Eph 4:11-16 

Categories: Agape Home Fellowship.

Jan 2, 2022 // By:Dave // No Comment

Eph. 4:11 And He gave some as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelists, some as pastors and teachers,

Eph. 4:12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the building up of the body of Christ;

Eph. 4:13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.

Eph. 4:14 As a result, 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 people, by craftiness in deceitful scheming;

Eph. 4:15 but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, that is, Christ,

Eph. 4:16 from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.

Ok …

He gave some saints, as a gift to the body, as a basic “build a church” kit. “Here is a foundation kit to get things started off”

saints empowered by the Spirit to serve as:

  • apostles
  • prophets
  • evangelists
  • pastors
  • teachers
  • apostles (delegate, ambassador)

Some hold to the idea that the spiritual gift of apostleship is sometimes confused with the office of Apostle.  The office of Apostle was held by a limited number of men chosen by Jesus

including the twelve disciples (Mark 3:13-19) and Paul (Romans 1:1).  The requirements for the office of Apostle included being a faithful eyewitness of Jesus’ ministry and His resurrection (Acts 1:21-22; 1 Corinthians 9:1) and being personally called by Jesus (Galatians 1:1).  The Apostles were given authority by Jesus to do many different things to establish the church, including writing Scripture and performing miracles (John 14:26, 2 Peter 3:15-16, 2 Corinthians 12:12).

There are no more that hold the office of Apostle today, but the gift of apostleship continues in a different sense.  and these represent a distinct category of apostles.  They do not have the authority to write Scripture as the original Apostles did.  They also have a different purpose in the sense of establishing the church – the foundation has already been set.

The mission for those with the gift of apostleship today is to plant new ministries and churches, go into places where the Gospel is not preached, reach across cultures to establish churches in challenging environments, raise up and develop leaders, call out and lead pastors and shepherds, and much more.  They often have many different gifts that allow them to fulfill their ministry.  These are leaders of leaders and ministers of ministers.  They are influencers.  They are typically entrepreneurial and are able to take risks and perform difficult tasks.  Missionaries, church planters, certain Christian scholars and institutional leaders, and those leading multiple ministries or churches often have the gift of apostleship.

Others hold that the apostle gift is no longer in operation since 

  1. the foundation of the church has been laid
  2. scripture is complete
  3. no others who personally eyewitnessed Jesus
  • prophets

here is another one divided over. Some say prophecy is predictive, while others say it is declarative.

(and while the foundational gift of apostle is missing from Rom and 1 Cor, 

prophecy is listed in both 1 Cor 12 and Rom 12

  • evangelists

is missing from both Rom 12 and 1 Cor 12 but we still see the gift in operation today

  • pastors (shepherd)

is missing from both Rom 12 and 1 Cor 12 but we still see the gift in operation today

  • teachers

missing in 1 Cor 12, but then shows up a year later in Rom 12

and we still see the gift in operation today

it would be therefore foolish to deduce that these three lists are providing a chronological manifesting of the gifts from Eph 4 to 1 Cor 12, then to Rom 12

why did He provide this ?

(answer is in verses 12-16)

Eph. 4:11 And He gave some as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelists, some as pastors and teachers,

Eph. 4:12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the building up of the body of Christ;

Eph. 4:13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.

Eph. 4:14 As a result, 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 people, by craftiness in deceitful scheming;

Eph. 4:15 but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, that is, Christ,

Eph. 4:16 from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.

the five fold ministry of the Spirit of God is for:

  • equipping of the saints
  • work of ministry
  • building up the body of Christ
  • Attain the 
    • full unity of the faith, 
    • the knowledge of the Son
    • to a mature man
    • to the measure of the stature belonging to the fullness of Christ

as a result (of the above)

we are:

  • no longer children
  • speaking the truth in love
  • growing up in all aspects into Him

this is a causal chain (which becomes a causal loop)

A a cause happens, triggering an event (B)

that event (b) becomes the cause of another event (C)

that event (C) becomes the cause of another event which is like the first cause (A)

A = usage and acceptance of the gifts of the Spirit

  • apostles
  • prophets
  • evangelists
  • pastors
  • teachers

B= verses 12-13 (building up the body)

  • equipping of the saints
  • work of ministry
  • building up the body of Christ
  • Attain the 
    • full unity of the faith, 
    • the knowledge of the Son
    • to a mature man
    • to the measure of the stature belonging to the fullness of Christ

C= verses 14-15 (maturity of the body)

  • as a result (of the above) we are:
    • no longer children
    • speaking the truth in love
    • growing up in all aspects into Him

put in other words

body sows and harvests food

body eats the food

body grows from the food

(stronger body sows and harvests more food, repeat…)

as is usually the case, we don’t get to enjoy what God has in mind unless we submit to:

  • His way, 
  • His truth, 
  • His source of life.

if that sounds like a bible verse to any one, it’s because it came from the mouth of Jesus himself

(see John 14:6)

we have to be who he freed us to be (Isaiah 61:1-2, Eph 4:1 “walk worthy…” )

to live as He wants us to live (John 14:6 Eph 4:11)

to do what He wants us to do (John 14:15 Eph 4:12-13)

to become what He means us to become (1 Cor 13:11 Eph 4:14-15)

Paul understood that Identity comes before actions

that is why his letters are addressed to “the saints” (not “the dirty sinners”)

Prbs 23:7

Matt 12:34, Luke 6:45

pubs 4:23

Promise Keepers

  1. Know Your Identity. First, we have to accept our identity in Christ. …
  2. Know The Power Your Have Been Given. Second, we have to accept the authority God has given us. …
  3. Pursue True Identity. …
  4. Get Honest. …
  5. Seek Accountability.

We cannot “do” or “do not” without first “being”

our culture has a saying “you are what you eat”

it should be “you eat what you are”

(meaning your identity defines your habits, likes, dislikes , appetites for all things, etc)

we desire what matches our appetites 

that is why Paul spent three chapters in Ephesians explaining all that the believers have been given by God

i.e. their identity as born again children of God and all the benefits that come with that adopted identity

why does Paul only write about 5 gifts when there are clearly more in his other writings ?

(does this mean that God is removing gifts ?)

Eph 4 list (60-62 AD) 

  • given by Jesus
  • to equip the saints
  • apostles (drops in Rom)
  • prophets
  • evangelists (drops)
  • pastors (drops)
  • teachers

1 cor 12 list (55 AD)

  • given by Spirit
  • common good
  • Wisdom (drops)
  • Knowledge (drops)
  • Faith (drops)
  • Healing (drops)
  • Miracles (drops)
  • Prophecy (still good for the time being)
  • Discerning of spirits (drops)
  • Speaking in tongues (drops)
  • Interpretation of tongues (drops)
  • apostles (verse 28)
  • prophets
  • teachers

Rom 12 list (56 AD) 

given by Father

  • Prophecy (steady)
  • serving (new)
  • Teaching (still there)
  • Exhortation (new)
  • Giving (new)
  • Leading (new)
  • Mercy (new)

some teach that God fizzled out the more spirit based gifts in 1 Cor in favor of more “practical” gifts in Rom

(the problem with this theory is that the letters are only written 1 year apart from each other, which, when you factor in writing time, travel time, and distribution time, the latter list was likely being written at the same time the former list was still being received and read for the first time.

Eph list is describing the common foundation of the early church that all believers are to be united on top of

1 Cor list might be specifically addressing the gifts predominant in the Corinthian body

Rom list likewise

It is might helpful to also think of those who are given the responsibility of the Eph 4 list as the core gift

that must wear the 1 Cor 12 list, Rom 12 list as tool belts.

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