The Center of God’s Word

by Ken Stauffer
Revision © 2011 One to Come
www.onetocome.com

There is a verse which appears to be the center of God’s word.

Ephesians 3:6:
That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his
promise in Christ by the gospel.

Ephesians chapter 3 is in the center of the book of Ephesians (see Appendix 1). The
book of Ephesians is in the center of the Church epistles (see Appendix 2). The Church
epistles are the center of God’s revelation today (see Appendix 3).

God’s word is a whole – it is one. Ephesians 3:6, like all of God’s word, is built on all
that comes before it and that comes after it.

I had been taught a lot of the Bible, had read quite a bit of it, and had practiced some of
it, when one day I asked myself, “How does this thing work?” I began reading widely in
the Scriptures, comparing one section against another, going back and forth through
thousands of years in the Bible, trying to find how it all fit together and how it would bring
me results. Galatians 3:13 and 14 became interesting to me:

Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it
is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:

That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ;
that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

I had already received the gift of holy spirit, and had manifested it by speaking in
tongues and operating the eight other manifestations of the spirit. This verse showed me
some of the background as to how the spirit became available. Shortly after this, as I was
again reading in Ephesians, I noticed something in Ephesians 3:6:

That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his
promise in Christ by the gospel.

I asked myself, “Why are ‘fellowheirs’ and ‘partakers’ plural, and ‘same body’ is
singular?” I knew from the teaching of Dr. Victor Paul Wierwille that Ephesians 3:6
contains the figure of speech homoeopropheron1 – in the Greek text the words translated as
“fellowheirs,” “same body,” and “partakers” all start with the same prefix, sun, making a
connection among the three words (sugklēronomos, sussōmos, and summetochos). Then I

1
Homoeopropheron or Alliteration – the repetition of the same letter or syllable at the commencement of
successive words.
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remembered reading that there may be the figure of speech ellipsis2 here – the words “joint
members” (summelos) may be omitted before “of the same body.”3 With the ellipsis and
similar English prefixes supplied, the verse could read, “That the Gentiles should be joint
heirs, and joint members of the joint body4, and joint sharers of his promise in Christ by
the gospel.” The addition of “joint members” would make three plural words or phrases
and one singular, all joined together by the same prefix or initial word.

The omission of “joint members” emphasizes the joint body, and also makes the
singular joint body the center of the remaining list, with the plural “joint heirs” and “joint
sharers” on either side (“...joint heirs, and of the joint body, and joint sharers...”). I knew
that Ephesians is in the center of the Church epistles, and that chapter three is central to
Ephesians. I also knew that the Church epistles are the center of God’s revelation today,
and that the great mystery revealed, which is this verse, culminates God’s revelation today.
So it occurred to me that this verse, with the joint body of Christ in the center, composed
of the joint members who are also joint heirs and joint sharers, could be the center of
God’s word like a fountain, flowing up and opening out and springing forth with life. The
rest of the word of God can be seen as radiating out from this center, growing out into a
wonderful whole, revealing the truth of God’s Church as the great mystery revealed, with
Christ as the head of his Body, and the joint-body members the wonderful radiance of
God’s glory.

What do you think?

2
Ellipsis or Omission – when a gap is purposely left in a sentence through the omission of some word or
words.
3
The ellipsis is supplied in the teaching of Ephesians by Dr. Victor Paul Wierwille, the New International
Version of the Bible, and the Working Translation by Walter J. Cummins.
4
According to The Analytical Greek Lexicon by Harold K. Moulton, “same body” (sussōmos) is an adjective.
The phrase could then be “joint-body members.”
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 Appendix 1

Ephesians
From the teaching of Dr. Victor Paul Wierwille

2:6 4:15
Sit together in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus Grow up into him in all things

1:3 – 3:13 4:1 – 6:20

Seven Seven
Practical Presentations Doctrinal Presentations

3:14-21
The Foundation (rooted and grounded)

Ephesians
From the Companion Bible (Editor Dr. E.W. Bullinger)

(Introversion)
A | 1:1, 2. Epistolary. Salutation.
B | 1:3–3:19. Doctrinal. As To Our Standing.
C | 3:20, 21. Doxology.
B | 4:1–6:20. Doctrinal. As To Our State.
A | 6:21-24. Epistolary. Benediction.

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 Appendix 2
The Inter-relation of the Seven Church Epistles
From the Companion Bible (Editor Dr. E.W. Bullinger)

(Introversion)
A Romans. “Doctrine and Instruction.” The Gospel of God: never hidden, but “promised afore.” God’s
justification of Jew and Gentile individually – dead and risen with Christ (1–8). Their relation
dispensationally (9–11). The subjective foundation of the mystery.

B Corinthians. “Reproof.” Practical failure to exhibit the teaching of Romans through not seeing their
standing as having died and risen with Christ. “Leaven” in practice (1 Cor. 5:6).

C Galatians. “Correction.” Doctrinal failure as to the teaching of Romans. Beginning with the truth of
the new nature (“spirit”), they were “soon removed” (1:6), and sought to be made perfect in the old
nature (“flesh”) (3:3). “Leaven” in doctrine (5:9).

A Ephesians. “Doctrine and Instruction.” The mystery of God, always hidden, never before revealed.
Individual Jews and Gentiles gathered out and made “one new man” in Christ. Seated in the heavenlies with
Christ.

B Philippians. “Reproof.” Practical failure to exhibit the teaching of Ephesians in manifesting “the mind
of Christ” as members of the one Body.

C Colossians. “Correction.” Doctrinal failure as to the teaching of Ephesians. Wrong doctrines which
come from “not holding the Head” (2:19) and not seeing their completeness and perfection in Christ
(2:8-10).

A Thessalonians. “Doctrine and Instruction.” Not only “dead and risen with Christ” (as in Romans); not
only seated in the heavenlies with Christ (as in Ephesians); but caught up to meet the Lord in the air, so to
be for ever with the Lord. In Rom., justified in Christ; in Eph., sanctified in Christ; in Thess., glorified with
Christ. No “reproof.” No “correction.” All praise and thanksgiving. A typical Church.

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 Appendix 3
The Eternal Purpose (Eph. 3:11) – The Dispensational Plan of the Bible*
From the Companion Bible (Editor Dr. E.W. Bullinger)

A The Primal Creation. Heavens and Earth. “The world (Gr. kosmos) that then was.” Gen. 1:1, 2–. 2 Pet. 3:6.

B Satan’s First Rebellion. The earth became waste and a ruin (Heb. tohū vā bohū). Gen. 1:2–. God created it
not a ruin (Isa. 45:18, Heb. tohū) nor waste (“confusion”).

C The Earth Restored and Blessed. “The heavens and the earth which are now.” Gen. 1:2–2:3.

D Satan Enters and the Consequence. Gen. 3.

E Mankind Dealt with as a Whole. Gen. 4–11.26.

F The Chosen Nation Called and Blessed. Gen. 11:27–Mal. 4:6. (Jehovah and His kingdom rejected.
Israel scattered).

G The First Advent (Micah 5:2. Zech. 9:9). The Four Gospels (Rom. 15:8. The King and the
kingdom proclaimed and rejected, and the King crucified.

H The Kingdom Re-proclaimed. Acts 3:19, 20, etc. The church of God called and taken out, Acts
13 and on, and earlier Pauline Epistles. The kingdom again rejected and Israel again scattered.

H The Kingdom Postponed and in Abeyance. “Not yet” (Heb 2:8). The later, or Prison, Epistles
(Pauline). The Mystery revealed and proclaimed. Eph. 3:2-11. Col. 1:25; 2:2, 3. 1 Tim. 3:16.
The New Hope. Phil. 3:11, 14. Titus 2:13. “The church which is his body” called, and taken
up. Phil. 3:11, 14.

G The Second Advent. “The first resurrection.” The kingdom established. The King enthroned.
“The day of the Lord.” Matt. 24; 25:31. Luke 19:11-27. Isa. 2:11-19. Joel 2; etc.

F The Chosen Nation Recalled and Blessed. Rom. 11:11-36. Acts 15:16. Isa. 60–62. Jer. 30, 31.
Zech. 12:13, 14; etc.

E Mankind Dealt With as a Whole. Joel 3:2. Matt. 25:31-46. Acts 15:17. Rom. 15:8-12. Rev. 4–19.

D Satan Bound and Consequences. Rev. 20:1-3.

C The Earth Restored and Blessed. Rev. 20:4-6. Isa. 35; etc. The Millennium.

B Satan’s Final Rebellion. Rev. 20:7-10. Followed by the second resurrection and the judgment of the “great
white throne.” The destruction of “all things that offend.” Rev. 20:11-15.

A The New Heaven and the New Earth. The day of God. Rev. 21, 22. 2 Pet. 3:12, 13. Isa. 65:17; 66:22.

* This structure is presented here to show the centrality of the Church epistles. Not all doctrine presented is
assumed to be correct.
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