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To understand what the apostle means when he says that we shall all
come to a perfect man, we must consider the connection of the whole
passage, which runs thus: "He that descended is the same also that
ascended up far above all heavens, that He might fill all things.
And He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some,
evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of
the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body
of Christ: till we all come to the unity of the faith and knowledge of
the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the age of the
fullness of Christ: that we henceforth be no more children, tossed
and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men,
and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; but,
speaking the truth in love, may grow up in Him in all things, which
is the Head, even Christ: from whom the whole body fitly joined
together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according
to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase
of the body, unto the edifying of itself in love." Behold what the
perfect man is, the head and the body, which is made up of all the
members, which in their own time shall be perfected. But new
additions are daily being made to this body while, the Church is being
built up, to which it is said, "Ye are the body of Christ and His
members;" and again, "For His body's sake," he says, "which
is the Church;" and again, "We being many are one head, one
body." It is of the edification of this body that it is here, too,
said, "For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the
ministry, for the edification of the body of Christ;" and then that
passage of which we are now speaking is added, "Till we all come to
the unity of the faith and knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect
man, to the measure of the age of the fullness of Christ," and so
on. And he shows of what body we are to understand this to be the
measure, when he says, "That we may grow up into Him in all
things, which is the Head, even Christ: from whom the whole body
filly joined together and compacted by that which every joint
supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every
part." As, therefore, there is a measure of every part, so there
is a measure of the fullness of the whole body which is made up of all
its parts, and it is of this measure it is said, "To the measure of
the age of the fullness of Christ." This fullness he spoke of also
in the place where he says of Christ, "And gave Him to be the Head
over all things to the Church, which is His body, the fullness of
Him that filleth all in all.' But even if this should be referred to
the form in which each one shall rise, what should hinder us from
applying to the woman what is expressly said of the man, understanding
both sexes to be included under the general term "man?" For
certainly in the saying, "Blessed is he who feareth the Lord,"
women also who fear the Lord are included.
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