Efesios 4:11-16

c. The organization and organism of the Church

(Ephesians 4:11-16.)

11And he gave some, apostles [some to be apostles]; and some, prophets; and 12some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For [Unto]22 the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry [or of ministration], for the edifying [building up] of the body of Christ: 13Till we all come in [unto] the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect [full-grown] man, unto the 14measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more [To the end that we be no longer] children, tossed to and fro [tossed as waves], and carried about with every wind of doctrine [teaching], by [in] the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive [in craftiness tending to 15the system23 of error]; But speaking [holding]24 the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which [who] is the head, even Christ:25 16From whom the whole [all the] body fitly joined [framed] together and compacted [,]26 by that which every joint supplieth [by means of every joint of the supply], according to the effectual [omit effectual] working in the measure of every [each several] part,27 maketh increase [the growth] of the body unto the edifying [building up]28 of itself in love.

EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL

Ephesians 4:11. Christ’s gift for the Church.—And he gave [καὶ αὐτὸς ἔδωκεν].—“And” joins with what precedes (“that he might fill all things”), what follows, which has the former as its aim. As the clause of design (Ephesians 4:10) refers to the beginning (Ephesians 4:7 : “according to the measure of the gift of Christ”), so the clause “he gave,” αὐτὸς ἔδωκεν, refers back also (Ephesians 4:10 : αὐτὸς Ephesians 4:8 : ἔδωκε, Ephesians 4:6 : ἐδόθη).29 Αὐτός gives emphatic prominence to the Person of the Giver, the Exalted One: He and none other. Ipse, summa potestate; and repetitur Exodus 5:10. Ministri non dedere se ipsos (Bengel). It is not=ὁ αὐτός (Schenkel), nor is ἔδωκε ἔθετο (Theophylact, Harless) in accordance with 1 Corinthians 12:28. [Eadie remarks (and Alford approves): “The idea is, that the men who filled the office, no less than the office itself, were a Divine gift.”—R.] Nor should the aorist be pressed, so as to express only something momentary, passing; Paul is himself included, as one whom the Exalted One gave to be an Apostle; the historical fact is indicated. Calvin has justly said: et suscitat interdum prout temporum necessitas postulat, although he accepts the first three classes of officers as belonging only to the beginning of the Church (Institutes, IV. 3, 4).

Some to be Apostles [τοὺς μὲν ].—Τοὺς μέν, τοὺς δέ is not=ἑνίους, some [i.e., some Apostles], since this is only a numeral, while the former expression points as a demonstrative to definite persons, whom He has prepared to be the gift, and given as ἀποστόλους. “Apostles” are those immediately called and equipped by the Lord to extend His work; they were especially endowed by Him, and had personally great advantages and prerogatives. First of all there were twelve; after the apostasy of Judas, Matthias was chosen by the disciples somewhat precipitately, before the day of Pentecost, while Paul was called by the Lord Himself as the twelfth.30 Still Barnabas was called an apostle in connection with Paul (Acts 14:4; Acts 14:14) and others also (Romans 16:7; 2 Corinthians 8:23; Philippians 2:25), hence this is not an abuse of the term (Bleek), so that one might thus name those men, chosen and specially endowed by the Lord, appointed to found churches, as Boniface the Apostle of the Germans, Egede the Apostle of Greenland, Ziegenbalg and Schwartz the Apostles of India.

Some prophets.—“Prophets” are (Ephesians 2:20; Ephesians 3:5) men, who receive revelation (ἀποκάλυψις) from God, and, perceiving God’s will and thought with clearness, announce the same with discretion and power; the prophet is μάντις, as far as he has revelation (1 Corinthians 14:26); the latter becomes a prophet through interpretation; “glossarily” (to be distinguished from the Pentecostal miracle) is a morbid species of prophecy (1 Corinthians 14:27 ff.). They appear in Acts 11:27; Acts 13:1; Acts 15:32; Acts 21:10. They are concerned, not so much with the future (Bengel) as with the eternal. To them correspond in the progress of ages those theologians with more profound insight into God’s truth and will, as well as into the character and course of His Kingdom, such as Luther. [Comp. the excellent note of Eadie in loco. Hodge: “As the gift of infallibility was essential to the Apostolic office, so the gift of occasional inspiration was essential to the prophetic office.”—R.]

And some evangelists.—“Evangelists,” such as the deacon Philip (Acts 21:8; Acts 8:4-12), περιϊόντες ἐκήρυττον (Theodoret), as travelling missionaries31 (Neander), but also in permanent positions (2 Timothy 4:5; comp. 2 Corinthians 8:18), in consequence of their own view of the facts of the Gospel (John 16:26 ff.), or mediate tradition (Luke 1:1-4). It must not be referred to “those writing the Gospel” (Chrysostom); Bengel also goes too far in ascribing to them præterita; they hare to do with the life of the Lord in prophecy and fulfilment.

And some pastors and teachers, τοὺς δὲ ποιμένας καὶ διδασκάλους.—Jerome: Non ait, alios autem pastores et alios magistros, sed alios pastores et magistros, ut qui pastor sit, esse debeat et magister et nemo pastoris sibi nomen assumere debet, nisi possit docere quos pascit. Bengel: Pastores et doctores hic pinguntur, nam pascunt (and regunt) docendo maxime, tum admonendo, corripiendo, etc. The pastors are=προἵστάμενοι (Romans 12:8), who have the office of κυβέρνησις (1 Corinthians 12:28) and must be “apt to teach,” διδακτικοί (1 Timothy 3:2; 2 Timothy 2:24; Titus 1:9), they are “bishops,” ἐπίσκοποι (Acts 20:28). Οἱ κατὰ πόλιν καὶ κώμην in distinction from εὐαγγελισταί (Theodoret). Bleek takes them as distinct; and he is right to this extent only, that the “teachers” are not always “pastors;” it is as “apostles and prophets” (Ephesians 2:20; Ephesians 3:5); hence despite this distinction, they form one category beside the previous ones.

[There has been much dispute whether these terms refer to two classes of stationary church officers, or to one whose twofold duty is indicated by two titles. The latter view is favored by the absence of the distinctive τοὺς δέ, and is accepted by Augustine, Jerome, Bengel, Harless, Olshausen, Meyer, Hodge, Eadie and Alford.32 The former is accepted by Theophylact, Calvin, Grotius, Neander, De Wette, Stier, though the definitions of the distinction vary greatly. Ellicott says: “The ποιμένες (a term probably including ἐπίσκοποι and πρεσβύτεροι) might be and perhaps always were διδάσκαλοι, but it does not follow that the converse was true. The χάρισμα of κυβέρνησις is so distinct from that of διδασκαλία, that it seems necessary to recognize in the διδάσκαλοι a body of men (scarcely a distinct class) who had the gift of διδαχή, but who were not invested with any administrative powers and authority.” Is the teacher then the parish schoolmaster or the professor of theology? or a preacher who does no pastoral duty? The Reformed Church polity has usually recognized the distinction (Westminster Directory, Constitution of Reformed [Dutch] Church in America, etc.), but practically it has amounted to nothing, as indeed little good has ever resulted from the attempt to reproduce accurately or jure divino those distinctions which expositors discover in the offices of the primitive Church. It may be remarked that while this phrase shows that every pastor ought to be a teacher, putting the former phase of duty first, it will ever be the case that through native endowment some ministers are better adapted for one part of the duty than for the other, though there is no warrant for total neglect of either, or for appointing in one congregation one minister to be pastor and another to be teacher; for the latter would now-adays take undue precedence of the former. Those who are “teachers,” in our sense of the word, are also in the most important sense “pastors.”—R.]

It is unmistakable that these four categories above named, so divide themselves, that the first three do not belong to a single congregation, but to the whole Church or a number of congregations, the last however is definitely appointed to one congregation. A gradation from higher to lower is noticeable also, in this manner, that the higher includes the lower grade or grades. Thus Jesus is called and calls Himself “Apostle” (Hebrews 3:1, after John 20:21); “Prophet” (Matthew 13:57; Luke 13:33; Acts 3:22 ff; Acts 7:37); εὐαγγελιζόμενος (Luke 4:18; Luke 4:43; Luke 20:1); “Shepherd,” ποιμήν (John 10:11; 1 Peter 2:25); “Teacher” (Matthew 23:8; John 13:14). Accordingly Bengel says: Cum summis gradibus conjuncti poterant esse inferiores; omnes Apostoli simul etiam vim propheticam habuerunt. Sed prophetæ et evangelistæ non simul etiam Apostoli fuerunt. Finally it must be noticed, that the offices themselves are not named here, and that in distinction from 1 Corinthians 12:28, the official persons stand in the foreground as gifts, in Corinthians the gifts of office, the offices themselves falling into the back-ground in both cases. See further, Doctr. Notes 1, 2.

Ephesians 4:12. The immediate aim of the activity of the persons in office. [Note on the relation and dependence of the clauses of this verse. There is great difference of opinion, but of the various views those numbered (4) and (5) are most worthy of consideration. Braune adopts (4); but (5) seems to be preferable.

1. The clauses are taken as co-ordinate (Chrysostom, Zanchius, Bengel, E. V.), but this is opposed by the change of preposition, and in that case we would have a different order, the second clause would come first.

2. The trajection (Grotius, Koppe and others), which actually put that clause first, is altogether unwarranted.

3. The second and third clauses are taken as parallel (by Harless and Olshausen), but as dependent on the first, in a partitive sense: some to teach, others to be edified. But there is nothing to indicate such a sense, and it is logically inadmissible, since the “saints” of one clause and “the body of Christ” of the other are identical.

4. Braune follows Erasmus, De Wette, Meier, Flatt, Rueckert, Schenkel and many others, in taking the second and third as dependent on the first, or rather the second dependent oh the first and the third on the second. The meaning then is: “For the perfecting of the saints unto all that variety of service which is essential unto the edification of the body of Christ.” As this view is fully presented below, the objections to it alone require mention at this point. These as urged by Meyer are: a. That as the context treats of offices in the Church, it is improper to enlarge the meaning of διακονία beyond that of official service (Romans 11:13; 2Co 4:1; 2 Corinthians 6:3; comp. Acts 6:4; 2 Corinthians 3:7 ff; 2 Corinthians 9:12, etc.). b. That with such a meaning πάντων would have been so essentially necessary with ἅγίων that it could not have been omitted. These objections are sufficiently strong to lead him to adopt the next view.

5. The second and third clauses are taken as co-ordinate, and dependent on ἔδωκε “he gave;” the first expressing the more ultimate and final purpose (πρός) of the action, the other two the more immediate end (εἰς). This view is adopted by Alford, Ellicott, Hodge, Eadie (2d ed.), and gives this sense: “He gave Apostles, etc.,—to fulfil the works of the ministry, and to build up the body of Christy, His object being to perfect His saints.” So Hofmann substantially. The great objection is the strange order which place the more ultimate end first, but as the difficulty seems to inhere in the Apostle’s own choice of prepositions, it is not decisive against this view. While preferring it, I would not insist on its correctness, but, leaving Dr. Braune’s notes as they stand, add in footnotes the requirements of this interpretation.—R.]

Unto the perfecting of the saints [πρὸς τὸν καταρτισμὸν τῶν ἁγίων].—Πρός marks the end aimed at, viz.: “the perfecting of the saints.” Καταρτισμός, occurring only here, like κατάρτισις in 2 Corinthians 13:9 designates the re-establishment of an affair, so that it is ἄρτιος (only 2 Timothy 3:17, τέλειος various reading), integer, as it should be (1 Corinthians 1:10; 2 Corinthians 13:11; Galatians 6:1; 1 Thessalonians 3:10; Hebrews 10:5; Hebrews 11:3; Hebrews 13:21; 1 Peter 5:10). Non potuit honorificentius verbi ministerium commendare, quam dum hunc illi effectum tribuit (Calvin). Through the ministers of Christ the Christians should become complete, perfect.33 For what purpose?

For the work of the ministry [or of ministration, εἰς ἔργον διακονίας].—Hence there is no thought of merely external increase (Pelagius, Beza). Εἰς marks that for which the saints should become expert, complete. The nouns, without the article, have here a more general meaning: ἔργον indicates the efficiency of the διακονίας, and the latter denotes that every work which it does, is a service to our neighbor and then to the whole. Διακονία is a general service (2 Timothy 4:11; 2 Corinthians 11:8). This meaning is demanded here by the context, the connection with the saints, the members, each one of which has his office (Romans 12:4) and needs the other (1 Corinthians 12:21). Comp. 2 Timothy 3:17 : πρὸς πᾶν ἐργον ὰγαθὸν ἐξηρτισμένος. It must not be referred to church service, ecclesiastical office, the diaconate in a technical sense (Meyer).34 Comp. on Ephesians 4:16.

For the building up of the body of Christ, εἰς οἰκοδομὴν τοῦ σώματος τοῦ Χριστοῦ.35—The aim of the “ministry” is again subjoined with the preposition εἰς. So great is the significance of the preparing of Christians through the ministers of the Church to ministering activity in the congregation! The body of Christ is there, it exists, but new members are continually incorporated in it, it extends and increases; hence both of the figures derived from the body (Ephesians 1:23; Ephesians 2:20-22) are included. Luther is very good: “that the saints may be fitted to the work of the ministry, that thus the body of Christ may be edified.” Accordingly the three clauses are not co-ordinate (Chrysostom, Bengel and others); nor are the two subjoined with εἰς co-ordinate (Rueckert, Meyer, Harless and others), nor yet dependent on ἔδωκε as some think, while others make them dependent on καταρτισμόν. Quite as little can we accept a trajection of the second number before the first (Grotius, Koppe and others). [See above for a classification of opinions.—R.] Comp. Doctr. Note 3.

Ephesians 4:13. The end of the perfecting. Till we all come [μέχρι καταντήσωμεν οἱ πάντες].—Μέχρι denotes the final, highest aim, not the beginning and entrance of the same, ἄχρι, but the presence and enjoyment of it (Tittmann, Syn. 1. p. 33 ff.). [Comp. Dr. Schaff’s note, Romans, p. 181]. Καταντήσωμεν, the conjunctive without ἄν denotes simply the future; the verb itself however is=φθάνειν (Œcumenius), the arriving at the destination, as frequently in the Acts (Acts 16:1; Eph 18:19, 24, etc.), in a local sense; here and Philippians 3:11 however in the spiritual sense, prominence being given to the free movement, which is occasioned, strengthened and animated by the educating καταρτισμός.36

Under the term οἱ πάντες, “all,”=οἱ ἅγιοι, as a complete whole, the Apostle includes himself; it is therefore implied that those in whom there has been a beginning of πίστις (Harless), even the greatest, the Apostles, are in need of progress towards the goal, are not yet there, even although in advance of others, but further their own progress when they labor for others (Philippians 3:13-14; Romans 1:11-12). Accordingly “all” is not to be extended to all men (Jerome). Bengel is excellent: Ne apostoli quidem se putarunt metam assecutos, nedum ecclesia. Semper proficiendum fuerat, non standum, nedum deficiendum. Et nunc ecclesia ideam sui optimæ non a tergo respiciat oportet, sed ante oculos habeat, ut futuram, etiam num assequendum. Notate hoc, qui antiquitatem non tam sequimini, quam obtenditis.

Unto the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, εἰς τὴν ἑνότητα τῆς πίοτεως καὶ τῆς ἐπιγμώσεως τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ.—The preposition marks the goal. The repeated article demands absolutely, that “faith” and “knowledge” be kept apart as distinct, independent ideas, although the genitive which they have in common (“of the Son of God”) occasions a connection by means of the copulative conjunction. “Faith” designates the immediate possession, “knowledge” the assurance obtained by means of knowing (Matthies); the former is applicable to an ethical, the latter to an intellectual sphere; the latter proceeds constantly anew from the former, the former is itself the permanent beginning, the constant principle, not merely an initiatory stage to be surpassed; both belong together accordingly. The unity of both, since “one faith” is presupposed: (Ephesians 4:5), refers to the various degrees of clearness and power in the individual members (οἱ πάντες), to littleness of faith, weakness of faith, want of maturity, etc. Accordingly the genitive, “of the Son of God,” defines both more closely, indicating that they are as strong, as He possessed them, and that thus we, being God’s children who will grow up and become educated, should possess them; He is the Author and Finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2) and knowledge, thus Example and Standard. If He is not the object, there is neither faith nor knowledge at all. Hence it is the genitive subjecti (Stier), not objecti, as most consider it. But unity of faith and knowledge is not meant, either alone (Olshausen), or in connection with the other meaning (Stier); we should rather refer it to the unity of the individuals, of the church-members, which is effected by the faith and knowledge of Christ.

[The view of Olshausen is, that the unity is the state in which faith and knowledge are identified; fides implicita developing into fides explicita (Bisping). Eadie and Alford virtually accept this as included here, the latter citing De Wette: “True and full unity of faith is then found, when all thoroughly know Christ, the object of faith, alike, and that in His highest dignity as the Son of God.” But the second term is not epexegetical of the first, and faith is not to be lost in knowledge, but abides (1 Corinthians 13:13).—The strong word ἐπίγνωσις must be noticed. If any prefer the more common view of the genitive as that of the object, the following statement (Hodge) will be satisfactory: “Faith and knowledge express or comprehend all the elements of that state of mind of which the Son of God is the object—a state of mind which includes the apprehension of His glory, the appropriation of His love, as well as confidence and devotion. This state of mind is in itself eternal life.” “The unity of faith is now confined to the first principles; the unity of faith contemplated in this place is that perfect unity which implies perfect knowledge and perfect holiness.”—R.]

Unto a full-grown man, εἰς ἄνδρα τέλειον.—The singular marks the unity of the Church, which grows up into a perfect man.37 Here a “development” (werden) is spoken of, which is involved in the καταντᾳν; the Church, the body of Christ, becomes a personality educated and completed to the perfect life-degree of Christ. For τέλειος is the opposite of νήπιος (Ephesians 4:14); like 1 Corinthians 3:1; 1 Corinthians 2:6 and Hebrews 5:13-14, it means one in ripe, full manhood.

Unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ [εἰς μέτρον ἡλικίας τοῦ πληρώματος τοῦ Χριστοῦ].—“Unto the measure of the stature” points to a definite measure; it does not therefore extend in infinitum. Ἠλικία from ἧλιξ, qui adultæ et maturæ ætatis est, certainly designates, as in Luke 19:2, the stature, the bodily size, elsewhere (Matthew 6:27; Luke 12:25; Luke 2:52; Hebrews 11:11; John 9:21; John 9:23) however, the age, generally the age of manhood; it is, more fully expressed, the maturity, the full growth, and in accordance with the context the spiritual maturity (Stier).38 The genitive: τοῦ πληρώματος τοῦ Χριστοῡ, “of the fulness of Christ,” defines more precisely the measure of the maturity: it is conditioned by the fulness, the state of being filled, which comes from Christ, accordingly by Himself, who lives in it and by His gifts and powers. We should become perfect, as He, the Head was, 1 Corinthians 12:12. Hence Luther is incorrect: in the measure of perfect age; for πληρώματος is not to be made an adjective qualifying ἡλικία. The explanation: full gracious presence of Christ (Harless) is insufficient; still more so the meaning given by Rueckert: Christ stands before us as the ideal of manly size and beauty.—Whether this goal will be reached in this life or only in the next, is decided by πίστις in the context, to this extent, that we must refer it to this life also, although indeed many a one first attains unto it in the future life, since this coming to the appointed goal extends through centuries. Comp. Doctr. Notes 4, 5.

The purpose, Ephesians 4:14-15. a) negatively, Ephesians 4:14; b) positively, Ephesians 4:15.

Ephesians 4:14. To the end that we be no longer children [ἵνα μηκέτι ὧμεν νήπιοι].—Ἵνα sets forth the purpose, which aims at the fulfilment of μηκέτι ὤμεν νήπιοι, and this must accordingly take place before the goal is reached, “unto a perfect man.” It is not to be joined to Ephesians 4:13 (Schenkel),39 but to Ephesians 4:11-12, more particularly to ἔδωκε, and unfolds wherein the “perfecting of the saints” consists. As the Apostle, who, although the most advanced, still in humble sense of fellowship, bears and suffers in the imperfection of the Church, includes himself (ὦμεν), we must not find here a reproach, but a point or state of transition, which does not continue, hence μηκέτι, which does not recall false teachers in Christendom generally (Meyer). The Gentiles are not yet νήπιοι; Christians in their incipiency are such (Matthew 11:25; Luke 10:21; 1 Corinthians 3:1; 1 Corinthians 8:11; Galatians 4:13; Hebrews 5:13); they should not however remain so, but advance to ripe manhood.

Tossed to and fro [as waves] and carried about [κλυδωνιζόμενοι καὶ περιφερόμενοι].—This describes more closely the νηπιότης, with reference to appearances and experiences observed and felt in the churches, inclusive of the false teachers who had appeared and would appear. “Tossed as waves”40 (fluctuantes, Vulgate), moved as waves, intrinsecus, sursum deorsum, etiam citra ventum (Bengel), “and carried about,” extrinsecus, hue illuc, aliis nos adorientibus (Bengel), describes the ready excitability of the unsubstantial, the immature (James 1:6; Hebrews 13:9; Judges 12:0); they are dependent on their surroundings, on influences and insinuations, are moved:

By every wind of teaching, παντὶ .—The wind has a great variety (παντί), from the aura seculi, levis aura popelli to the strong continuing trade-wind, and as to its origin from coarse to refined carnal interests, as well as in its tendency toward aims against the Church or in favor of a false church. [The dative is the dynamic dative, Krueger.—R.] “Teaching” is introduced under the figure of the wind, because it is something pneumatic and because, as the wind in proportion to its strength or the free situation of the water, stirs this from ripples to foam, so the teaching sets in motion the spirit of the νήπιος, which is so easily tossed to and fro. The νήπιος will learn, know; that is the proper way to perfection. But beside the one wholesome teaching of truth there appears the multifarious teaching of error as a great danger,41 and the greater because it works, moves, attracts and hurries along:

In the sleight of men.—Ἐν τῇ κυβείᾳ, belonging to the participles, refers with the article to “teaching;” through the sleight befitting the doctrine, and with the substantive (from κύβος, die), to dice-playing, in order to denote, that the teachers deal with the Scriptures and the truth and men, as players with dice (Luther). [Braune agrees with De Wette, Meyer, Hodge, and the E. V., in regarding ἐν as instrumental, but as this seems pleonastic after the dative, “and would mar the parallelism with ἐν (Ephesians 4:15), the preposition appears rather to denote the element, the evil atmosphere as it were in which the varying currents of doctrine exist and exert their force” (Ellicott). So Harless, Olshausen, Eadie and Alford.—R.] The genitive (“of men”) indicates that the νήπιοι stand under the influence of men, instead of their placing themselves under the guidance of Christ (Meyer), and also under that of many instead of one. But this is not all; the added parallel clause carries the matter further; there is not only human sleight, temeritas, but a plan also:

In craftiness tending to the system of error [ἐν πανουργίᾳ πρὸς τὴν μεθοδείαν τῆς πλάνης].—Ἐν connects with the previous phrase. Πανουργίᾳ corresponds with κυβεία, and gives prominence to what the latter does not indicate, the nequitia, the conscious malice; hence it is incorrect to find this in the previous phrase (Harless, Stier). The article can be dispensed with, since the closer qualification is added. The preposition, as in Ephesians 4:12 (πρὸς τὸν καταρτισμόν), denotes toward what the craftiness proceeds (Winer, p. 378). This is τὴν μεθοδείαν (only here and Ephesians 6:11, where the plural is used), which is derived from μεθοδεύειν, to follow in order to track up something, then machinare, meaning therefore machinatio, crafty pursuing (Luther: erschleichen, to sneak upon), to follow and come upon in a sneaking manner; in this there is found pre-arrangement, system. The principle which μεθοδεύει is indicated by the genitive τής πλάνης. This is not error mentis, but lying, the opposite of ἀλήθεια (1 John 4:6); hence, especially as τοῦ διαβόλου is added in Ephesians 6:11, Bengel is on the right track when he says: i.e., Satanæ.42 It is true the πλάνη is in the main only personified (Meyer); but it has a kingdom and a πνεῦμα, that operates through men, the false teachers (τῇ κυβείᾳ τῶν ), as through serviceable tools, proper instruments.

Ephesians 4:15. But holding the truth in love, may grow up into him, ἀληθεύοντες δὲ ἐν , is to be joined with ἵνα (Ephesians 4:14) as the antithesis (δέ) to “no longer children.” Hence Luther is incorrect: “but let us be honest in love and grow.” Christiana (οἱ πάντες, Ephesians 4:13), not merely teachers, are the subject. Αὐξάνειν is simply to grow, not to remain νήπιος, to come out of the νηπιότης. Hæc αὔξησις, augmentatio (Ephesians 4:16), media est inter infantes et virum (Bengel). Accordingly εἰς points to the goal; hence “into Him” (Matthies, Stier); it corresponds to the εἰς ἄνδρα τέλειον, we should become a perfect man, as He is. The phrase “Head” from the following relative clause should not be pressed (Hofmann, Meyer), in order to make the meaning still; more difficult; τὰ πάντα stands between, and this accusative of reference will not allow εἰς αὐτόν to be=grow in respect to Him (Meyer), whatever that may mean. [“Unto and into Him,” as the goal and standard of our growth, with a secondary thought apparently of the incorporation of all the Church in Christ, which is developed in the subsequent context. The phrase is not to be joined with “in love” (Harless).—R.] Still less can it mean: ipsius cognitions (Grotius), virtute et influxu (A-Lapide).

While εἰς αὐτόν denotes the goal of the growth, ἀληθεύοντες ἐν designates the condition under which, the state in which it takes place. Hence the two are to be joined: true in love. Ἀληθεύειν is—ἀληθὴς εἶναι (Passow, sub voce); the context explains it further. In the New Testament only here and Galatians 4:16. There ὑμῖν indicates that it means speaking the truth, here the context is a different one. While αὐξήσωμεν forms an antithesis to νήπιοι ὦμεν, ἀληθεύοντες stands in contrast to the manner of such (“tossed as waves and carried about”) and to “teaching” in general, as well as that of the deceitful false teachers in particular. Bengel is excellent: verantes, Luther (Genesis 42:16): if you design truth. The whole personality is spoken of, in walk and nature, and the meaning is more than merely; to be true in speech, verum dicere (Hofmann, Schriftbeweis, II. 2, p. 130, Meyer).43

Ἐν sets forth the sphere or element in which the ἀληθεύειν moves; ἀγάπη and ἀλήθεια are correlative ideas.44 Comp. 1 Corinthians 13:6. Love is here entirely undefined, hence genera: love for the truth, for the brethren, who come into danger through false teachers, or themselves become false teachers, to the Church as a whole, to God. There is accordingly no reference to forbearance toward error (Harless), or love towards those of different profession (Meyer), or something of the same; nor is ἐν διά (Schenkel), or σύν, on merely upright in love (Luther and others).

In all things who is the head, even Christ [τὰ πάντα, ὸς ἐστιν ἡ κεφαλή, Χριστός].—Τὰ πάντα.45 without a preposition, as 1 Corinthians 9:25; 1 Corinthians 10:33; 1 Corinthians 11:2, or with κατά (Colossians 3:20) denotes, on account of the article, all, to which reference has been made, into which we must grow: faith, knowledge, truth, love, etc. “Who is the Head, even Christ,” with great emphasis, in order to furnish a motive for growing up into Him. We might have found τὸν Χριστόν, in apposition to εἰς αὐτόν, but it can either be in apposition to ἡ κεφαλή, or in the first instance still be in the nominative (Winer, p. 495).

Ephesians 4:16. Comprehensive conclusion.—From whom, ἐξ οὖ, marks the cause, the source, and as the context demands, a continuing one. Christ is the goal (εἰς αὐτόν) and the source of the life-development of the Church (Meyer). If then Chrysostom says: σφόδρα , an exact analysis of the sentence will show what is incorrect (ἀσαφῶς). Colossians 2:19 is parallel.

a. The subject.—All the body fitly framed together and compacted [πᾶν τὸ σῶμα συναρμολογούμενον καὶ συνβιβαζόμενον ].—“All the body” takes the term “all” (Ephesians 4:13) as a unity; the main idea is that of totality. [“All the body,” which the E. V. gives in Colossians 2:19, is perhaps preferable to “the whole body,” the idea being of the entire body as including every member, rather than of the body as a whole (τὸ πᾶν σῶμα more accurately expresses this). The latter notion becomes the stronger one in the close of the verse.—R.] The double definition, “fitly framed together and compacted,” describes the Church in its present development (present participle). The first adjective (see Ephesians 2:21; of a building) indicates the individual parts and members (ἁρμός, groove, joint, member), which are printed together (σύν), the other, used more precisely of men who enter into a society, marks these members as individuals, as persons. In this the difference and the reason of the double expression is found. In such a union the Church is conceived of, because it is a building; besides a society is spoken of, a society of persons, a congregation. Accordingly such a two-fold designation sets forth, either the figure and fact (Meyer) or harmony and solidity (Bengel). Ellicott suggests, in accordance with the simple meaning of the words, that the latter term refers to the aggregatim, the former to the inter-adaptation of the component parts.—R.]

[By means of every joint of the supply.—This phrase, which presents more difficulties than any other in our verse, is discussed below by Dr. Braune, who joins it with the predicate, not with the subject (i.e., as a qualification of the participle) as is done in the E. V. The latter view of the connection is adopted by the majority of commentators (so Hodge, Eadie, Ellicott), and is favored by the position of the phrase and the parallel, Colossians 2:19. The former is defended by Meyer, Stier, Alford, Chrysostom, Theodoret, Bengel). It may be remarked in favor of this, that it gives more perspicuity to the passage, “the whole instrumentality and modality here described belonging to the growth” (Alford), the repetition of σῶμα is more natural in an involved predicate, while the complicated subject is much more awkward. As regards the parallel, the position there is totally different. It ought to be added that the earlier defenders of this view advocated a sense of the word ἁφή(=αἴσθησις, the perception of the vital energy imparted from the head), which did not admit so readily of the connection with the participles. Still Braune’s view is preferable.—R.]

b. The predicate.—Maketh the growth of the body, τὴν αὔξησιν τοῦ σώματος ποιεῖται.—Colossians 2:19 : αὔξῃ τὴν αὔξησιν The repetition of τοῦ σώματος (“of the body”) instead of ἑαυτοῦ (“itself”) marks the permanent effect proceeding from the cause, and as compared with Christ’s continued influence, puts into the background the self-development as an entirely independent one. Only when the principle of life in the Church has grown and been strengthened through Christ, does it become perceptible (εἰς οἰκοδονὴν ἑαυτοῦ); yet it is already indicated by the middle (ποιεῖται). This repetition is therefore not to be explained by the distance of the predicate from the subject (σῶμα) as an effort at distinctness (Meyer), or as negligence (Rueckert), or as a Hebraism (Grotius), or because the interest of individuals is not under discussion (Harless, Stier).46

The predicate is then enlarged by a designation of the means: by means of every joint of the supply [διὰ πάσης ἁφῆς τῆς ἐπιχορηγίας].—Ἀφή (from ἄπτεσθαι) cannot according to Colossians 2:19, where it is put in one category with συνδέσμων and connected with ἐπιχορηγούμενον καὶ συνβιβαζόμενον mean the same band, yet must be something similar.47 It cannot be=αἴσθησις (Chrysostom), sensation (Meyer), contact (Hofmann). Since ἁφὴν ἔχειν, means to have something enchaining, enticing (Passow, sub voce), and the singular is found here, the most natural and correct meaning will be: connection or grasp. Ἐπιχορηγία (from χορηγία) means to lead a choir, to defray the expenses of a choir, to render a public service, the contribution to expenditures, public, common rendering of service; accordingly the growth of the Church is by means of every grasp of contribution or service rendered (genitive objecti, and not of apposition, Schenkel, nor=πρός, Grotius, Hofmann and others).

[To this view of Dr. Braune it may be objected that it loses sight of the strict anatomical figure without substituting for it the subtler interpretation of Chrysostom and others. It seems better to take ἁφή in the sense indicated by Colossians 2:19, and render it “joints.” The qualifying genitive is as Ellicott remarks: “a kind of genitive definitions, by which the predominant use, purpose, or destination of the ἁφή is specified and characterized.” “The joints are the points of union where the supply passes to the different members, and by means of which the body derives the supply by which it grows” (Alford). Hodge is undoubtedly correct in interpreting this supply as “the Divine life or Holy Spirit communicated to all parts of the Church” (against, Braune, who seems to refer it to the service rendered by the individual members), but it is very doubtful whether he is right in saying that the άφαί “are the various spiritual gifts and offices which are made the channels or means of this Divine communication.” Most recent commentators have wisely refrained from thus particularizing. Certainly when these αφαί are taken as meaning the officers mentioned in Ephesians 4:11, despite all saving clauses, a step is taken toward the Romanist and High Anglican view of the clergy. The figures of Scripture, through wrested and strained interpretation, have been made subservient to great error.—R.]

According to the working in the measure of each several part [κατ̓ ἔνέργειαν ἐν μέτρῳ ἑνὸς ἑκάστου μέρους]. —This qualifies the phrase which precedes. κατʼ ἐνέργειαν, without the article on account of the following qualification (Ephesians 1:19; Ephesians 3:7), defines the ἐπιχορηγία as an efficient one, while the proportion of this efficiency rests “in the measure of each several part,” in the measure, which every part, the individual member of the Church in himself has from Christ. The service rendered proceeds therefore from the individual parts, from each one, so that it is not to be referred merely to the ministry, the officers of the church (Harless). This efficient service of the individuals is to the advantage of the whole and conditions the growth of the whole. Comp. Ephesians 4:7; Ephesians 4:12. This part of the sentence is therefore to be closely connected with ἐπιχορηγίας and not joined immediately with αὔξησιν ποιεῖται (Meyer), with which it is connected only through the former.48

Unto the building up of itself in love, εἰς οἰκοδομὴν ἑαυτοῦ ἐν .—The aim is thus set forth, and as in Ephesians 4:12 it is οἰκοδομή; the self-development is here marked, since the powers of growth thereto are given from Christ. This self-edification is consummated only in love, as the life-sphere rendering it possible. “In love” therefore depends grammatically on “edifying” (Bleek), not on “maketh increase”

(Meyer).49 With this so emphatic conclusion (“unto the building up of itself in love”) the Apostle is brought back to his starting-point (Ephesians 4:1-3), to the bond of peace.

DOCTRINAL AND ETHICAL

1. Christ gives official persons (Ephesians 4:11). It is not so much that Christ established certain regulations binding on the Church, as that He has bestowed on it persons, charisms for the endowment of an office, a ministry. He is the Author and Possessor of the office, not only the first, but the only one, who has never relinquished it and never will to the very end. “Christ gives the Church’s ministers, the Church takes those given and sets them in the service of the Church. Accordingly the Church, or he who represents the rights and duties of the Church, never has to choose the subjects arbitrarily, but to know and recognize those endowed by Christ as those given by Him, and to place them in the ministry; hence the highest idea of the ecclesiastical directory is to examine whether those concerned are given by Christ, without prejudice however to other requisites which are matters of ecclesiastical polity.” Meyer. Concerning the double aspect of the office, which is both diviniand humani juris, a divine institution as well as a human, ecclesiastical arrangement, the passage does not speak more definitely. But three things are plain: 1) It is incorrect to affirm that Christ now raises up no apostolic men, no prophets nor evangelists, but only pastors and teachers. See the Exeg. Notes. He does this according to the necessity of the times. 2) It is also erroneous to find no offices at all appointed, and to be unwilling to institute any, as if it were only a human notion to establish a teaching ministry. So the Quakers (according to Barclay in Guericke, Christl. Symbol, p. 626) and Schenkel, Ephesians, p. 66, 5; the former accept only the authority of the Divine endowment of persons, the latter regards the service alone as from the Lord, but the office as a human regulation. 3) Just as little however should these official persons whom the Lord gave at the beginning and still gives to the Church, be fixed in number, as the Irvingites would do, or be stiffened into a hierarchy as among the Roman Catholics.50

2. The distinction between the official persons, involving as it does no subordination of one class to the other, since indeed the Apostle Matthew is specially designated as Evangelist, John as prophet and Evangelist, while Peter calls himself “presbyter” (1 Peter 5:1), is altogether irrelevant as respects the teaching office: this individualizes itself in the other offices. Subordination exists only as respects Christ who gives them. They have no reason for self-exaltation on account of their gifts or special calling, nor has the congregation any for aversion to recognize and respect them and their calling: the Lord works with His word and Spirit in them and through them (Acts 13:21; Acts 15:28), and this arrangement belongs to the living and animating organism of the Church, in which the life of Christ develops itself. The officers should be called neither clerics nor Geistliche, nor should the Church be divided into ecclesia repræsentans and repræsentata. For every Christian belongs to the κλῆρος θεοῦ, has a part in the κληρονομία (Ephesians 1:11; Ephesians 1:15), should be “geistlich,” and have to τὸ πνεῦμα and the ministers as the Lord’s servants must labor in and for the Church, to serve her, not to represent her, but the Lord.

3. The task of the official persons with their gifts for their special calling, over against the other members of the body of Christ with the general call, is “the perfecting of the saints,” and this reaches also to “the work of the ministry,” to “the edifying of the body of Christ.” As certainly then as the servants of the Lord have to serve the Church and its individual members, hence not in the commission of the Church, as though this were always and everywhere the only efficient impulse, nor yet out of their own authority, so certainly should these ministers be prepared for their special service by their labors in the Church, as they have been called and installed by her. As the Lord works upon the Church, and this should permit itself to be acted upon, so she has the duty of working again according to His purpose, of leading back to Him under His guidance and the help of God, which He will grant and furnish for her welfare. The first link in the chain of congregational activity is the officers, the second is every Christian in healthy activity at his post, and thus the joyous upbuilding of the whole is advanced, which reacts on the ministers and individual members of the Church. Thus it goes from above to below, from the ministers in immediate rapport with the Lord to the individuals, the Church, the whole, and from individual to individual, and through them to the whole, and from this back again to the individuals. The lay element must be cultivated, set in motion, sustained, animated and guided. The design is to bless men, to serve the people, the people, the people, as Luther (1 Adv. Kirchenpostille, ed. Franke I. p. 42) preaches. In avoiding the Scylla of priestly rule, many fall into the Charybdis of congregational or lay rule.51 This is of importance for all Church polity.

4. Like all pedagogy, the pedagogy of the church also should make itself superfluous and unnecessary. The utility of the ecclesiastical office is appointed to this end, and should be managed accordingly.52 But this gives neither right nor occasion to undervalue at the time what will and should cease after its time. Fidelity to the Master demands that it should be left to Him, when and how He will break up the form, lest we in doing so should spill and lose its contents and substance.

5. In connection with the prospect that we all (Ephesians 4:13) shall attain unto the unity of faith and the knowledge of the Son of God, it must be remarked:

(1) That this is not spoken of in any way (see Exeg. Notes) of the apocatastasis: “A communion of the enjoyment of salvation” (Schneckenburger.) is not indicated, but the progress from the militant to the triumphant church, the development, not from unbelief to blessedness, not from eternity to God, to heirship with Him, but from faith to sight, from service according to God’s will to participation in the glory of His Nature.

(2) A uniformity of expression, of forms and formulas, is not meant, but that condition is meant which the Lord Himself foretells (John 10:16), when there shall be “one fold” and “one Shepherd,” when the church of Christ is developed out of and beyond all “fermentation,” is ripened, ministers and members furthering each other’s advance, the individual parts and the whole in accord, and on the basis of a deeper unity the proper variety existing in glorious harmony.

It cannot be overlooked, that, although the differences, which divide, will disappear, because error attaches to them, or at least immaturity, the removal of differences cannot be anticipated, unless the church, instead of growing up unto a perfect man, should become an assembly of offensively over-prudent children. Even the distinction of sex shall be removed (Matthew 22:30), as that of corporealness in general; but that is no reason why we should treat the body as a prison of the soul, and desire to be without sex, before we enter the company of the angels. Let each one be faithful to his own church and to his Lord! Beyond Christ we cannot go, without Him or against Him there is no progress.

6. He who allows himself to be determined by external influences, is still immature, is as yet no man, independent, firm and clear, unless these influences come from the source of truth and life, from Christ: from Him and to Him our life comes and goes. Influences of an unchristian character are brought by the spirit of this world into every age, and many a one may unconsciously serve this spirit against the truth; as in the history of the world there is presented a plan of God, so in these there is a method which points beyond them into the kingdom of darkness and lies.7. Truth and Love, which belong together, since the former has an ethical character, and the latter is not blind, are the fundamental elements of growth, requiring Christ as the aim and spring of our life, the gifts of Christ and the acceptance on the part of the church, her receptivity and self-activity, the reciprocity of the whole and each individual member. By this we may judge the wrong and error of the separate divisions and generations of the church. The Catholics do not let Christ work as a fresh streaming fountain, nor rightly value the life of the members of the church, but put the apostolic power of the Pope with his hierarchy in the front and centre; they undervalue the Head and members and overvalue the ministers of the church, who become masters. The Lutherans have hampered the lay element, and suffer the consequences of the abridgement: the fellowship of the church is too little developed. The Reformed are wanting in the sacramental element; they foster what is individual and social, rather than that which is formative and established, as the sects proceeding from them plainly show.—By this passage every position and every age regulate itself.

HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL

Take heed, pastor, that thou not only hast an office and ministry shown to thee, which thou administerest, but that thou art and becomest more and more thyself a gift of Christ to His church.—Rejoice, O church, that the servants of Christ are Christ’s gifts for thee and use them according to His will against thy lust and errors.—Thou shouldst not say, that Christ raised up Apostles, prophets, evangelists, only in the first century and never since; nor deny that He raises up the pastors and teachers of His church.—All ministry, even the most important minister is in vain, if he does not labor further into the house and the bye-ways, so that each in his place may do his duty as a Christian; but if the spiritual teachers do their duty, the church will not remain unspiritual.—Do not reckon according to visible results; concealed and gradual is the progress of the work, reaching its mark at last and in glory. But do not think hastily and proudly, now is the time of maturity! You may in the end mistake the impulse of the spirit of the age for the showers of Christ’s Spirit and the Shibboleth of party-spirit for the word of life, and this deception would be fearful.—No one is so much a minor as to be without responsibility and strength to resist; have regard to this, proving all things by the truthfulness in love, by Christ, the End and Source of all growth! Preach the word simply and purely! Certainly, but not less: love it in the same way. Love does not, indeed, work by means of injustice, untruth, deception, counterfeiting, intrigue, misrepresentation and pretence. But she creates fellowship, and truth is the cause, not of the isolated individual, but of the fellowship of heaven and earth, of the nations, of the earth, and of centuries, aye of thousands of years.

Starke: For as rogues so manage dice that they must fall according to their wish, so do schismatics and fanatics act with the sacred Scriptures.—Truth and love must be side by side. True teaching and lovely living. That is the sum of all Christianity. Love and unity edify.

Rieger: The goal of our growth is a long distance before us, the hindrances are many; but growth is the most certain way thither. For as little as in physical growth is advance made all at once with immoderate rapidity, but as in the use of the ordained means, with proper labor and exercise, in confidence on God and His bestowed blessing, in love and peace with one another, the body grows, not one member only, but one just as another, so we, through God’s word, prayer, embracing all the means afforded us in the church, the school and the home, reach the position of men of God furnished for every good work.

Heubner: Christ’s kingdom embraces even the invisible kingdom of God. Would this be conceivable, if He were a mere man?—The variety of offices should not lead to ambition and place-hunting, but to the service of the church.—The stature of manhood in a Christian consists in this, that he, irrespective of men has spiritual majority and independence. Teachers should not wish to keep the congregation in a state of immaturity, but their task is to render themselves unnecessary.—It is the duty of the Christian to strive after this maturity.—Humanity is capable of an ever-increasing perfection by means of Christianity. Progress in Christianity is, however, no advance beyond Christianity.—The Christian is firm in his faith and free from the miserable dependence on foreign and worldly opinion.—How much is still wanting in the mutual support of all in the Christian church. All should be for the furtherance of the Christian life: for example, the household life should be a school of Christianity, the State should further the church, and the schools of learning educate for Christianity, all arts and sciences should subserve religion.—It is child’s play, even when not detrimental, to speculate how far this figure of the body can be carried out into detail, who, for example, is eye, ear, breast, back, etc. This can lead to results of as revolting a character, as the Hindoo system of caste.

Passavant: One class, as well as another, is chosen to their particular service by the Master of the church; and He who on earth was in the form of a servant, will regard the more lowly of His servants with special looks of love. He sees the heart, and fidelity in what is little is precious in His sight.—To seek truth always and everywhere, in all things and among all persons; to act in truth with all, towards all, with one’s self and before God; to base one’s inmost thoughts and impulses always in and on the truth—this keeps the heart, amid all the lies, lusts and illusions of this false world, firm and quiet, as the ship that has escaped the waves and cast anchor in the harbor.—All genuine truth and love come alone from Christ upon us and into us, leading us back again to Christ.

Gerlach: In every false teaching which separates men from Christ and His word, the Apostle shows us also a work of wickedness. Human nature was not created by God so perverse as to choose without the fault of man, a lie instead of the truth.

Zeller: These are the instruments by which the Lord has chosen to build His Church, not Popes, not Emperors and kings, not princes and great ones, the mighty monarchs of this world, but Apostles, Evangelists, pastors and teachers, men illuminated by His spirit, endued with power from on high, not merely by men, but given and appointed by Himself. It is to take place through the peaceful means of preaching, pastoral care, instruction.

[Eadie: Ephesians 4:12. The spiritual advancement of the Church, is the ultimate design of the Christian pastorate. The ministry preaches and rules to secure this, which is at the same time the purpose of Him who appointed and who blesses it.

Ephesians 4:13. Christians are all to attain to oneness of faith, that is, all of them shall be filled with the same ennobling and vivifying confidence in this Divine Redeemer—not some leaning more to His humanity, and others showing an equally partial and defective preference for His Divinity—not some regarding Him rather as an instructor and example, and others drawn to Him more as an atonement—not some fixing an exclusive gaze on Christ without them, and others cherishing an intense and one-sided aspiration for Christ within them—but all reposing a united confidence in Him—“the Son of God.”—The Christian church is not full grown, but it is advancing to perfect age.

Ephesians 4:14. How many go the rounds of all sects, parties, and creeds, and never receive satisfaction. If in the pride of reason they fall into rationalism, then if they recover, they rebound into mysticism. From the one extreme of legalism they recoil to the farthest verge of antinomianism, having travelled at easy stages all the intermediate distance.

Ephesians 4:15. That character is nearest perfection in which the excessive prominence of no grace throws such a withering shadow upon the rest, as to signalize or perpetuate their defect, but in which all is healthfully balanced in just and delicate adaptation.

Ephesians 4:16. The church is built up, for love is the element of spiritual progress. That love fills the renewed nature, and possesses peculiar facilities of action in edifying the mystical body of Christ. Whatever parts it may have, whatever their forms, uses, and position, whatever the amount of energy resident in them, still, from their connection with the one living Head, and from their own compacted union and mutual adjustment, they compose but one growing structure “in love.”—R.]

[Hodge: Ephesians 4:12. If Christ has appointed the ministry for the edification of His body, it is in vain to expect that end to be accomplished in any other way.

Ephesians 4:14. Error can never be harmless, nor false teachers innocent. Two considerations, however, should secure moderation and meekness in applying these principles. The one is, that though error implies sin, orthodoxy does not always imply holiness. The character most offensive to God is that of a malignant zealot for the truth. The other consideration is, that men are often much better than their creed: that is, the doctrines on which they live are much nearer the truth than those which they profess. They deceive themselves by attaching wrong meaning to words, and seem to reject truth, when in fact they only reject their own misconceptions.

Ephesians 4:16. The church is Christ’s body. The body grows. Concerning this growth, the Apostle says: 1. It is from Him. He is the causal source from whom all life and power are derived. 2. It depends on the intimate union of all the parts of the body with the Head, by means of appropriate bands. 3. It is symmetrical. 4. It is a growth in love.—R.]

Footnotes:

Ephesians 4:12; Ephesians 4:12.—[Unto is substituted for the preposition for, to indicate the difference in the Greek prepositions. In order to, with a view to, would express one view of the meaning of the verse, but unto suits the view of Dr. Braune better. Ministration is preferable to ministry, since the latter is now confined by usage to the office of the preacher and pastor. Building up is Saxon, edifying Latin.—R.]

Ephesians 4:14; Ephesians 4:14.—[א. B. 1 D. 1 F. K. L. support the form μεθοδίαν, adopted by Tischendorf (Exodus 7:0); but μεθοδείαν (Rec.) is preferable, “as changes in orthography which may be accounted for by italicism or some mode of erroneous transcription must always be received with caution” (Ellicott).—The periphrasis is necessary to express the force of πρός.—R.]

Ephesians 4:15; Ephesians 4:15.—[See Exeg. Notes, especially the additional footnote.—R.]

Ephesians 4:15; Ephesians 4:15.—[The article is found in the Rec., א³ D. F. K. L., most cursives, and is accepted by De Wette; but it is omitted in א¹ A. B. C., and rejected by Lachmann. Tischendorf, Alford, Ellicott (now by Meyer). It occurs with Χριστός 31 times, and is omitted in 53 instances (Ellicott).—R.]

Ephesians 4:16; Ephesians 4:16.—[The view of the connection taken in the Exeg. Notes requires the insertion of a comma here, to indicate that the subsequent phrases qualify the main verb.—The less usual form: συνβιβασόμενον is sustained by א. A. B. (?) C. D.¹ F. G., adopted by Tischendorf, Ellicott and others. Comp. Ephesians 3:6, where the usual euphonic changes in the prefixed preposition are ignored in the best MSS.—Effectual is omitted to avoid conveying the impression that the working is God’s ἐνέργεια.—R.]

Ephesians 4:16; Ephesians 4:16.—[A. C., some versions and fathers sustain the reading μέλους, but it is probably a gloss occasioned by σῶμα; μέρους is found in א. B. D. F. K. L., and accepted by all recent editors.—R.]

Ephesians 4:16; Ephesians 4:16.—[א D. 1 F. read αὐτοῦ, but ἑαυτοῦ is sustained by most authorities.—R.]

[29][Ellicott: “There is here no direct resumption of the subject of Ephesians 4:7, as if Ephesians 4:8-10 were merely parenthetical, but a regression to it; while at the same time the αὐτός is naturally and emphatically linked on to the αὐτός of the preceding verse. This return to a subject, without disturbing the harmony of the immediate connection or the natural sequence of thought, constitutes one of the high excellences, but at the same time one of the chief difficulties in the style of the great Apostle.”—R.]

[30][On the position of Matthias, comp. Ephesians 1:1 and Acts (in loco). Eadie thus enumerates the essential elements of the apostolate: 1. That the Apostles should receive their commission immediately from the living lips of Christ. 2. That having seen the Saviour after He rose again, they should be qualified to attest to the truth of His resurrection. 3. They enjoyed a special inspiration. 4. Their authority was therefore supreme. 5. In proof of their commission and inspiration, they were furnished with ample credentials. 6. Their commission to preach and found churches was universal and in no sense limited. This statement, approved by Alford and Ellicott, involves further: That they have no personal successors, can have none; that no supreme authority exists in any ecclesiastical office, unless that office be the Apostolate. See further, Galatians 1:1-5, Doctr. Notes; Romans, p. 59.—R.]

[31][Dr. Hodge, in an excellent note here, remarks that the prevalent view at the time of the Reformation (see Calvin in loco) regarded this term as applied to “vicars of the Apostles,” such as Luke Timothy, Titus. This is altogether untenable, and no doubt arose from the effort, made by Calvin and others, to prove that all the offices referred to except that of “pastors and teachers,” were of a temporary nature, and thus to establish the principle of “parity of the clergy.”—R.]

[32][Alford remarks that the figure in ποιμένες, if pressed, would imply that they were entrusted with some special flock, which they tended; and then the “teaching” would necessarily form a chief part of their work. Eadie says the former term implies careful, tender, vigilant superintendence and government, being the function of an overseer and elder. The official name ἐπίσκοπος (“bishop”), he adds, is used by the Apostle in addressing churches formed principally out of the heathen world (Ephesus, Philippi, Crete), while πρεσβύτερος (“elder”), the term of honor, is more Jewish in its tinge (Acts, Epistles of James, Peter and John). “Speaking to Timothy and Titus, the Apostle styles them elders (and so does the compiler of the Acts, in referring to spiritual rulers); but describing the duties of the office itself, he calls the holder of it ἐπίσκοπος.”—R.]

[33][Hodge gives the following meanings which have been suggested here: 1. The completion of the saints (“the number of the elect”). 2. Their renewing or restoration. 3. Their reduction to order and union as one body. 4. Their preparation for service (so Braune). 5. To their perfecting. The last he prefers, as is required by the view taken of the relation of the clauses.—R.]

[34][The term is not to be restricted to the diaconate, nor to the ministry, i.e., the office of pastor and teacher (Hodge), but seems to refer to “spiritual service of an official nature” (so Meyer). Hence ministration is preferable to the more technical word ministry, though Braune extends the signification in accordance with his view. On the absence of the article Ellicott remarks: “Δισκονία may possibly have been left studiously anarthrous in reference to the different modes of exercising it alluded to in Ephesians 4:11, and the various spiritual wants of the Church; ἔργον however seems clearly definite in meaning, though by the principle of correlation (Middleton, Art. iii. 3, 6) it is necessarily anarthrous in form.”—R.]

[35][Ellicott remarks that this clause is parallel to, but at the same time more nearly defining the nature of the ἔργον. The article is not required, as edifying generally is the object. There is no confusion of metaphors, since both words have a distinct metaphorical meaning, where the original allusion is in a measure lost.—R.]

[36][All reference to coming together from different starting-points, or coming out of previous wanderings is imaginary (Meyer). Ellicott remarks that too much weight must not be laid on the omission of ἄν as giving an air of less uncertainty to the subjunctive, since there was an evident tendency in later Greek to omit it in such cases, adding: “the use of the subjunctive (the mood of καταντᾶν is represented not only as the eventual, but as the expected and contemplated result of the ἔδωκεν.”—R.]

[37][“Metaphorical apposition to the foregoing member, the concrete term being probably selected rather than any abstract term, as forming a good contrast to the following νήπιοι (Ephesians 4:14), and as suggesting by its ‘singular’ the idea of the complete unity of the holy personality, further explained in the next clause into which they were united and consummated” (Ellicott). As a curiosity Alford cites from Augustine (Civ. Dei, xxii. 17): “Nonnulli. propter hoc quod dictum est, Eph. iv. 13, nec in sexu fœmineo resurrecturas fœminas credunt, sed in virili omnes aiunt.”—R.]

[38][As the word undoubtedly means either stature or age, the latter being more common, or perhaps includes both, like the German Erwachsenheit, the sense here must be determined by considerations drawn from the passage itself. Koppe, Holzhausen, Harless, Meyer, Hodge prefer the sense: age, because “full-grown men,” “children” (Ephesians 4:14), point to this; the phrase which follows is then a characterizing genitive. But “measure” seems more appropriately used in reference to “stature” and the idea of magnitude is indicated by the words “fulness,” “grow up” (Ephesians 4:15) and by the figure of Ephesians 4:16. This sense is adopted by Erasmus, Grotius, Bengel, Rueckert, Stier, Eadie, Ellicott, Alford. It may be added that πλήρωμα does not refer to the Church (Storr and others), nor to the knowledge of Christ (Grotius). The genitive τοῦ Χριστοῦ is a genitive subjective: Christ’s fulness: “This stature grows just as it receives of Christ’s fulness; and when that fulness is wholly enjoyed, it will be that of a ‘perfect man’ ” (Eadie). Some of the Fathers referred this passage to the resurrection, teaching that man shall rise from the grave in the perfect age of Christ, having the form and aspect of thirty-three years of age, the age of Christ at His death. See Meyer, who has a note on the time of fulfilment in which he brings out his favorite views about the Second Advent and Paul’s expectation of its speedy coming.—R.]

[39][Schenkel’s view is somewhat novel. He takes our verse as giving the purpose of Ephesians 4:13, and to the objection that this places perfection before the state of childhood answers, that the last verse refers to the whole Church, this to individuals. Because the whole Church is perfect, the members should be no longer children. But this is very unsatisfactory. The two leading views are those of Harless and Meyer. The former takes our verse as co-ordinate with Ephesians 4:13, and immediately dependent on Ephesians 4:11-12, giving the purpose of the ministry (so Flatt, Bleek, Hodge). Meyer, who has a clear statement of the case in loco, takes this verse as sub-ordinate to Ephesians 4:13, and remotely dependent on Ephesians 4:11-12. He holds that Ephesians 4:13 defines the “terminus ad quem,” which characterizes the functions of the Christian ministry, while Ephesians 4:14 thus explains the object, our ceasing to be children, contemplated in the appointment of such a “terminus,” and thence more remotely in the bestowal of a ministry so characterized. To the former view there is the decided grammatical objection that a clause introduced by ἵνα is made co-ordinate with those introduced by εἰς, in that case too Ephesians 4:13 would follow Ephesians 4:14-15. The latter view avoids these difficulties without being open to the logical objection which probably led to the adoption of the former.—R.]

[40][Not by the waves, like a deserted ship, as Meyer and others hold, but like the billow itself.—R.]

[41][Eadie: “The article τῆς before διδασκαλίας gives definitive prominence to ‘the teaching,’ which, as a high function respected and implicitly obeyed, was very capable of seducing, since whatever false phases it assumed, it might find and secure followers.” The substantive is abstract and general; teaching is preferable to doctrine, because it brings out the active agency employed with more distinctness.—R.]

[42][On the reading μεθοδείαν see Textual Note2. As to its meaning, we may remark that the bad sense is not necessarily inherent in the term, which signifies: “a deliberate planning or system.” Still here the bad sense is fixed on it by the genitive which follows, and we might render it: stratagem, though in the full phrase, “system of error,” the meaning is sufficiently evident. Eadie renders “a system,” but “the system of error” is one. The force of the preposition can be brought out in English only by a periphrasis: tending to, leading to, not according to. The word πλανῆς here includes the idea of deceit no doubt, but is perhaps better expressed by error, “error in its most abstract nature.” The genitive is subjective, the error plans and machinates. That the Apostle meant to characterize “error” as evil, morally as well as intellectually wrong, is evident enough from the context. When Rueckert says that this was Paul’s weak side, to stigmatize those in error, in a spirit of dogmatical defiance, he betrays his usual incapacity for comprehending the Apostle. If truth be not sanctifying, and error demoralizing, then the Scriptures and human experience are alike at fault.—R.]

[43][Though the more extended meaning is stoutly denied by Meyer, it is accepted by Calvin, De Wette, Rueckert, Alford, Hodge, Eadie and Ellicott. The difficulty is to express the sense in English: being true is literal, but not satisfactory; walking truthfully, walking in truth, though giving the correct sense, would be inapt here; holding the truth is the best rendering, if the care is taken not to give an objective sense to truth.”—Comp. the remarks of Alford (who renders: being followers of truth) and Ellicott.—R.]

[44][The question of connection is much disputed. Many, perhaps most, join “in love” with the participle (Calvin, Grotius, Alford, Rueckert, Hodge, Stier, Bleek among others), while Harless, Meyer, Olshausen, Eadie and Ellicott connect it with the verb “grow.” In favor of the former, the order, the parallelism of structure with Ephesians 4:14, the otherwise feeble and awkward position of the participle at the beginning of the sentence, Paul’s habit of subjoining his qualifying phrases, and the vital association between love and truth, may be urged. The latter view is supported by Meyer as better agreeing with his rendering of the participle: speaking the truth; he urges also that “in love” ought to be joined with the same verb as in Ephesians 4:16, and that thus “in love,” at the beginning here and at the close there, receives its due emphasis. Still the other seems preferable, for the connection in Ephesians 4:16 is equally open to discussion. It is not “a ‘fiat justitia, ruat cœlum’ truthfulness: but must be conditioned by love; a true-seeking and true-being with loving caution and kind allowance” (Alford).—R.]

[45][This the accusative of the quantitative object (Ellicott); “we are to grow in all those things in which the Christian must advance” (Olshausen).—R.]

[46][The repetition is generally regarded as made for the sake of perspicuity, especially as ἑαυτοῦ is found in the next clause. Perhaps however the body as a whole comes more into view now.—The middle is apparently not so much reflexive as intensive and indicative of the energy with which the spiritual process is earned on (Eadie, Wordsworth, Ellicott).—R.]

[47][In Colossians (p. 55) Braune seems to limit the word to “nerves,” in accordance with the view which joins each of the substantives there used with one of the participles. As this is scarcely tenable (see in loco), and as the article is not repeated with the second substantive in that passage, the category “joints and bands” decides yet more definitely against any interpretation of this word which removes it out of the general class of the anatomical arrangements.—R.]

[48][It is difficult to decide the question of connection. In favor of the view taken by Braune “is the position of the words, and also the congruity of the figure. It is more natural to say that the Divine influence is according to the working of every part—i. e., according to its capacity and function—than to say, ‘the growth is according to the working,’ etc.” (Hodge). Ellicott and Alford connect it with the verb however. The “working” is the functional energy of the body, not Divine inworking, as seems to be indicated by the E. V.: “effectual working.”—R.]

[49][Meyer’s view overloads the verb with qualifications. “Love is just as much the element in which the edification, as that in which the growth takes place” (Alford).—In the hope of giving clearness to the exegesis of this verse, a summary is added: From whom (Christ) all the body (each and every member) fitly framed together (jointed together) and compacted (forming one whole) grows (as if possessed of life in itself) by means of every joint (every special adaptation in gift and office) of supply (which Christ grants to these joints as means and instruments, the supply being) according to the working in the measure of each several part (Christ’s vital energy is serviceable only as supplied by the means He has chosen, and He chooses to supply it as the several parts of the body exercise their functions, so that the growth is not only from Him, but symmetrical and organic also) unto (the end being) the building up of the body itself in love (as the element of edification).—R.]

[50][Eadie: “We are ignorant to a very great extent of the government of the primitive Church, and much that has been written upon it is but surmise and conjecture. The Church represented in the Acts was only in process of development, and there seem to have been differences of organization in various Christian communities, as may be seen by comparing the portion of the Epistle before us with allusions in the three letters to Rome, Corinth and Philippi. Offices seem to be mentioned in one which are not referred to in others. It would appear, in fine, that this last office of government and instruction was distinct in two elements from those previously enumerated; inasmuch as it was the special privilege of each Christian community—not a ministerium vagum, and was designed also to be a perpetual institute in the Church of Christ. The Apostle says nothing of the modes of human appointment or ordination to these various offices. He descends not to law, order or form, but his great thought is, that though the ascended Lord gave such gifts to men, yet their variety and number interfere not with the unity of the Church.” As this Epistle has for its fundamental thought, “the Church which is in Christ Jesus,” it is remarkable how the Apostle in it scarcely touches upon those points, which seem to fill the minds of many who profess to hold an exalted estimate of the Church: Nothing about the ministry constituting the Church though enough to show the necessity for the ministry; nothing about the Church maintaining the succession through fixed forms, but a good deal about Christ’s giving real pastors and teachers (the Church sometimes fails to receive such through the most ancient order of succession); nothing about Church polity, but much about the means of her advancement toward unity of faith and knowledge, toward perfection, toward the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.—R.]

[51][All questions of Church polity assume an entirely different aspect, when viewed in the light of the voluntary principle, which totally deprives the State of any control in the internal affairs of the Church. There can be no question that the Erastianism prevalent in Germany has done as much to hinder the development of the lay element in Church work in that country, as the opposite principle has to further that development in America. But the latter state of things has its dangers, e.g., incapable Sunday School superintendents and teachers, elders or deacons or church wardens or whatever they may be called, who, while contributing little to the spiritual advancement of the Church, take advantage of their office, or of the influence of their purse in the annual estimates, to control and annoy him whom God gave to be “pastor and teacher.”—R.]

[52][Eadie: “The meaning (Ephesians 4:13) is, that not only is there a blessed point in spiritual advancement set before the church, and that till such a point be gained the Christian ministry will be continued, but also and primarily, that the grand purpose of a continued pastorate in the church is to enable the church to gain a climax which it will certainly reach; for that climax is neither indefinite in its nature nor contingent in its futurity.” On the question whether the goal plainly set before the church in Ephesians 4:13, is attainable here in this world there is great difference of opinion. That it will first be reached hereafter is held by Theodoret, Calvin, Hodge and others, and that it is attainable here is affirmed by Chrysostom, Theophylact, Jerome, Luther, De Wette, Meyer, Stier, Schenkel. That πίστις is mentioned does little to decide the matter, nor is there anything to indicate that the distinction of here and hereafter, entered into the Apostle’s mind. He regards the church as one, speaks of the goal set before her on the earth, not stating whether it is to be attained on earth (So Harless, Olshausen, Eadie, Ellicott). Besides eschatological views do much to give indefiniteness to the terms “here and hereafter” in our use of them. “In such sketches the Apostle holds up an ideal which, by the aim and labor of the Christian pastorate, is partially realized on earth, and ought to be more vividly manifested; but which will be fully developed in heaven, when, the effect being secured, the instrumentality may be dispensed with” (Eadie). That effect has not yet been secured, that instrumentality may not yet be dispensed with: yet those who are tossed as waves, who are carried about by every wind of doctrine, who according to the Apostle show most clearly the present necessity for the ministerial office, are readiest to cry out that it is useless. Would that the church needed ministers less! Then they might go out into the world more frequently to win souls for Christ! Paul here certainly does not prophesy of that “church of the future,” in which there shall be neither pastor nor teacher, because each member is able to take care of himself, and there is nothing to be held up to “faith.” That “Church” in the view of those who proclaim its coming, will be based on “knowledge;” but it will be γνῶσις not ἐπίγνωσις perception of some fragments of truth, not the grasping and knowing with “faith and knowledge” all Truth, in the Person “of the Son of God.”—R.]