THE GROWTH OF CHRIST'S BODY THROUGH GIFTS
A new subject gift the last element of doctrine in Ephesians, now engages our attention. "But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ" 4:7. Grace, then, is a gift from Christ, given to each of us, but measured that is, not equally distributed. Some get more, some less, according to the sovereign will of the Giver. Paul tells us of the gift of the grace of God which made him a minister of the gospel 3:7. Paul in turn had prayed that God would give the Ephesians "according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power by His Spirit in the inner man" 3:16. The gifts distributed here by Christ in heaven to His members on earth are the direct answer to the Apostle's prayer.
It is clear from Scripture that one purpose of gift is the growth of the Church down here. It will not be needed in the glory for then growth will have ceased. This can be seen in the way the Holy Temple and the body of Christ are pictured. The Holy Temple, the figure of the Church as a building grows because it is not yet completed. Similarly with the body of Christ we are to grow up into Him in all things, who is the Head, even Christ 4:15. Thus the body grows, like the building. Our subject here, though, is how the body grows, not the Holy Temple. The body grows through gifts supplied by Christ, its Head. Since Satan does not want to see the Church flourishing, he can be counted on to oppose all gifts Christ gives to it. For example Paul told the Thessalonians "we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again, but Satan hindered us" 1 Thess. 2:1818Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us. (1 Thessalonians 2:18). When the Lord revealed the figure of the church as a building to Peter, He also told him that Satan's power would oppose it but would not prevail see Matt. 16:1818And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. (Matthew 16:18). Now the same Lord, who revealed to Paul the figure of the Church as His body has prevailed 4:8. The meaning of this apparent digression by Paul from the subject of gift, is to show that Satan cannot prevent Christ from giving gifts to the Church, for he is a defeated foe.
Satan's Opposition to God and His Kingdom
Before his fall Satan was the anointed cherub who was on the holy mountain of God, who walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. He once held high administrative office in the divine scheme of things. Our intelligence of these things is derived from a veiled reference to him in Ezek. 28:13-1713Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created. 14Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. 15Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee. 16By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. 17Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee. (Ezekiel 28:13‑17), a passage which also gives us a general insight into the reason for his fall pride.
Satan is presented to us in different guises in Scripture, each with its own distinctive meaning. As Satan his "roaring lion" character 1 Peter 5:88Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: (1 Peter 5:8) he is the adversary as the devil his "angel of light" character 2 Cor. 11:1414And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. (2 Corinthians 11:14) he is the deceiver as "the dragon" Rev. 12 and 13 he is the persecutor as to his authority he is "the god of this world" 2 Cor. 4:44In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. (2 Corinthians 4:4) that is its religious head and "the prince of this world" John 14:3030Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me. (John 14:30) that is its political head as to the sphere of his authority it is the air Eph. 2:22Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: (Ephesians 2:2). In Ephesians the name 'Satan' (adversary) is not used because he is viewed as a defeated foe in this letter. Instead he is called "the wicked one" 6:10 because he opposes the will of God and "the devil" 4:27 and 6:11 because he tries to divert us from the will of God by subtlety.
When Satan fell many of the angels followed him. Thus he established a kingdom in opposition to God, whose throne he challenged. Then when God created man Satan sensed a threat to his usurped authority in the mandate God gave man Gen. 1:2828And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. (Genesis 1:28). So he tempted man in the garden in Eden, overcame him and organized a world system over which he presides, governing it by his principle of sin, which is lawlessness. Furthermore he obtained a great weapon over man because of the fall the power of death Heb. 23:15. This roughs out the scope of Satan's realm the world and lost man to whom God offers forgiveness because he sinned when tempted and the fallen angels and demons who sinned without being tempted, for whom there is no forgiveness. The latter are called "universal lords of darkness" because like Satan they roam both heaven and earth freely.
It comes as a surprise to some believers that the seat of Satan's authority is the heavens, not the earth. The earth is where he wields his authority but he is the prince of the power of the air a wide expression. While some of his former privileges have been curtailed Ezek. 28:1616By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. (Ezekiel 28:16) his fall no more barred him from heaven than the fall of man barred man from earth. Satan appeared before the Lord with the other angels Job 1:66Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them. (Job 1:6) and descended to earth to persecute Job. At present he accuses believers before God day and night Rev. 12:1010And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. (Revelation 12:10) and will do so until he is cast out of heaven Luke 10:1818And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. (Luke 10:18); Rev. 12:99And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. (Revelation 12:9). Satan's angels are not mentioned directly in Ephesians. Instead they are referred to by the administrative offices they hold "principalities, authorities, universal lords of darkness" which we cannot precisely define. However, in general terms they tell us of fallen angels who wield specific power in Satan's kingdom, lawless and wicked spiritual forces. They are in the heavenlies, according to this verse, which informs us that the source of evil on earth can be traced to their continued presence in heaven. Until they are expelled along with Satan, these universal lords of darkness pervade heaven and earth the heavens the seat of their power the earth where it is wielded. This can be seen in the story of the wicked spirit in heaven who came to earth to entice Ahab with lies 2 Chron. 18:18-2218Again he said, Therefore hear the word of the Lord; I saw the Lord sitting upon his throne, and all the host of heaven standing on his right hand and on his left. 19And the Lord said, Who shall entice Ahab king of Israel, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead? And one spake saying after this manner, and another saying after that manner. 20Then there came out a spirit, and stood before the Lord, and said, I will entice him. And the Lord said unto him, Wherewith? 21And he said, I will go out, and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And the Lord said, Thou shalt entice him, and thou shalt also prevail: go out, and do even so. 22Now therefore, behold, the Lord hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of these thy prophets, and the Lord hath spoken evil against thee. (2 Chronicles 18:18‑22).
Like Goliath, Satan was an unchallengeable foe the leader of an army which made man tremble until Christ the root and the offspring of David came into this world to take up our cause. At the temptation Satan tried to deceive Him, remembering how he had successfully corrupted the first man. He had to flee in defeat. Having failed as an angel of light at the temptation he re-appeared as a roaring lion at the cross. Satan thought he had got the victory there. But Christ rose in triumph in resurrection, breaking Satan's power of death over man on earth. Then in ascension He openly flaunted His victory over Satan in the heavens "when He ascended up on high, He led captivity captive.”
The Transfer of Power From Angels to Man
It should now be clear to the reader that the heavens are the source of good and evil influences affecting the earth. Satan commands his legions of fallen angels and, subject to God's overall restraint, leads the world in opposition to God. He even boasted of his power in this world to the Lord Luke 4:66And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it. (Luke 4:6) a power which is checked to some extent by the presence of God's people in the world. In heaven too Satan's power is restrained by the holy angels (for an insight into the clash of good and evil angels in a matter affecting the earth read Dan. 10). Now while angelic influence was permitted in the ways of God, it is clear from the first chapter of Ephesians that it is the will of God that man in Christ shall have universal rule. The role of angels as servants, not sons like us, might have been better understood if translators had followed Young's usage. Young dispenses with the word 'angel' and renders it literally as 'messenger.' "And unto which of the messengers said He ever 'sit at My right hand, till I may make Thine enemies Thy footstool?' Are they not all spirits of service for ministration being sent forth because of those about to inherit salvation?"*1
Once Christ came into this world and overcame Satan in life and death it became the mind of God to transfer power from angels to man. But not to man in Adam to man in Christ. This was what Satan did not understand when he had Christ put to death. His triumph over Adam and his race was meaningless since Christ the Last Adam triumphed over him. So Christ the Last Adam has set aside angelic rule. He "is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto Him" 1 Peter 3:2222Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him. (1 Peter 3:22). "For unto the angels has He not put in subjection the world to come, of which we speak" Heb. 2:55For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak. (Hebrews 2:5). The reason we find no mention of angels in Ephesians is that power is here viewed as vested in man in Christ.
The breaking of Satan's former power over man is the subject of verse 8 "wherefore He says, when He ascended up on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men." Satan had led man captive, but now a Man enters heaven who has been raised from the dead. Satan's power over man is broken, and Christ flaunts His victory before Satan's hosts in the heavens ... It is an allusion to Judg. 5:1212Awake, awake, Deborah: awake, awake, utter a song: arise, Barak, and lead thy captivity captive, thou son of Abinoam. (Judges 5:12). Next the Apostle emphasizes the magnitude of His triumph “now that He ascended, what is it but that He also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?”
Verse 9. The Apostle is pointing out two extremes here the grave which Christ entered in the earth, and the Father's throne on which He sits in heaven. This being so, his argument in verse 10 is that He fills all things that is all things between the two extremes the grave and the throne in the glory. Now the reason Paul introduces this theme is that man, under the influence of Satan, thought to get rid of Christ by crucifying Him. "Away with this Man" they cried Luke 23:1818And they cried out all at once, saying, Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas: (Luke 23:18). But they did not get their wish. First Christ displayed His victory over Satan's hosts in heaven. Then He displayed His victory over Satan's forces -on earth when He formed the Church as His body. If His body is perpetuated on earth and He its Head is in heaven, what folly the cry "away with this Man" is shown to be. He is on earth now, represented in His body the Church, not banished from it. And from heaven the Head of the body succors the members of that body on earth. He does this with gifts which edify and build up the body. Such is the inlet to the subject of gift in Ephesians. God is a giver "every good gift and every perfect gift is from above" James 1:1717Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. (James 1:17).
All Gifts Come From Christ in Heaven to His Body on Earth
The Church is passing through a wicked world. Christ is its Head. Surely He will care for it "for no man every yet hated his own flesh; but nourishes and cherishes it, even as the Lord the Church, for we are members of His flesh, and of His bones" 5:29, 30. The Lord nourishes His body, dispensing gifts to believers in measure. We must not confuse these gifts with natural ability, leadership qualities, church office, attained degree of education, or other marks of human distinction though these things often shine through as in Paul's case, making discernment of the gift more difficult. But a spiritual gift is a sovereign gift from Christ given to whomsoever He chooses, without reference to man. The gift makes the holder of the gift an instrument of divine power within the particular sphere in which the gift is intended to be used. Sometimes a gift will arouse jealousy, or criticism from other believers, who are actually quarreling with the Head of the body who gave the gift although they would shudder at such a thought. Jealousy is the sin of the elders as idolatry is the sin of the common people. The Head of the Body is not accountable to any of His members. He gives the gift for the common benefit they must acknowledge that fact. In the eyes of Ananias, Saul of Tarsus was the most unlikely of men to receive a gift from Christ. Godly as he was he had to be told "go your way, for he is a chosen vessel unto Me" Acts 9:1515But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: (Acts 9:15). This same Saul of Tarsus, known to us as the Apostle Paul, wrote later "and say to Archippus, take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you fulfill it" Col. 4:1717And say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it. (Colossians 4:17). This tells us that the recipient of a spiritual gift is not accountable to the Church for its use, but to the Lord who gave it to him, for He is the Head of the Church.
This raises the question of how Christ exercises His Headship of the body. One way is by nourishing His body through gifts. The mouth is located in the head how simple the figure is and so the head is the source of nourishment for the body.
The Four Classes of Gifts
Four classes of gifts are mentioned each class being distinctly identified by the word 'some' coming between them. The first two classes are the Apostles and New Testament prophets. We know these are not Old Testament prophets because the Lord told us that the law and the prophets were until John the Baptist see Luke 16:1616The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it. (Luke 16:16). The ministry of John the Baptist introduced Christ, just as the ministry of the New Testament Apostles introduced His Church. The Apostles and prophets are the foundation gifts of the Church never again to be repeated. The foundation of a building is laid once only. The Ephesians understood this truth and tried those who falsely claimed to be Apostles at a later date Rev. 2:22I know thy works, and thy labor, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: (Revelation 2:2). We tend to take the foundation gifts for granted just as we might walk into a building every day in our life without seeing or thinking about the foundations on which it rests. But every time we read the New Testament we revert to the foundation gifts of the Church. Paul certainly (and Peter probably) had all the gifts in his person Apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor and teacher. Peter received an evangelical gift from the Lord to be a fisher of men and later a pastoral and teaching gift John 21 (although these gifts in Peter's case actually preceded the Head being in heaven the gifts were largely used after that time as we see from Acts). There are prophetic tinges in some of Peter's writings, too, though to a much lesser degree than Paul's. The Apostle John had a prophetic gift as the author of the Revelation. Paul and Silas in the jail at Philippi give us a good example of the linkage of an Apostle and prophet in the preaching of the gospel. The written and oral ministry of the apostles and prophets then, constitute the foundation gifts of the Church.
Next come the continuing gifts after the Apostles and prophets have left the Church. It was a simple matter to recognize the foundation gifts because of the powers such as miracles of healing which accompanied them. To recognize a continuing gift now requires a spiritual enough mind to identify a person through whom the Holy Spirit is working. The continuing gifts are evangelists for outside work pastors and teachers for inside work. The evangelist goes out from the Church to bring souls in the pastor to shepherd them, the teacher to instruct. Apart from gift there will always be a continuing need for such work by qualified persons until the end. But that need is not Paul's subject here. He is writing about performing this work in such an outstanding way that it is recognized as a gift from the Lord and a specific gift at that. Timothy is an example of a gifted man 2 Tim. 1:66Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. (2 Timothy 1:6). But the Lord did not give him the gift of an evangelist. We know this because he was told to do the work of an evangelist 2 Tim. 4:55But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. (2 Timothy 4:5) a plain indication that he hadn't received an evangelical gift but was to work at it in any event. The Lord has many faithful preachers of the gospel, but if we look back over the last two centuries, for example, what names stand out? Why the gifted men, of course men such as Moody, Spurgeon, Graham, etc. An evangelical gift has a purpose over and above the salvation of souls. A gifted gospel preacher stirs up God's people to the freshness of the gospel message and fills their souls with the love of God. Then they can set others on fire. Next there is the gift of the pastor-teacher. Like the Apostles and prophets the pastor and teacher may be grouped together (it is so in the Greek) but not necessarily. Again the Lord's servants may have to perform this service without a gift. If they do may they be quick to recognize those who have. D.L. Moody was a fine example of this. He spotted the teaching gift of W.R. Newell and encouraged him greatly to write and teach. Gift comes from-the sovereign will of Christ the Head of the body and can be explained no other way. Even in natural things God proceeds on this principle. How many musicians lived in the days of Bache, Mozart, and Beethoven but who knows about them today? how many mathematicians in the days of Newton and Einstein? All were useful but the great names are transcendent. But in spiritual gifts the object is not, as in natural gifts, the intellectual enjoyment of the things of this life. It is not building up the fleeting vanity of this world but building up the body of Christ. Anything done for Christ is lasting and eternal.
But now that the Church is fragmented beyond repair, we may well raise the question what about gifts now? Be assured that the Lord never ceases to raise them up. If man erects barriers between Christians Christ ignores them in giving gifts. The body is never divided in God's sight although the visible expression of it on earth certainly A. Recognizing this the gifted man should never confine his gift to where he ministers; conversely all members of the body of Christ who know about the gift should use the man's ministry for their blessing.
The Practical Application of Gift
The first reason for gift is "for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry." This is the pattern of Chapter 1, where the individual's blessings are stated before the subject of the Church is introduced. Only after the saints have been "perfected" that is, have become mature Christians do we hear about "the edifying of the body of Christ." Before proceeding further a side remark might be helpful here. Although the Bible calls all believers "saints" they themselves seldom take this name. The reason may well be that they sense the contradiction in their lives which using the term "saint" would imply.
The unity of the faith is now stressed 4:13. Previously it was the unity of the Spirit 4:3. The unity of the faith is the result of gift it binds us together. The encouraging message of the evangelist stirs us up in the glad tidings, the pastor helps the weak, the teacher strengthens everybody.
No doubt the work of the pastor-teacher is more before the Apostle in verse 14 for he desires that we not be carried about by "every wind of doctrine." Again in verse 15 Paul speaks of "growing up into Him in all things" in contrast to the deception of false doctrine in verse 14. Just as the body of a man requires nourishing food to be strong, so does gift feed the body of Christ. Here the method of feeding is important "speaking the truth in love." We can speak the truth without love for example by displaying our intellectual grasp of it before others (self exaltation) or being legal or fault finding. Truth preached that way, even if doctrinally sound, does not edify or build up the body. That is why, although growth and edification call for gift, the doctrinal part concludes with the efforts of those who have no gift we are told about verse 16 but perform these two functions growth and edification in love.
Every joint in the body of Christ i.e. every moving, active member, is fitted together into its assigned place in the body just like the stones in the Holy Temple. Because of this plan each individual makes some contribution to the working of the body in harmony with the part occupied in the body. Anything we do however humble must be done in love, showing a genuine interest in everybody an outflowing Christian love. Each Christian has a part in this "making increase in the body unto the edifying of itself in love." "Love" is the last word which closes off the doctrinal part of Ephesians. The reason for this is that gifts do not continue in the glory they are for the building up of the body on earth. The body grows until complete when the last soul is saved just as the Holy Temple grows until the last stone is put in place again when the last soul is saved. In the glory gift will no longer be -needed as it was during the growing phase of the Church in this world. So Paul writes "love never fails...but whether there are prophecies they shall fail...whether there is knowledge it shall vanish away...for we know in part, and we prophecy in part...for now we see through a glass darkly, but then face to face...and now abideth faith, hope, love, these three, but the greatest of these is love" 1 Cor. 13:8-138Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. 9For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. 10But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. 11When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. 13And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity. (1 Corinthians 13:8‑13).