Ephesians 4:11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; I. From this passage we learn, THAT THE INSTITUTION OF THE CHRISTIAN MINISTRY — the appointment of pastors and teachers — is from God, IS OF DIVINE AUTHORITY. The object which the Christian ministry is designed to effect is the conviction and conversion of sinners, and the edification and consolation of saints; but these are effects which no human, and, indeed, no created, power is able to produce. The office of the Christian ministry — that is, the institution of a separate order of men to attend, more peculiarly, to the religious instruction of others — is admirably adapted in its own nature as a means to effect the object intended, and its adaptation is evident even to the eye of human wisdom; but it was not devised by human wisdom, and it must not be judged of, or regarded, solely from its extrinsic fitness. II. Since, then, the text informs us, in the first place, that the appointment of pastors and teachers is a Divine institution, intended to be instrumental in accomplishing certain objects, and of course deriving all its efficacy from the blessing of Him who appointed it, we shall now consider WHAT OBJECTS IT WAS DESIGNED TO EFFECT. For what purpose did God give pastors and teachers? It was "for the perfecting of the saints, for the edification of the Body of Christ." The "perfecting of the saints" may here mean the completion of their number. It may also mean, making them perfect in holiness. We are further informed by the apostle, that God "gave pastors and teachers for the edifying of the Body of Christ." "The Body of Christ" is an expression often used in Scripture to denote the Church of Christ. And the great object of this figurative mode of speaking is to represent the absolute dependence of believers upon their great living Head at all times for nourishment and strength, and, indeed, for existence or vitality, as well as the close and intimate connection that subsists between the Head and all the members — that is, between Christ and His people — and between the members with each other. The word "edify" properly means to build; and it is taken from another figurative idea, sometimes given us in Scripture, of the Church of Christ, or of true Christians in their connection with and dependence upon Christ, namely, that of a building or temple, of which Christ is the foundation, and in which all His people are represented as stones. And in this work of edification or sanctification, pastors and teachers whom God has appointed are master builders, whose great duty and privilege it is to be employed as instruments in edifying the Body of Christ — in building up the saints in their most holy faith — in carrying on the great work of which our Saviour laid the foundation while He lived upon the earth — in not only bringing men to the knowledge and belief of the truth, but also in leading them to walk in the paths of holiness — to walk in harmony and in love — and to contribute to one another's spiritual progress. III. We would now CONSIDER THE STATEMENT WHICH THE TEXT CONTAINS OF THE MORE COMPREHENSIVE AND ULTIMATE OBJECTS FOR WHICH THE CHRISTIAN MINISTRY WAS INSTITUTED, AND WHICH THE LABOURS OF PASTORS AND TEACHERS ARE INTENDED TO SERVE, namely, that Christians may grow up in "all things unto Him who is the Head — that they may all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man — unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ." And here we would notice the description the apostle gives of the direct objects and effects of the labours of pastors and teachers, namely, that Christians "speak the truth in love." "Speaking the truth" is contrasted with being tossed to and fro like children, or carried about with every wind of doctrine; and as the appointment of pastors and teachers, with their regular and faithful ministrations, are intended by God to preserve the Church, or Body of Christ, from the latter of these, so they are also fitted to produce and secure the former. "To speak the truth" means here to hold and to maintain sound and correct views of Christian doctrine — of the great principles of the oracles of God. And this is an acquisition of great importance, lying at the very foundation of all true religion, which is built upon right views of the Divine character, and of the Divine plans and purposes with regard to the human race. But, besides this, it is also necessary that men "speak the truth in love" — that is, that their assertion and maintenance of the truth, even against its opposers, should never lead them into any violation of the great law of Christian charity and love. Not that either ministers or private Christians are bound to speak or to think more favourably of opposers of the truth than the fair and impartial examination of their conduct may seem to warrant and to require. But when our opinion is really and sincerely fair and impartial, it is no objection to it that it is unfavourable; for that must just depend upon the grounds and merits of the case. Our opinions upon all points should be exactly conformable to truth — to the intrinsic merits of the subject; but the expression of these opinions, and the conduct which they may lead us to adopt, should be at all times regulated by love. The great terminating object of the Christian ministry — and indeed of all God's dealings with His people — is stated by the apostle in the eighteenth verse — "that we may all come in" — or rather into — "the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God — unto a perfect man — unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ." This describes the state of the Church in its collective capacity — when the objects of the Christian ministry, and indeed of all other means of grace, shall have been accomplished. At present, there is nothing like complete unity of faith and knowledge. There is reason, however, to think that times are in reserve for the Church, even upon earth, when these evils shall be greatly lessened, if not altogether removed — when the Church shall indeed resemble a great and a holy Society, founded upon one rock, and that rock Christ: — devoted to the one great purpose of manifesting the glory and making known the manifold wisdom of God. But whatever degree of harmony and purity the Church of Christ shall attain upon earth, when God shall pour out His Spirit upon all flesh, and introduce the glory of the latter days, certain it is that there will be a time when all His people shall come into the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, when there shall be nothing whatever to hurt or to offend, when His people shall be all righteous — freed from everything that may pervert either the judgment or the conduct — made perfect in holiness, and altogether restored to the lost image of their great Creator and their living Head. (W. Cunningham, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; |
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