Efesios 4:7-8 NVI

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 4:1-16

The unity of the Church. The doxology has just died away with its ascription of glory to God in the Church throughout all ages, and now the apostle turns from his intercession to admonish the Ephesian Christians about the necessity of cultivating lowliness of mind and mutual consideration, that in the Church there may be preserved "the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." It is plain from the verses that follow that Paul's conviction was that the Divine glory could only be manifested... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 4:1-16

Exhortation. I. TRANSITION FROM THE DOCTRINAL TO THE PRACTICAL . "I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beseech you." There is a similar transition at Romans 12:1 , "I beseech you therefore." In both cases the " therefore " is the link of connection between doctrine and duty . In both cases the apostle follows up his exposition of doctrine by an affectionate enforcement of duty. In the other case his affectionate tone is caught from a consideration of the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 4:7

But to each one of us was grace given according to the measure of the gift of Christ. In the Church all do not get alike; grace is not given in equal measures as the manna in the wilderness; Christ, as the great Bestower, measures out his gifts, and each receives according to his measure. Compare parable of talents. "Grace" does not refer merely to supernatural gifts, but also to the ordinary spiritual gifts of men. These are varied, because what each gets he gets for the good of the rest;... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 4:7

Diversity of gift in unity of body. There are three points suggested by this verse. I. THE UNITY OF THE CHURCH IS CONSISTENT WITH GREAT DIVERSITY OF GIFTS . As in the human body there are many members with different functions, so the Church is "not one member, but many." Diversity of gift, so far from being inconsistent with unity, is really essential to it. "If all were one member, where were the body?" All the great purposes of life would be frustrated if... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 4:7

Measured grace. I. CHRISTIANS ARE RECIPIENTS OF GRACE . 1. Without grace we can do nothing . All our attainments will be proportionate to the amount and kind of grace we receive. We cannot fulfill our vocation nor realize the grand unity of the Church by unaided human efforts. 2. But grace is vouchsafed to Christians . It is the peculiar privilege of the New Testament dispensation that it brings the energy of grace as well as the light of truth. II. ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 4:7-11

Christ's gifts to his Church. The grand object of the apostle in this section of his Epistle is to show the ample provision made by Christ for the welfare of his Church. The Church may sing as well as the individual, "The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want." The particular object is to indicate that the gifts conferred by him on the members individually ( Ephesians 4:7-10 ), and especially the appointment of the several classes of office-bearers ( Ephesians 4:10 ), show the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 4:7-16

VARIETY OF GIFTS IN CONNECTION WITH UNITY ; USE TO BE MADE OF THEM . read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 4:7-16

Redemptive influence the gift of Christ. "But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 4:8

Wherefore he saith, When he ascended on high he led captivity captive, and received gifts for men. The speaker is God, the author of Scripture, and the place is the sixty-eighth psalm. That psalm is a psalm of triumph, where the placing of the ark on Zion is celebrated as if it had been a great victory. As this quotation shows, the psalm in its deepest sense is Messianic, celebrating the victory of Christ. The substance rather than the words of the passage are given, for the second person... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 4:8-10

The Source of all the gifts. It is Christ himself in virtue of his exaltation. I. THE ASCENSION THE GROUND ALIKE OF THE FOUNDING , THE PRESERVATION , AND THE PERFECTION OF THE CHURCH , This historic circumstance is the sequel of our Lord's resurrection from the dead, and can only be rightly appreciated by marking its connection with the humiliation by which it was preceded. It was the Son of God who descended, and therefore it was the Son of God who... read more

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 4:1-16

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 4:1-16

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 4:7

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 4:7

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 4:7

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 4:7-11

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 4:7-16

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 4:7-16

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 4:8

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 4:8-10

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