Ephesians 4:1–16

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Descending, Ascending, and the Purpose of Leaders in the Church
Today's reading is a little more confusing and complex than normal.  First, let's take a look at how it's structured to help us understand the flow of thought:

"This section falls into two major sections: 4:1–6 and 4:7–16. The logic of this passage unfolds as follows:

    A.      Live your call focused on unity (4:1–6)
      1.      Live worthy of your call by keeping the unity of the Spirit (4:1–3)
      2.      Unity is motivated by theological oneness (4:4–6)

    B.      Each person has received grace to build up Christ’s body (4:7–16)
      1.      Grace has been given to each one (4:7)
      2.      Psalm 68:18 is proof (4:8)
      3.      Parenthetical comment on the ascension (4:9–10)
      4.      People are given as gifts to serve and build up (4:11–16)
         a.      Servants build toward maturity, unity, and knowledge of Christ (4:11–13)
         b.      A mature and growing faith is evidenced by truth and love (4:14–16)" [1]

The most confusing part is definitely the quote from Psalm 68 and the following parenthesis and comments about.  What exactly is Paul saying here and why is it important?  The main force of the quote is that God gives gifts to people.  The main idea of the passage has to do with the gifts that God has provided for the building up of His church.  Another quick note to summarize the parenthetical statement helps to clear it up a lot:

    "Paul reasoned that Christ’s ascent implies a previous descent. The phrase “lower, earthly regions” represents the farthest extreme from the heights of heaven...these “lower regions” refer to the earth, the place where the Son came in his incarnation.
    The same Christ who descended is the very one who ascended. As a result of his descent and ascent, nothing is hidden from him. All things are subject to him; no realm in heaven or earth is beyond his control. That he “ascended” means not that he left the earth and involvement in it but rather that he completely fills all things. That Christ will fill the whole universe refers to his power and control over all of his creation. Christ is Lord of the whole universe—past, present, and future. He fills all things with himself as their sovereign Head, yet he fills the church, his body, with the blessings of his Spirit, grace, and gifts (see also 1:10, 23)." [2]

That's the most confusing part.  Once we can get past the confusing-ness of what Paul is saying here, we enter a very rich and important passage. It's very important because it answers a huge question.  To paraphrase verse 11 into the form of a question:  "Why does God give leaders to the church?"  Here's how I break down the answer to that question:

• Paul is referring to leaders in the church:

11And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers,

• Why did God give them?

12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,

• To what end?

13until 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.

• The end result:

15Rather, 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.


So, why does God give leaders to the church?  To equip the members of the church to go out and do ministry in the world, in order that we may be unified and mature in faith and strong in doctrine.  When we work together toward single purpose, the backbiting and arguing turns into truth and love, and when the body functions correctly and each part works properly, the church builds itself up in love.  In short, as Pastor Hau mentioned at the church membership meeting on Sunday, the purpose of leaders in the church is to work themselves out of a job.  Leaders exist in the church not to be the center of everything, but to train others to grow up in the faith, serve, and lead as well.  When all this works the way it should, the church no longer needs to be spoon-fed, but people know how to study the Bible on their own, how to serve, and how to love and lead.

In short, that's why I do this blog.  I'm not trying to anything revolutionary here.  I believe that any of you could do this if you had the time and put the effort in.  This blog isn't as much about giving you information as showing you how to understand how to study the Bible.  It's my pleasure and calling to teach you, but it is not my goal.  My ultimate goal is that eventually YOU will all be the teachers. 

I realize that is not how most people think of pastors and leaders in the church.  It involves making a big change in we think about church itself and the purpose of sermons and Sunday School classes.  It is an important and Biblical change.  So next time you go to church and receive teaching, don't think of it so much as information, but as tools.  It's more than just a transfer of facts, but a gift of tools to equip YOU for God's kingdom work.  God delights to give us the gifts we need to equip us for His work.

Questions?  Comments?

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[1] Klyne Snodgrass, Ephesians, The NIV Application Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1996), 195.
[2] Bruce B. Barton and Philip Wesley Comfort, Ephesians, Life Application Bible Commentary (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1996), 81-82.