Let me apologize to you before you read this.
I don’t really understand why I am writing about this. However, I have seen Christ in this topic, so I wanted to offer Him to you in a
completely different
light. And as we all know, He is the Light. He is building His Church.
πολυποίκιλος is used once in the New Testament. It is what we translate into manifold. Cruising through the Wikipedia article on manifold took me for a ride! I discovered a couple of spaces I had never heard of before…
Vector space – a mathematical structure formed by a collection of vectors: objects that may be added together and multiplied (“scaled”) by numbers, called scalars in this context.
Affine space – what is left of a vector space after you’ve forgotten which point is the origin
I’ll let you come to whatever conclusion you want to about these spaces. Back to manifold. The idea I thought I was going to study was a manifold in a car…which I still don’t know what that means…
But, that is not what the word was about, I guess. It was about polypoíkilos. Which is the Greek word used in the New Testament.
Many diverse manifestations, or many colors.
Sound familiar? Joseph, anyone? My friend, Milt Rodriguez, has written a wonderful ebook called The Coat of Many Colors. You can click here for more information on his writing.
Where does this definition play into spaces?
Vector space, based off my extremely limited knowledge of math, is basically seen from one perspective from one point of view. Affine space is, basically, looking at the same points in a vector space, but from a different point of view. So, if I determine that my point of view is the origin, I am now the vector space and your point of view would be affine…if we’re looking at the same points.
This is where manifold comes in!
Imagine…
My vector space and your vector space and everyone’s vector space…together.
There would only be a manifold. This manifold would include all of our vectors. There would be no affine space. We would all be in the manifold. Basically an expression of all points in every vector.
This is what Paul is writing about in Ephesians 3:10 when he says, “so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places.”
My brothers and sisters, we are a part of the manifold wisdom of God. He has created us in His Manifold, Who is Christ!
This is a wonderful picture of mathematical expression of Christ “through” His Body.
We are points in His vector spaces, a part of His manifold. We are His diverse manifestations. Together. By His grace. Praise the Lord!
