Eph 4:11-12 | Barnes | STEP | Verse 11. And he gave some, apostles . He gave some to be apostles. The object here is to show that he has made ample provision for the extension and edification of his church. On the meaning of the word apostles , and on their appointment by the Saviour, . And some, prophets , he appointed some to be prophets. ; ; . And some, evangelists . . Comp. . The word does not elsewhere occur in the New Testament. What was the precise office of the evangelist in the primitive church it is now impossible to determine. The evangelist may have been one whose main business was preaching, and who was not particularly engaged in the government of the church. The word properly means, "a messenger of good tidings;" and Robinson (Lex.) supposes that it denotes a minister of the gospel who was not located in any place, but who travelled as a missionary to preach the gospel, and to found churches. The word is so used now by many Christians; but it cannot be proved that it is so used in the New Testament. An explanation of the words which here occur may be found in Neander on the Primitive Church, in the Biblical Repository, vol. iv. p. 268, seq. The office was distinct from that of the pastor , the teacher , and the prophet ; and was manifestly an office in which preaching was the main thing. And some, pastors . Literally, shepherds --ποιμενας. Comp. , , where it is rendered shepherd , and shepherds ; also . In , it is applied to the Lord Jesus as the great Shepherd of the flock--the church. It is rendered pastors only in the place before us. The word is given to ministers of the gospel with obvious propriety, and with great beauty. They are to exercise the same watchfulness and care over the people of their charge which a shepherd does over his flock. ; . The meaning here is, that Christ exercised a special care for his church by appointing pastors who would watch over it as a shepherd does over his flock. And teachers . . (b) "he gave some" "1Co 12:28"

Ephesians 4:11-12

Verse 11. And he gave some, apostles. He gave some to be apostles. The object here is to show that he has made ample provision for the extension and edification of his church. On the meaning of the word apostles, and on their appointment by the Saviour, Mt 10:1.

And some, prophets, he appointed some to be prophets. Rom 12:6; 1Cor 12:28; 1Cor 14:1.

And some, evangelists. Acts 21:8. Comp. 2Ti 4:5. The word does not elsewhere occur in the New Testament. What was the precise office of the evangelist in the primitive church it is now impossible to determine. The evangelist may have been one whose main business was preaching, and who was not particularly engaged in the government of the church. The word properly means, "a messenger of good tidings;" and Robinson (Lex.) supposes that it denotes a minister of the gospel who was not located in any place, but who travelled as a missionary to preach the gospel, and to found churches. The word is so used now by many Christians; but it cannot be proved that it is so used in the New Testament. An explanation of the words which here occur may be found in Neander on the Primitive Church, in the Biblical Repository, vol. iv. p. 268, seq. The office was distinct from that of the pastor, the teacher, and the prophet; and was manifestly an office in which preaching was the main thing.

And some, pastors. Literally, shepherds--ποιμενας. Comp. Mt 9:36, 25:32, 26:31, Mk 6:34, 14:27, Lk 2:8,16,18,20, Jn 10:2, Jn 10:11,12,14,16, where it is rendered shepherd, and shepherds; also Heb 13:20, 1Pet 2:25. In Mt 26:31 Mk 6:27, Heb 13:20, 1Pet 2:25, it is applied to the Lord Jesus as the great Shepherd of the flock--the church. It is rendered pastors only in the place before us. The word is given to ministers of the gospel with obvious propriety, and with great beauty. They are to exercise the same watchfulness and care over the people of their charge which a shepherd does over his flock. Jn 21:15; Jn 21:16. The meaning here is, that Christ exercised a special care for his church by appointing pastors who would watch over it as a shepherd does over his flock.

And teachers. Rom 12:7.

(b) "he gave some" "1Co 12:28" Verse 12. For the perfecting of the saints. On the meaning of the word here rendered perfecting--καταρτισμον--2Cor 13:9. It properly refers to the restoring of anything to its place; then putting in order, making complete, etc. Here it means that these various officers were appointed in order that everything in the church might be well arranged, or put into its proper place; or that the church might be complete. It is that Christians may have every possible advantage for becoming complete in love, and knowledge, and order.

For the work of the ministry. All these are engaged in the work of the ministry, though in different departments. Together they constituted THE ministry by which Christ meant to establish and edify the church. All these offices had an existence at that time, and all were proper; though it is clear that they were not all designed to be permanent. The apostolic office was of course to cease with the death of those who were the witnesses of the life and doctrines of Jesus, 1Cor 9:1; the office of prophets was to cease with the cessation of inspiration; and, in like manner, it is possible that the office of teacher or evangelist might be suspended, as circumstances might demand. But is it not clear, from this, that Christ did not appoint merely three orders of clergy to be permanent in the church? Here are five orders enumerated, and in 1Cor 12:28 there are eight mentioned; and how can it be demonstrated that the Saviour intended that there should be three only, and that they should be permanent? The presumption is rather that he meant that there should be but one permanent order of ministers, though the departments of their labour might be varied according to circumstances, and though there might be helpers, as occasion should demand founding churches among the heathen, and in instructing and governing them there, there is need of reviving nearly all the offices of teacher, helper, evangelist, etc., which Paul has enumerated as actually existing in his time.

For the edifying. For building it up; that is, in the knowledge of the truth, and in piety. Rom 14:19.

The body of Christ. The church. Eph 1:23.

(*) "edifying" "Edification"