Walk this Way
Intro:
After presenting doctrinal content in the first three chapters, Paul then gave in chapters 4–6 some practical applications of those doctrines. His repeated emphasis on a believer’s “walk” (peripateō) is the hallmark of this section. The NIV translates “walk” as “live.”
The word “worthy” (axiōs) means “equal weight”; one’s calling and conduct should be in balance. “The calling” refers not only to believers’ salvation (cf. Rom. 1:5–6; 1 Cor. 1:9) but also to their union in one body. Therefore a Christian’s conduct concerns both his personal life and his responsibility to other believers in the church.
Paul stated the goal of the church in 4:13–16. The church is to grow up in Christ so it will avoid spiritual immaturity, instability, and gullibility The atmosphere of spiritual maturity is described in terms of truth and love (4:15). Maturity is defined totally in relationship to the corporate Christian body. Maturity is an ongoing process of being “joined and held together” in relationship with the body of Christ.
calling. This refers to God’s sovereign call to salvation, as always in the epistles. See note on Rom. 8:30. The effectual call that saves is mentioned in 1:18; Rom. 11:29; 1 Cor. 1:26; Phil. 3:14; 2 Thess. 1:11; 2 Tim. 1:9; Heb. 3:1.
therefore and beseech. The word therefore indicates that Paul is basing his exhortations to duty on the doctrines taught in the first three chapters. (Rom. 12:1–2 are parallel verses.) The Christian life is not based on ignorance but knowledge, and the better we understand Bible doctrine, the easier it is to obey Bible duties. When people say, “Don’t talk to me about doctrine—just let me live my Christian life!” they are revealing their ignorance of the way the Holy Spirit works in the life of the believer. “It makes no difference what you believe, just as long as you live right” is a similar confession of ignorance. It does make a difference what you believe, because what you believe determines how you behave!
Our Wealth
Our Walk
Called by grace to belong to His body (chap. 1)
Walk worthy of your calling—the unity of the Body (4:1–16)
Raised from the dead (2:1–10)
Put off the grave clothes (4:17–5:17); walk in the purity
Reconciled (2:11–22)
Walk in harmony (5:18–6:9)
Christ’s victory over Satan is the mystery (chap. 3)
Walk in victory (6:10–24)
The key word in this last half of the book is walk (Eph. 4:1, 17; 5:2, 8, 15), while the key idea in the first half is wealth. In these last three chapters, Paul admonishes us to walk in unity (Eph. 4:1–16), purity (Eph. 4:17–5:17), harmony (Eph. 5:18–6:9), and victory (Eph. 6:10–24).
This shift can be expressed in many ways: from doctrine to duty; from creed to conduct; from the Christian’s wealth to his walk; from exposition to exhortation; from the indicative to the imperative; from high society to a high life. Because of the amazing theological realities of chapters 1 through 3, Paul urges the Ephesians (and us) “to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.”
The word beseech indicates that God, in love, urges us to live for His glory. He does not say, as He did to the Old Testament Jews, “If you obey Me, I will bless you.” Rather, He says, “I have already blessed you—now, in response to My love and grace, obey Me.” He has given us such a marvelous calling in Christ; now it is our responsibility to live up to that calling.
The main idea in these first sixteen verses is the unity of believers in Christ. This is simply the practical application of the doctrine taught in the first half of the letter: God is building a body, a temple. He has reconciled Jews and Gentiles to Himself in Christ. The oneness of believers in Christ is already a spiritual reality. Our responsibility is to guard, protect, and preserve that unity. To do this, we must understand four important facts.
Unity is not uniformity. Unity comes from within and is a spiritual grace, while uniformity is the result of pressure from without. Paul used the human body as a picture of Christian unity (1 Cor. 12), and he adapts the same illustration here in this section (Eph. 4:13–16). Each part of the body is different from the other parts, yet all make up one body and work together.
The first is lowliness, or humility. Someone has said, “Humility is that grace that, when you know you have it, you have lost it.” Humility means putting Christ first, others second, and self last. It means knowing ourselves, accepting ourselves, and being ourselves to the glory of God. God does not condemn you when you accept yourself and your gifts (Rom. 12:3). He just does not want us to think more highly of ourselves than we ought to—or less highly than we ought to.
Meekness is not weakness. It is power under control. Moses was a meek man (Num. 12:3), yet see the tremendous power he exercised. Jesus Christ was “meek and lowly in heart” (Matt. 11:29), yet He drove the money changers from the temple. In the Greek language, this word was used for a soothing medicine, a colt that had been broken, and a soft wind. In each case you have power, but that power is under control.
Allied with meekness is long-suffering, which literally means “long-tempered,” the ability to endure discomfort without fighting back. This leads to the mentioning of forbearance, a grace that cannot be experienced apart from love. “Love suffereth long and is kind” (1 Cor. 13:4). Actually, Paul is describing some of the “fruit of the Spirit” (Gal. 5:22–23); for the “unity of the Spirit” (Eph. 4:3) is the result of the believer “walking in the Spirit” (Gal. 5:16).
The next grace that contributes to the unity of the Spirit is endeavor. Literally it reads “being eager to maintain, or guard, the unity of the Spirit.” “It’s great that you love each other,” I once heard a seasoned saint say to a newly wedded couple, “but if you’re going to be happy in marriage, you gotta work at it!” The verb used here is a present participle, which means we must constantly be endeavoring to maintain this unity. In fact, when we think the situation is the best, Satan will move in to wreck it. The spiritual unity of a home, a Sunday School class, or a church is the responsibility of each person involved, and the job never ends.
4:1 The first three chapters were largely in the indicative: “God has done this for you. You were like this and have become that.” The last three chapters are largely in the imperative: “Live this way. Do this; don’t do that.” God has called us by his grace and blessed us in Christ (chs. 1–3); therefore we must live out our calling in Christ as his holy and beloved people (chs. 4–6). The indicative fuels the imperative; the imperative does not earn the indicative.
Recently a UPI story told of a wheelchair-bound man who was ticketed for setting fire to his armchair. “I set the chair on fire because I’m here by myself,” said John J. Davies, fifty-eight. “I was afraid, but I didn’t care. I wanted to get attention.… I set the fire so someone would get me out of here.” Arson investigators said Davies was ticketed for misdemeanor arson to discourage him from doing it again. “Maybe he’ll realize it’s something serious,” Fire Captain Joseph Napravnik said. Actually John Davies already thought it was serious. Alienation and neglect are like death.
Commentators have suggested that the pivotal verse of the entire letter—indeed, the key that unlocks its structure—is 4:1. It brings together the themes of chapters 1–3 and in a stirring appeal announces Paul’s emphasis of chapters 4–6. The church’s privileged position and calling carries with it weighty responsibilities. Paul exhorted the church to worthy living. He emphasized the character and effort required for such exemplary living (4:1–3). Then with characteristic Trinitarian emphasis the apostle claimed the church could so live because it is energized by the Spirit, established by the Lord, and empowered by the Father.
The people who bring unity are first of all “humble and gentle.” Humility was despised in the ancient Greco-Roman world as a slave-like quality. What was admired was the mega-souled or “great-souled” man who was complete and self-sufficient.
But here Paul extols humility and couples it with the tandem characteristic of “gentle[ness]” (or meekness, as it is more often translated). This meekness/gentleness is not weakness. It is rather strength under control. There is nothing spineless or timid about it. Jesus described himself with both words, saying, “I am gentle [meek] and humble in heart” (Matthew 11:29). We see his steel-like meekness in two ways. First, in respect to himself — his power not to practice retaliation, his ability to forgive. And second, in his fierce defense of others or of the truth. I like John Wycliffe’s translation—mild.
Pride and self-promoting arrogance sow disunity, but a humble, gentle man or woman is like a caressing breeze. Charles Simeon, the great preacher of Kings’ College and Holy Trinity Cambridge, was like this. Hugh Evan Hopkins, his biographer, tells us:
When in 1808 Simeon’s health broke down and he had to spend some eight months recuperating on the Isle of Wight, it fell to Thomason to step into the gap and preach as many as five times on a Sunday in Trinity Church and Stapleford. He surprised himself and everyone else by developing a preaching ability almost equal to his vicar’s at which Simeon, totally free from any suggestions of professional jealousy, greatly rejoiced. He quoted the Scripture, “He must increase; but I must decrease,” and told a friend, “Now I see why I have been laid aside. I bless God for it.”
“Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble” (3:8); “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins” (4:8).
J. Dwight Pentecost tells of a church split that was so serious each side filed a lawsuit to dispossess the others from the church, completely disregarding the Biblical injunction not to go to court against fellow believers. The civil courts threw it out, but eventually it came to a church court, where it belonged. The higher judiciary of the church made its decision and awarded the church property to one of the two factions. The losers withdrew and formed another church in the area. In the course of the proceedings the church courts found that the conflict had begun at a church dinner when an elder received a smaller slice of ham than a child seated next to him. The root of the impasse was an absence of patience and forbearing love — not to mention humility and gentleness!
But Paul stated that saints should be completely humble in their daily walks. This is the opposite of pride. On the other hand Christians should not promote false humility, but should recognize who they are in God’s program (cf. John 3:30; Rom. 12:3). This virtue is listed first because of Paul’s emphasis on unity (pride promotes disunity; humility promotes unity) and to counteract their past pride, so as to facilitate obedience to and dependence on God. Christ was the supreme example of humility (Phil. 2:6–8).
Second, a believer is to be gentle or “meek” (prautētos; cf. the adverb of this word in Gal. 6:1; 2 Tim. 2:25 and the noun in Gal. 5:23; Col. 3:12; 1 Peter 3:16). This is the opposite of self-assertion, rudeness, and harshness. It suggests having one’s emotions under control. But it does not suggest weakness. It is the mean between one who is angry all the time and one who is never angry. One who is controlled by God is angry at the right time but never angry at the wrong time. Moses was known as the meekest of all men (Num. 12:3, KJV). Yet he got angry when Israel sinned against God (Ex. 32). Christ was meek and humble in heart (Matt. 11:29). Yet He became angry because some Jews were using the temple as a place for thieves (Matt. 21:12–13).
Third, believers should exhibit patience (makrothymias). Patience is the spirit which never gives up for it endures to the end even in times of adversity (James 5:10). It is the self-restraint which does not hastily retaliate a wrong (cf. Gal. 5:22; Col. 1:11; 3:12; 2 Tim. 4:2).
Attitudes of humility, gentleness, and patience foster unity among Christians. Having stated these three virtues, Paul then stated the manner in which they are to be carried out in one’s conduct: bearing with one another in love and making every effort (the Gr. has a participle, “making every diligent effort”) to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
Christians are not to make unity but to keep or guard what God made in creating the “one new man” (Eph. 2:15–16). They are to keep this unity “through the bond” which consists of “peace.” Concern for peace will mean that Christians will lovingly tolerate each other, even when they have differences.
4:4. Without a conjunction Paul listed the seven elements of unity centered on the three Persons of the Trinity. These provide the basis for the spirit of unity that should exist in the body of believers. One body refers to the universal church, all believers (1:23; 2:16; 3:6). One Spirit is the Holy Spirit who indwells the church (2:22). The words, just as you were called to one hope when you were called, indicate that all believers have a common hope regarding their future with God (cf. 1 Peter 1:3; 3:15), a confidence that began at the time they were “called” to salvation (Eph. 1:4, 18; 2:7; 4:1).
4:5. One Lord (cf. Rom. 10:12) refers to Christ, the Head of the church (Eph. 1:22–23; Col. 1:18). One faith speaks, most likely, not of objective faith, that is, the body of truth believed by Christians (as in Acts 6:7; 1 Tim. 3:9; 4:1, 6; Jude 3) but subjective faith which is exercised by all Christians in Christ their Lord (cf. Col. 2:7). One baptism may refer to water baptism, the outward symbol of the inward reality, or it may refer to a believer’s identification with Christ and His death (Rom. 6:1–11; Gal. 3:27). It seems unlikely that this refers to the latter, Spirit baptism, because it is in the triad of elements that pertain to Christ, the second Person of the Trinity. Also nothing in the broader context (Eph. 4:1–16) suggests that this is the Spirit’s baptism. If it refers to water baptism, then the idea is that by this single act believers demonstrate their spiritual unity.
4:6. One God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all refers to God the Father and His relationship to all believers. The fourfold use of “all” refers to “all believers,” not “all mankind.” Certainly these characteristics are not common to all people. God is the Father “of” all who believe; they are His children (John 1:12; Gal. 3:26). And He is “over” all them as their Sovereign. He lives “through” them and manifests Himself “in” them.
Two observations should be noted about this list of seven unifying elements (Eph. 4:4–6). First, the Trinity is an integral part of the list. The one body of believers is vitalized by one Spirit, so all believers have one hope. That body is united to its one Lord (Christ) by each member’s one act of faith, and its identity with Him is depicted by one baptism. One God, the Father, is supreme over all, operative through all, and resides in all. All seven components are united in the Trinity.
Second, the order in the listing of the three Persons of the Trinity is interesting. Paul began with the Holy Spirit rather than with the Father. The reason for this is that in the preceding verses he was discussing “the unity of the Spirit” (v. 3) and in verses 7–13 he discussed the gifts of the Spirit. The same order of Trinity Members is given in 1 Corinthians 12:4–6, where Paul also discussed the gifts of the Spirit.
To begin with, we should note that Paul recognizes this problem in verse 3 by commanding us to “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” “Make every effort” comes from a root word which means to make haste, and thus gives the idea of zealous effort and diligence. “Do your utmost to keep the unity of the Spirit — this is urgent!”
The Apostle John makes a monumental statement in this respect: “We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ” (1 John 1:3). This verse informs us that the closer we draw to God, the closer we will be to each other. If we would truly live this principle, not just give a superficial nod to it, there would indeed be unity.
One Spirit. The same Holy Spirit indwells each believer, so that we belong to each other in the Lord. There are perhaps a dozen references to the Holy Spirit in Ephesians, because He is important to us in the living of the Christian life.
One hope of your calling. This refers to the return of the Lord to take His church to heaven. The Holy Spirit within is the assurance of this great promise (Eph. 1:13–14). Paul is suggesting here that the believer who realizes the existence of the one body, who walks in the Spirit, and who looks for the Lord’s return, is going to be a peacemaker and not a troublemaker.
The other thing suggested by the command in verse 3 (“Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace”) is to be peacemakers. To begin with, a peacemaker is characterized by honesty. The prophet Ezekiel warned against those who act as if everything is all right when it is not, who say “‘Peace,’ when there is no peace” (Ezekiel.13:10). Such individuals, according to Ezekiel, are merely plastering over cracked walls, and when the rain comes, the walls fall (vv. 10, 11). Jeremiah, using some of the same phrasing, put it memorably: “They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious. ‘Peace, peace,’ they say, when there is no peace” (Jeremiah 6:14). The peacemaker is painfully honest about the absence of peace in the world, in the society in which he moves, and in his own personal relationships. He admits when he is at odds with others. He does not pretend that things are OK when they are not.
Here Paul borrows a line from Psalm 68:18. In verse 7 of that psalm God is pictured as marching in triumph before all Israel after the Exodus. When he comes to Sinai, the earth shakes under his feet (v. 8). Then in verses 11–14 kings and armies are described as fleeing before him while his people sleep peacefully before their fires. Finally, in verses 16 and 17, from Mt. Sinai God sets his sight on Mt. Zion and moves with “tens of thousands and thousands of thousands” of chariots up the slopes of Jerusalem in victory, leading captives in his train and receiving gifts from men (v. 18).
Paul, in applying this line to Christ in Ephesians, changes the line from “receiving” to “giving” — the triumphant Christ “gave gifts to men.” On what basis Paul made this change we do not know. Possibly he borrowed it from an Aramaic targum, for we know that there were targums which read exactly this way and it was a very acceptable rendering in the first century. Whatever the case, the difference was only formal and not substantial, for ancient military victories precipitated the receiving of tribute and the distribution of the largess.2
The fact that he “ascended” implies that he descended in the Incarnation to the “lower, earthly regions,” which is another way of indicating the humiliation of coming to earth (cf. John 3:13). His descent to earth meant that he set aside the independent exercise of his attributes (such as his omnipresence), submitting the exercise of them to the Father’s will, and went down, down, down in the Incarnation, and then went even further down in his death, actually becoming sin for us (2 Corinthians 5:21). But then he burst up in exaltation — so that now he fills the whole universe as a conquering King and joyously lavishes gifts upon his children. He bestows abundant gifts to his Church and gives his people power to fulfill their gifts.
The gifts and enabling grace which we have, have been given to us as Christ apportioned them. They came from the conquering King. They are given with great expectation on his part, for he expects us to use them to bring power and victory in the Church.
The Gospel of John reminds the church that oneness was the Lord’s design for His followers (John 17:20–23). Jesus’ prayer for every generation of believers was that “all of them may be one” (John 17:21). This unity with one another stems from a shared oneness with the Father and Son. The stated intent is that “the world may believe” in Jesus through the united testimony of His disciples.
John made a similar point to a church in turmoil. Those in fellowship with God (those who “walk in the light”) share a resultant fellowship of love (1 John 1:5–7). The absence of this Christlike love, which should characterize the “light,” is no small matter. A loveless, divisive Christianity is not Christianity at all. It is a type of heresy (1 John 2:9–11, 15, 19).
Yet the church experienced divisions. Selfishness, immaturity, conceit, and an unforgiving attitude are identified as common, root causes (Rom 15:7; 1 Cor 3:1–4; Phil 2:1–4; Jas 4:1–12). Even apparently mature Christians could place personal feelings or interests ahead of the good of the gospel and thus generate divisions. Individuals in conflict could also gather into warring factions and endanger the life and witness of the church (Acts 6:1–4; Gal 2:11–13; Phil 4:2–3; 3 John 9–10).
Believers were exhorted to recognize these pitfalls and avoid them. They were to emphasize the church’s common purpose rather than focus on the ambitions of individuals (John 17:21; Phil 2:2). They were to accept others (forgiving faults and accepting differences) as Christ had accepted them (Rom 15:7; Col 3:13–14). Also, like Christ, they were to promote the well-being of others, not narrowly pursue their own goals (Phil 2:3–4). The true “yokefellow” was exhorted not only to govern his own actions but also to promote unity where there was conflict (Phil 4:2–4).
4:4–6 In this passage, Paul lists the particular areas of oneness, or unity: body, Spirit, hope, Lord, faith, baptism, and God and Father. He focuses on the Trinity—the Spirit in v. 4, the Son in v. 5, and the Father in v. 6. His point is not to distinguish between the Persons of the Godhead but to emphasize that, although they have unique roles, they are completely unified in every aspect of the divine nature and plan.
4:8 When He ascended on high. Paul used an interpretive rendering of Ps. 68:18 as a parenthetical analogy to show how Christ received the right to bestow the spiritual gifts (v. 7). Psalm 68 is a victory hymn composed by David to celebrate God’s conquest of the Jebusite city of Jerusalem and the triumphant assent of God up to Mt. Zion (cf. 2 Sam. 6, 7; 1 Chr. 13). After such a triumph, the king would bring home the spoils and the prisoners. Here Paul depicts Christ returning from His battle on earth back into the glory of the heavenly city with the trophies of His great victory at Calvary (see notes on 2 Cor. 2:14–16). led captivity captive. Through His crucifixion and resurrection, Christ conquered Satan and death, and in triumph returned to God those who were once sinners and prisoners of Satan (cf. Col. 2:15). gave gifts to men. He distributes the spoils throughout His kingdom. After His ascension came all the spiritual gifts empowered by the Spirit, who was then sent (see John 7:39; 14:12; Acts 2:33).
However, it is better to think that Paul was not quoting one particular verse of the psalm but rather that he was summarizing all of Psalm 68, which has many words similar to those in Psalm 68:18. The essence of the psalm is that a military victor has the right to give gifts to those who are identified with him. Christ, having captivated sinful people by redeeming them, is Victor and gives them as gifts to the church. Whereas Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12 speak of gifts given to believers, Ephesians 4:7 speaks more of gifted believers given to the church (cf. v. 11).
What is meant by to the lower, earthly regions, literally, “into the lower parts of earth”? The genitive “of” can be taken in three ways: (1) “Into the lower parts, namely, the earth” (a genitive of apposition). This would refer to Christ’s incarnation, His “descent” to the earth. (2) “Into the parts lower than the earth” (a genitive of comparison). This would mean that Christ descended into hades between His death and resurrection. (3) “Into the lower parts which belong to the earth” (a genitive of possession). This would refer to Christ’s death and His burial in the grave. The third view best fits the context because in His death Christ had victory over sin and redeemed those who would be given as “gifts” to the church.
Paul moves now from what all Christians have in common to how Christians differ from each other. He is discussing variety and individuality within the unity of the Spirit. God has given each believer at least one spiritual gift (1 Cor. 12:1–12), and this gift is to be used for the unifying and edifying (building up) of the body of Christ. We must make a distinction between “spiritual gifts” and natural abilities. When you were born into this world God gave you certain natural abilities, perhaps in mechanics, art, athletics, or music. In this regard, all men are not created equal, because some are smarter, or stronger, or more talented than others. But in the spiritual realm, each believer has at least one spiritual gift no matter what natural abilities he may or may not possess. A spiritual gift is a God-given ability to serve God and other Christians in such a way that Christ is glorified and believers are edified.
How does the believer discover and develop his gifts? By fellowshipping with other Christians in the local assembly. Gifts are not toys to play with. They are tools to build with. And if they are not used in love, they become weapons to fight with, which is what happened in the Corinthian church (1 Cor. 12–14). Christians are not to live in isolation, for after all, they are members of the same body.
What are the graces he gives? The answer can be partially seen in the five lists of spiritual gifts in the Scriptures (4:11; 1 Corinthians 12:8–10; 12:28–30; Romans 12:6–8; 1 Peter 4:11). But here Paul focuses on four gifted persons who are gifts to the church: “It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers” (v. 11).
4:11. “Apostles” were literally commissioned messengers carrying out their sender’s mission; as such, they were backed by the sender’s authority to the extent that they accurately represented that commission; in the New Testament, the term applies to commissioned agents of Christ authorized in a special way (more authoritatively than others) to declare and propagate his will. “Prophets” were spokespersons for God, whose role was known from the Old Testament and continued in the church; apostles were to prophets perhaps as prophetic judges (e.g., Samuel and Deborah) or leaders (e.g., Elijah and Elisha) were to other Old Testament prophets—with special rank and authority.
“Evangelists,” as proclaimers of good news (the message of Christ), were seen as “heralds,” again a type of messenger. “Pastors” were literally “shepherds” (used for overseers in the Old Testament, e.g., Jer 23:2–4), elsewhere in the New Testament identified as overseers of local congregations (Acts 20:17, 28; 1 Pet 5:1–2); they were called to shepherd God’s people by declaring his message accurately (Jer 23:18–22). “Teachers” were expounders of the Scriptures and of the Jesus tradition; if they functioned like Jewish teachers, they probably offered biblical instruction to the congregation and trained others to expound the Scriptures as well.
The gifts in fact are gifted persons: apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers (or pastor-teachers). Apostles and prophets were already mentioned in 2:20 and 3:5 as the foundational gifts to the church. In a strict sense apostles were witnesses of Christ’s resurrection and were commissioned by Him to preach. It broadly included those associated with such men, who also were commissioned for ministry (for example, see Acts 14:4, 14; 1 Thess 2:6). Prophets, under the direct inspiration of God, carried out a preaching ministry that included both foretelling and forthtelling.
Evangelists ministered in a manner itinerant and external from the church. They were missionaries to the unconverted empowered with special insight into the gospel’s meaning. Pastors and teachers most likely constituted two sides of one ministry. This ministry was indigenous and internal to the church. Persons with this gift shepherd the flock and instruct them in divine truth.
This maturation, which is aided by gifted teachers and leaders (v. 11), is described in a variety of ways: as the fullness of Christ (v. 13), as doctrinal stability (v. 14), as growing up into Christ (v. 15), and as strengthening the body (v. 16). It is important to note that Paul is describing much of this growth corporately, not just individually. The church is Christ’s instrument not only of world outreach and renewal but also of his sanctifying work in believers’ own lives through Christian example, worship, and accountability. All of these contribute to our growth in grace. The good news of the gospel is not just that we can be saved by Christ but that we are being renewed into the image of Christ (v. 24; cf. Rom. 8:29; 2 Cor. 3:18; 4:4).
the fullness of Christ. God wants every believer to manifest the qualities of His Son, who is Himself the standard for their spiritual maturity and perfection. See notes on Rom. 8:29; 2 Cor. 3:18; Col. 1:28, 29.
They must learn discernment (1 Thess. 5:21, 22). See 3:1; 4:20. The NT is replete with warnings of such danger (Acts 20:30, 31; Rom. 16:17, 18; Gal. 1:6, 7; 1 Tim. 4:1–7; 2 Tim. 2:15–18; 2 Pet. 2:1–3).
4:12 equipping. This refers to restoring something to its original condition, or its being made fit or complete. In this context, it refers to leading Christians from sin to obedience. Scripture is the key to this process (see notes on 2 Tim. 3:16, 17; cf. John 15:3). saints. All who believe in Jesus Christ. See note on 1:1. the work of ministry. The spiritual service required of every Christian, not just of church leaders (cf. 1 Cor. 15:58). the edifying of the body of Christ. The spiritual edification, nurturing, and development of the church (cf. Acts 20:32).
the head. Given the picture of the church as a body whose head is Christ, “head” is used in the sense of authoritative leader, not “source,” which would have required a different anatomical picture. See 1:22; 5:23.
4:16 from whom. This refers to the Lord. Power for producing mature, equipped believers comes not from the effort of those believers alone but from their Head, the Lord Jesus Christ (cf. Col. 2:19). every part does its share. Godly, biblical church growth results from every member of the body fully using his spiritual gift, in submission to the Holy Spirit and in cooperation with other believers (cf. Col. 2:19).
The purpose of the gifted believers (vv. 7–11) is to equip other believers for the ministry so as to give them stability doctrinally and practically and thus lead them to mutual edification. Like several other passages in Ephesians (1:3–14, 15–23; 2:1–7; 3:1–13, 14–19; 4:1–7; 6:14–20), 4:11–16 is one long sentence in Greek.
4:14–16. Here Paul expressed the ultimate purpose, or perhaps better, the result (hina) of gifted people equipping saints to serve the Lord and others. Negatively, believers should not be like immature infants who are easily swayed and confused, like waves being tossed back and forth (cf. Luke 8:24; James 1:6) and blown here and there (lit., “whirled around,” a violent swinging that makes one dizzy) by every gust of wind of teaching … by the cunning, better, “trickery” (kybeia, lit., “dice-playing”) of men in their deceitful scheming (panourgia, also used in Luke 20:23; 1 Cor. 3:19; 2 Cor. 4:2; 11:3), moving toward (pros indicates goal) a system of error. False teachers cause this kind of confusion regarding the truth in order to try to bring believers into their erroneous schemes. In contrast (de, Eph. 4:15) Paul stated positively that by speaking the truth in love (lit., “truthing in love,” which has the idea of maintaining truth in love in both speech and life) believers may grow up into Him with reference to all things. Christ, then, is the Source of a believer’s growth and also the Aim and Goal of his growth (cf. v. 13). From the Head (cf. 1:22; 5:23; Col. 1:18) the body derives its whole capacity for growth and activity (Eph. 4:16). Each member of the body is joined (2:21) by being carefully fitted together, and each member is held or brought together by means of every supporting ligament (cf. Col. 2:19) according to the standard (kata, with the accusative) of the measured working (metrō, from metron) of each individual. This causes the body of Christ to grow (cf. Eph. 4:15) and build itself up (cf. v. 12) in love. The phrase “in love” occurs three times (vv. 2, 15–16), thus pointing to the way unity is maintained. Significantly the word “measure” (metron) is also used three times in this context (vv. 7, 13, 16). Each believer is to function in Christ’s body by God’s enabling grace in accord with the measure of the gift Christ bestowed on him (v. 7). When each believer accomplishes that measure, then the church grows properly (v. 16), coming ultimately to the measure of Christlikeness (v. 13). Stunted growth comes when one does not allow his or others’ gifts to function.
The preservation of unity is the responsibility of God’s gifted people in the church (vv. 7–16). In this unity of structure is variety of function. Paul emphasized body growth, not self-growth. Each individual contributes to this unified growth as he allows his particular gift(s) to function.
The third evidence of maturity is truth joined with love: “Speaking the truth in love” (Eph. 4:15). It has well been said that truth without love is brutality, but love without truth is hypocrisy.
Note once again the emphasis on love: “forbearing one another in love” (Eph. 4:2); “speaking the truth in love” (Eph. 4:15); “the edifying of itself in love” (4:16). Love is the circulatory system of the body. It has been discovered that isolated, unloved babies do not grow properly and are especially susceptible to disease, while babies who are loved and handled grow normally and are stronger. So it is with the children of God. An isolated Christian cannot minister to others, nor can others minister to him, and it is impossible for the gifts to be ministered either way.
It effectively eliminates the traditional model of the local church as a “pyramid, with the pastor perched precariously on its pinnacle, like a little pope in his own church, while the laity are arrayed beneath him in serried ranks of inferiority.” It also shoots down the model of a “bus, in which the pastor does all the driving while the congregation are the passengers slumbering in peaceful security behind him.”7
The Biblical model is the Body of Christ in which those in pastoral roles prepare God’s people for works of ministry. This is why I share the pulpit with my colleagues. While I am the senior pastor, I do not regard myself as the pastor and my associates as lesser ministers. We all have our part to do in building up the Body of Christ, and all our parts are equally important.
Lastly, there is the medium of growth, and this is exquisitely beautiful, for it is literally “truthing in love.” Our text renders it in verse 15 as “speaking the truth in love,” but it is the participle aletheuontes, which means truthing. This carries the idea of not only speaking the truth but doing it. This is the medium through which growth is maximized. When there is “truthing in love,” when true lives are married to love, the Spirit is free to do his work, and the result is wonderful. “Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work” (vv. 15, 16).