Ephesians 1:7-16 - But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 8 Therefore it says,
“When he ascended on high he led a host of captives,
and he gave gifts to men.”
9 (In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? 10 He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) 11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 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, 14 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. 15 Rather, 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 held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
The Giver
Christ’s Right As
Colossians 2:15 - He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.
John 3:13 - No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man.
There Is No
Christ Is
Colossians 1:18 - And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.
The Gifts
Apostles
Prophets
Evangelists
Pastor-Teachers
Spent, Not
To
New Testament prophets were gifts to the church to provide edification, exhortation, and comfort (1 Cor. 14:3). They probably revealed God’s will to the church when the biblical canon was incomplete. (Hoehner)
More literally, this purpose is “for the perfecting or equipping (katartismon; cf. the verb katartizō in Matt. 4:21, ‘mending’ or ‘preparing’ nets; in Gal. 6:1, ‘restore’ for proper use; cf. 2 Cor. 13:11; Heb. 13:21) of the saints unto the work of the ministry” (diakonias). (Hoehner)
In surgery katartismos is applied to the setting of a broken bone (BAG, p. 419). In the NT the verb katartizō is used for the mending of nets (Matt 4:21) and the restoration of the lapsed (Gal 6:1). It may, however, signify the realization of purpose and the completion of what is already good as far as it goes (1 Cor 1:10; 1 Thess 3:10). (Wood)
So That We May
1 Corinthians 13:11 - When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways.
James 1:6 - But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.
How Do We Grow
By “Speaking the truth” (alētheuontes literally, “truthing”) is strictly “doing the truth” and may imply more than verbalization (“dealing truly” RV mg.). This fundamental concern for the truth is the secret of maturity in the church. (Wood)
Into
Who Makes the
By
By Dictating Right
In All Things,