Bulletin Articles
“Gifts”
Categories: Iron sharpens ironThere is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call—one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift.
(Ephesians 4.4-7)
Paul here stresses unity in Christ, which is a major theme in Ephesians. But he also marks a paradox—diversity, even in unity. Christians are united in the seven ways listed, being members of “one body.” Yet “the body does not consist of one member but of many” (1Co 12.14). Christ gives them a variety of gifts.
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.)
(Ephesians 4.8-10)
Paul is referring to a Psalm that says, “You ascended on high, leading a host of captives in your train and receiving gifts among men” (Ps 68.18); but the subject in the Psalm received gifts among men, while Paul writes that he gave gifts to men. There are various explanations for this, and perhaps the most satisfying grows from a comparison to a later passage in Ephesians, which begins similarly:
Therefore it says,
“Awake, O sleeper,
and arise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.”
(Ephesians 5.14)
This does not quote any Old Testament passage, but it alludes to several. It seems more like an early Christian hymn, and perhaps the same is true in the first instance—Christians took note of the Messianic aspects of Psalm 68 and alluded to them, but also recognized Jesus as the perfect example of a powerful and benevolent ruler, who gives more and better gifts to his subjects than those he receives from them.
What gifts has Jesus given? The list is endless, but Paul here focuses on just a handful:
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.
(Ephesians 4.11-14)
When Paul writes such a long and complex sentence, it’s common for readers to forget where they began, by the time they reach the end. It’s a well-crafted explanation of the relationships between the central fact and four less visible premises—the purposes and endpoints. But the central fact had to do with the gifts Christ gave. What were they? Not apostleship, or prophecy, or evangelism, and so forth; rather, the gifts are the apostles themselves, the prophets themselves, the evangelists themselves, and so on! We might call these particular vocations or callings, and the people to whom Jesus gave them, in turn are gifts to the rest of Christ’s body.
Apostles
This word is a transliteration rather than a translation. Its literal meaning is simply “one who is sent.” A close English parallel would be ambassador. In the New Testament it occasionally refers to high-profile men of authority in the church, such as Barnabas (Ac 14.14) or James the brother of Jesus (Ga 1.19); more often it refers to one of the Twelve, or to Paul. Today we typically capitalize it when referring to these latter—the Apostles.
Prophets
This also is a transliteration, with the dual meanings, “one who tells beforehand” and “one who speaks on behalf of someone greater.” The first meaning applies to the prophets Jesus has given, but only in service of the second one! There is overlap between Christ’s ambassadors, and his mouthpieces; in fact, apostles and prophets are tied together in eight separate passages in the New Testament. In the same letter Paul wrote that the church is “built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone” (Ep 2.20)
Evangelists
Again, this is a transliteration. You can see the word angel nestled inside, and both refer to “messengers.” But an evangelist is not just the bearer of any old message; he shares the εὐαγγέλιον-euangelion-“good news,” the gospel. Paul tells Timothy to “do the work of an evangelist” (2Ti 4.5), and Paul’s letters to him are helpful for understanding that work.
Shepherds
This one requires no definition; but a thesaurus might help! Many translations follow a centuries-long tradition of rendering it pastors, and the rest of the New Testament shows they are interchangeable with elders (or presbyters) and overseers (or bishops).
Teachers
This is perhaps the most comprehensible item on the list, and of course the work of teaching overlaps substantially with the other four roles listed. While it’s the most general and least prestigious on this list, it’s a worthy task, and one to be appreciated and rewarded, as Paul wrote, “Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches” (Ga 6.6).
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All of these are gifts to the body of Christ. Their purpose is to build it up and nurture it toward maturity, so that it grows to look more and more like Christ, its head. Treat them as such.
Jeremy Nettles