Ephesians Teaching Series

This beautifully constructed letter can best be understood by paying attention to its amazing structure.

13. Eph 4:11-12 Jesus' Gifts to the Church and the Tragedy of Misunderstanding them

  • Misinterpretation of this passage has led to a top-down hierarchical church structure
  • Most people just sat in their seats and did no more than give their money
  • Every single part is needed for growth

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Jesus’ Gifts to the Church and the Tragedy of Misunderstanding them

— Ephesians 4:11-12 (Part 13 of series) — Andrew Fountain: Sept 3, 2023

Video cover image by adrianna geo Upsplash

Last time:
Pleasure and Delight in God

  • It is a core part of the Christian life.
  • We all want more of it, but how do we get there?
  • How can we have more?

We looked at what the book teaches about experiencing joy and delight in God.

Today: Eph 4:11-12

  • Moving into the second half of Ephesians
  • The most important part is in chapter 4 because it is the foundation for everything else

Goal:

To understand the basic idea of how spiritual gifts work in relationship to the body of the church.

Jesus’ Gifts to the Church and the Tragedy of Misunderstanding them

  1. The Misunderstanding that has Hurt the Church for nearly 2,000 years
  2. The Five Gifts in v.11
  3. The Flow of Eph 4:7-16 – an exciting preview

1. The Misunderstanding that has Hurt the Church for nearly 2,000 years

Ephesians 4:7-16

  1. Ἑνὶ δὲ ἑκάστῳ ἡμῶν ἐδόθη ἡ χάρις κατὰ τὸ μέτρον τῆς δωρεᾶς τοῦ Χριστοῦ. Now to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift.
  1. διὸ λέγει· Therefore it says:
Ἀναβὰς εἰς ὕψος When he ascended on high
ᾐχμαλώτευσεν αἰχμαλωσίαν, he took the captives captive
ἔδωκεν δόματα τοῖς ἀνθρώποις. he gave gifts to [his] people (Ps.68:18)
  1. τὸ δὲ Ἀνέβη τί ἐστιν “He ascended” – what does it mean
εἰ μὴ ὅτι καὶ κατέβη εἰς τὰ κατώτερα μέρη τῆς γῆς; but that he had also descended to the lower parts of the earth?
  1. ὁ καταβὰς The one who descended
αὐτός ἐστιν καὶ ὁ ἀναβὰς ὑπεράνω πάντων τῶν οὐρανῶν, ἵνα πληρώσῃ τὰ πάντα. is also the one who ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.
  1. καὶ αὐτὸς ἔδωκεν And he himself gave
τοὺς μὲν ἀποστόλους, apostles,
τοὺς δὲ προφήτας, prophets,
τοὺς δὲ εὐαγγελιστάς, evangelists,
τοὺς δὲ ποιμένας καὶ διδασκάλους, shepherds and teachers
  1. πρὸς τὸν καταρτισμὸν τῶν ἁγίων for the purpose of equipping the saints
εἰς ἔργον διακονίας, for the work of serving,
εἰς οἰκοδομὴν τοῦ σώματος τοῦ Χριστοῦ, for building up the body of Christ
  1. μέχρι καταντήσωμεν οἱ πάντες until we all attain
εἰς τὴν ἑνότητα τῆς πίστεως καὶ τῆς ἐπιγνώσεως τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ, to the unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God
εἰς ἄνδρα τέλειον, to one mature adult
εἰς μέτρον ἡλικίας τοῦ πληρώματος τοῦ Χριστοῦ, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ
  1. ἵνα μηκέτι ὦμεν νήπιοι, that we should no longer be children
κλυδωνιζόμενοι καὶ περιφερόμενοι παντὶ ἀνέμῳ τῆς διδασκαλίας wave-tossed and blown around by every wind of teaching
ἐν τῇ κυβείᾳ τῶν ἀνθρώπων by the trickery of people,
ἐν πανουργίᾳ πρὸς τὴν μεθοδείαν τῆς πλάνης, by craftiness in deceitful schemes
  1. ἀληθεύοντες δὲ ἐν ἀγάπῃ But speaking out the truth in love
αὐξήσωμεν εἰς αὐτὸν τὰ πάντα, ὅς ἐστιν ἡ κεφαλή, Χριστός, we should grow up in every way into him who is the head, Christ
  1. ἐξ οὗ πᾶν τὸ σῶμα from whom the whole body,
συναρμολογούμενον καὶ συμβιβαζόμενον being joined together and held together
διὰ πάσης ἁφῆς τῆς ἐπιχορηγίας by every supporting ligament
κατʼ ἐνέργειαν from the proper working
ἐν μέτρῳ ἑνὸς ἑκάστου μέρους of the measure of each individual part
τὴν αὔξησιν τοῦ σώματος ποιεῖται produces the growth of the body
εἰς οἰκοδομὴν ἑαυτοῦ ἐν ἀγάπῃ. for the building up of itself in love.

Translation and structure by Andrew Fountain

Eph 4:11-12

  1. And he himself gave: apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds and teachers
  2. for the purpose of equipping the saints
          for the work of serving,
                for building up the body of Christ
  • Who here is building the church?
  • Here is today’s million $ question: Who here is building the church?

The King James comma that damaged the church

  1. “For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:”
  2. Greek has no commas:
  3. “For the perfecting of the saints for the work of the ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ:”
  • When I say “Greek has no commas” I mean that because they had no punctuation marks, they had to show breaks in another way.
  • Today scholars virtually 100% agree that the old translation is wrong
    The specially gifted ones do not build the church directly
    They equip the whole body of believers to build it

It accords with v.7

  1. Now to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift.
  • Why is this important?

2. The Five Gifts in v.11

Ephesians 4:11

  1. And he himself gave:
          apostles,
          prophets,
          evangelists,
          shepherds and teachers

1. Apostles

Three levels of “send ones”:

  1. Jesus Christ, the chief apostle
  2. the 12
  3. Others who were added on like Paul, Barnabas and James
  4. All believers are “sent” into the world

Rev 2:2 (to Ephesus)

  1. I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars;

How do we know someone is an apostle (sent one)

  1. “Sent” by God to some sort of ministry (not made by men)
  2. Called to suffer (marks of an Apostle)
  3. Often sent to plants churches, and has some kind of government over the ones he planted

2. Prophets

3. Evangelists

4. Pastors “shepherds”

5. Teachers

3. The Flow of Eph 4:7-16 – an exciting preview

  • See passage included earlier in notes

Challenge

  • As a church we need to use the gifts of every single member!
  • Pray that we are able to do this together as we grow

Updated on 2023-09-09 by Andrew Fountain

Last updated on 3 Sep 2023
Published on 3 Sep 2023