Introduction
In Ephesians 4:7-16, the Apostle Paul begins to talk about the gifts given to each person, “according to the measure of the gift of Christ” (King James Version). Verse 12 states that these gifts given by Christ are “for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.” As Darrell Bock states in Ephesians: An Introduction and Commentary, “giftedness underscores the unity believers possess. We are tied to each other in part through the gifts God gives us to make the body function effectively.” No, the “body” referenced here and in verse 12 is not talking about the human body, but rather the “body” of Christ, or His Church. Each gift, measured and given by Christ, are intended to serve the Church and other believers in one way or another. Gifts are not intended to be kept to isolated and unused. The gifts each Christian is equipped with is meant for one purpose: to serve others. As Bock states, “No-one is an island in the church. We need the giftedness others possess.” These gifts given to believers were by grace (v. 7) and can also be found in Paul’s letters to the Roman and Corinthian churches (Romans 12:3-8; 1 Corinthians 12:12-31). In the following pages, this passage from Paul in Ephesians will be thoroughly dissected and explained. The historical, cultural, and literary contexts of the selected passage will be explored, and the following conclusion will be made. Each Christian and believer in Christ have certain gifts bestowed upon them from the Holy Spirit for the building up and edification of other believers, and without being proper stewards of those gifts, the body of Christ risks becoming stagnant and stunted in their growth.
While Paul wrote Ephesians to fellow believers, not all of those to whom he wrote to in his letter to the Ephesians, lived in Ephesus. Some of those he wrote to were either members in a group of Christian communities in Asia Minor, or they possibly have included the community at Ephesus. It can be assumed, as was the case in much of the primitive time of the Church, that there wasn’t a central location where all Christians met like there is today. There was not a church building, but rather house churches scattered throughout the city and region. Paul’s letter would be read during the occasion when these house churches came together as a whole.
The Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary states the historical setting for Ephesians is from a prison and is meant to equip believers in Asia Minor for challenges from other religions and philosophies. It also states that Paul’s ministry lasted approximately three years (Acts 20:31). After his missionary journey in Ephesus, he went on to Jerusalem and it was there that he was arrested by the Jew and turned over to the Romans. Paul was then imprisoned in Caesarea for two years (Acts 21:15-26:32). He was then sent to Rome where he was imprisoned for two additional years (Acts 27:1-28:31).
Ephesus played a major role in the spread of Christianity. The city was one of the largest cities in the ancient world. Located near modern Selcuk, Turkey at the mouth of the Cayster River, it was an important seaport and was a political, religious, and commercial hub for Asia Minor. Ephesus and its inhabitants are mentioned more than twenty times throughout the New Testament.
Under the rule of the Romans, Ephesus thrived, and reached its peak of greatness during the first and second centuries of the Christian era. During the time of Paul’s missionary journeys to the city, Ephesus was most likely the fourth largest city in the world, with a population of approximately 250,000 people.
While there is limited detailed information about the church at Ephesus, readers can learn about their social and cultural composition. Some of Paul’s readers would have known Greek. It is also evident that some of the readers of Ephesians were slaves.
In Reclaiming Unity in the Letter to the Ephesians, author Betty Scheetz states there are three major first-century cultural values that aid in fully understanding Ephesians. These values are honor and shame, limited goods, and the purity code. These three values had a significant impact on marriage and love as understood by the people in Ephesus at the time of Paul’s letter. Honor was valued most and was embedded in the male figure. Scheetz states the definition of honor was “a public claim to worth and the public acknowledgment of that claim.” The way a male preserved his honor was to act sexually aggressive, authoritarian, and defensive. If a male was to somehow lose his honor, he would then seek to regain or restore it by public challenges or competition, which always involved risk. Female honor consisted of shame. Females displayed shame by being sexually exclusive, submissive to authority, and avoiding risk. Women would act shy, timid, and show restraint. Once a woman acted outside of these boundaries, there was no way to regain her honor. It would be lost forever.
The first century people who would receive Paul’s letter believed everything, whether tangible or intangible, was in limited supply. There were only two ways of increasing their supply of limited goods: inheriting more or taking from someone else.
The Purity Code, or Holiness Code, was a set of rules that governed people, places, events, and things. As Scheetz states, order was an important value to the culture in Ephesus because having good order meant someone was closer to God. If anything was out of order or out of place, it was considered unclean, impure, or defiled.
Lastly, marriage within the society in Ephesus was more of a business arrangement between the father of the bride and the future husband. Women, or wives, were possessions and love was not a prerequisite for marriage. Emotions or affection was not part of a marriage relationship, but rather respect was the key element in the marriage.
Ephesians is unique in its vocabulary and literary style. Of the 2,429 words, 41 of these words do not appear anywhere else in the New Testament, and 84 of these words are not found anywhere in any of Paul’s other writings, but do appear elsewhere in the New Testament. Additionally, Ephesians has unique phrases such as “in the heavenlies” (1:3, 20; 2:6; 3:10; 6:12). Christ is also called “the beloved one” (1:6). Ephesians contains phrases like “the word of truth” (1:13) and “the Father of glory” (1:17).
Also within the literary context of Ephesians is the emphasis for the verb form of “love” (agapao). Paul uses this verb form nine times in Ephesians and only 23 times in all of his other letters. Paul uses the noun for love (agape) ten times in Ephesians compared with 65 times in his other writings. Out of the 107 times Paul uses the verb or noun “love,” 19 of those times is found in his letter to the church at Ephesus. Ephesians begins with love (1:4, 6) and ends with love (6:23-24). More than one-sixth of Paul’s references to “love” appear in Ephesians. The word “love” is found twice in this passage (Ephesians 4:7-16).
In Ephesians 4:7, Paul writes, “But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift” (Legacy Standard Bible, Ephesians 4:7). “One” is a word used throughout vv. 4-6. In v. 7, “each one” is used and as Best states, “links together unity and diversity.” The “one” found in v. 7 also introduces a new thought when it is refers to the different gifts the Holy Spirit gives to those within the body of Christ. As Best continues, “This variety is not that of natural talent, educational attainment or cultural variation, but has its source in Christ the giver of the gifts.” While Paul was previously discussing the unity of the entire church, he switches focus in v. 7 and addresses the diversity within the church when it comes to spiritual gifts. What is important to understand with the beginning of this passage and the switch that Paul makes, is that unity within the church is really dependent upon the diversity of the gifts given to each believer in Christ, and that each believer utilizes their distinct gifts given by God, for the unity of the body of Christ. The diversity, used to its full potential by each believer, creates unity within the body of Christ. Each believer is to use their gifts to their maximum potential: no more and no less.
In v. 8, Paul writes, “Therefore it says, ‘WHEN HE ASCENDED ON HIGH, HE LED CAPTIVE A HOST OF CAPTIVES, AND HE GAVE GIFTS TO ME” (Legacy Standard Bible, Ephesians 4:8). The Legacy Standard Bible puts most of this verse in capital letters because it is referring to and Old Testament passage (Psalm 68:18). While most scholars would think this verse is referring to Psalm 68:18, some would say that Paul is summarizing all of Psalm 68. As The Bible Knowledge Commentary states, “The essence of the psalm is that a military victor has the right to give gifts to those who are identified with him. Christ, having captivated sinful people by redeeming them, is Victor and gives them as gifts to the church.” Believers, with spiritual gifts given by the Holy Spirit, are given to the church for the unification and edification of the body of Christ.
In vv. 9-10, Paul writes, “(Now this expression, ‘He ascended,’ what does it mean except that He also descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is Himself also He who ascended far above all the heavens, so that He might fill all things)” (Legacy Standard Bible, Ephesians 4:9-10). Verses 9-10 speak on the word “ascended” found in v. 8. If Christ had to ascend, that would mean that He first descended. Three thoughts are often given when thinking of Christ descending into the lower parts of the earth. The first thought is that Christ’s descent refers to His incarnation and descending to the earth to be born as a man. The second thought is that Christ descended into Hades after His death and before the resurrection. The third, and most plausible view when observing the text and the fact that Christ was victorious over sin and redeemed those to be given as gifts to the church, is that “descended” refers to His death and burial in the grave. Best writes, “The ascension is of course presented as one victory through the taking of captives and the distribution of gifts.”
Also, in v. 10, there are the words “above all the heavens.” This isn’t intended to be interpreted as many think of Christ sitting at the right hand of God, but rather a positional relationship with the universe. Christ ascended not only to the heavens, but above all the heavens, to be supreme ruler over the universe and the affairs of men. The Bible Knowledge Commentary states regarding His ascension, “Christ, who embodies the fullness of the Godhead (Col. 2:9), fills the universe and is Head over it.”
Paul writes in v. 11, “And He Himself gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers” (Legacy Standard Bible, Ephesians 4:11). Three positions listed in v. 11 (apostles, prophets, and teachers) can also be found in 1 Corinthians 12:28. Paul is highlighting here the key roles that certain gifts have in bringing the church to maturity. Christ conquered death and as Victor over sin and death, imparts spiritual gifts and certain roles within the church, so that through those roles, spiritual gifts He gave may be nurtured and brought to the point where the entire body of Christ grows and matures. Without these positions gifted by Christ, spiritual growth could become stagnant within the church, and spiritual gifts would never mature to the point where they would benefit both the believer and the church. The Bible Knowledge Commentary states, “New Testament prophets were gifts to the church to provide edification, exhortation, and comfort (1 Cor. 14:3). They probably revealed God’s will to the church when the biblical canon was incomplete.”
In v. 12, Paul continues to describe the purpose of the roles found in v. 11, “for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ, (Legacy Standard Bible, Ephesians 4:12). The entire purpose of the men whom God gifted in these roles is to prepare and motivate believers for works of service for the kingdom of Christ. The same verb, katartizo, in Matthew 4:21, is used for “mending” or “preparing” nets; in Galatians 6:1 “restore” for proper use. Again, it is emphasized that the diversity through these roles is meant to unify believers for the “building up of the body of Christ,” until what is provided in v. 13.
Paul writes in v. 13, “until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the full knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ,” (Legacy Standard Bible, Ephesians 4:13). The verb here, katantesomen, was used in Acts for travelers reaching their destinations. The destinations in this verse are, “unity of faith”, “full knowledge of the Son of God”, and unto the “measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.” As each believer in Christ exercises the gifts given to them by Christ, to the greatest extent of their abilities, the entire body of Christ experiences unity, spiritual maturity, and they are more like Jesus Christ in all of His fullness.
Ephesians 4:14 says, “so that we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming,” (Legacy Standard Bible, Ephesians 4:14). Bock writes, “This maturity is necessary because of the threat that can hinder a mature life. Maturity fights the instability that comes with erroneous teaching about life, error that can deceive us.” Children lack certain abilities, such as discernment and judgment. As a child grows and matures, the maturity helps navigate those areas where they once lacked. Such is the case with spiritual maturity. While this is a long sentence that began in v. 11, and does not end until v. 16, what Paul is doing is building upon the gifts of the roles God has placed upon those leaders He has gifted His church. The terms cunning and craftiness, or kybeia and panourgia, are used in this verse. Kybeia sometimes refers to dice playing. Panourgia combined with kybeia makes it clear that the outcome of this cunning craftiness will be destructive. That it will promise one thing and always deliver another. This pitfall is common in immaturity and is why it is important to have sound biblical leadership within the body of Christ.
Paul writes in v. 15, “but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, this is Christ,” (Legacy Standard Bible, Ephesians 4:15). By applying vv. 11-14, Paul is guiding his audience. By applying truth, it leads to the growth Paul just described. Bock writes, “The picture involves truth applied or lived out in a context of love that draws on what God has provided and allows his work to grow the church.” Truth comes from God and all truth can be found in Scripture. This same concept of applying truth from spiritual childhood to maturity and speaking the truth in love so that “we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, this is Christ,” can be found in 2 Timothy 3:16-17.
Finally, Paul concludes his long statement in v. 16, when he writes, “from whom the whole body, being joined and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the properly measured working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love” (Legacy Standard Bible, Ephesians 4:16). This statement is the culmination of everything Paul began in v. 7. Bock writes, “As love and gifts are applied with truth, the body grows.” The body grows by Christ who descended and ascended to His place of authority over all mankind, conquering sin and taking captive those believers whom He freed form the penalty of sin (death), giving them to the church with spiritual gifts. Those whom Christ gave to the church with spiritual gifts must learn from those whom Christ placed over them in spiritual roles (v. 11), so they may grow in spiritual maturity, avoid strange doctrine, grow in all aspects in Christ, use their diverse spiritual gifts, and as a result cause the entire body of Christ to grow to further the kingdom of God. Each role must work properly and in love.
This passage that has been dissected in the sections and paragraphs above teaches the Christian a lot about their own spiritual growth. The Christian isn’t an island. All throughout Scripture, one can read the importance of the body of Christ in the life of a believer. When anyone attempts to do things alone, even their Christian walk and spiritual growth, it doesn’t work. God never intended it to. God created us to have communion with Him and to have fellowship with other Christians.
Humankind is an utter mess when left to their own devices. They will mess it up every single time if given the chance. Even with the best of intentions, failure is inevitable when attempting to do things without God’s divine hand in it. Even a church and body of Christ would not be able to function and be successful if God didn’t have His hand in things, orchestrating and positioning the right people into the right positions. Regardless of who the person is, God has bestowed upon that person certain gifts that, working together with others in His church, strengthen and unify the body. An important part of this passage is that the unity within the church is dependent upon the diversity of the gifts that Jesus Christ has given to each person. But even more importantly is that each person uses those gifts within the body of Christ, to their full and maximum potential. This ultimately creates unity amongst so many unlikely individuals.
The Christian can look at their own spiritual growth through this passage as a collective effort. They can see the pastors or other servant-leaders within their own church as men who have been appointed by God and gifted with ability to discern and lead, pour into the body, comfort, exhort, and recognize the gifts of individuals. Their job is then to foster growth and encourage those gifts to be used for the edification and building up of the church. But the believer must first submit to God and to this authority that God has placed within the local church. Through these roles, spiritual gifts are nurtured and brought to a point where the entire body of Christ grows and becomes more mature, healthy, and effective. Much like a gardener plants, waters, prunes, and nurtures their own crops, leaders of the church do the same.
The entire point really comes down to v. 13, “until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and the full knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ” (Legacy Standard Bible, Ephesians 4:13). When the Christian takes the gifts that Christ has given to them and uses them to the greatest extent to which they can use them for Christ and for His glory, something significant happens. The entire body of Christ thrives. The church experiences unity and spiritual maturity. The body of Christ, which consists of many imperfect individuals, becomes more like and resembles Jesus Christ in all His fullness.
Additionally, the result resembles more of a unified front when it comes to fighting off strange doctrine that seeks to hinder a mature Christian walk. As the individual Christian grows spiritually because of other Christians growing spiritually and everyone is exercising their God-given spiritual gifts within the church, growth happens. When one person is weak, others must come alongside and lift that person up, rather than cast them out. The whole body of Christ must seek to grow together and be unified. This is only accomplished when each role works properly, in and out of love, and towards the goal of kingdom expansion.
In conclusion, it is evident that the Christian is more apt to reach their full potential when working alongside other Christians. Each Christian and believer in Christ have certain gifts bestowed upon them from the Holy Spirit for the building up and edification of other believers, and without being proper stewards of those gifts, the body of Christ risks becoming stagnant and stunted in their growth. Through Christ, what was divided becomes united.
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