family of the
triune God.
• Jesus is our
elder brother.
20
People of God
• This image is rooted in the Old
Testament covenants, where God
accompanies and loves the Israelites.
• The New Covenant,
sealed in the Lord’s blood,
invites all people
everywhere to unite.
• God calls the Church into
existence, forming a
community of faith, hope,
and love centered in Christ ©mikeandaviva.blogspot.com
and empowered by the Holy Spirit.

21
Common Theme
• The common theme of these images of the
Church is relationships:
– God’s relationship with his People as
Husband, King, Father, Builder
– the People of God’s relationship with
God as Bride, Flock, Family, Body
– our relationship with one another as
branches of the same vine, sheep in the
same flock, children in the same family,
members of the same body
22

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Images of the Church

The Church Course

1. Willingly share to the aspects of reality or refer to a person on the

3. Grasp the reality of the Church by discussing her biblical images.

4. Make the meanings of the images of the Church part of one’s

“We, though many, are one body in Christ”

Image in public domain

Image in public domain

Image in public domain

Image in public domain

Image in public domain

Image in public domain

and empowered by the Holy Spirit.

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