Introduction The purpose of this essay is to examine Paul’s teaching on the Church in Ephesians and Colossians with reference to his use of the metaphor of the body. The study benefits from considering Hippocrates and, especially, Galen’s writings on the body. Paul could have been aware of Hippocrates' works, but Galen wrote a century after Paul. Nevertheless, what is presented here seems likely to be representative of the state of the discussion in society, and no suggestion is being made that Paul is dependent on any particular writing. My suggestion is that we can appreciate Paul’s points more by considering the functions of genesis, growth, and nutrition and the role of joints and ligaments in ancient medical works. One application, not dwelt on in this essay, is to redirect contemporary discussion of ministry as ‘leadership’ to what Paul is actually saying about the function of ministries in the Church. Genesis, Growth, and Nutrition The second centur