Exploring Ephesians 4: The Gifts of Christ

WELCOME PRAYER SONG SILENCE Ephesians 4.8- October 27th 2019 Meat

So we left off at verse 7 last week where Paul wrote in chapter 4 at verse 7:

7 But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

And we covered that verse explaining that it speaks of God giving to all of His children a measure of Grace – or Gifts – which were available by the gift of Christ. He then presents three verses that sound a bit perplexing – 8-10 – but are actually speaking of what Christ did to allow for God to bestow these gracious gifts upon us – so let’s read them:

The Ascension of Christ

8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
9 (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?
10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)

A Deeper Understanding of Ephesians 4:8

Okay, so back to verse 8:

8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
Jg 5:12; Ps 68:18; Col 2:15

Let’s first point out that the word, he is not in the original and so we can read it as, "the Scripture says," or that "God says." The point of the argument here is, that Christ, when he ascended to heaven, obtained certain gifts for men, and that those gifts are bestowed upon his people in accordance with this. To prove and support this Paul takes a passage from Psalm 68:18 which reads:

“Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell among them.

The Psalm seems to have been composed on the occasion of removing the ark of the covenant from Kirjath-jearim to Mount Zion, 2Sa 6:1, seq. It is a song of triumph, celebrating the victories of, JEHOVAH, and particularly the victories which had been achieved when the ark was at the head of the army. It appears to have no relation to the Messiah; nor would it probably occur to any one, on reading it, that it referred to his ascension, unless it had been so quoted by the apostle. Therefore, there is a GREAT degree of difficulty from some scholars as to the liberty Paul has taken in assigning this passage to speak of the ascension of the Lord.

Interpretations of Psalm 68:18

In defense of Paul some of course believe that the real central meaning of this passage in the Psalm is Messianic. Others believe that it is messianic in a secondary sense, that it’s primary application was to the 2nd Samuel reference, and then others think that Paul merely borrows the words from the passages as a means to express his ideas on the subject, sort of like a fan of Van Halen, in deciding to roll the dice in Vegas, says to his friend:

“I might as well Jump.”

Van Halen didn’t write that for him to use before gambling, but he borrows from it and uses the words for his own purposes. Finally, one idea is that all of the Psalm, because it is a reference to the tabernacle, is a Type for Christ, and therefore Paul is justified in applying it to Him in this setting. But this is probably a stretch.

It seems that this reference in Psalm is a song of triumph and that Paul’s use of it here is also Triumphal. In the context of the Psalm God was to be praised for His goodness to men and it appears that this is the sense that Paul uses it – alluding to the Triumph of God through Christ in giving gifts to humankind.

Final note on this practice we are observing here of Paul – it happens in other places in scripture by other writers too. But with Paul especially. What I mean is they will take passages from the Old Testament and assign them meaning relative to Christ, or events surrounding Christ, in the New. This is one of the criticisms against “Pauline Christianity” by critics. I would suggest that we are not privy to the entire culture that the Apostles were surrounded by, that Passages of scripture could have taken on entirely different meanings through songs or sayings or quips that we are not entirely familiar with today, and just because a passage has a specific application in the Old Testament does

Understanding Paul's Imagery of Jesus' Triumph

In the Apostolic age, language and imagery took on significant meanings in religious texts. Paul writes:

8 Wherefore he (God) saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
9 (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?
10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)

“When he ascended up on high.”

The Psalm reads, "Thou hast ascended on high." But because Paul is assigning it to Jesus we will too:

“When Jesus ascended on high, – He led captivity captive.”

Triumph Over Foes

In the Psalm, this means that when he ascended up he triumphed over his foes, and I think we can say the same is true of Jesus – when He ascended on high, He (Jesus) triumphed over his foes. It is language derived from a conqueror, who not only makes captives, but who makes captives of those who were then prisoners, and who conducts them behind him as a part of his triumphal procession. So, he has not only subdued his enemy, but he leads his captives in triumph. This is a direct allusion is to the public triumphs of Roman conquerors who led their captives in chains into the cities and then, according to Tacitus (Ann. xii. 38,) would distribute gifts to the soldiers.

So Paul appeals to this imagery when speaking of gifts given to the believers, which was made possible by and through Christ ascending to heaven, having triumphed over all his foes. Listen – it was a complete victory over the sinMissing the mark of faith and love—no punishment, just lost growth or peace. and hatred and malice against God, it was a victory over those who sought to end His existence, it was a victory over sin, deathSeparation from God—now overcome. Physical death remains, but it no longer separates us from life with God. and the grave, and therefore it was a victory over hell, Satan and His demons.

Christ's Descent and Ascent

In it Jesus rescued those who were the captives of Satan, and led them in triumph. Man was held by Satan as a prisoner. His chains were around him. Christ rescued the captive prisoners and part of his triumphal procession into heaven was to prove all of this – then.

The complete fulfillment of it all was at the destruction of everything in that former age but to the Spiritual victorious work by Christ Paul was able to speak of then. Because of THIS victory Paul adds at verse 8 “And gave gifts unto men.” These gifts were alluded to in verse 7 and are delineated in verse 11. (And at verse 9 Paul adds a parenthetical reference, saying)

9 (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?

It seems to me that what Paul is saying here is, “In reference to Him that ascended, what does it mean that he first DESCENDED into the lower parts of the Earth?” In other words, prior to Ascending into the Highest of the Heaven of Heavens victoriously, He that so did this for us, previously DESCENDED . . .

The Contrast of Realms

“Into the lower parts of the earth.” Now, we know that some will say that this means hell. But there is a contrast going on here, and perhaps this is true. It would certainly support what Peter says in 1st Peter 3:18-19

“For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: 19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison.”

Because Paul writes in verse 8 that Jesus

. . . led captivity captive . . . it appears that this is what Paul is speaking to when he says the lower parts of the earth. But some suggest that all this is a contrast between the Heavenly realm and the Earthly, and refers to Jesus going into the depths of humanity, of earth, like Philippians 2:6-8 says, speaking of Christ:

6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the

Christ's Ascension and Its Implications

The Scripture's assertions about Christ's ascension are pivotal in understanding His divine role. The descension refers to the incarnation, and the ascension refers to Christ returning to His Father. Paul highlights this in Ephesians 4:10:

10 He that descended (Jesus) is the same also that ascended up (Jesus) far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.

Now last week, we read the following passages of Ephesians 4, verses 5-6, which state:

5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

1 Corinthians 8:6 further clarifies:

“But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we in him.”

ONE GOD – the Father – OF WHOM are all things

ONE LORD – Jesus Christ – BY WHOM are all things and we BY Him

The Fulfillment of All Things

In the face of passages describing the descension and ascension, what does this mean? The way I understand it, God, who is the Father, gave us His beloved Son, His very word made flesh in the Body of Mary, who “fulfilled” all things on our behalf, from the heaven of heavens to the lowest parts of the earth. Through Him, all who receive Him in faith are made righteous Sons and Daughters of God.

In doing so, He took His place next to the glory of His Father, as Hebrews 8:1 says:

“Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such a high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens.”

Speaking of God, Paul wrote in Ephesians 1:19:

“And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,
20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,

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21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world but also in that which is to come:
22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

Gifts to the Believers

At this point, Paul, in my opinion, begins to describe the gifts God bestowed so graciously on the believers, leading into the next passages:

Ephesians 4:11-16 describes these gifts:

11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

These passages serve as key verses often used by religionists today to justify ongoing structures. Yet, it's crucial to remember that Paul wrote this letter to the believers of his day. His mission was to bring the gospel to the gentiles as prophesied before that age concluded.

The Purpose of Apostles and Prophets in the Early Church

Bride Church with many things – apostles (which we do not have today, do we?) and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers. Now it seems like – yes, and these things have been given to the church today. It seems like it. But if so, where are our apostles? You know, ones that have seen the resurrected Lord and unabashedly give their lives for the witness?

Then we also see that in that day God gave those apostles, and those what were in their shadow, great powers – powers to do fantastic miracles – to sentence people to death, to raise them from the dead, to heal them and to do other things. Why not today? Of course there are those who say such things are happening today, but we have to admit that they were not happening openly and in the public eye today like they were then. So, there are a few questions about modern application of the gifts that God open gave to the Church-bride then.

And why did He give them then? To support, protect, encourage and strengthen that bride until He came to take her. But we also know that God has plainly said that the day was coming when all of these things that could be shaken would be shaken so that the only thing that would remain would be unshakeable things (Hebrews 12).

The Unshakeable Things

And what is not shakable? What is spiritual, the laws written on minds and hearts of individuals – and when that is the case, there is no need for prophets and apostles and evangelists and preachers. None. For God is our God by Christ through the Spirit, and no man will say to his neighbor (which is what Apostles and prophets and evangelists and preachers do) saying, Know the Lord! Know the Lord – why? Because all who are His will know Him already! This is what God says this age would look like once the former age was shaken and taken.

Paul here is writing to them then and telling them of the things and people they have been given because of Christ and he explains the purpose for them. Let’s read:

Ephesians 4:11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

Now I have some Greek news for you – the line, “And He gave some” in verse 11 (referring to Apostles and prophets) is written in what is called the Aorist Active Indicative – and do you know what that means? It means that God gave such things IN THE PAST of when Paul wrote this. There is a tense it could have been written in that would mean gave and will continue to give in the future, but here it means, IN THE PAST.

The Gifted Offices and Their Role

These, like the spiritual gifting of miracles and healings and wonders, were given (past tense in Paul’s day) at that time – to them (not to us) FOR . . .

12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

Notice too, that Jesus indwelling, by the Holy Spirit – in the Body of believers today – is our Apostle, He is our Prophet, and the Spirit is our Evangelist, and Pastor, since God has written on our hearts directly! “But then HE GAVE – GAVE – some Apostles and Prophets . . . etc.

Why? Paul writes to them (verse 12):

For the perfecting of the saints for the work of the ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ.

Forty years these gifted offices were in place and given by God to take the church bride and to perfect them, to aid them in the work of the ministry among them, and to edify the body of Christ.

Now, just because Paul uses body of Christ here, does not contradict what I am saying. The body of Christ and the Church are used interchangeably in scripture. It was then and it is now. But the Bride was the body and church then too – and so in that day all these words were acceptable. In our day the Bride is not applicable – she was composed of those believers then who went through the trials and tribulations and earned the right to be His one and only bride.

Paul adds (to them then)

13 Until we all (who is the we all that Paul is writing to? The believers then – all of them – as

The Bride of Christ

This was a circulated letter reaching out to all the Churches in that day: Until we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: Folks, this is the description of the work of the Holy Spirit (along with the apostles and prophets and others) on the bride – those believers then.

This bride is described in terms that are very direct and exact in scripture – and all but one of them are in Revelation. The one being when Jesus himself says in

John 3:29
“He that hath the bride is the bridegroom:”

But Revelation says the following about her:

Revelation 21:2
And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

Then verse nine says, “And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife. And John the Revelator proceeds to describe this Lamb's wife or Bride and listen very carefully to the contents of the description (which I will emphasize in reading it) as John says:

The Holy City

10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, 11 Having the glory of God: and her light (the New JerusalemThe spiritual reality of God's fulfilled presence with humanity—replacing Sheol after 70 A.D. is a she as the Bride is a she) was like unto a stone most precious (and these stones are those that were in the vest of the High Priest in the Old Testament), even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal; 12 And (this bride) had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: (Why the twelve tribes. These were who Jesus came to. This was to them. The heavenly Kingdom was established on those of them who were His) 13 On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates. 14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

(Did you catch it? The TWELVE apostles of the Lamb, given then, given to them to lead and protect them/then – in the establishment of the New Jerusalem as the inhabitants of the Old One had failed).

The Light of the Holy Jerusalem

At verses 15-21 John describes the measurements of the New Jerusalem and then adds at verse 22

22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. 23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. 24 And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honor into it. 25 And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there. 26 And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it. 27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.

Finally, Revelation ends with the following, which I believe is a message to all believers, even all the earth, from that time forward, which says:

Revelation 22:17
And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

See, that is the invitation of the Lamb, the Spirit and the Father to all – come now to what has been established and represented by His bride, through what has been given – it's all here and ready – so join us. Take of the water of life freely and drink. Walk in our streets on high, let the Kingdom of GodGod’s spiritual reign—fulfilled and present, not political or future. dwell within you. It is for the taking to all who seek Him – – in spirit and in truth.

Gifts for Growth

Paul writes that God gave those gifts it is all predicated on them/then, who would pass through unconscionable tribulationA real historical event fulfilled in 70 A.D.—not a future apocalyptic crisis. More culminating in the very destruction of the former Jerusalem, for –

For the perfecting of the saints for the work of the ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ

And he adds:

14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

I like the Literal Greek translation of this passage which says: “that we may no more be babes, tossed and borne about by every wind of the teaching, in the sleight of men, in craftiness, unto the artifice of leading astray.”

The bride was not to be a child bride, but one that had matured in the word and grown in the faith. For this reason she was given gifts, apostles and prophets, and evangelists and miracles and powers and wonders so that they would “no more be babes, tossed and borne about by every wind of the teaching, in the sleight of men, in craftiness, unto the artifice of leading astray.”

The letters and epistles were all written attempts by the apostles to help educate and protect the flock from the “slight of men who, in craftiness and artifice lead many astray.”

The Path of Maturity

Romans 16:18 says:

For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.

In 1st Corinthians 14:20 Paul reminds them, of the importance of growth, saying: “Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.

The writer of Hebrews (13:9) wrote to them:

“Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines.”

Of course, the written word today assists believers in these very things, which is why we read and study it, but he GAVE some apostles and prophets to them in that very direct applicable way as a means to grow them and prepare them, as the bride, to establish His eternal spiritual kingdom above which the nations would forever stream in unto it.

Paul's Expectation for Growth

At this point Paul adds more to his description, saying to the Body Church-bride in that day:

15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

That is a lot of words. Let’s consider some other translations. And the RSV says:

15 Rather, (meaning instead of being blown around by every wind of doctrine) speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,
16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every joint with which it is supplied, when each part is working properly, makes bodily growth and upbuilds itself in love.

See, in the passages, Paul is describing some progression, some growth, that he expected to see and find in the body of believers in that day. In other words, there was a destination, an arrival he expected to see in that group or gathering of the called out ones.

This growth and maturation is endemic to the way he describes the church-bride then, so he says:

15 Rather, (that being blown around by every wind of doctrine) “speaking the truth in love, we (the believers then) are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,
16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every joint with which it is supplied, when each part is working properly, makes bodily growth and upbuilds itself in love.

Jesus was coming to take a matured body of believers above to serve as His bride. Again, she was not to be a child bride but mature and healthy, forming the whole body from the head of Christ with “every joint with which it is supplied working properly for bodily growth and the increase in love.”

To suggest that what Paul says to them is supposed to have application to us today is to suggest that since Christ and His apostles the Church has toiled in infancy, and has remained, for 2000 years in this state, unready to assume the role of Jesus bride – and therefore we are

Maturing in Faith

All still waiting on Him to come – which He won’t do until we have matured. The view is short-sighted, unbiblical and flies in the face of a sound contextual understanding of the scripture which clearly lays this all out in a reasonable contextual way.

Closing Thoughts

Let’s end here:

1. Questions. Comments. Insights.

2. Prayer.