But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Therefore He says: ‘WHEN HE ASCENDED ON HIGH, HE LED CAPTIVITY CAPTIVE, AND GAVE GIFTS TO MEN.’ (Now this, ‘HE ASCENDED’—what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.) And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ. (Ephesians 4:7-12)
Grace and the Gifts of Christ
Grace means unmerited favor. God gives us what we could never deserve or earn. Because we cannot merit what God gives, we consider His blessings a gift, not a debt. This view especially applies to Jesus’s sacrifice; the world could never deserve or earn the good things God does for us in Jesus Christ. Thus, salvation is a gift. But as Paul explains in Ephesians 4:11-12, Jesus gives us more gifts than just salvation. Before we proceed, let’s appreciate how Paul quotes Psalm 68:18 and draws a parallel to Jesus.
Paul envisions Jesus as a conquering king who ascends to His mountain city to be crowned with glory and honor. Behind Him marches a long line of prisoners taken captive in His great battle. However, unlike the Psalm, which speaks of the king receiving gifts from an adoring public, Jesus our King distributes gifts to His people. Thus, Jesus is both a triumphant and benevolent monarch. God the Father, through Jesus Christ, has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. We were chosen before the foundation of the world, predestined to be adopted into God’s family.
The Apostles and Prophets as Gifts of Christ
God made us accepted in Christ, redeeming us by His blood through the riches of His grace. Through Jesus, God revealed His eternal purpose to unite humanity into a single body and place all of creation under the auspices of Jesus Christ. He has set aside the riches of heaven for us to enjoy for eternity if we walk in a worthy way. If Christ ascended to God’s right hand, he must have descended to the earth first. Paul (1 Timothy 3) reminds us that the same Jesus who sits at the right hand of God once walked among us.
Jesus gave specific gifts to the church: apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers. The apostles were the 13 men appointed by Jesus to be His special ambassadors. To be an apostle, one had to witness the ministry of Jesus from John’s baptism through His ascension. They also witnessed Jesus alive from the dead and possessed special spiritual gifts, such as raising the dead or conferring the Holy Spirit through the laying on of hands. These apostles were an exclusive group in the early church, serving as foundational pillars for the growth and spiritual equipping of all believers.
Building on the Foundation of Gifts of Christ
Jesus also gave the church prophets. Prophets received a gift from the Holy Spirit that enabled them to speak and write by divine inspiration. This was a gift they received when an apostle laid hands on them. Examples include Luke, who wrote the book of Acts, and Mark, who wrote a gospel account. James and Jude, the brothers of Jesus, also wrote epistles. The prophets were men inspired by the Holy Spirit to speak and write what God revealed, fulfilling a key role in the early church’s foundation alongside the apostles.
The apostles and prophets play a key role in the church because God revealed His mystery through them. As Paul (Ephesians 3) notes, God intended to bring all mankind into one kingdom through Jesus Christ. He hid this plan for millennia but revealed it through these specific gifts of Christ. The church is built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone. These are important gifts Jesus bestowed on His people when He ascended on high. In our next study, we will explore the roles of evangelists, pastors, and teachers.
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