Eph 4:11–16 — The Sinews of the Church

Introduction

The democratic spirit of the age has infected the church. Egalitarianism and anti-authoritarianism Egalitarianism - everyone is equal Ordained ministers do not have any deeper insight into Scripture than what I can get on my own reading the Bible in my Barca-lounger or listening to Christian radio Anti-authoritarianism rejection of clergy-laity distinction rejection of the notion that there ought to be those who have received special seminary training in theology and biblical interpretation and who have an internal call from Christ to preach the gospel and who have had that call tested and approved by the laying on of hands and that these ordained servants have an peculiar ministry from Christ involving an authoritative teaching and shepherding function to which the sheep ought to give heed. Many appeal to the so-called “priesthood of all believers” to support these modern ideas even though the same Reformers who developed that doctrine did not reject but firmly insisted on the necessity of the ordained ministry. The priesthood of all believers was never intended to be a denial of the official ministry of the word in favor of an “every-member-is-a-minister” model. They intended by that phrase merely to reject the Roman Catholic idea that sinners need priestly mediators to go between us and God Since Jesus Christ is the only mediator all believers can come to God through Christ by faith in order to find grace, forgiveness and salvation Our passage here in Eph. 4 has also been claimed in support of this democratic, lay-ministry model According to the popular interpretation of verse 12, the job of the pastors and teachers of the church is to equip the saints for lay ministry. The really important ministry of the church is to be performed by the saints themselves. Those ordained to a ministry distinct from the saints have a subordinate role of merely equipping the saints to the real work of the ministry Ordained ministers are merely motivators and enablers. Thus, there are two models of ministry which need to be compared and weighed against Scripture. The traditional view I call “the ordained ministry models” This has been the traditional view of the church from the very beginning. It was also the view of the Reformers. The contemporary view dominant in evangelical circles today I will refer to as “the lay ministry model” Which of these models does Eph. 4 support?

A synopsis of the teaching of the New Testament

Before delving into our text, I would like to point out that the New Testament as a whole strongly supports the ordained ministry model I want to give you a brief survey of the teaching of the NT on this point Passages that speak of certain individuals in the church who devote themselves to the particular task of preaching and teaching Acts 6:4. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.

Passages which teach that in the early church certain men were ordained to the ministry by the laying on of hands Acts 13:2 While they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3 Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.

Passages which describe the distinct qualifications necessary for the ordained ministry.

1 Timothy 3 - he who desires the office of bishop …

Titus 1 - the bishop, as the steward of God …

Passages where special honor is assigned to those who fulfill this distinct task 1 Timothy 5:17-18 Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching; for the scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,” and, “The laborer deserves to be paid.”

Passages which speak of ordained ministers as shepherds of the flock of God 1 Peter 5:1-4. Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed, 2 be shepherds of the flock of God that is under your care, serving as overseers not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; 3 nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock. 4. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.

Passages which warn ordained teachers that they will be judged more strictly James 3:1. Not many of you should become teachers, my brethren, for you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.

You cannot read this pervasive Scriptural evidence and come away thinking that the NT church practiced the lay ministry model With this broader teaching of the NT in mind lets look at Eph 4:11-16. The burden of proof will have to rest with those who want to argue that Eph. 4:12 supports the lay ministry interpretation.

Verse 11

It is interesting that Paul does not follow his usual practice of listing the gifts as if they were spiritual empowerments given to every Christian. Instead, he describes the various ministers as the gifts of Christ, not to individual members of the body, but gifts of Christ to the body as a whole. There is a reason for this The other gift lists in 1 Cor. 12 and Rom. 12 define the various gifts that exist throughout the body without making a clear distinction between ordained offices and the gifts given to all believers. Here, however, Paul is dealing specifically with ministers of the gospel and the variety of functions that different ministers have Paul’s concern in Eph. 4 is different from his concern in the other texts which list off the various gifts His concern is to describe the primary means by which the ascended Lord maintains and promotes the unity of his body Christ does this by giving men to his church who are especially gifted and called to be ministers of the gospel Verse 11 then flies in the face of the lay-ministry model since it clearly distinguishes the ordained ministers from the rest of the body to whom they have been given Let’s examine briefly these 5 types of ministers Paul subdivides the list into two groups foundational ministers and superstructural ministers. This is implied by the contrast between the extensive list of ministers in our text and the more limited list in Eph. 2:20 Foundational ministers of the gospel Apostles and prophets Unrepeatable foundation-laying ministry. The apostolic “deposit” 2 Timothy 1:11. And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. 12 That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day. 13. What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. 14 Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you– guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us. … 2:2. And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.

Superstructural ministers of the gospel. These ministers pass on the apostolic deposit, the faith once for all delivered to the saints, and they are to draw out its implications, to preserve it from the new errors of each successive generation, and to pass it on intact to the next generation Evangelists - gathering the saints Pastors and teachers - perfecting the saints. No watertight distinctions among these three but different ministers have their relative strengths Evangelists labor in the mission field planting new churches Pastors labor in established churches feeding, shepherding, and nurturing the sheep Teachers sometimes labor in local congregations sometimes in seminary settings, training new ministers. They reinforce and clarify the church’s understanding of the gospel.

Verse 12

We come now to the heart of the debate Part of the problem is that the Greek text can be translated in two different ways:

NASB … for the equipping of the saints for the work of service (or NIV: to prepare God’s people for works of service), to the building up of the body of Christ KJV … for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ. There are three reasons for preferring the KJV as the superior translation of this verse.

First, the KJV translates “perfecting” rather than “equipping”

Both are possible, but “perfecting” is preferable. The context of Eph. 4:1-16 isn’t about equipping the saints for ministry but about the establishment and perfecting of the saints as one body in Christ. The issue at hand is unity not mutual service through good deeds of love and caring. The ascended Lord has given spiritually gifted ministers to the church in order to perfect or establish the church in its faith and hence in its unity.

Second, the punctuation is correct - two commas instead of one

The punctuation decision is dependent on the translation decision If the translation “equipping” is chosen, then we would naturally expect the next clause to complete the thought: “to equip the saints for works of service” But if the translation “perfecting” is correct, then the next clause is an independent clause giving a second reason why Christ gave ministers to the church.

Third, the translation of the second clause: “the work of the ministry”

If the second clause merely completes the first, then we would expect the saints to be equipped for the work of service, in the sense of good deeds of love and mercy by which members of the church minister one anothers’ needs. But if the second clause is a second, independent purpose for the ascended Lord giving gifts of ministers to the church then they would be given for the work of the ministry in the sense of the official ministry of the Word and sacraments 1 Timothy 1:12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into the ministry.

2 Timothy 4:5. But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

The ordained ministry interpretation makes the best sense of the whole passage and its flow of thought from beginning to end.

Verses 13-16

Paul now describes the purpose for which the ascended Lord has given these gifts to the church.

Penultimate goal (vv. 13-14)

Unity of doctrine “until we all arrive at the unity of the faith … no longer children, tossed about by every wind of doctrine” Pastors and teachers defend the gospel against heresy and error (v. 14). They contribute to the church’s doctrinal development as the church grows in its corporate understanding of the riches of the Word of God. First 400 years - Trinity, Christology, Canon of Scripture Next 400 years - sovereign grace - Augustine vs. Pelagius Reformation - the doctrine of justification; the work of Christ Modernism - authority and inspiration of Scripture. Now - biblical theology - the historical progress of redemption Geerhardus Vos and Meredith Kline. This slow, historical advance of the whole church is implied throughout this section - esp. v. 13. The task of the pastors and teachers is to ensure that there is a progressive movement toward the goal - unity of the faith. Notice the contrast between “the full grown Man” and “no longer children” Spiritual immaturity is characterized by doctrinal instability susceptability to doctrinal error To counteract such immaturity is one of the reasons pastors and teachers have been given to the church - to prevent immature Christians from falling prey to false teachers. The ascended Lord has given pastors and teachers to the church “to perfect and establish the saints” to cause them to achieve stability feet firmly planted in the solid truths of the gospel.