EPHESIANS: ETERNALLY ENCLOSED IN GOD’S PLAN

Part XII: Christ’s Provision Of Edifying Gifts

(Ephesians 4:7-10)

I. Introduction

A. Paul wrote Ephesians to encourage believers of God’s work to edify the Church regardless what happened to him in his imprisonment (Ryrie St. Bible, KJV, 1978, p. 1672: “Intro. to the Letter of Paul to the Ephesians”).

B. Ephesians 4:7-10 thus records Paul’s teaching of Christ’s giving spiritual gifts to the Church for its edification:

II. Christ’s Provision Of Edifying Gifts, Ephesians 4:7-10.

A. The unity of the Church body discussed in Ephesians 4:1-6 is preserved by way of the ministry of the various spiritual gifts that are given to believers in the Church, and Ephesians 4:7-10 discusses Christ’s gifting work.

B. Paul then announced that to every believer in the Church is given a spiritual gift to use to edify others in the Church “as Christ apportioned it” (Ephesians 4:7 NIV). This phrase in the Greek text literally means “‘according to the measure . . . of the gift of Christ,’ i. e., the gift He is pleased to give. Each believer is to function in Christ’s body by God’s enablement, proportionate to the gift (spiritual ability) bestowed on him, nor more and no less . . . (S)ince each believer receives ‘grace,’ clergy and laity – to use a common present-day distinction – are on the same level in exercising their gifts” (Bible Know. Com., N. T., p. 634).

C. Paul then alluded to Psalm 68:18 in Ephesians 4:8, expressing what Psalm 68 in general states, 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 . . . Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12 speak of gifts given to believers, Ephesians 4:7 speaks more of gifted believers to the church (cf. v. 11),” Ibid.

D. Ephesians 4:9 is one of the most misunderstood verses in all of Scripture, and Ephesians 4:9-10 are Paul’s commentary on the words “He ascended” in Ephesians 4:8 NIV. We clarify what he meant (as follows):

1. Since the context deals with Christ’s giving of spiritual gifts (Ephesians 4:7-8), Ephesians 4:9-10 “are parenthetical in thought . . . Before Christ could ascend He had to descend,” Ibid.

2. However, the phrase literally read from the Greek text, “into the lower parts of the earth” (v. 9b; Ibid.) has been heavily debated in Church History, and we explain and comment on this phrase (as follows):

a. The Greek genitive “of” can be interpreted as a genitive of apposition, meaning “Into the lower parts, namely, the earth,” Ibid. This would make the phrase refer to Christ’s incarnation where He descended from heaven to take upon Himself humanity, Ibid. However, Christ’s incarnation itself provided no saving conquest of sin that would lead to His giving spiritual gifts to saved sinners, so we must reject this view.

b. The genitive “of” can be viewed as a genitive of comparison, making the phrase read, “Into the parts lower than the earth,” meaning that “Christ descended into hades between His death and resurrection,” Ibid. However, (i) though the sixth century Gallican version of the Apostle’s Creed states that Christ “descended into hell” (Henry Bettenson, Docs. of the Christ. Ch., 1966, p. 34), and some later believers understood this action was for Christ to deliver Old Testament saints from hell to heaven, Jesus in Luke 16:22-31 taught that before He had died on the cross, the believer Abraham was in bliss as opposed to Hades (or hell)! (ii) Also, some view the 1 Peter 3:19 claim that Christ went and preached to the spirits in prison occurred when Jesus went to Hell at His death either to give unbelievers a second chance to be saved (iii) or to announce His victory over sin (op. cit., Ryrie, ftn. to 1 Pet. 3:19). However, Hebrews 9:27 teaches there is no second chance after death to be saved so that 1 Peter 3:19 must mean that Christ preached through Noah to people who were alive in Noah’s day but who are now in the prison of Hades, Ibid. (iv) In addition, Jesus said He went to Paradise with the believing thief the day He died, not to Hades or to Hell, Luke 23:40-43. We thus reject the view that “of” is a genitive of comparison!

c. The genitive “of” can also be a genitive of possession, meaning, “Into the lower parts which belong to the earth,” referring to “Christ’s death and His burial,” and this “view fits the context,” for “in His death Christ had victory over sin and redeemed those who would be given as ‘gifts,’” op. cit., B. K. C., N. T.

3. Consequently, Ephesians 4:10 speaks of Christ’s ascension following His death, burial and resurrection, the position at the Father’s right hand from which He sovereignly bestows gifts to the Church, Ibid.

Lesson: By gaining victory over sin through His death on the cross, Christ victoriously captured sinful people who came to believe in Him, and as Victor, He has equipped them and given them to the Church for its edification.

Application: May each believer submit to Christ’s sovereignty to use his spiritual gift to edify other believers!