Eph 4:7-11 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Eph 4:7-16: 4:7-16 Though believers share a common faith, God has given different special abilities to each individual believer for building up the church. 4:7 He has given each one of us a gift of his grace for building up the community of believers (see 1 Cor 12:7 ; cp. Rom 12:6 ; 1 Cor 12:11 ).

Summary for Eph 4:7-16: 4:7-16 ^a Though believers share a common faith, God has given different special abilities to each individual believer for building up the church. 4:7 ^b He has given each one of us a gift of his grace for building up the community of believers (see 1 Cor 12:7 ^c; cp. Rom 12:6 ^d; 1 Cor 12:11 ^e).
4:8 ^f He led a crowd of captives may refer to Christ’s victory over spiritual powers (see 1:21-22 ^g; Col 2:15 ^h), or to his capture of disobedient sinners and making them believers through the power of the Good News message.

• Christ gave gifts to his people (see Eph 4:11-12 ⁱ).
Summary for Eph 4:9-10: 4:9-10 ^j to our lowly world (or to the lowest parts of the earth): Some understand this phrase as referring to the tomb, to the world of the dead (cp. Matt 12:40 ^k; 1 Pet 3:18-20 ^l), or to the coming of the Spirit at Pentecost. Instead, it probably refers to the incarnation, when Christ . . . descended from heaven and became a man (see John 1:14 ^m; 3:13 ⁿ; Phil 2:7-8 ^o).
4:11 ^p In his letters, Paul has four different lists of God’s gifts (see also Rom 12:4-8 ^q; 1 Cor 12:8-10 ^r, 28 ^s), none of which is comprehensive. Here the focus is on the gifts of leadership most needed for the growth of the church.

• Apostles are divinely commissioned missionary evangelists.

• Prophets speak messages from God for his people.

• Evangelists proclaim the Good News.

• Pastors (literally shepherds) care for God’s people (see 1 Tim 3:1-7 ^t).

• Teachers expound Scripture and God’s truths to the church.

• Pastors and teachers might refer to separate ministries or to two aspects of the same ministry.