SOUTHEASTERN BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

CHRIST’S GIFTS TO THE CHURCH

AN EXEGETICAL ANALYSIS OF EPHESIANS 4:7–11

SUBMITTED TO DAVID BECK

IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF
NEW TESTAMENT BOOK STUDY: EPHESIANS (NTS6800.ONL-FA2019)

BY
BENJAMIN NISTOR
NOVEMBER 11, 2019
 INTRODUCTION

In Ephesians 4:7–16, Paul’s main point is simple: Christ gifts each person with grace and in

particular, gifts the church with spiritual leaders for the purpose of equipping saints, for the

ultimate goal of spiritual maturity, which includes discerning falsehood and practicing truth.

Even though the scope of my study is 4:7–16, I will only be focusing on verse 7–10 in this

presentation. Without Christ’s gift, the church would not exist. In this passage, Paul shows that

Christ’s gift to the church, achieved through his death and resurrection, is sufficient, generous,

and intentional. It adequately supplies any need the church has; it blesses the church with the

leaders it needs to equip saints to do their ministerial work; and it intends to see each Christian

grow in Christ-like, spiritual maturity, resulting in discernment and love.

Historical Analysis

What is at stake in the discussion of Pauline authorship? Hoehner has provided an

exhaustive list1 of those who have rejected Pauline authorship, those who are uncertain, and

those who are for Pauline authorship. The list has veered toward the rejection of Pauline

authorship in the twentieth century. Those who reject Pauline authorship do so for several

reasons. First, there are those who claim that Ephesians is impersonal in nature. However, Paul’s

mention of Tychicus in Eph 6:21–22 is reason to believe that Paul knew some of the Ephesians

personally. Second, some claim that the language and style do not match other Pauline epistles.

We should not assume, however, that Paul, under the guidance of the Holy Spirt, is incapable of

producing such a fine piece of literature like Ephesians.

Third, there are those who claim that Ephesians relies too heavily on other letters, like

Colossians. However, we can account for these differences and similarities when we consider

1
Hoehner, Ephesians: An Exegetical Commentary. (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2002): 2–16.
occasion, dating, content, audience, and length. A fourth view claims that Ephesians is

pseudopigraphical. However, it is more complicated and problematic to prove that Paul did not

write Ephesians than to simply believe the long-held view of the church. Fifth, others claim there

are too many theological distinctions between Ephesians and the rest of the Pauline corpus.

However, this is an insufficient reason for denying Pauline authorship because it is possible for

Paul to stress different theological motifs in different letters.

Paul’s words are crucial because they give believers certainty and purpose in their service

to the church. Each member is given a gift to utilize in the context of the church. This is not a

human idea, but a divinely inspired one that Paul passes down to all believers. If Paul did not

write these words, we would be left questioning the very fundamental realities of the gospel—

Christ’s resurrection and ascension, the nature of the church, the role of each believer as a

minister of the gospel.

Lexical Analysis

Four terms that show Christ’s gift to the church is sufficient, generous, and intentional are

τὸ μέτρον, δωρεᾶς, οἰκοδομὴν and τέλειον. δωρεᾶς corresponds to the main verbs of the passage

(ἐδόθη in Eph 4:7 and ἔδωκεν in 4:11). Christ gives according to τὸ μέτρον τῆς δωρεᾶς τοῦ

Χριστοῦ, which shows the sufficient means by which he gives. And οἰκοδομὴν and τέλειον

correspond to the intentional purpose of Christ’s gifts to the church. We will consider each term

separately.

τὸ μέτρον in Eph 4:7 occurs 14 times in the NT.2 It can refer to 1) an instrument for

measuring or 2) the result of measuring.3 It is a key word for the Apostle Paul, who uses the term

to refer to how God either apportions faith (Rom 12:13; 1 Cor 10:13) or gifts (Eph 4:7, 16). Paul

2
Matthew 7:2; 23:32; Mark 4:24; Luke 6:38 (2x); John 3:34; Romans 12:3; 2 Corinthians 10:13 (2x); Eph
4:7, 16; Revelation 21:15, 17.
3
BDAG, s.v. “τὸ μέτρον”
usually has the individual in mind, and particularly how the individual relates to the whole. The

term also tells us about Christ. As Deisner writes, “if it is true of all the gifts of Christians that

they have a measure and limit, Christ Himself has received the gift of the Spirit from God

without measure or restriction.”4 The purpose of Christ’s measure in gifting the church is for

spiritual maturity (Eph 4:13–14).

δωρεᾶς occurs three times in the NT.5 Its cognate δωρεά occurs 11 times.6 Büchsel notes

that δωρεά denotes “formal endowment.”7 In the NT it is always used of Christ or God’s gift to

humanity. In Acts, the Holy Spirit is God’s gift to humanity. In the Apostle Paul’s writings, it

appears as either an objective genitive, a genitive of source, or possession. It implies God’s

grace, as in Eph 3 and 4. BDAG lists one definition: “[δωρεά is] that which is given or

transferred freely by one pers. to another, gift, bounty.”8 This makes sense in light of Paul’s use

of Ps 68:18, where the Lord is depicted as a warrior, who triumphs over his enemies in a military

fashion. His victory becomes the victory of his people. The gifts he receives are the gifts he gives

to the church. This is what Paul infers in 4:8–10. Christ is not the type of warrior to keep the

spoils of victory for himself. He is generous, transferring his reward to his people. It is not

exactly clear how Christ’s victory over sin and the principalities of darkness confers the gifts of

leadership in local churches; it is clear, however, that the gift of local church leadership is

inextricably linked to Christ’s ascension.

οἰκοδομὴν occurs 18 times in the NT.9 BDAG defines the term figuratively as the

“process of building” and specifically “of spiritual strengthening, edifying, edification, building

4
TDNT, Vol 4, 634.
5
Rom 5:17; Eph 4:7; and Heb 6:4.
6
John 4:10; Acts 2:38, 8:20, 10:45, 11:17; Rom 5:15, 17; 2 Cor 9:15; and Eph 3:7.
7
TDNT, 167.
8
BDAG, s.v. “δωρεά”
9
Rom 15:2; 1 Cor 14:3, 5, 12, 26; 2 Cor 5:1; 10:8; 13:10; Eph 4:12, 16, 29.
up.”10 Michel clarifies Paul’s use of οἰκοδομὴν: it is for spiritual furtherance, for determining

whether gifts are legitimate, it pertains to the individual member of the community, and is

closely related to Christ.11

τέλειον has several semantic domains in Louw and Nida.12 It pertains “to being mature in

one’s behavior.”13 Delling notes that in the Pauline Corpus, Paul uses the term to mean “whole”

in a spiritual sense. BDAG defines it as “pertaining to being mature, full-grown, mature,

adult.”14 Maturity for the believer is the goal of Paul’s preaching (Col 1:28). Maturity contrasts

with infanthood and gullibility when it comes to theological matters (Eph 4:14). Thus, the

intentional nature of Christ’s gift: church leadership is what enables Christians to move from

infancy to mature manhood, and thus, mature Christian can do the work of the ministry and

“build up” or “edify” the body.

To summarize, Christ gives his body gifts, according to his measure, so that the church

can be built up. In turn, Christ’s gifts—for each individual and for leaders—launch the church in

a perpetual cycle of spiritual formation, resulting in a body that is mature and that constantly

grows toward maturity.

Structural Analysis

7 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
BDAG, s.v. “οἰκοδομή”.
11
TDNT, Vol. 2, 145.
12
For reference: adult (9.10); initiated (11.18); complete (68.23); genuine (73.6); perfect (physical)
(79.129); perfect (moral) (88.36); mature (88.100).
13
Louw and Nida, 88.100.
14
BDAG, s.v. “τέλειος”
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 structural diagram of Ephesians 4:7–16 has two main sections. The first section

includes one assertion and an inference (4:7–10). The next section (4:11–16) includes one

assertion and a string of purpose and result clauses, as well as some prepositional phrases.

Beginning in verse 7, Paul asserts that according to Christ’s gift, each person receives grace. Paul

draws the inference in verse 8–10 that Christ imparts gifts as a triumphant victor. Next, Paul

asserts more specifically in verse 11 that Christ gives spiritual leaders to the church. The purpose

of these leaders is twofold: they equip saints for ministry (4:12) and together with the saints

attain unity of faith and knowledge of Jesus Christ (4:13). Leaders protect the church from

deception and equip saints to speak the truth in love (4:14–15). Paul issues two prepositions to

show that the body grows from Christ and that when each part works properly, the body grows

up in love (4:16). Christ gifts each individual with grace, and he uses spiritual leaders to equip

them so they might be a mature, loving, and united body of Christ.

 Contextual Analysis

Paul has finished explaining the glorious theological content of the gospel in Eph 1–3.

God blesses his children through Christ, whose death and resurrection secures a renewed life for

dead people and joins together what was separated along ethnic and racial lines. Paul became a

minister of this gospel, proclaiming the mystery of Gentile inclusion. And thus, Paul prays for

the Ephesian church to be filled with a deeper understanding of Christ and his love and to have a

more profound realization of God’s power that surges through them. The gospel has profound

implications for believers, which is why Paul begins Eph 4 with a plea for the Ephesian

Christians to walk in a manner worthy of their calling. This includes the call to humility,

gentleness, patience, tolerance, and most importantly, unity. δὲ in 4:7 is not adversative; it is a

segue to transition the thought flow from unity of the Spirit to the gifts of Christ in the local

church that undergird Christian unity.

Unity is the clarion call for the believer. In all of Scripture, the theme of unity is

pervasive. God creates a united world, free from sin and thriving. Adam and Eve’s sin disrupts

the unity humans experience with God. As a result, the world is chaotic and in disrepair. Several

hints occur, beginning with the protoevangelium in Gen 3:16, that God will repair the sin-

stricken world. Psalm 68, with no uncertain terms, paints Yahweh as a warrior who triumphs

over his enemies. The psalm also depicts a community of people who are united their voices to

celebrate their God. In a powerful and similar way, Christ’s death and resurrection, his triumph

over death, unites believers to proclaim his victory with one voice. It is this backdrop that Paul

sees as a direct link to the church’s spiritual development.

 Meaning Analysis

7 δὲ marks a new section. Hoehner believes it is adversative.15 In any case Paul

transitions to a section where he speaks of the individual believer instead of the whole church.16

Each one is given ἡ χάρις, which Paul uses throughout the letter as the “unmerited or undeserved

favor” and it also “denotes enablement.”17 This term is also used in direct connection to a

parallel passage. In 1 Cor 12,18 Paul uses χαρισμα to refer to a gift that each individual believer

possesses. It is likely then that Paul envisions a similar manifestation of gifts in the church at

Ephesus as in Corinth. This χάρις is given κατὰ τὸ μέτρον τῆς δωρεᾶς τοῦ Χριστοῦ. This phrase

is appears in Romans 12:3, where Paul asserts that each should think “according to the measure

of faith that God has assigned.” The point is that each gift is given according to Christ’s measure.

Therefore, as Hoehner writes, “since the gift is measured out by Christ, there should not be any

jealousy within the body.” Rom 12:3, Eph 4:7 and 1 Cor 12 teach us that 1) nobody should think

more highly of themselves because 2) Christ grants each person gifts according to his measure so

we should 3) love one another instead of using our gifts as a way to divide the church.

8 A question Paul’s readers may pose is, “When did Christ give us these gifts?” So Paul

draws the inference with διὸ λέγει. This introduces Ps 68:18, a passage that Paul claims is about

Christ giving gifts to the church. What should we make of Paul’s use of Ps 68:18? Many have

tried to provide the answer.19 I will briefly summarize the possibilities here. First, Bales views

15
Hoehner, Ephesians, 522.
16
Cohick, Ephesians, NCCS. (Eugene: Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2010), 105.
17
Hoehner, Ephesians, 522.
18
1 Cor 12:4, 9, 28, 30, 31.
19
See for instance: William Bales, “The Decent of Christ in Ephesians 4:9,” The Catholic Biblical
Quarterly 72 (2010): 84–100; Timothy G. Gombis, “Cosmic Lordship and Divine Gift-Giving: Psalm 68 in
Ephesians 4:8.” Novum Testamentum 47, no. 4 (2005): 367–80; Smith, Gary V. “Paul’s Use of Psalm 68:18 in
Ephesians 4:8.” Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 18, no. 3 (Sum 1975): 181–89; Taylor, Richard A.
“The Use of Psalm 68:18 in Ephesians 4:8 in Light of the Ancient Versions.” Bibliotheca Sacra 148, no. 591
(July 1991): 319–36; Wilder, William N. “The Use (or Abuse) of Power in High Places: Gifts Given and Received
in Isaiah, Psalm 68, and Ephesians 4:8.” Bulletin for Biblical Research 20, no. 2 (2010): 185–200.
Paul’s use of Ps 68:18 as a de facto reference to Christ’s descent into the underworld between his

death and resurrection. The problem with this view is that Bale makes a rather complex argument

from obscure texts like 1 Peter 3, he over-explains biblical cosmology more than the biblical

evidence allows, and he relies too heavily on the Church Fathers as his rule of faith. Second,

Wilder proposes that Paul’s use of Ps 68 is the result of a mixture of midrashic interpretive

techniques and a blending of Isaianic and Deuteronomic influences. Essentially, Wilder wants to

view the whole story line of the Bible, while affirming that Paul used a variant of Ps 68:18. The

main problem with this view is that Wilder spends more time considering the OT backdrop and

not enough time considering the context of Ephesians. After all, Paul envisioned the church as

the recipient of Christ’s gifts; he is not interested in establishing Christ as a sort of Adamic or

Davidic king. That last part may be true, but it goes beyond Paul’s interest here.

An alternative that takes into consider both the grammatical-historical backdrop of Ps 68

and maintains the theme of warfare in Ephesians has been presented on the one hand by Gary

Smith and on the other, by Timothy Gombis. Smith rejects a midrashic interpretation and affirms

a grammatical-historical view that takes into account God’s gifting throughout the history of

Israel and the church. Just like God provides prophets, Levites, and kings to lead his people, so

too, Christ provides leaders for his church. Gombis provides an interpretation that takes into

account spiritual warfare throughout Ephesians. He argues that εδωκεν is the key verb whereby

we understand that Paul was not interested in quoting Ps 68 verbatim, but rather, “has in mind

the full narrative movement of the entire psalm.”20 Christ is a divine warrior, who in the

backdrop of Paul’s society and culture, triumphs not only over the evil principalities of the

20
Gombis, 379.
world, but any gods or goddesses that dare oppose him. Christ dies, is raised from the dead, and

ascends to his throne, reigns as a victor, and showers down gifts upon his people.

Paul, by invoking Ps 68:18, calls to attention the whole Psalm where God’s people

celebrate his victory over evil. The first part of the psalm speaks of God’s active presence in

protecting the oppressed (1–6). In the second part (7–18), the psalmist retells how God provided

for his people. In the third and fourth part (19–23 and 24–27), God scatters his enemies and

enters into his sanctuary. In the final part, the psalmist calls Israel to praise God for his power

over the world (28–35). The captives in the psalm refer to Israel’s enemies, those who scorned

her and mocked God. In Ephesians, the captives are the enemies of Christ: satan, sin, and death.

9–10 Paul’s parenthetical statement begins with δὲ. Just as Christ’s victory implies an

ascent, Paul infers that Christ also descended. Hoehner lists several possibilities for Christ’s

ascension. First, the traditional view is that Christ descended at his incarnation and after his

death and resurrection, he ascended to the throne. Second, the other view is that Christ, between

the time of his death and resurrection, descended into Hades and mocked his enemies, taking

them captive. As mentioned before, this is problematic because it defines with absolute certainty

biblical texts that are obscure at best. Furthermore, it is unlikely that Paul is referring to a

geographical location. Thielman makes the case that Paul believed the principalities and the

prince of the air occupied the space between earth and heaven.21 Others22 view this as Christ’s

descent at Pentecost in the form of the Holy Spirit. The main reason to reject this view is that it

21
Frank Thielman, Ephesians. BECNT. (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2010): 272.
22
See H. von Soden, Die Briefe an die Kolosser, Epheser, Philemon; die Pastoral Briefe. (1891): 135–36;
T. K. Abbott, A Critical and Eexegetical Commentary on the Epistle to the Ephesians and to the Colossians. ICC,
(Edinburgh: T & T Clark, 1897): 116; Caird, “The Descent of Christ in Ephesians 4:7–11,” 536–37.
teaches modalism—the belief that God appears in different modes. Hoehner concludes: “it seems

best to accept the traditional order that Christ’s descent at the incarnation precedes his ascent.”23

We can conclude then that the foundation of the church’s movement toward maturity and

love is rooted in the fact that Christ is a triumphant victor who gives gifts to his church according

to his measure. Christ’s gifts are generous because he extends his grace to his people. His gifts

are also sufficient. By invoking Ps 68, Paul is recounting how God has provided, protected, and

nourished his people. Christ’s gifts do the same for the church. Finally, Christ’s gifts are

intentional. He knows what the church needs and provides those things for its spiritual maturity.

Application

If I were to teach this in my ministry context, I would emphasize the main point of the

text and provide implications for my people. The main point of the text is that Christ, after

triumphing and ascending to his rightful place of reigning, gives gifts to the church so that each

individual member is equipped for the work of ministry and thriving in spiritual maturity. We

may draw several implications. First, Christ’s gift enables all believers for the work of ministry

and not only a select few leaders. Second, Christ’s gift provides leaders to help the church grow

in maturity. Third, as the church matures, Christ’s gift protects it from false doctrine. Fourth,

Christ distributes his gift in a measure way. Each person has unique and diverse gifts they must

utilize to help the body grow in love. As in 1 Cor 12–14, the main ingredient in the success of a

local church is love that unites and not spiritual gifts that divide. Yes, we should desire spiritual

gifts; but the body grows only when each member makes love their raison d'être.

This passage has wide-ranging implications for the Great Commission. First, Paul lays

out a practical way for new Christians to think of how they belong to the church. When people

23
Hoehner, Ephesians, 533.
become believers, Christ grafts them into a local church. There, he provides growth and maturity.

Without the local church, believers will not thrive. Ministries that provide the gospel

presentation but stop short of connecting new converts with the local church are committing a

massive disservice to the church. To be mission-minded is to be linked with the local church.

Second, Paul establishes that leaders are a gift to the church. Leadership is crucial to the spiritual

formation of the church, for it protects the church from false teaching. Third, Paul clarifies how

love is the binding force of a growing body. Without love, the church will fall apart. It does not

matter how clever, trendy, charismatic, or gregarious church leaders are. If their motivation for

equipping the church is not rooted in their love for the lost or God’s people, lives will not be

transformed by the gospel. A church that loves is a church that equips its members to lovingly

share the good news of Jesus Christ to a dying world.

 BIBLIOGRAPHY

Bales, William. “The Descent of Christ in Ephesians 4:9.” The Catholic Biblical Quarterly 72
(2010): 84–100.

Best, Ernest. Ephesians. ICC. Reprint. Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press Ltd, 1997.

Bruce, F. F. The Epistles to the Colossians, to Philemon, and to the Ephesians. NICNT. Rev. ed.
Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1984.

Büchsel, F. “δωρεά, δωρεάν.” G. Kittel, G. W. Bromiley, & G. Friedrich (Eds.), TDNT. Grand
Rapids, MI: Eerdmans. Vol. 2, 167.

Cohick, Lynn H.. Ephesians: A New Covenant Commentary. NCCS. Eugene: Wipf and Stock
Publishers, 2010.

Deissner, K. “μέτρον, ἄμετρος, μετρέω.” G. Kittel, G. W. Bromiley, & G. Friedrich (Eds.),

TDNT. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans. Vol. 4, 634.

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Rapids, MI: Eerdmans.

Gombis, Timothy G. “Cosmic Lordship and Divine Gift-Giving: Psalm 68 in Ephesians 4:8.”
Novum Testamentum 47, no. 4 (2005): 367–80.

Hoehner, Harold. Ephesians: An Exegetical Commentary. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic. 2002.

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Based on Semantic Domains. 2nd ed. 2 vols. New York: United Bible Societies, 1989.

Michel, O. (1964–). “οἰκοδόμος, οἰκοδομέω, οἰκοδομή.” G. Kittel, G. W. Bromiley, & G.

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O’Brien, Peter T.. The Letter to the Ephesians. PNTC. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1999.

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Taylor, Richard A. “The Use of Psalm 68:18 in Ephesians 4:8 in Light of the Ancient Versions.”
Bibliotheca Sacra 148, no. 591 (1991): 319–36.

Thielman, Frank. Ephesians. BECNT. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2010.

Wilder, William N. “The Use (or Abuse) of Power in High Places.” Bulletin for Biblical
Research 20, no. 2 (2010): 185–200.