Bible Study - Ephesians 4:7-16 Spiritual Gifts

Ephesians 4:7-16  Spiritual Gifts

7 But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift.   

8 Therefore He says:

“When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men.”  

9 (Now this, “He ascended”—what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth?

10 He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)   

11 And He Himself gave some to be

apostles,

some prophets,

some evangelists,

and some pastors and teachers,

12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,   

13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;   

14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting,   

15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—   

16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

Verse 7- We Christians all received a gift from Christ. 

 Does one deserve a gift? (GRACE-unmerited, unearned, undesereved.)  Our gift is related to Christ’s gift.

What is Christ’s gift?   (Another play on words –Christ’s gift of unmerited salvation –Christ has gifted believers)  

Verse 8 - “When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men.”   Is this about Psalm 68 and the victor distributing the spoils of victory?  Psalm 68:18

You have ascended on high, You have led captivity captive; You have received gifts among men, Even from the rebellious, That the LORD God might dwell there.

Is this about hell/Hades/Paradise? (Luke 16:19-32)          

Verse 9- 10 ‘Descended’ or ‘ascended’ This means it can be only Jesus Christ.    

John 3:13

No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven.    

Verse 11-      Some are

apostles,  -  [Apostles (can mean messenger) were required to have seen the risen Christ, so that he could preach a resurrection of which he had himself been an eyewitness (1 Corinthians 9:1).

He had to be called and commissioned by the risen Lord directly (John 20:21; Acts 26:15-18), which also meant that he received the gospel from Christ Himself (Galatians 1:11-12).]

Some prophets, [Told the truth of the current spiritual reality of a people

some evangelists, [This office is an out reach by the church to the lost to share the GOOD NEWS -2 Tim 4:5 says for to do the work of an evangelist.

pastors and teachers -  refers to the oversight of the believers, and it involves teaching, preaching, caring, and exercising authority where needed. The elder also serves in the church as leader and teacher. Pastor is an under-shepherd.(Timothy and Titius cover pastor qualification.)  2

Peter 2:1-32 But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. 2 And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. 3 By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber. 

James 3:1 My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment.

Verse 12-16    We learn rightly – grow –so we can serve

We are Blessed to bless the Body of Christ.