May 20
24
New Testament Reading: Ephesians 4:7-16
“But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Therefore it says, ‘When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.’ (In saying, ‘He ascended,’ what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.” (Ephesians 4:7–16, ESV)
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[Please excuse any and all typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church, but without the benefit of proofreading.]
Introduction
In the previous passage we received this strong exhortation from the Apostle based upon the truths he had established previously in his letter: “Walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called…”, he said. In particular, walk “with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love…” And be “eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” These words were for the Ephesians, but they are also for us, friends. They apply to every church of the Lord Jesus Christ.
But the question might be asked, what has God supplied us with so that we might be strengthened to walk in this way? How has he equipped the church to fulfill this mandate? What has he given to the church so that she might be built up. This is the question that Ephesians 4:7-16 answers. In 4:1-6 we received a strong exhortation from the Apostle, but here in 4:7-16 we are told of God’s gracious provision for his church. Here we learn that God has not only commanded us to “walk worthy”, but he has also graciously provided for our every need so that we might in fact attain to this worthy walk.
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The Ascended Christ Gives Gifts To Men (4:7-10)
Notice first of all that it is the ascended Christ who gives these gifts to men. In other words, it is through the Christ, who was raised from the dead in victory, and who ascended to the right hand of the Father in glory, that God distribute his gifts to the church, so that we might all walk in a manner that is worthy.
This is communicated in verses 7-10, where we read, “But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Therefore it says, ‘When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.’ (In saying, ‘He ascended,’ what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.)”
This passage has puzzled many. A few clarifying remarks are in order. But before I procede to explain this text I want for you to see the very simply message that is at the heart of it. Grace has been distributed to all who are in Christ. And this grace is distributed according to the measure of Christ’s gift. This is what verse 7 says. Not only have we received the gift of salvation, therefore, but other gifts have been lavished upon us by Christ as well. This is Paul’s central point. The ascended Christ gives gifts to men.
Now, what does Paul mean when he goes on to quote some other passage, saying in verse 8, “Therefore it says, ‘When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.” And then he adds this explanation in verse 9, saying, “Therefore it says, ‘When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.’” What is the meaning of this quotation and explanation from Paul?
First of all, it is important to recognize that this is a reference to Psalm 68. When Paul says, “Therefore it says, ‘When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men”, the “it” is a reference to Psalm 68. This Psalm is too long for us to read in its entirety this morning. As some of you know, I read this Psalm and offered some remarks about it in the prayer meeting devotional this past Wednesday. You should read it for yourself if it is unfamiliar to you. In brief, this is a Psalm about God’s victory over all his enemies. This Psalm calls for glory to be given to God. It describes God as a King entering victoriously into his heavenly sanctuary. This Psalm calls for all “who are of Israel’s fountain!”, to “bless God in the great congregation” (Psalm 68:26, ESV). And it describes the nations of the earth coming to pay tribute to the LORD. The image is that of a victorious King with two groups of people standing before him: his enemies who have persisted in their rebellion who will taste his wrath, and those who have humbly bowed the knee before him. The Psalm concludes with these words: “Awesome is God from his sanctuary; the God of Israel—he is the one who gives power and strength to his people. Blessed be God!” (Psalm 68:35, ESV).
Secondly, it is important to recognize that Paul quotes only one verse from Psalm 68, and he quotes it loosely, modifying it every so slightly to fit his context. He loosely quotes Psalm 68:18 which speaks of God, saying, “You ascended on high, leading a host of captives in your train and receiving gifts among men, even among the rebellious, that the LORD God may dwell there” (Psalm 68:18, ESV). Paul does not say this exactly, but in stead he says, “When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.” The most significant change is this: Instead of God receiving gifts, Paul says that he gave gifts to men. This has caused many to wonder what Paul was up to when referencing Pslam 68. Did he have a laps in memory? Was he quoting some other translation besides the original Hebrew? Many theories abound. It seems clear to me that Paul was not attempting to quote Psalm 68:18 with precession, but that his words are meant to summarize the whole of Psalm 68 and to apply that Psalm to his current situation. True, Psalm 68:18 does not say that God “gave” gifts to men (as Paul says here in Ephesians 4:8), but rather that he “received” gifts from men. But we should remember how Psalm 68 concludes! It concludes with God giving gifts to his people! Again, Psalm 68:35 says, “Awesome is God from his sanctuary; the God of Israel—he is the one who gives power and strength to his people. Blessed be God!” So, again, it is my view that Paul was not attempting to quote Psalm 68:18 with precession. Instead, he was making reference to the whole Psalm, and in one short phrase he managed to sum up its meaning for the Ephesians and for us. And what was Paul concerned to communicate? That God, who has ascended in victory, gives gifts to his people! “Awesome is God from his sanctuary; the God of Israel—he is the one who gives power and strength to his people. Blessed be God!” This is what Paul wants us to see. That our God, who sits high and exulted over every power, is eager to bless his people, and to lavish them with his gifts.
Thirdly — and this is the most significant thing to notice about Paul’s use of Pslam 68 — he applies the whole thing to Christ in verses 9 and 10 where he says, “In saying, ‘He ascended,’ what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things” (Ephesians 4:9–10, ESV).
I do wish that you would take the time to reflect upon what Paul is doing here. Compare Psalm 68 with Ephesians 4:7-10 and ask yourself, how did Paul (and the other Apostles, being taught by Christ himself) interpret the Old Testament Scriptures? The answer is that they saw them as being fulfilled by Christ.
Notice a few things:
One, Psalm 68 says nothing about Christ. It only speaks of God, who is called the LORD.
Two, Psalm 68 says nothing about descent. It only describes God’s victorious ascent into his heavenly sanctuary.
Three (and this is the most significant thing to notice), Paul says that this Psalm is all about Jesus the Christ. His interpretation of Psalm 68 is that though it speaks of the LORD’s ascent, descent is implied. In fact the whole Psalm is about the salvation that has been provided by the LORD through Christ, who is the eternal Son of God come in the flesh.
I guess Christ was serious when he taught his disciples after his resurrection saying “everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled” (Luke 24:44, ESV). And it appears that Paul got the memo. When he read the Psalms — and in this instance, Psalm 68 — he understood them to be about Jesus the Christ. When Psalm 68 spoke of the victorious ascent of the LORD into his heavenly sanctuary, Paul understood that it spoke of the ascent of the Christ, who is the eternal Son of God come in the flesh. This was a mystery in ages past. But now that the Christ has come, Paul (and the other Apostles of Christ) could speak with clarity concerning these things.
And a victorious ascent does indeed imply a purposeful descent. If a King returns home in victory, receiving glory and honor from his subjects as he returns, it is only because he first went out with the purpose to get the victory! And so it is with God in Christ. He ascended in victory only because he first descended with the purpose to redeem. And this is what Paul means in verse 9 when he says, “In saying, ‘He ascended’ [in Pslam 68:18], what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? (Ephesians 4:9, ESV).”
We know when Christ ascended. Clearly, he ascended after his death, burial and resurrection after showing himself alive to his disciples. Acts 1:6ff describes his ascent. But when did he descend? Well, he descended in his incarnation. He descended when he was conceived in the womb of the virgin Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit. He descended when he was born into this world, as he suffered, and especially when he died. When Jesus the Christ was placed into that tomb, the stone being rolled across the entrance of it, that was the lowest point of his descent. And that is what Paul refers to when he says (and I quote the KJV here, for I think it is better translation than the ESV in this instance), “Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?” (Ephesians 4:9, KJV 1900), “the lower parts of the earth” being a reference to the grave, or to Hades as it is sometimes called. The grave was the lowest point of the Son of God’s descent. But, as you know, he was risen from the grave in victory! It was from the grave that he began his ascent having defeated his every foe, including death itself. And by his victory over sin and death, he did also set the captives free.
This is what Paul wants us to see —that God in Christ has won the victory, which is the victory that Psalm 68 spoke of long before Christ was born. Furthermore, God in Christ has won the victory, and he has set us free. He has redeemed us from the curse of the law. And not only has Christ redeemed us, he has also given gifts to those who belong to him, as Psalm 68:35 says, “Awesome is God from his sanctuary; the God of Israel—he is the one who gives power and strength to his people. Blessed be God!”
God, through the victorious and ascended Christ, gives gifts to men. That is the point.
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He Has Gifted The Church With Ministers Of The Word (4:11-12)
And what gifts does he give? Well, we know from other passages of scripture that God gives gifts — that is to say, spiritual gifts — to all who believe upon him. These gifts are to be used by all who believe for the building up of the body of Christ and for the glory of God. If you are in Christ you have been uniquely gifted to serve within Christ church, which is his body. 1 Corinthians 12 speaks of these gifts. So too does 1 Peter 4:10-11, which says, “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen” (1 Peter 4:10–11, ESV). And this passage in Ephesians 4 will also conclude with a reference to the giftedness of every believer, saying that we all “are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love” (Ephesians 4:15–16, ESV). Every believer, being uniquely gifted by God, has a part to play in Christ’s church.
But here in this text Paul’s emphasis is upon something other than the spiritual gifts bestowed upon every Christian. Instead, he hones in upon another gift that Christ has given to the church, namely, ministers of the word of God. Paul is here teaching that Christ has called and gifted ministers of the word, and that these ministers are Christ’s gift to the church. Christ has called undeserving men such as myself to the ministry, and he has equipped them take the place of a servant in the mist of the Christian congregation, so that the word of God might be proclaimed and taught for the building up of the body of Christ. That is what Paul is talking about here in this text.
In verse 11 we read these words: “And he gave…” This indicates that Paul is about to specify the gifts that the ascended Christ has distributed to his people. And what does he say? Verse 11: “And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers” (Ephesians 4:11, ESV). As I have said, Paul is here teaching that one of the gifts that Christ has given to his church are ministers of the word of God, for that is what each one of these are — ministers of the word.
Apostles were eye witness of the resurrection of Christ who were sent by Christ to preach and teach the his word. Prophets — and I take this as a reference to the prophets who lived in the age of the Apostles — were certainly ministers of the word of God. They spoke with prophetic authority just as the prophets under the Old Covenant did, saying, “thus says the Lord.” Evangelists are also ministers of the word. When you think of an evangelist think of a missionary or church planeter who is sent out from a local church to plant local churches. And how are local churches planted except through the preaching of the gospel and the ministry of the word? Shepherd’s (elsewhere called pastors, elders or overseers) are ministers of the word. One of the qualifications of an elder is that they be apt to teach the scriptures. And teachers are also ministers of the word. They are to teach the scriptures faithfully in the Christian congregation. While all shepherd are teachers, not all teachers are shepherds. It is our view that some may be gifted as teachers, but not called to the office of elder within the local church. The thing to recognize is that Paul is here teaching that ministers of the word are a gifts from Christ for the good of the church. Through their faithful ministry the church will be strengthened and unified.
Paul has already said in this epistle that the apostles and prophets make up the foundation of the new creation temple of God, with Christ himself as the cornerstone. There are no longer apostles and prophets in the church today, for their ministry was foundational. The apostles served in a special way as Christ’s ambassadors, being eyewitness of his resurrection and commissioned by him directly. The prophets too spoke with a special kind of authority. Today there are shepherd and teachers who minister the word in the local congregation. Evangelists minister the word being sent near and far to plant churches through the proclamation of the gospel and to see to their establishment.
And what is the task of these ministers of the word of God? In verse 12 we learn that, though they differ in the details of their callings, they share these three things in common:
One, they are to “to equip the saints”. Two, they are to devote themselves to “the work of ministry”. And three, they are to labor for the “building up the body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:12, ESV). These three things are what every minister of the word is to devote themselves to.
If you have been around the church for a while — and especially if your church experience has been outside of the Reformed tradition, as was the case for most of us — you might notice that my explanation of Ephesian 4:12 is a little different from the one that is popular today. The popular view is not that these three things are the work of the minister, but only first of the three. The last two are often said to be the work of the church member. The way that the ESV reads (along with most of the more modern English translations) actually leads to that popular interpretation. Let me read it again, commenting along the way, so as to explain the view that has grown in popularity. Christ has given the church these ministers of the gospel and their job is [verse 12] “to equip the saints”, and it is the job of the saints to then do “the work of ministry”, and all of this is “for building up the body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:12, ESV). As I have said, that is the popular view today. And as I have said, the ESV nudges the reader in that direction by not inserting a comma after the phrase “to equip the saints”. But I think a strong case can be made for a comma there. In fact, the KJV puts a comma there, and I think this is correct. It reads like this: ministers of the word have been given by Christ to the church, and I quote, “For the perfecting of the saints [comma], for the work of the ministry [comma], for the edifying of the body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:12, KJV 1900). This translation rightly communicates that each of these things is the task of the minister of the word. Christ has given the church evangelists, shepherds and teachers, and their task is “to equip the saints”, they are to devote themselves to “the work of ministry”, and they are to labor for the “building up the body of Christ”. This is the task of the one who has been called to the ministry of the word.
You might be thinking to yourself, really, what difference does this make, Pastor?
Well, I would argue that it makes a pretty big difference. But I will admit that my past experiences might have something to do with my sensitivity to this issue. In my experience there is a trend within churches for pastors to be distracted with many things, to neglect what it is that they have been called and appointed to do, and to delegate “the work of the ministry” to the saints. Here I am referring to that model of church leadership that views the Pastor as a kind of CEO, whose job it is to cast a vision and to mobilize others to actually do the work of the ministry. I think this has become a problem in the church today. The end result is that Pastors are not acting like Pastors, and laymen are doing the work that Pastors should be doing, though they have not been called, equipped or appointed by the congregation to do the work. Perhaps you have been in a church like this where “every member is considered a minister”, the distinction between officer and member, laymen and clergy, being all but obliterated. It’s unhealthy. And a misinterpretation of Ephesians 4:12 is a root problem.
Now, before you get all up and arms and say, but shouldn’t a Pastor delegate? And shouldn’t each member serve within the church?, I will say, of course they should! I have already said that Paul speaks of spirituals gifts elsewhere. And he even concludes this passage by exhorting each member to do his or her part, the end result being that the body grows and “builds itself up in love” (Ephesians 4:16, ESV).
But here I am saying that Pastors need to act like Pastors. There are simply some responsibilities that should not be delegated. Their calling is to “to equip the saints”, to do “the work of ministry”, and to “[build] up the body of Christ”, as ministers of the word of God.
To “equip” means, “to make someone completely adequate or sufficient for something” (LowNida, 679). This is the task of the minister — to devote himself to making those under his care “adequate or sufficient “ for the work and walk that the Lord has called them to.
“Ministry” means “service”. But here the word is being used to refer to the work that ministers of the word are to engage in. Do you want to know more about what that work entails? Then the best place to go is to the pastoral epistles of Paul. When Paul wrote to Pastors Timothy and Titus he provided a thorough explanation of the what the “work of ministry” entails. For our purposes here I want for you to notice two things. One, Pastoral ministry is work — it is hard work. And it is a work of service.
It is important for those who desire to go into the ministry to come to terms with these two things — Pastoral ministry is work, and it is a work of service. I suppose that preaching is the task that most think of when they envision the work of a the ministry. And preaching is certainly a very important part of the ministry — indeed, it is the most important part! But there is so much more. The word of God is to be ministered in many other less glamorous ways. The church must also be led. The flock must be comforted, encouraged, exhorted, and sometimes disciplined. A Pastor, if he is to fulfill his calling, must clothe himself with the garb of a servant, for he is called to a work of service.
Lastly, Paul says that the minister of the word is given to the church “for building up the body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:12, ESV). Two metaphors are mixed here. First of all, we have the image of a home builder. That is what the noun translated as “building up” means. It refers to a home builder. And this image certainly corresponds to what Paul has said earlier about believers being spiritual stones in God’s new creation temple. Ministers of the word are given by Christ for the building up of his spiritual house, which is elsewhere called a dwelling place for God. Secondly, we have the metaphor of the church as the body of Christ, which Paul will expand upon later in this passage. Ministers of the word are given to the church for the building up of the body. That is Paul point.
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Conclusion
I had originally intended to go further through to the end of verse 16, but simply ran out of time. We will consider verses 13 through 16 next Sunday, Lord willing. And there we will see the intended results of a faithful ministry of the word within Christ’s church, namely, unity, maturity, stability, and growth.
Let me conclude todays sermon by making a few suggestions for application.
One, it is important for us to see that Christ has provided, not only for our salvation, but, as 2 Peter 1:3 says, “all things that pertain to life and godliness…” (2 Peter 1:3, ESV). Having ascended in victory, Christ gave gifts to men. To quote again Psalm 68:35, Christ “is the one who gives power and strength to his people. Blessed be God!” (Psalm 68:35, ESV). You are well supplied, friends. When God redeemed you he did not leave you poor and vulnerable. To the contrary, he has lavished you with good gifts and has supplied for your every spiritual need so that you might walk worthy. Let us appreciate those gifts, and make use of them.
Two, let us appreciate Christ’s gift to the church in the form of ministers of the word. Ministers are to be supported (financially and in other ways) so that they might devoted themselves to the word, to prayer and to the oversight of the church. And these ministers are to make it their objective to be faithful servants of Christ and of his church. This was Paul’s perspective, as he said in 1 Corinthians 4:1: “This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful” (1 Corinthians 4:1–2, ESV). Faithfulness to Christ and to the gospel of Christ should be the ministers goal. And every local church should appreciate the ministry of the word, and to make every effort to encourage and support it.
Three — and this will become abundantly clear as the text progresses — let us recognize that it is not the minster himself who is the source of blessing to the church. He is not the one who brings about her growth. Instead, it is who he represents, namely Christ, and what he ministers, namely, the word of God, that brings about the growth of the church. Stated differently, it would be wrong to assume that it is the minister who has the power to bless or to grow Christ’s church in and of himself. No, only God can give true increase. And only God’s word can truly nourish the congregation. This is why Paul exhorted Pastor Timothy, saying, “preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching” (2 Timothy 4:2, ESV). It is not healthy for a congregation to be centered around a charismatic personality, friends. This is something that we should be wary of in our day and age. We should remember Paul’s words to the Corinthians, saying, “I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. What I mean is that each one of you says, ‘I follow Paul,’ or ‘I follow Apollos,’ or ‘I follow Cephas,’ or ‘I follow Christ.’ Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, so that no one may say that you were baptized in my name. (I did baptize also the household of Stephanas. Beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else.) For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power” (1 Corinthians 1:10–17, ESV). It seems to me that Paul was very much opposed to a man centered ministry. To the contrary, he was committed to simple and faithful ministry of the word of God within the church. Let us desire the same. Let us recognize that the church will flourish when God’s word is faithfully ministered in her mists. As Paul said to the Colossians, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” (Colossians 3:16, ESV)
