SPIRITUAL GIFTS: Daily Reading Plan #5
Ephesians 4:11-16
So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
Ephesians 4:11–16 discusses both the gift of spiritual leaders and the importance of mature, loving, unified Christianity. Some people are endowed with gifts of teaching, preaching, and so forth. It is crucial to the health of Christian congregations that these members use their God-given talents appropriately. At the same time, different members of a church have different abilities. The community of believers functions best when all of those individual pieces are working together, through their unique roles. A healthy church is far more powerful than a ''big'' church.
This passage mentions some of the spiritual leaders Christ gives as "gifts" to the church. First, notice that these leaders are given by God. Though God encourages learning and training, God's calling is the first priority for any of these leaders.
Second, there are a variety of leaders. Apostles primarily traveled to share the gospel and start new congregations. Pastors and teachers focused on leading a particular congregation or possibly groups of local house churches. The structure of the original Greek seems to link "shepherds" and "teachers" as a single office.
Third, it is important to note that this list was written for a particular audience. Paul wrote to the Christians of Ephesus regarding the types of leaders they were encountering. This would have included Paul as an apostle. We now live in a time after this initial period of apostles and prophets. Though people today may serve in similar ways, they are different from the actual apostles and prophets of the New Testament.
Evangelists are literally those who share the good news. This word is used elsewhere only of Philip (Acts 21:8) and of Timothy, who was commanded to do the work of an evangelist (2 Timothy 4:5). That may or may not have been his primary spiritual gift. Pastors are mentioned elsewhere as elders (1 Timothy 3; Titus 1) and lead local congregations. Teachers are those with the ability to effectively communicate God's Word to others. All pastors must have the ability to teach (1 Timothy 3:2), but some people may be gifted as teachers while not called to be pastors (Romans 12:7).
Reflection Questions
- What does this passage reveal about spiritual gifts?
- What do these verses cause me to do as a result?
