ferent interpretations. The root ἄρω means to unite or bind together. Hence ἄρτιος signifies united, complete, perfect; and the verb καταρτίζω is literally to mend, Matt. 4, 21; to reduce to order, to render complete, or perfect, Luke 6, 40; 2 Cor. 13, 11; to prepare or ren- der fit for use, Heb. 10, 5; 13, 21. The substantive may express the action of the verb in the various mod- ifications of its meaning. Hence it has been rendered here—1. To the completion of the saints, i. e. of their number. 2. To their renewing or restoration. 3. To their reduction to order and union as one body. 4. To their preparation (for service). 5. To their perfecting. This last is to be preferred because agreeable to the frequent use of the verb by this apostle, and because it gives the sense best suited to the context.
The word διακόνια, service, may express that service which one man renders to another—Luke 10, 40, “ with much serving;” or specially the service rendered to Christians, 1 Cor. 16, 15, “addicted themselves to the
> or the official service of the
ministry of the saints ;’ ministry. Hence the phrase εἰς ἔργον διακονίας may mean ‘to the work of mutual service or kind offices,’ or to the work of the ministry—in the official sense. The latter is the common interpretation, and is to be preferred not only on account of the more frequent use of the word in that sense, but also on account of the connection, as here the apostle is speaking of the dif- ferent classes of ministers of the word.
The principal difficulty connected with this verse concerns the relation of its several clauses. 1. Some
CHAP. Iv. VRR. 12. 229
propose to invert the first and second so that the sense would be, ‘Christ appointed the apostles, &c., for the work of the ministry, the design of which is the per- fecting of the saints and the edifying of the body of Christ.’ But although the sense is thus good and per- tinent, the transposition is arbitrary. 2. Others regard the clauses as coordinate. ‘These officers were given for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying the body of Christ.’ To this is objected the change in the prepositions (πρὸς, εἰς--εἰς), and the incongruity of the thoughts—the expressions not being parallel. 38. The two latter clauses may be made subordinate to the first. ‘Christ has appointed the ministry with the view of preparing the saints, for the work of serving one another,’ (compare εἰς διακονίαν τοῖς ἁγίοις, 1 Cor. 16, 15,) and for the edification of his body. This however assumes διακονία to have a sense unsuited to the context. 4. Others make the two clauses with εἰς explanatory of the first clause, ‘ Christ appointed these officers for the preparation of the saints, some for the work of the ministry, and some for the edifying of his body.’ But this is inconsistent with the structure of the passage. It would require the intro- duction of τοὺς μὲν---τοὺς δὲ, ‘some, for this, and some, for that.’ 5. Others again, give the sense thus, ‘ For the sake of perfecting the saints, Christ appointed these officers to the work of the ministry, to the edification of his body.’ The first clause πρὸς κατ. expresses the remote, es—eis the immediate end of the appointment in question. The “ work of the ministry” is that work