The Pulpit Commentary — Ephesians — Section 151

setting it up, o.nd e.s all Christian history for the gifts for these offices were not con- he.a katified, they were o. marvellous gift of tinued, and without the gifts the offices are Christ to his Church. And some, prophets. impossible. The meaning- is that, till tho Next to the o.poatles in point of value, as event specified, there is to f,., a provision in gifts to the Church, he.ving supernatural the Cb urch of the offices that are needed, knowlodge of God's will present e.nd future and the apostle, in using "until," pl'obahly (Acts xxi.11). Prophets were indispensable had in view the le.st office in his liat- before the New Testo.ment we.a given e.s the pe.ators and teachers. To the unity of the Church's infallible gnide to the will of God, faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of but not o.ppo.rently necessary after the will God, Both genitives are governed by 1111 i tv; of God we.s fully recorded. And some, already there is one faith (ver. 5), but ,rn evangelists, The ne.ture of this office is nll, i.e. all who compose or are yet to com- known only from the meo.ning of the term pose the body of Christ, the totality of this e.nd the work of those who bore the desig- body, have to be brought to this faith. As nation (Acts x.xi. 8; 2 Tim. iv. 5)-per- in ver. 5" faith "isnotequiva.leutto "creed" sona not attached t.o a particular congrega- or truth believed, but the act of believin;; tion, but who went e.bout preaching the IIO here the consummation which the minis- glad tidings, e.nd otherwise building up the ters of the Church are given to bring a.bout Church, but without the full powers of is a state in which faith in the Son of God e.poatles. And some, pastors and teachers. shall characterize all, o.nd that. not a blind The more ordinary settled ministers of con- faith, but e. faith e.saocie.ted with knowleclge. gregations, called pastors, because they Usually faith e.nd knowledge o.re opposed watched over the flock, trying to lead e.ll to each other; but here faith he.a more the in right ways; and teachers, because they meaning of trust than of mere belief-trust communicated Divine knowledge. Some based on knowledge, trnst in the Son of God he.ve thought that each expression denotes be.sed on knowledge of his Person, hi.'! work, e. sepo.rate office, but, coupled e.s they are and his relation to them that receive him. together, it is better to regard them e.s To bring e.11 the elect to this faith is the indicating two functions of one office (see object of the ministry; when they are all I Tim. v. 17; Acts xiii. I). brought to it, the body of Christ will be Ver. 12.-In order to the perfecting of the complete, and the functions of the Christian saints. The ultimate end for which the ministry will cease. Unto a perfect man, gifts bestowed (comp. Heh. xii. I). A work nnto the measure of the stature of the ful- of completion is in hand, which must be nese of Christ, The idea of organic com- fulfilled (see ver. 13): the saints, now com- pleteness is ,more fully expressed by these passed about with infirmity, have to be two clauses; the consummation is the com- freed from all stain (eh. v. 26, 27), and e.s in- pleteness of the whole body of Christ as struments towo.rds this end, the ministers of such; but thnt involves the maturity of each the Church are given by Christ; they e.re individual who is a constituent po.rt of that not mere promoters of civilization, men of body; and the meo.sure or sign of mntur1ty, culture ple.nted among the rude, but instru- both for the individnnl and for the whole, is ments for adve.ncing men to complete holi- the stature of the fulneas of Christ (comp. ness. For the work of the ministry. The Rom. viii. 29, "Whom he did foreknow, preposition is changed from 1rpbs to ,ls, 1rpbs them he also foredained to be conformed to denoting the ultimate end, ds the immediate the image of his Son"). The question bas object ( comp. Rom. xv. 2); the office of the been put-Will this consummation be in this Church officers is not lords, but 6,a1<ovol, life or the next? The one seems to melt sorvo.nts,oa Ch1iat himselfwas(Matt.xx.28), into the other; the idea of n .co!npletc For the building up of the body of Christ. Church and that of o. new economy seem Bringing bone to its bone and sinew to its inseparable; 11s the coming of Christ will sinew, increasing the number of believers, terminate the observnnco of the Lord's and promoting the spiritual life of each; Supper, so it will terminate the ministries carrying on all their work e.s Christ's ser- ordained by Christ for the completion of his vants and with a definite eye to the pro- Church, motion of the great work w bich he nndertook Ver. 14.-The.t we be no more ohildren, when he ca!lle to seek and to eave the lost. tossed to and fro and oe.rried abont with Ver. 13.-Until we e.ll come. This mo.rke every wind of teaching. The apostle goes the duration of the office of the ministry. bo.ok to illustrate in another way tho pur- Some ma.into.in tho.t it implies that all these pose of tho rninistr_v; it is designed to offices a.re to continue in the Church until remedy childish fickleness o.nd the co.uses the result specified is obtained (Co.tholio that leo.d to it. 'l'he ignorant and inex- Apostolic or lrvingite Church): this is con- perienced lie nt the mercy of abler persons, tra.dieted by Scripture and by experience, so nnd, when there is no regulnr ministry pro- far e.s apostles and prophets o.re concerned, vided by Christ, 11ro liable to be swept along  l.'iO THE EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS. ton, IV. 1-32,