Jesus was the giver of church leadership

JESUS WAS THE GIVER OF CHURCH LEADERSHIP
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
Ephesians 4:11 And it was He who gave some to be
apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists,
and some to be pastors and teachers,
BIBLEHUB RESOURCES
The Variety Of The Gifts
Ephesians 4:11
T. Croskery
The Lord himself gave apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors,and teachers.
Provisionis thus made for three great objects.
I. THE FOUNDATION OF THE CHURCH. It needed a specialorder of
inspired men to lay the foundations. Hence believers are said "to be built
upon the foundation of apostles and prophets" (Ephesians 2:20). The
foundation, however, had only to be laid once for all, and these apostles and
prophets passedawayin the first age of Christianity. There is no place,
therefore, now in the Church for either class;for the "apostles" ofthe
Irvingite sectpossessno single qualification of the original apostles of Christ.
As the apostles wrote nearly the whole of the New TestamentScriptures,
which supply the literary foundation of Christianity, they may thus be

regardedas still identified with the progress of the gospelin all lands and all
ages.
II. THE EXTENSION OF THE CHURCH. Evangelists were specially
designedto preach the gospelin districts where it had not been previously
known. They are on this ground distinguished from pastors and teachers.
They itinerated from place to place, carrying with them the wonderful story of
the cross, andwere quite exempt, as such, from the labors of organizationor
discipline. Our missionaries in modern times do the work of evangelists.
III. THE CONTINUANCE OF THE CHURCH. Pastors and teachers were
stationary ministers appointed for the continuous edification of the flock.
They represent, not two classesofoffice-bearers, but two aspects ofone and
the same office. They are distinguished alike from prophets and from
evangelists, andhad to do with the permanent instruction and guidance of the
flock. The existence ofsuch an order of teachers proves that the Christian
Church was not to be propagatedor maintained by mere gifted persons. Why,
in that case, shouldthe Lord have appointed such ordinary officers at all? The
pastors of Ephesus and Corinth were distinct from the prophetically gifted
persons in both Churches (1 Corinthians 14.;Ephesians 4:11). Private
persons, no matter how gifted, were not allowedto take the place of apostles
and prophets at Corinth, and therefore net of pastors and teachers. If they
could not take the place of the one, they could not take the place of the other.
If all believers were to exercise the gift of ministry in the Christian
dispensation, why should not the apostles have startedwith this arrangement
from the first? Why should the Lord give pastors and teachers to one
generation- and that a generationprovided with at leasttwo inspired orders
of teachers - and make no similar provision for all future generations? -T.C.

Biblical Illustrator
And He gave some, apostles;and some, prophets; and some, evangelists;and
some, pastors and teachers.
Ephesians 4:11
The Christian ministry
W. Cunningham, D. D.
I. From this passagewe learn, THAT THE INSTITUTION OF THE
CHRISTIAN MINISTRY— the appointment of pastors and teachers — is
from God, IS OF DIVINE AUTHORITY. The objectwhich the Christian
ministry is designedto effectis the convictionand conversionof sinners, and
the edificationand consolationofsaints; but these are effects which no
human, and, indeed, no created, poweris able to produce. The office of the
Christian ministry — that is, the institution of a separate orderof men to
attend, more peculiarly, to the religious instruction of others — is admirably
adapted in its ownnature as a means to effectthe objectintended, and its
adaptation is evident even to the eye of human wisdom; but it was not devised
by human wisdom, and it must not be judged of, or regarded, solely from its
extrinsic fitness.

II. Since, then, the text informs us, in the first place, that the appointment of
pastors and teachers is a Divine institution, intended to be instrumental in
accomplishing certainobjects, and of course deriving all its efficacyfrom the
blessing of Him who appointed it, we shall now considerWHAT OBJECTS IT
WAS DESIGNED TO EFFECT.Forwhat purpose did Godgive pastors and
teachers? It was "forthe perfecting of the saints, for the edification of the
Body of Christ." The "perfecting of the saints" may here mean the completion
of their number. It may also mean, making them perfectin holiness. We are
further informed by the apostle, that God "gave pastors and teachers for the
edifying of the Body of Christ." "The Body of Christ" is an expressionoften
used in Scripture to denote the Church of Christ. And the greatobjectof this
figurative mode of speaking is to representthe absolute dependence of
believers upon their great living Head at all times for nourishment and
strength, and, indeed, for existence orvitality, as well as the close and intimate
connectionthat subsists betweenthe Head and all the members — that is,
betweenChrist and His people — and betweenthe members with eachother.
The word "edify" properly means to build; and it is takenfrom another
figurative idea, sometimes given us in Scripture, of the Church of Christ, or of
true Christians in their connectionwith and dependence upon Christ, namely,
that of a building or temple, of which Christ is the foundation, and in which
all His people are representedas stones. And in this work of edification or
sanctification, pastors and teachers whomGod has appointed are master
builders, whose greatduty and privilege it is to be employed as instruments in
edifying the Body of Christ — in building up the saints in their most holy faith
— in carrying on the greatwork of which our Saviour laid the foundation
while He lived upon the earth — in not only bringing men to the knowledge
and belief of the truth, but also in leading them to walk in the paths of holiness
— to walk in harmony and in love — and to contribute to one another's
spiritual progress.
III. We would now CONSIDER THE STATEMENT WHICH THE TEXT
CONTAINS OF THE MORE COMPREHENSIVE AND ULTIMATE
OBJECTSFOR WHICH THE CHRISTIAN MINISTRYWAS
INSTITUTED, AND WHICH THE LABOURS OF PASTORS AND

TEACHERS ARE INTENDEDTO SERVE, namely, that Christians may
grow up in "all things unto Him who is the Head — that they may all come in
the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge ofthe Son of God, unto a perfect
man — unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ." And here we
would notice the description the apostle gives of the direct objects and effects
of the labours of pastors and teachers, namely, that Christians "speak the
truth in love." "Speaking the truth" is contrastedwith being tossedto and fro
like children, or carriedabout with every wind of doctrine; and as the
appointment of pastors and teachers, with their regular and faithful
ministrations, are intended by God to preserve the Church, or Body of Christ,
from the latter of these, so they are also fitted to produce and secure the
former. "To speak the truth" means here to hold and to maintain sound and
correctviews of Christian doctrine — of the greatprinciples of the oracles of
God. And this is an acquisition of greatimportance, lying at the very
foundation of all true religion, which is built upon right views of the Divine
character, and of the Divine plans and purposes with regard to the human
race. But, besides this, it is also necessarythat men "speak the truth in love"
— that is, that their assertionand maintenance of the truth, even againstits
opposers, should never lead them into any violation of the greatlaw of
Christian charity and love. Not that either ministers or private Christians are
bound to speak orto think more favourably of opposers of the truth than the
fair and impartial examination of their conduct may seemto warrant and to
require. But when our opinion is really and sincerelyfair and impartial, it is
no objection to it that it is unfavourable; for that must just depend upon the
grounds and merits of the case. Our opinions upon all points should be exactly
conformable to truth — to the intrinsic merits of the subject; but the
expressionof these opinions, and the conduct which they may lead us to adopt,
should be at all times regulatedby love. The greatterminating objectof the
Christian ministry — and indeed of all God's dealings with His people — is
statedby the apostle in the eighteenth verse — "that we may all come in" —
or rather into — "the unity of the faith and of the knowledge ofthe Son of
God — unto a perfect man — unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of
Christ." This describes the state of the Church in its collective capacity —
when the objects of the Christian ministry, and indeed of all other means of
grace, shallhave been accomplished. At present, there is nothing like complete

unity of faith and knowledge. There is reason, however, to think that times are
in reserve for the Church, even upon earth, when these evils shall be greatly
lessened, if not altogetherremoved — when the Church shall indeed resemble
a greatand a holy Society, founded upon one rock, and that rock Christ: —
devoted to the one great purpose of manifesting the glory and making known
the manifold wisdom of God. But whatever degree ofharmony and purity the
Church of Christ shall attain upon earth, when God shall pour out His Spirit
upon all flesh, and introduce the glory of the latter days, certain it is that there
will be a time when all His people shall come into the unity of the faith, and of
the knowledge ofthe Son of God, when there shall be nothing whatever to
hurt or to offend, when His people shall be all righteous — freed from
everything that may pervert either the judgment or the conduct — made
perfect in holiness, and altogetherrestoredto the lostimage of their great
Creatorand their living Head.
(W. Cunningham, D. D.)
Ministers in the Church appointed by Christ
T. Boston, D. D.
I. A REMARKABLE INSTANCE OF OUR EXALTED LORD'S LIBERTY
TO HIS CHURCH in bestowing divers gifts upon her.
1. The gifts.
2. The Giver.
3. The act of donation.
4. The time to which it relates.

II. THE END OR DESIGN OF THIS GIFT.
1. In respectof the saints, these who are in Christ already, the ministry is to
perfect them, πρὸς τὸν καταρτισμὸν. The wordsignifies the restoring and
setting dislocatedmembers again in their proper place. It signifies also, the
perfecting and establishing them in the restoredstate. So the Corinthians, who
by their factions and divisions were rent asunder, and as a disjointed body,
are exhorted to be κατηρτισμένοι, perfectlyjoined together, as a joint well
knit (1 Corinthians 1:10). The saints being, by reasonof remaining
corruption, so ready to turn aside both from Christ the Head, and from their
brethren fellow members. Godgave ministers to be spiritual surgeons to set
them right again, and to fix them in nearerunion to Christ by faith, and to
their brethren in love.
2. In regard of themselves, for the work of the ministry. It is for work that
they are appointed. This work, for the kind of it, is διακονία, a ministry or
service, the first excluding idleness, the secondexcluding a lordly dominion.
3. In respectof the Body of Christ; it is to edify, viz., the mystical Body of
Christ.
(T. Boston, D. D.)
Service the purpose of the Church
Chas. De Witt Boardman, D. D.
The text is clouded by a wrong punctuation. If a single comma be dropped, so
as to make the text read, "He gave some, pastors and teachers, forthe

perfecting of the saints for the work of ministering," it will clearly express
what some expositors believe is its meaning, and be in harmony with what is
taught elsewherein the New Testament as to the duty which is owedby the
Church to the world. "The saints" have a ministry if "the Body of Christ" is
to be "edified." The Church is not to be as a lake without any outlet — a mere
glass in which the sky is reflected — but a reservoirthat yields what it
receives forthe health of mankind. Every member has something to do. Every
Christian is to be a channel of blessing to others, "evenas the Son of Man
came, not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom
for many."
I. In the development of this theme let us consider, first, THE DISPARITY IN
CIRCUMSTANCE AND CONDITIONBETWEEN OURSELVESAND THE
VAST MULTITUDE OF OUR FELLOW MEN;THE CONTRAST
BETWEENOUR AND THEIR MORAL EXPERIENCE. Ifthere be anything
approaching the truth in our oft-repeatedconfessions, we have entered,
through Christ, upon an ample inheritance of privilege and honour and
power. Our sins are forgiven; a new life has been given us; we live in God's
fellowship. "All things are yours," says the apostle, "whetherPaul, or Apollos,
or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come;
all are yours." And what deed ever conveyed riches like these? "Why am I,
honest and industrious, harassedand tormented, while dishonestythrives, and
has the world, cap in hand, at its feet? Where is the evidence of the love, or the
wisdom, you preach? Where even is justice? It is a bad world; and the best
thought about life is, that it will sooncome to an end."
II. This brings us, second, TO THE PRINCIPLE WHICH IS EXPRESSEDIN
THE TEXT, AND ON WHICH ALONE THESE INEQUALITIES CAN BE
JUSTIFIED. Everyvariety implies in some sense superiority or inferiority.
But who would wish for a mere uniformity, which would be the destruction of
all that is interesting, of all that is beautiful, of all emulation, of all excellence?
Who cannot see that to receive from one another and to impart to eachother
what we mutually lack, is a far better thing than to be born to an exact
equality of advantages? Varietyis essentialto the proper development of

society;and whilst God alone can explain why the obvious advantage is with
one man, or with one class insteadof another, still He takes from it all that is
invidious by associating with privilege the responsibility of service. Turn, for
illustration of this, to the accountof the calling of Abraham. He was chosen
out of the ranks of his countrymen, and out of the world of his day, for special
enlightenment; to hear a Divine voice that was unheard by all others, and to
realize a communion more elevatedand purer than theirs. And why? Did it
denote that he monopolized the Divine favour? that those who were left in the
dark had no part in the thoughts and the purposes of Jehovah? On the
contrary, he was electedfor their sakes;in him, who was thus favoured and
quickened, all the nations of the earth were to be blessed. And this is always
the end which God has in view in the appointment of any to superior
possessionandprivilege. Their endowment is to bring goodto the many.
Every great movement in socialor political life may be tracedto some
individual, or to some company of men, who have been privileged to originate
the high enterprise. The diffusion of truth is not by the equal instruction of all
men at the same moment, but by circles and schools who have found out the
truth, and through whom it spreads out until it becomes the possessionofall.
The preference is shownto the few in the interest of the many. And it is the
same in respectof the Church. Those in its fellowship are to serve;for it exists
not for itself, but for man, for humanity at large;because man is
comprehended in the greatlove of the Fatherand in the scope ofthe
redemption which Christ came to accomplish.
(Chas. De Witt Boardman, D. D.)
The Divine choice of ministers
Bishop Reynolds.
For if no prince will send a mechanic from his loom or his shears in an
honourable embassageto some other foreign prince, shall we think that the
Lord will send forth stupid and unprepared instruments about so great a

work as the perfecting of the saints and perpetual dishonour of that wicked
king Jeroboam, who made no other use of any religion but as a secondarybye
thing, to be the supplement of policy, that "he made of the lowestof the
people" those who were really such as the apostles were falselyesteemedto be,
the "scumand offscouring of men," to be the priests unto the Lord.
(Bishop Reynolds.)
Pastors needed
C. H. Spurgeon.
In the church of San Zeno, at Verona, I saw the statue of that saint in a sitting
posture, and the artist has given him knees so shortthat he has no lap
whatever; so that he could not have been a nursing father. I fear there are
many others who labour under a similar disability: they cannotbring their
minds to enter heartily into the pastoralcare.
(C. H. Spurgeon.)
Charles Kingsley as a pastor
Life of Charles Kingsley.
On one occasionKingsley was visiting a sick man suffering from fever. "The
atmosphere of the ground floor bedroom was horrible, but before the rector
said a word he ran upstairs, and, to the greatastonishment of the people of the
cottage, boredwith a large augerhe had brought with him severalholes above
the bed's head for ventilation. And when diphtheria, then a new disease in
England, made its appearance at Eversley, he might have been seenrunning
in and out of the cottages withgreatbottles of gargle under his arm, and
teaching the people to gargle their throats as a preventive."
(Life of Charles Kingsley.)

A goodpastor
C. A. Barrel, D. D.
Father Taylorsaid of a certain member of his flock who kept continually
falling back into drunken ways, "He is an expensive machine; I have to keep
mending him all the time; but I will never give him up."
(C. A. Barrel, D. D.)
Carelesspastors
W. Baxendale.
St. Francis, reflecting on a story he heard of a mountaineer in the Alps who
had riskedhis life to save a sheep, says, "O God, if such was the earnestnessof
this shepherd in seeking for a mean animal, which had probably been frozen
on the glacier, how is it that I am so indifferent in seeking my sheep?"
(W. Baxendale.)
COMMENTARIES
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
(11) He gave.—Inthe original “He” is emphatic—He and He alone, as the
ascendedHead of humanity. The word “gave,” insteadof the more obvious
word set, or appointed (used in 1Corinthians 12:28), is, of course, suggested
by Ephesians 4:8. They who are ministers of His gifts are themselves gifts
from Him to the Church.
Some, apostles;and some, prophets . . .—With this passagewe must compare
1Corinthians 12:28, “God hath setsome in the Church, first apostles,
secondarilyprophets, thirdly teachers, afterthat miracles, then gifts of

healings,” &c.;and, perhaps, Romans 12:6-8, “Having then gifts . . . whether
prophecy . . . or ministry . . . or teaching . . . or exhortation . . .,” although this
last passageis lass formally apposite. In all three cases there is the same
generalidea, first of the one body, and then of the one Spirit, guiding and
animating it through various ministries. The parallel betweenthis passageand
the passage in 1 Cor. is very close;for in the latter all that follows the words
“afterthat” may be put aside, as describing, not specialoffices or ministries,
but specialgifts. We have, therefore, in both, “first apostles, secondly
prophets.” Then come, in the earlier Epistle, “teachers;” and this class, in our
own later Epistle, is subdivided into “evangelists” and“pastors,” bothbeing
teachers—the one in conversionof those still aliens from Christ, the other in
edification of those already brought into His flock.
Some, apostles.—The name “apostles” is certainly used here in its technical
and restrictedsense, as applying to the Twelve, whom “the Apostle” of God
Himself (Hebrews 3:1) named as His Apostles (Luke 6:13), and with whom St.
Paul claims equality (see 1Corinthians 9:1; 1Corinthians 15:9-11;Galatians
1:1) on the ground of his own specialmission and revelation from the same
Lord. It is, indeed, used in a wider sense;sometimes with words distinctly
implying a derivation and human mission, as in 2Corinthians 8:23, “apostles
(or, messengers)of the churches;” Philippians 2:25, “Epaphroditus, your
apostle (or, messenger);” sometimes without such qualification, as in
2Corinthians 11:5; 2Corinthians 11:13; 2Corinthians 12:11-12;
1Thessalonians2:7; and, perhaps, Romans 16:7. But such use is rare, and
cannot be applied to a passagelike this, which is distinctive of a specialand
primary class. In direct charge from the Lord, universal scope ofmission,
specialinspiration and power of miracle, which are “the signs of an apostle”
(2Corinthians 12:12), the Apostles, properly so called, stoodout in office
absolutely unique and supreme. What was said of the first age of the Church
is true of all ages—“ofthe restdurst no man join himself unto them” (Acts
5:13).

Some, prophets.—Forthe nature and function of prophecy in the Church, see
the detailed treatment of the subject by St. Paul in 1 Corinthians 14. It is
sufficient here to note (1) that from very early times the “prophets” are
mentioned as a separate class(see Acts 11:27;Acts 15:32; Acts 21:10),
distinguished from teachers (Acts 13:1), and that, in this Epistle especially,
they are spokenof, in connectionwith the Apostles, as receiving the revealed
mystery of the gospel(Ephesians 3:5), and being (or, laying) “the foundation
of the Church;” (2) that their office, like the Apostolate, is clearly
extraordinary, distinct from the ordinary and permanent teaching of the
evangelists and pastors, and, probably, best described by the two phrases so
constantly applied to the prophets of the Old Testament—“the wordof the
Lord came to me;” “the Spirit of the Lord was upon me.” As all God’s
extraordinary gifts and workings are closelycorrelatedwith His ordinary
laws of operation, so in this case the apostolic and prophetic offices gradually
melt awayinto the regular functions of government and teaching, belonging in
all times to the ministry of the Church.
Some, evangelists;and some, pastors and teachers.—Inthese two phrases
(corresponding to the simple word “teachers” in 1Corinthians 12:28)we find
describedthe two-fold office of the regular ministry of the Church—first, to
preach the gospelto the heathen or the unconverted, and next, to fulfil our
Lord’s pastoralcharge (John 21:15-17)offeeding and shepherding those who
are alreadyHis sheep. It is clearthat the same person may be invested with
the two offices, as Timothy, when in pastoralcharge at Ephesus, is bidden “to
do the work of an evangelist” (2Timothy4:5); and that in some degree the two
offices must always be united, for the evangelist, like the apostle, is generally
calledupon to organise and “confirm the churches” (Acts 14:22-23;Acts
15:41), and the pastor must always find men unconverted, to whom he must
be an evangelist. But the two elements of duty will co-existin different
proportions in different persons. Some were then, and are now, especially
calledto be “evangelists”—thatis, as is shown by the careerof Philip, to
whom the name is first given (Acts 21:8), to be, under the apostolic guidance,
missionaries to the unconverted; others to be “pastors andteachers,” feeding
now with “pure milk of the word,” now with “solidmeat” (see 1Corinthians

3:2, and Hebrews 5:12), those already gatheredinto the fold, and exercising
over them the pastoralauthority solemnly committed by our Lord to His
ministers. Yet both candischarge only under limitation the functions which in
the Apostles were practicallyunlimited.
On the question whether this celebratedpassagedescribesthe regular orders
or the functions, ordinary and extraordinary, of the ministry, we may fairly
say that while no doubt the very genius of the passagepoints to the latter
alternative, yet the ultimate appealmust be made to history. It is clear, from
the nature of the case, thatnone could inherit the direct and universal
commissionfrom Christ held by the Apostles;it is certain historically that the
supernatural gifts of prophecy and miracle passedaway;it is hardly less
indisputable that the two functions of evangelismand pastorate were always
shared among the three orders of bishops, priests, and deacons afterthe close
of the Apostolic age.
BensonCommentary
Ephesians 4:11. And — Among other his free gifts; he gave some, apostles —
His chief ministers and specialwitnesses, as having seenhim after his
resurrection, and receivedtheir commissionimmediately from him. The office
of an apostle was to declare, in an infallible manner, the whole gospel
doctrine: to qualify them for which they were endowedwith the plenary and
most abundant inspiration of the Holy Spirit, imparting to them a perfect
knowledge ofall those truths and mysteries which they were to publish to the
world. And some he gave to be prophets — Whose office it was to explain
infallibly the true meaning of the ancientprophecies, and also themselves to
predict future events, by virtue of the extraordinary revelations made to them.
And some, evangelists — Who were to preach the gospelin different Gentile
nations, either before or after the apostles, under whose direction they seem
generallyto have acted. To fit them for this office Christ gave them the gift of
tongues, and such other miraculous endowments as were necessaryfor the
exercise oftheir ministry, and the confirmation of their doctrine. All these

were extraordinary officers:the ordinary were some, pastors, (called
επισκοπους, bishops, Acts 20:28,)watching over and feeding their several
flocks. To fit them for which work, it appears from 1 Corinthians 12:28-31;1
Corinthians 14:1-5; 1 Corinthians 14:23-26, that Christ bestowed, atleaston
some of them, the gifts of miracles and tongues, also the gift of prudence, to
enable them to govern their particular churches in a proper manner. And
teachers — Whether of the same or a lowerorder, to assistthem as occasion
might require. It is probable the peculiar office of those here termed teachers,
as distinguished from those calledpastors, was to instruct the young and
ignorant in the first principles of the Christian religion. And they likewise
were doubtless fitted for their work, by such gifts as were necessaryto the
right discharging thereof; and some infer from 1 Corinthians 12:28, that
supernatural gifts, such as those of miracles and tongues, were also conferred
on some of them.
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
4:7-16 Unto every believer is given some gift of grace, fortheir mutual help.
All is given as seems bestto Christ to bestow upon every one. He receivedfor
them, that he might give to them, a large measure of gifts and graces;
particularly the gift of the Holy Ghost. Not a mere head knowledge, orbare
acknowledging Christ to be the Sonof God, but such as brings trust and
obedience. There is a fulness in Christ, and a measure of that fulness given in
the counselof God to every believer; but we never come to the perfect
measure till we come to heaven. God's children are growing, as long as they
are in this world; and the Christian's growth tends to the glory of Christ. The
more a man finds himself drawn out to improve in his station, and according
to his measure, all that he has received, to the spiritual goodof others, he may
the more certainly believe that he has the grace ofsincere love and charity
rooted in his heart.
Barnes'Notes on the Bible
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 edificationof

his church On the meaning of the word "apostles,"and on their appointment
by the Saviour, see the notes on Matthew 10:1.
And some, prophets - He appointed some to be prophets; see the Romans 12:7,
note; 1 Corinthians 12:28, note; 1 Corinthians 14:1, notes.
And some, evangelists -see the notes on Acts 21:8; compare 2 Timothy 4:5.
The word does not elsewhereoccurin the New Testament. What was the
precise office of the evangelistin 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 engagedin the "government" of
the church. The word properly means "a messengerofgoodtidings;" and
Robinson(Lexicon) supposes that it denotes a minister of the gospelwho was
not locatedin any place, but who traveled as a missionary to preach the
gospel, and to found churches. The word is so used now by many Christians;
but it cannotbe proved that it is so used in the New Testament. An
explanation of the words which here occurmay be found in Neanderon the
Primitive Church, in the Biblical Repository, vol. iv. pp. 258ffThe 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" - ποιμένας poimenas;compare
Matthew 9:36; Matthew 25:32;Matthew 26:31; Mark 6:34; Mark 14:27;
Luke 2:8, Luke 2:15, Luke 2:18, Luke 2:20; John 10:2, John 10:11-12, John
10:14, John 10:16, where it is rendered "shepherd and shepherds;" also
Hebrews 13:20; 1 Peter2:25; in Matthew 26:31; Mark 14:27; Hebrews 13:20;
1 Peter2:25, it is applied to the Lord Jesus as the greatshepherd of the flock -
the church. It is rendered "pastors" only in the place before us. The word is
given to ministers of the gospelwith obvious propriety, and with greatbeauty.
They are to exercise the same watchfulness and care river the people of their
charge which a shepherd does over his flock;compare the notes on John
21:15-16. The meaning here is, that Christ exerciseda specialcare for his

church by appointing "pastors" who would watchover it as a shepherd does
over his flock.
And teachers - see the notes on Romans 12:7.
Jamieson-Fausset-BrownBible Commentary
11. Greek, emphatical. "Himself" by His supreme power. "It is He that gave,"
&c.
gave some, apostles—Translate,"some to be apostles, andsome to be
prophets," &c. The men who filled the office, no less than the office itself,
were a divine gift [Eadie]. Ministers did not give themselves. Compare with
the list here, 1Co 12:10, 28. As the apostles, prophets, and evangelists were
specialand extraordinary ministers, so "pastors and teachers" are the
ordinary stated ministers of a particular flock, including, probably, the
bishops, presbyters, and deacons. Evangelists were itinerantpreachers like
our missionaries, as Philip the deacon(Ac 21:8); as contrastedwith stationary
"pastors and teachers" (2Ti4:5). The evangelistfounded the Church; the
teacherbuilt it up in the faith already received. The "pastor" had the outward
rule and guidance of the Church: the bishop. As to revelation, the
"evangelist" testifiedinfallibly of the past; the "prophet," infallibly of the
future. The prophet derived all from the Spirit; the evangelist, in the special
case ofthe Four, recorded matter of fact, cognizable to the senses, under the
Spirit's guidance. No one form of Church polity as permanently unalterable is
laid down in the New Testamentthough the apostolicalorderof bishops, or
presbyters, and deacons, superintended by higher overseers(calledbishops
after the apostolic times), has the highest sanctionof primitive usage. In the
case ofthe Jews, a fixed model of hierarchy and ceremonialunalterably
bound the people, most minutely detailed in the law. In the New Testament,
the absence ofminute directions for Church government and ceremonies,
shows that a fixed model was not designed; the generalrule is obligatoryas to
ceremonies, "Letall things be done decently and in order" (compare Article

XXXIV, Church of England); and that a successionof ministers be provided,
not self-called, but "calledto the work by men who have public authority
given unto them in the congregation, to call and send ministers into the Lord's
vineyard" [Article XXIII]. That the "pastors" here were the bishops and
presbyters of the Church, is evident from Ac 20:28; 1Pe 5:1, 2, where the
bishops' and presbyters' office is said to be "to feed" the flock. The term,
"shepherd" or "pastor," is used of guiding and governing and not merely
instructing, whence it is applied to kings, rather than prophets or priests (Eze
34:23;Jer 23:4). Compare the names of princes compounded of "pharnas,"
Hebrew, "pastor," Holophernes, Tis-saphernes (compare Isa 44:28).
Matthew Poole's Commentary
And he gave;distributed severalgifts, (which are spokenof in general,
Ephesians 1:7), according to his Father’s appointment, who is said to set in the
church what Christ is here said to give, 1 Corinthians 12:28.
Objection. Nothing is here said of gifts, but only of offices.
Answer. Christ never gave offices without suitable furniture; this diversity
therefore of offices includes diversity of respective gifts.
Apostles;extraordinary officers, with an immediate call, universal
commission, infallibility in teaching, and power of working miracles,
appointed for the first founding the Christian church in all parts of the world,
Matthew 28:19 Acts 19:6.
Objection. The apostles were appointed by Christ before his death.

Answer. The apostle here speaks notof Christ’s first calling them, but:
1. Of his fully supplying them with gifts necessaryto the discharge of their
office, which was after his resurrection, Acts 1:4 John 7:39. And:
2. Of their solemn inauguration in their office, by the pouring out of the Holy
Ghostupon them in a visible manner, Acts 2:1-47.
Prophets;extraordinary officers who did by immediate revelationinterpret
the Scriptures, 1 Corinthians 14:4,5, and not only such as did foretell things to
come, Acts 11:27 21:10.
Evangelists;these were likewise extraordinary officers, for the most part
chosenby the apostles, as their companions and assistants in preaching the
word, and planting churches in the severalplaces where they travelled. Such
were Timothy, Titus, Apollos, Silas, &c.
Pastors and teachers;either two names of the same office, implying the
distinct duties of ruling and teaching belonging to it; or two distinct offices,
but both ordinary, and of standing use in the church in all times; and then
pastors are they that are fixed to and preside overparticular churches, with
the care both of instructing and ruling them, 1 Thessalonians 5:12 Hebrews
13:17;called elsewhere elders, andbishops, Acts 20:28 Philippians 1:1 1
Timothy 3:1 Titus 1:5,7 1 Peter 5:1,2.
Teachers;they whose work is to teach the doctrine of religion, and confute the
contrary errors.
Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And he gave some apostles,.... Thatis, he gave them gifts by which they were
qualified to be apostles;who were such as were immediately called by Christ,
and had their doctrine from him, and their commissionto preach it; and were
peculiarly and infallibly guided by the Spirit of God, and had a powerto work
miracles for the confirmation of their doctrine; and had authority to go
everywhere and preachthe Gospel, and plant churches, and were not confined
to anyone particular place or church; this was the first and chief office in the
church, and of an extraordinary kind, and is now ceased;and though the
apostles were before Christ's ascension, yetthey had not receivedtill then the
fulness of the Spirit, and his extraordinary gifts to fit them for their office;nor
did they enter upon the discharge of it in its large extent till that time; for they
were not only to bear witness of Christ in Jerusalem, in Judea and Samaria,
but in the uttermost parts of the earth:
and some prophets; by whom are meant, not private members of churches,
who may all prophesy or teachin a private way; nor ordinary ministers of the
word; but extraordinary ones, who had a peculiar gift of interpreting the
Scriptures, the prophecies of the Old Testament, and of foretelling things to
come;such were Agabus and others in the church of Antioch, Acts 11:27
and some evangelists;by whom are designed, not so much the writers of the
Gospels, as Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, some of which were also
apostles;as preachers of the Gospel, and who yet were distinct from the
ordinary ministers of it; they were below the apostles, andyet above pastors
and teachers;they were the companions of the apostles, and assistants to
them, and subservedthem in their work;such were Philip, Luke, Titus,
Timothy, and others;these were not fixed and statedministers in anyone
place, as the following officers be, but were sent here and there as the apostles
thought fit:
and some pastors and teachers, ordoctors;these may be thought to differ, but
not so much on accountof the place where they perform their work, the one in
the church, the other in the school;nor on accountof the different subject of

their ministry, the one attending to practical, the other to doctrinal points; but
whereas the pastors are the shepherds of the flock, the overseers ofit, and the
same with the bishops and elders, and the teachers may be the gifted brethren
in the church, assistants to the pastors, bare ministers of the word; so the
difference lies here, that the one has the oversight, and care, and charge of the
church, and the other not; the one can administer all ordinances, the other
not; the one is fixed and tied to some certain church, the other not: though I
rather think they intend one and the same office, and that the word
"teachers"is only explanative of the figurative word "pastors" orshepherds;
and the rather because if the apostle had designeddistinct officers, he would
have used the same form of speaking as before;and have expressedhimself
thus, "and some pastors, and some teachers";whereas he does not make such
a distribution here as there; though the Syriac version reads this clause
distributively as the others; and among the Jews there were the singular men
or wise men, and the disciples of the wise men, who were their companions
and assistants;and it is asked(y),
"who is a singular man? and who is a disciple? a singular man is everyone
that is fit to be appointed a pastor or governorof a congregation;and a
disciple is one, that when he is questioned about any point in his doctrine,
gives an answer:''
wherefore if these two, pastors and teachers, are different, it might be thought
there is some reference to this distinction, and that pastors answerto the wise
men, and teachers to their disciples or assistants;and so Kimchi in Jeremiah
3:15 interprets the pastors there of , "the pastors of Israel", which shall be
with the King Messiah, as is said in Micah5:5 and undoubtedly Gospel
ministers are meant: from the whole it may be observed, that as there have
been various officers and offices in the Gospeldispensation, various gifts have
been bestowed;and these are the gifts of Christ, which he has receivedfor
men, and gives unto them; and hence it appears that the work of the ministry
is not an human invention, but the appointment of Christ, for which he fits

and qualifies, and therefore to be regarded; and that they only are the
ministers of Christ, whom he makes ministers of the New Testament, and not
whom men or themselves make and appoint.
(y) T. Bab. Taanith, fol. 10. 2.
Geneva Study Bible
{6} And he gave some, {l} apostles;and some, {m} prophets; and some, {n}
evangelists;and some, {o} pastors and teachers;
(6) First of all he lists the ecclesiasticalfunctions, which are partly
extraordinary and for a season, suchas apostles, prophets, and evangelists,
and partly ordinary and perpetual, such as pastors and teachers.
(l) The apostles were those twelve to whom Paul was afterward added, whose
office was to plant churches throughout all the world.
(m) The prophet's office was one of the chiefest, who were men of marvellous
wisdom, and some of them could foretell things to come.
(n) The apostles usedthese as companions in the executionof their office,
being not able to go to all places by themselves.
(o) Pastors are those who govern the Church, and teachers are those who
govern the schools.
EXEGETICAL(ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Meyer's NT Commentary
Ephesians 4:11.[214]And he has, etc. From the generalπληροῦν τὰ πάντα,
Ephesians 4:10, there is now brought into prominence in reference to the
church, with a retrospective glance atEphesians 4:7, the specialpoint with
which the apostle was here concerned, in order to give the clinching argument
to his exhortation as to the keeping of the unity of the Spirit. Christ, who has
ascendedfrom the lowestdepth to the loftiestheight, in order to fill all things,
preciselyHe, has—suchis His autonomy in His church—given the different
teachers and leaders of the church, until we all shall have attained to the unity
of the faith, etc.
We are not to treat as a parenthesis either Ephesians 4:8-10 (Griesbachand
others) or Ephesians 4:9-10 (Koppe), since the continuation of the discourse
with καὶ αὐτός emphatically attaches itselfto the preceding αὐτός.
ἔδωκε] is not, any more than at Ephesians 1:22, equivalent to ἔθετο
(Theophylact and many, including Meier, Harless, Baumgarten-Crusius),
seeing that, in fact, the giving in the proper sense, to which Paul here looks
back, has preceded, and Christ has in reality given the apostles, etc., to the
church,[215]namely, through the specific charismatic endowment and,
respectivelyalso, by His ownimmediate calling (ἀποστόλους)ofthe persons in
question. Calvin rightly remarks on ἔδωκε: “quia nisi excitet, nulli erunt.”
This raising up and granting of the appropriate persons for the perfecting of
the church as His body, not the institution of a spiritual office in itself, which
as such has exclusively to administer His means of grace, is here ascribedto
Christ. Comp. (in oppositionto Münchmeyer) Hofmann, Schriftbew. II. 2, p.
283 ff.; Müller in the Deutsche Zeitschr. 1852, No. 21. The appointing to the
service of the individual congregations (as ποιμένας καὶ διδασκ.)of such
persons given by Christ lay in the choice of the congregations themselves,
which choice, conductedby apostles orapostolic men, Acts 14:23, took place
under the influence of the Holy Spirit, Acts 20:28. Thus Christ gave the
persons, and the community gave to them the service. As regards the time of

the ἔδωκε, it is to be observed that this was indeed a potiori the time after the
ascension(among the apostles in the narrowersense, also as respectsMatthias
and Paul), but that, as was obvious for the readers, the earlierappointment of
the originalapostles was not thereby excluded. The latter, namely, are not
alone meant by ἀποστόλους, but (comp. on 1 Corinthians 15:7) also men like
Barnabas and James the Lord’s brother must be reckonedamong them.
The order in which they are brought up is such, that those not assignedto a
single church precede (ἀποστ., προφ., εὐαγγ.), and these are arranged in the
order of rank. Hence the ΠΟΙΜΈΝΕς, because belonging to particular
churches, had to follow, and it is without reasonthat a Montanistic
depreciationof the bishops (Baur) is found here.
ΤΟῪς ΜῈΝ ἈΠΟΣΤΌΛΟΥς]some as apostles. Theircharacteristics are
their immediate calling by Christ, and their destination for all nations. Comp.
on 1 Corinthians 12:28.
προφήτας]As to these speakers, who, onthe receiptof revelationand through
the Holy Spirit, wrought with highly beneficial effect, yet without ecstasy, who
likewise in Ephesians 3:5 are mentioned after the apostles, see on1
Corinthians 12:10; Acts 11:27.
ΕὐΑΓΓΕΛΙΣΤΆς]who ΠΕΡΙΪΌΝΤΕς ἘΚΉΡΥΤΤΟΝ, Theodoret(see Nösselt,
ad Theodoret. p. 424); missionaryassistants to the apostles. SeeonActs 21:8.
Oecumenius would, at variance with the context (for Paul is speaking only of
the exercise ofteaching in the church), and probably also at variance with
history (at leastas regards our canonicalgospels), understand the authore of
the Gospels,which is adduced as possible also by Chrysostom.

τοὺς δὲ ποιμένας καὶ διδασκ.]denotes not the presbyters and deacons
(Theophylact), nor the presbyters and exorcists (Ambrosiaster), nor yet the
presbyters and teachers as two separate offices (Beza, Calvin, Zanchius,
Grotius, Calixtus, and others, including de Wette), the latter in the sense of1
Corinthians 12:28; but, as the non-repetition of τοὺς δέ shows, the presbyters
and teachers as the same persons, so that the presbyters are designatedby
ποιμένας in stated figurative appellation (1 Peter 5:2; Acts 20:28; John 21:15
ff.) with reference to their function of guiding oversightover doctrine, life,
and order in the church, consequently as ἐπίσκοποι (see on Acts 20:28, and
Ch. F. Fritzsche, in Fritzschior. Opusc. p. 42 ff.); and by διδασκάλους, with
reference to their function of teaching. We may add, that the διδάσκαλοι were
not, as such, at the same time presbyters, for the ΔΙΔΑΧΉ was imparted by a
specialΧΆΡΙΣΜΑ, which even ordinary members of the church might possess
(1 Corinthians 14:26); but every presbyter was at the same time
ΔΙΔΆΣΚΑΛΟς, and had to be endowedwith this ΧΆΡΙΣΜΑ; hence Paul here
puts togetherποιμένας καὶ διδασκάλους, and, 1 Timothy 3:2, it is laid down as
the requirement of an ἘΠΊΣΚΟΠΟς that he should be ΔΙΔΑΚΤΙΚΌς.
Comp. Titus 1:9. See also Augustine, Ep. lix. Comp. Jerome:“Nemo …
pastoris sibi nomen assumere debet, nisi possit docere quos pascit.” 1 Timothy
5:17 is not opposedto this (see Huther in loc.).
[214]See Schott, Progr. quo locus Pauli Ephes. iv. 11 seq., breviter explic.,
Jen. 1830.
[215]Observe the importance, for the continued appointment of the ministers
in the church, of the conceptionof the matter implied in ἔδωκε. Christ gives
the ministers of the church; the church takes those given, and places them in
the service ofthe church. Thus the church (or whoeverhas to represent the
rights and duties of the church) has not in any wayarbitrarily to choose the
subjects, but to discernthose endowed by Christ as those thereby given to it

by Him, to acknowledgeandto induct them into the ministry; hence the
highest idea of the ecclesiasticalscrutiny is, to testwhether the persons in
question have been given by Christ, without prejudice, we may add, to the
other existing requirements of ecclesiasticallaw.
Expositor's Greek Testament
Ephesians 4:11. καὶ αὐτὸς ἔδωκε τοὺς μὲν ἀποστόλους:and He gave some
Apostles. That is, “He gave some as Apostles,” or(with RV) “some to be
Apostles”. At this point Paul reverts to the statementin Ephesians 4:7, and
having shownthat the declarationin Psalms 68. applies to Christ, he proceeds
to set forth the purpose (Ephesians 4:12) with which the gifts of the exalted
Giver are bestowedand His grace givento such. But before he explains that
purpose he specifies a series of gifts given with that in view. We have a
somewhatsimilar enumeration in 1 Corinthians 12:28. But while the ruling
idea there is that of appointments (ἔθετο) and the subject is God, here the
particular idea is that of gifts (ἔδωκε)and the subjectis Christ. Further, while
the list in Ephesians begins with Apostles, prophets, evangelists, teachers, and
continues in terms of persons, the statement in 1 Cor. takes note indeed of
Apostles, prophets, and teachers, but thereafterpasses from persons to gifts
or ministries—miracles, healings, helps, governments, tongues. This has its
significance, as we shallsee. The αὐτός is againemphatic, = “he himself,” “he
and no other”. The ἔδωκε is not to be takenas = ἔθετο, appointed or set. That
it has its proper sense ofgave is clearfrom its relation to the preceding ἔδωκε
δόματα. The “giving” refers to the call of the Church’s Head, the point being
the gift of Christ to the Church in the form of certainmen chosenby Him and
equipped by Him to do service toward the building up of His body and the
bringing of all its members to the measure of the stature of His fulness.
Further, the exhortation to unity (Ephesians 4:3) is still in view, Christ having
given these “Apostles” and others in order that all His disciples may come to
the unity of the faith (Ephesians 4:13). All through the statement, too, the
primary thing is the persons, not the offices. Nothing is said of any special
order or orders in the Church possessing exceptionalprerogatives, orany
office or rank to which peculiar or exclusive powers of grace were attached.
The men are Christ’s gifts to the Church and to every member of it; and they
are given to do a certain work looking to a greatend, viz., to furnish His

people and every individual believer among them (Ephesians 4:7; Ephesians
4:16) for their particular service and their particular contribution to the
building up of Christ’s body. Nothing is said of the time when these gifts were
given. But as they are the gifts of the exaltedChrist, it is plain that the
ἀποστόλους are not to be restrictedto the original Twelve, but are to be taken
in the wider sense, including not only Paul, but Barnabas (Acts 14:4; Acts
14:14), probably James (1 Corinthians 15:7; Galatians 1:19), Silvanus (1
Thessalonians 2:6), perhaps also Andronicus and Junias (Romans 16:7). The
“Apostle” is describedas one calledby Christ (Galatians 1:1); one who has
seenChrist and been a witness of His resurrection(1 Corinthians 9:1-2; Acts
1:8; Acts 1:21-23);one whose “signs”were “wrought… by signs, and
wonders, and mighty works” (2 Corinthians 12:12); whose office also was not
limited to a single church or locality, but was related to the world generally
and to all the churches (Matthew 28:10;1 Corinthians 11:28). See also on
chap. Ephesians 1:1.—τοὺς δὲ προφήτας:and some as prophets. These are
referred to along with the Apostles also in Ephesians 2:20, Ephesians 3:5, and
in 1 Corinthians 12:28. With NT prophets we have also NT prophetesses.
Agabus, those of Antioch Judas and Silas, the four daughters o Philip, are
mentioned as having the gift of prophecy. As in the case ofAgabus this gift of
prophecy included the prediction of events (Acts 11:28;Acts 21:10), but its
chief function was edification. The prophets were preachers or exhorters, to
whom revelations of spiritual truth were imparted, and who spoke in the
Spirit (ἐν πνεύματι;Ephesians 3:5; Revelation1:10), but not in ecstacyor as
one in a trance (ἐν ἐκστάσει, Acts 10:10; Acts 22:17). Further, he was usually,
if not always, itinerant. This order of prophets continued to have a place in
the Church for a considerable period. Large mention is made of it in the
Didaché, and in Eusebius, Hist. Eccles.,v., 17, reference is made to Quadratus
and Ammia in Philadelphia. This may take the order on to Hadrian’s time; cf.
Selwyn, The Christian Prophets, and Gwatkin’s article in Hastings’
Dictionary of the Bible, iv., p. 127. See also onEphesians 2:20 above.—τοὺς δὲ
εὐαγγελιστάς:and some as evangelists.In 1 Corinthians 12:28 the evangelistis
not mentioned. Here he is distinguished from the Apostle and the prophet and
named as the third in the order of Christ’s gifts to the Church. The
εὐαγγελιστής is mentioned only twice again in the NT, viz., in Acts 21:8, where
Philip, one of the sevendeacons is so designated;and 2 Timothy 4:5, where

Timothy is chargedto “do the work of an evangelist”.Like the prophets the
evangelists were generallyitinerant preachers or missionaries, though
sometimes they had a stated place of abode or ministry. The term seems,
therefore, to belong to the Pauline vocabulary. These evangelistswere inferior
to the Apostles, assisting them or delegatedby them, but without their
authority. They had the gift (χάρισμα)of the Spirit, as in the case ofTimothy
(1 Timothy 4:14; 2 Timothy 1:6); but, if we may judge by Philip’s case (Acts
8:5-18), they could not impart the Holy Ghost. Nor do they seemto have had
the specialrevelations whichwere given to the prophets.—τοὺς δὲ ποιμένας
καὶ διδασκάλους:and some as pastors and teachers. The ποιμένες and
διδάσκαλοι are distinguished from the former orders as being connectedwith
particular churches, residentand not missionary or itinerant. The absence of
the τοὺς δέ before διδασκάλους indicates also that the ποιμένες and the
διδάσκαλοι were nottwo distinct orders, but designations ofthe same men (cf.
the πρεσβύτεροι or ἐπίσκοποι;Acts 20:28; 1 Peter2:25; 1 Peter5:2), in
different functions, the former defining them according to their office of
oversight, the latter according to their office of instruction and guidance. The
ποιμήν would naturally also be a διδάσκαλος;but there is not the same reason
for supposing that every διδάσκαλος wouldalso be a ποιμήν. Nothing is said
here of πρεσβύτεροι, ἐπίσκοποι, διάκονοι.The absence of such official terms
points perhaps to the comparatively early date of the Epistle.
Cambridge Bible for Schools andColleges
11. And he gave]The “He” is emphatic; it was He who gave. See above on
Ephesians 4:7.—Immediately, the Holy Spirit is the Giver (1 Corinthians 12:8,
&c.;cp. Acts 2:4; Acts 13:2). But His action is in Divine union with that of the
Son, and vicariously for Him.
some apostles]I.e., some men as apostles, andso through the passage. Cp. 1
Corinthians 12:28.—The giftis to the Church, from the Lord, of spiritually
calledand enabled human ministers.—“Apostles”:—see above onEphesians
1:1.

prophets] In the enumeration, 1 Corinthians 12:28, this “ministry” comes
second, as here. On the “prophets” of the N. T. see above on Ephesians 2:20,
and Appendix F.
evangelists]The word occurs thrice in N.T.;here, Acts 21:8, and 2 Timothy
4:5. It seems, like our word “missionary,” to indicate not a defined
ecclesiasticalorder (for Timothy “does the work of an evangelist,” while also
an authoritative superintendent of pastors and churches), but rather a special
kind of personalfunction in the ministry; the work of one called and devoted
to direct proclamationof the Gospelmessage. Itwas thus an elastic word, like
“missionary,” sometimes and oftenestdenoting a minister’s specialfunction,
sometimes one only of his functions. “This passage,” ourpresent passage,
“would lead us to think of the evangelists as standing betweenthe two
groups,” (apostles and prophets, pastors and teachers,)“sentforth, as
missionary preachers of the Gospel, by the first, and as such preparing the
way for the labours of the second” (Smith’s Dict. of the Bible, under the word
Evangelist). “The omissionof evangelists in the list of 1 Corinthians 12 may be
explained on the hypothesis that the nature of St Paul’s argument there led
him to speak of the settled organizationof a given localChurch” (Ibidem).
pastors and teachers]Not, “some pastors andsome teachers.” The two
functions are regardedas coinciding and combining in the one settled
guardian of a localflock;an instructive fact.—Sucha “pastor-teacher”had St
Paul himself been at Ephesus (Acts 20), where indeed he had also beenso
conspicuouslythe “evangelist.”—Onthe pastoralaspectof the Christian
ministry cp. John 21:16 (Gr. “shepherd my sheep”);Acts 20:28 (Gr.,
“shepherd the church of God”), 29; 1 Peter5:2-3. See also Luke 17:7 (Gr., “a
slave … shepherding”). And note the Lord’s own references to His supreme
Pastorate,Matthew 25:32;Matthew 26:31;John 10; and Hebrews 13:20; 1
Peter2:25; 1 Peter5:4; and Matthew 2:6 (Gr., “shallshepherd my people”).
On the teaching aspectof the ministry, cf. esp. Acts 13:1; Acts 15:35; Romans
12:7; 1 Corinthians 12:28-29;1 Timothy 3:2; 2 Timothy 2:24.

Bengel's Gnomen
Ephesians 4:11. Αὐτὸς, He himself) by His supreme power. This αὐτὸς is
repeatedfrom Ephesians 4:10. Ministers have not given themselves. [The
apostle, we might think, takes a wonderful leap in descending to these from
the comprehensive subjectof the whole universe, just now spokenof. He no
doubt has regard to the body of Christ. In like manner, ch. Ephesians 1:22
(after having just before spokenof principality, power, might, etc.)—V. g.]—
ἀποστόλους—προφήτας—εὐαγγελιστὰς, κ.τ.λ., apostles—prophets—
evangelists, etc.)Inferior offices might be conjoinedwith the highest grades;
for example, the apostle John actedat the same time as a prophet when he
wrote the Apocalypse, and as an evangelistin the Gospel;but not the contrary
[“vice versa,” the highest offices joined with the lowestgrades]. All the
apostles had also at the same time the prophetic power. Only that the very
high degree of prophecy, by which the Apocalypse was written, was peculiar
to John. But prophets and evangelists were notalso at the same time apostles.
The prophet takes precedenceofthe evangelist;for the prophet testifies
infallibly of the future, the evangelistinfallibly of the past: the prophet derives
all from the Spirit; the evangelistputs on record a matter which has been
perceivedby the senses ofsight and hearing, and yet he is fitted for an office
of the highest importance, by a gift superior to that of pastors and teachers.
Workers ofmiracles are not added here; for their actions have now somewhat
less reference to the perfecting, etc. And perhaps already, before the lastdays
of the apostles, the gift of miracles was more rarely exercised;comp. Hebrews
2:4.—ποιμένας καὶ διδασκάλους, pastors andteachers)The appellation of
shepherd (pastor) is everywhere else given to the Lord alone. Pastors and
teachers are here joined; for they chiefly feed by teaching, as also by
admonition, rebuke.
Pulpit Commentary
Verse 11. - And he gave some (to be) apostles. Coming back to the diversity of
gifts (ver. 7), He enumerates some of these, as Christ (αὐτὸς, he, emphatic)
bestowedthem. The organizationof the Church is not a mere human
arrangement; its officers are of Divine appointment. The first gift is, his
apostles. It is not meant that he gave to some the gifts needed to constitute

them apostles, thoughthat is true; but that, having qualified some to be
apostles, he gave them to the Church. An apostle had his commissiondirect
from Christ (Matthew 10:5); he possessedsupernatural gifts (Matthew 10:8);
it was necessaryfor him to have seenthe Lord (Acts 1:22); his diocese was the
whole world (Matthew 28:19; Mark 16:15). The apostles were the constituent
body of the Church - they had all necessarygifts for setting it up, and as all
Christian history has testified, they were a marvelous gift of Christ to his
Church. And some, prophets. Next to the apostles in point of value, as gifts to
the Church, having supernatural knowledge ofGod's will present and future
(Acts 21:11). Prophets were indispensable before the New Testamentwas
given as the Church's infallible guide to the will of God, but not apparently
necessaryafterthe will of God was fully recorded. And some, evangelists. The
nature of this office is known only from the meaning of the term and the work
of those who bore the designation(Acts 21:8; 2 Timothy 4:5) - persons not
attachedto a particular congregation, but who went about preaching the glad
tidings, and otherwise building up the Church, but without the full powers of
apostles. And some, pastors and teachers. The more ordinary settledministers
of congregations, calledpastors, because theywatchedover the flock, trying to
lead all in right ways;and teachers, because theycommunicated Divine
knowledge. Some have thought that eachexpressiondenotes a separate office,
but, coupled as they are together, it is better to regardthem as indicating two
functions of one office (see 1 Timothy 5:17; Acts 13:1).
Vincent's Word Studies
The gifts specified.
He gave
He is emphatic. It is He that gave. Compare given in Ephesians 4:7.
Apostles

Properly, as apostles, orto be apostles. Christ's ministers are gifts to His
people. Compare 1 Corinthians 3:5, "ministers as the Lord gave;" also 1
Corinthians 3:21, 1 Corinthians 3:22. The distinguishing features of an apostle
were, a commissiondirectly from Christ: being a witness of the resurrection:
specialinspiration: supreme authority: accrediting by miracles:unlimited
commissionto preach and to found churches.
Prophets
Preachers andexpounders under the immediate influence of the Spirit, and
thus distinguished from teachers. 1 Corinthians 12:10.
Evangelists
Traveling missionaries.
Pastors and teachers
Pastors orshepherds. The verb ποιμαίνω to tend as a shepherd, is often used
in this sense. See on1 Peter5:2; see on Matthew 2:6. The omissionof the
article from teachers seems to indicate that pastors and teachers are included
under one class. The two belong together. No man is fit to be a pastor who
cannot also teach, and the teacherneeds the knowledge whichpastoral
experience gives.

PRECEPTAUSTIN RESOURCES
BRUCEHURT MD
Ephesians 4:11 And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and
some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, (NASB:Lockman)
Greek:kaiautos edoken(3SAAI) tous men apostolous, tous de prophetas, tous
de euaggelistas,tous de poimenas kaididaskalous,
Amplified: And His gifts were [varied; He Himself appointed and gave men to
us] some to be apostles (specialmessengers), some prophets (inspired
preachers and expounders), some evangelists (preachers ofthe Gospel,
traveling missionaries), some pastors (shepherds of His flock)and teachers.
(Amplified Bible - Lockman)
NLT: He is the one who gave these gifts to the church: the apostles, the
prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. (NLT - Tyndale
House)
Phillips: His "gifts to men" were varied. Some he made his messengers, some
prophets, some preachers of the Gospel;to some he gave the power to guide
and teachhis people. (Phillips: Touchstone)
Wuest: And He himself gave some, on the one hand, as apostles, and, on the
other hand, as prophets, and still againsome as bringers of goodnews, and
finally, some as pastors who are also teachers,

Young's Literal: And He Himself appointed some to be Apostles, some to be
Prophets, some to be evangelists,some to be pastors and teachers,
AND HE GAVE SOME AS APOSTLES:kai autos edoken(3SAAI) tous men
apostolous:
Eph 4:8; 2:20; 3:5; Romans 10:14,15;1Corinthians 12:28;Jude 1:17;
Revelation18:20;21:14
Ephesians 4 Resources -Multiple Sermons and Commentaries
Ephesians 4:11-13 Growing into a Mature Church - StevenCole
Ephesians 4:7-12 - Wayne Barber
Ephesians 4:7-11 The Gifts of Christ to His Church - John MacArthur
In this passagePaullists the five kinds of ministers which have been given by
Christ to His Church with first three of these being itinerant ministers -
apostles, prophets and evangelists -who were preaching whereverthey found
an opportunity, while pastors and teachers were attachedto some
congregationor location. Forexample, Philip was a missionary who traveled
from Jerusalemto preach in Samaria and was on the road to Gaza when he
met the eunuch whom he baptized (Acts 8:5ff, 8:26ff) then arriving at Azotus
(modern Ashdod), passing through, preaching the gospelto all the cities until
he came to Caesarea(Acts 8:40). One can only conjecture that perhaps
prophets preached to believers and evangelists to unbelievers, while apostles
addressedeither. An apostle was in a sense a prophet and an evangelist, but a
prophet or an evangelistwas not necessarilyan apostle if we take the word
“apostle” withthe narrow sense ofthe apostles who had seenJesus Christ in
His resurrection(1Cor9:1).

And He gave some - Now Paul explains how Christ sets about to attain the
goalof filling all things by giving His body gifted men to foster and further
growth. Paul is picking up his main thought from Eph 4:7-note. Readverse 7
leaving out verses 8-10 which shows his continued thought...
(Ep 4:7) But to eachone of us grace was givenaccording to the measure of
Christ's gift....(Ep4:11) and He gave some as apostles...
Ray Stedman writes that these gifted men...
constitute what we shall call "support gifts" (as contrastedwith the "service"
and "sign" gifts previously considered, as found in 1 Corinthians 12 and
Romans 12). These four gifts relate to the whole body of Christ, much as the
major body systems relate to the physical body...Note that eachof the four
support ministries we are discussing have to do with the Word of God. The
first two--apostles andprophets--are concernedwith originating and
expounding the Word, while the last two--evangelists andpastor-teachers--are
concernedwith applying the Word to individual lives. The evangelistdeals
with the beginning of Christian life while the teaching pastor is involved with
the development and growthof that life. Evangelists are much like
obstetricians, helping to bring new Christians into the world. Teaching
pastors are like pediatricians, seeing that these Christians have a healthy
spiritual "diet," that their "diseases"receive properattention, and that they
get plenty of spiritual "fresh air" and "exercise."To return to the word
picture of the church as a building, the evangelistis the quarryman who digs
out the rock, cuts it loose from quarry stone, and hews it to a rough
approximation of its ultimate size. The pastor-teacheris the stone mason who
shapes the rock, fitting it into the building in its proper place according to the
blueprint of the greatarchitect. ((Ray Stedman's book Body Life
[recommended], specificallythe chapter entitled How the Body Works)
(Bolding added)

Like severalother passagesin Ephesians (Ep 1:3-14, 15-23;2:1-7; 3:1-13, 14-
19; 4:1-7; 6:14-20), Eph 4:11-16 is one long sentence in Greek.
He - Literally this reads "He Himself" which is emphatic. Paul is saying that it
is the Lord Jesus Himself who gives gifted men to perfect the church. The
Lord Jesus is the One who has the authority and is the One who bestows gifts.
And gave some... - Here Paul focuses noton individual spiritual gifts but on
gifted persons who Christ has given to the church. Notice that eachof these
designations is involved in some way with the proclamation of the Word of
God (through them it is revealed, declaredand taught), which speaks to the
critical importance of the "pure milk of the Word" in growthin respectto
salvation. It's as simple as "No Word, no growth". Don't acceptsubstitutes as
they say in the advertising world!
Gave (1325)(didomi) means He granted this based on decisionof His will and
not on the merit of the recipients.
Lesson- Let us not seek our work for Him but instead let us seek first His
Kingdom (the King) and He will give us eachour assignmentin His Kingdom
that we might carry out His Kingdom work to expand His Kingdom in His
powerand for His glory (cp Jn 15:5, 8, 16, 1Co 3:11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 2Co 5:10)
Gave some as apostles -Paul knew of what he was writing for he opens the
greatletter of Romans with these words...

Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, calledas an apostle, setapart for the
gospelof God, (Ro 1:1-note)
Comment: Paul did not seek this job. God soughthim (Acts 9:4, 5, 6, 15, 16)
and gave him the job (2Ti 1:1-note).
Apostles (652)(apostolos [wordstudy] from apo = from + stello = send forth))
signifies one sent forth by another, often with a specialcommissionto
representanother and to accomplishhis work. It canbe a delegate,
commissioner, ambassadorsentout on a mission or orders or commissionand
with the authority of the one who sent him. The apostolos was officially
commissionedfor the position or task.
Apostolos is primarily used as a specific and unique title for the thirteen men
(the Twelve, with Matthias replacing Judas, and Paul) whom Christ
personally chose and commissionedto authoritatively proclaim the gospeland
lead the early church. The thirteen apostles notonly were all calleddirectly by
Jesus but all were witnesses ofHis resurrection, Paul having encounteredHim
on the Damascus RoadafterHis ascension. Thosethirteen apostles were given
direct revelation of God’s Word to proclaim authoritatively, the gift of
healing, and the powerto castout demons (Mt 10:1). They were even
impressed with this authority themselves, onone occasionreturning back to
Jesus and telling Him how they rejoicedto discoverthat the demons were
subject to them. When these gifted men spoke the Word, they had authority
and that word of authority especiallymarked them as apostles. Andy by signs
that accompaniedtheir ministry, their teaching authority was verified (cf. 2Co
12:12). Thus the apostolic teachings andwritings became the foundation of
the church (see below), and their authority extended beyond localbodies of
believers to the entire believing world.

Apostolos - 80x in 79v - - apostle(18), Apostle(1), apostles(52), apostles'(5),
messenger(1),messengers(1),one who is sent(1).
Matt 10:2; Mark 3:14; 6:30; Luke 6:13; 9:10; 11:49; 17:5; 22:14;24:10; John
13:16;Acts 1:2, 26;2:37, 42f; 4:33, 35ff; 5:2, 12, 18, 29, 40; 6:6; 8:1, 14, 18;
9:27; 11:1; 14:4, 14;15:2, 4, 6, 22f; 16:4; Rom 1:1; 11:13;16:7; 1 Cor1:1; 4:9;
9:1f, 5; 12:28f;15:7, 9; 2 Cor 1:1; 8:23; 11:5, 13; 12:11f; Gal1:1, 17, 19;Eph
1:1; 2:20; 3:5; 4:11; Phil 2:25; Col1:1; 1 Thess 2:7; 1 Tim 1:1; 2:7; 2 Tim 1:1,
11; Titus 1:1; Heb 3:1; 1 Pet 1:1; 2 Pet1:1; 3:2; Jude 1:17; Rev 2:2; 18:20;
21:14.
Earlier in Ephesians Paul relatedthe importance of apostles and prophets
writing that God's building (composedof believing Jews and Gentiles)was...
built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself
being the cornerstone (Eph 2:20-note)
Comment: These first apostles and prophets were foundational, and once that
foundation had been laid in the form of the NT books, there was no longer a
need for this function. And so there is are no apostles in the sense that Paul or
Peterwere apostles. Some usedthe term "apostle"in a secondarysense to
describe those men who go out and plant churches, but this "apostolic gift" as
some have calledit should in no way be confusedwith the gift given to the
original 13 apostles whose function was unique and is not to be repeated. In
other words there is no so-calledapostolic successionas some have mistakenly
taught. To reiterate there is no other line of truth about Jesus Christ and no
new revelationwhich cancome to us about Him other than what the original
apostles have given.

Ray Stedman has an explanatory note writing that
"The foundation of the church is Jesus Christ, as Paul declaredto the
Corinthians, "Forno other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid,
which is Jesus Christ" (1Cor. 3:11), and the primary work of an apostle was
to declare the whole body of truth concerning Jesus Christ. That is the
foundation. What the apostles sayabout Jesus Christ is the foundation of the
church, and what they said about Jesus Christ is recordedfor us in the New
Testament. Thatbook is written by the apostles and prophets, and the church
rests squarely upon that foundation. How does one get into the church? By
believing the truth about Jesus Christ (and believing means more than
intellectual assent--itis a commitment of the will as well). It is only as the
church rests upon this foundation of the faith, as taught by the apostles, that
there is any certainty or strength. Today many are straying from the
foundation and as a result they have lost any note of authority or assurance.
Merely human view-points or opinions do not change the foundation. Modern
knowledge and the discoveries ofscience will never alter it. Our ultimate
concernis what the apostles taught. That is the greatestrevelationofreality
we possess,"the truth [as it] is in Jesus" (Eph. 4:21-note).
People in the construction business know that a foundation is of the utmost
importance. You do not take risks or shortcuts with a foundation. You lay it
squarely, securely, and strongly, for the whole building is going to rest on that
foundation and will derive its strength from the characterofthe foundation.
The same is true of the church.
The Lord Jesus made very clearthat if a man builds on the wrong foundation,
he is in trouble. One man may build his house on the sand and the house may
look very beautiful and impressive, but when the storms come, it falls.
Another man may build on the rock and his house will stand in the storm. It is

the foundation which makes all the difference." (Ray Stedman's book Body
Life [recommended], specificallythe chapter entitled How the Body Works)
In Ephesians 3 these gifted men known, both apostles andprophets were the
recipients of God's revelation...
which in other generations was notmade known to the sons of men, as it has
now been revealedto His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit (Ep 3:5-
note)
At times in the NT apostle carriedthe broad meaning of one sent as a
messengerordelegate with instructions from a group or an individual (cf
2Cor8:23, Php 2:25-note), but the apostles referredto in this passage mean
only those who were apostles afterthe AscensionofChrist. Apostles was the
official title of the Twelve, including Paul and thus was a temporary office.
Nowhere in the Word of God do we see the teaching of apostolic succession.
To the contrary, God’s Word indicts those who lay claim to the title of apostle
as deceivers...
'I know your deeds and your toil and perseverance,and that you cannot
endure evil men, and you put to the test those who callthemselves apostles,
and they are not, and you found them to be false (Rev 2:2-note)
MacDonaldwrites that...
In the primary sense we no longerhave apostles and prophets. Their ministry
ended when the foundation of the church was laid, and when the NT canon
was completed. We have already emphasized that Paul is speaking here of NT

prophets; they were given by Christ after His Ascension. (MacDonald, W &
Farstad, A. Believer's Bible Commentary: Thomas Nelson)
Comment: The factthat the apostles andprophets were part of the foundation
[See Ep 2:20-note], a foundation which was laid in NT times, substantiates
that these offices by virtue of their purpose have long since disappearedfrom
the church.
AND SOME AS PROPHETS:tous de prophetas:
Ephesians 4 Resources -Multiple Sermons and Commentaries
Ephesians 4:11-13 Growing into a Mature Church - StevenCole
Ephesians 4:7-12 - Wayne Barber
Ephesians 4:7-11 The Gifts of Christ to His Church - John MacArthur
Prophets (4396)(prophetes from pró = before or forth + phemí = to tell, to
speak, to show, to make knownone's thoughts, to bring to light by one's
speech<> Phemí is derived from pháo = to shine) means one who speaks forth
or before (beforehand) is literally one who speaks forth (speaks openly)or
speaks before (in the sense of foretelling or predicting future events). (See
Marvin Vincent's expansion of this definition below). In the Bible prophetes
generallydescribes one who proclaims inspired utterances on behalf of God.
Sometimes the NT prophet was a foreteller(declaring future events, teaching
eschatology= study of future events) but more often in the NT he was a
forthteller speaking forth divinely revealedtruth for the purpose of sound
doctrinal instruction (1Ti 4:6, 2Ti 4:3-note, Titus 1:9-note, Titus 2:1-note)
with the goalto lay a foundation (Ep 2:20-note)and build up (edify) the body
(cp 1Co 14:3, 2Co 13:10, Ep 4:12-note, Ep 4:16-note).

In the NT prophetes corresponds to the person who in the OT spoke under
divine influence and inspiration. This included the foretelling future events or
the exhorting, reproving, and threatening of individuals or nations as the
ambassadorofGod and the interpreter of His will to men. In the case ofthe
OT, the prophets’ preaching was a foretelling of the salvationyet to be
accomplishedin the Messiah. In the NT, prophecy was a publication of the
salvationalready accomplished, insofaras it did not concernitself with
realities still future.
New Unger's Bible Dictionary says a prophet is "One who is divinely inspired
to communicate God’s will to His people and to disclose the future to them."
W E Vine says a prophet is "A proclaimer of a divine message, denoted
among the Greeks aninterpreter of the oracles ofthe gods."
RelatedResources:
Prophet (Parts 1 & 2) International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (scrolldown
the page)
Prophet in Easton's and Smith's dictionaries
Prophet in Baker's EvangelicalDictionaryof Biblical Theology
Prophet in Holman
Prophet in Hastings
Prophet in Nave's Topic -(Eg, CalledSeers...Schoolsof...Keptthe
chronicles...Counselorsto kings...persecutions, etc
What is a prophet in the Bible?

What was a prophet in the Old Testament?
How many prophets are in the Bible?
Here in Ephesians 4 prophetes refers to those who spoke under divine
influence and inspiration foretelling future events or exhorting, reproving,
and admonishing.
Vine (modified) summarizes the uses of prophetes in the NT...
(a) of the OT prophets, e.g., Mt. 5:12; Mark 6:15; Lk 4:27; Jn 8:52; Ro 11:3;
(b) of prophets in general, e.g., Mt. 10:41; 21:46;Mk 6:4;
(c) of John the Baptist, Mt. 21:26;Lk 1:76;
(d) of prophets in the churches, e.g., Acts 13:1; 15:32; 21:10; 1Cor12:28, 29;
14:29, 32, 37;Eph. 2:20; 3:5; 4:11
(e) of Christ, as the afore–promisedProphet, e.g., Jn1:21; 6:14; 7:40; Acts
3:22; 7:37, or, without the article, and, without reference to the Old
Testament, Mark 6:15, Luke 7:16; in Luke 24:19 it is used with anēr, a man;
John 4:19; 9:17;
(f) of two witnesses yetto be raisedup for specialpurposes, Rev. 11:10, 18;
(g) of the Cretan poet Epimenides, Titus 1:12;

(h) By metonymy (use of the name of one thing [prophetes] for that of another
of which it is an attribute [eg, the book of the prophet]) prophetes signified the
writings of prophets (Acts 8:28 where "prophet" stands for what the prophet
Isaiahwrote, i.e., the prophet's book = a metonym). Prophetes metonymically
referred to the prophets as a division of Scripture (Mt 11:13. Lk 16:16;Acts
13:15;24:14; Ro 3:21; Lk 16:29, 31. 24:27;Acts 28:23) Finally prophetes
metonymically was used by itself (i.e., not in phrases like "the Law and the
Prophets" or "Mosesand the Prophets")as an allusion to all of the OT
Scriptures (Lk 24:25; Jn 6:45) (Vine's online)
BDAG says that a prophetes is...
A proclaimer or expounder of divine matters or concerns that could not
ordinarily be known exceptby specialrevelation...a personinspired to
proclaim or revealdivine will or purpose....Christians, who are endowedwith
the gift of prophecy Acts 15:32;1Cor14:29, 32, 37.
Comment: Beware!Be Alert! Regarding the gift of prophecy, it is vital to
emphasize that the canonof Scripture has been completedwith John's great
prayer in Revelation22:21!There is no new revelation! Anyone today who
claims to be a prophet and to speak "new revelation" from Godis a false
prophet and should be assiduouslyand expeditiously avoided! In short, there
are no "new" prophecies, contraryto what some spuriously teach. (See
related resource - False Prophetin Baker's EvangelicalDictionaryof Biblical
Theology;"FalseProphet" discussions by Dr. John MacArthur)
Thayer's Lexicon (modified) discussesprophetes as it was used to translate the
Hebrew word for prophet...

Prophetes is relatedto prophemi = to speak forth, speak out; hence ‘one who
speaks forth’; Prophetes is used in the Septuagint(Lxx) for ‫ָנ‬ ‫ב‬ִ‫י‬‫א‬
(Transliterated"nabiy" = Strong's #05030(Nabiy' is used 85x by Jeremiah!)
= meaning spokesman, speaker, prophet - Moses was the greatestOT "nabiy"
or prophet = Moses’prophetic messagespoketo Israel of the past (Deut 1:1-
3:29), the present (Dt. 4:1; 26:18), and the future (Dt. 31:20–22)(as would
every major prophet after him). ( Nabiy is derived from the same root as َ‫ب‬َ‫أ‬ََ,
meaning to divulge, make known, announce’, therefore prophetes is
equivalent to interpreter (cp Ex. 7:1, 4:16) and hence is a spokesmanforGod
or one through whom God speaks orone who speaks forth by divine
inspiration. The prophetes (especiallyin the OT) was one raisedup by God
and whose charge was to proclaim only the Word which was given to him by
the Lord. A prophet could neither contradict the Law of the Lord or speak
from his ownmind, for if he did, he was functioning as a false prophet (Jer.
14:14;23:16, 26, 30). Furthermore, when the prophet made a predictive
pronouncement, that Word had to come true, for if it did not he was a false
prophet (Dt. 18:22; Jer. 23:9). In summary, in the OT, the prophetes was
either (1) an interpreter of oracles orof other hidden things or (2) a foreteller
(the relatedword "seer"stressedthe visionary role of the prophet - see 1Sa
9:9, 2Sa 24:11)
Vine has an additional note on the OT use of prophetes for "seer"...
In the Septuagint (Lxx) it is the translation of the word rôeh, a seer;1 Sam.
9:9, indicating that the prophet was one who had immediate intercourse with
God. It also translates the word nābhî, meaning either one in whom the
messagefrom God springs forth or one to whom anything is secretly
communicated. Hence, in general, the prophet was one upon whom the Spirit
of God rested, Numb. 11:17-29, one, to whom and through whom God speaks,
Numb. 12:2; Amos 3:7, 8. In the case ofthe O.T. prophets their messageswere
very largely the proclamation of the Divine purposes of salvation and glory to

be accomplishedin the future; the prophesying of the N.T. prophets was both
a preaching of the Divine counsels ofgrace alreadyaccomplishedand the
fore–telling of the purposes of God in the future. (Vine's online)
Vincent commenting on prophetes in 1Cor12:10 and Luke 7:26 explains that
the role of prophetes was not restricted to...
foretelling of the future. Quite probably very little of this element is
contemplated; but utterance under immediate divine inspiration: delivering
inspired exhortations, instructions, or warnings.....(Ed:See next paragraph
for Vincent's more detailed discussionof prophetes). The fact of direct
inspiration distinguished prophecy from “teaching.”
(Vincent's note on prophetes in Lk 7:26) The popular conceptionof a prophet
is limited to his foretelling future events. This is indeed included in the term,
but does not coverits meaning entirely. The word is from phemi, to speak,
and pro, before, in front of. This meaning of the preposition may have
reference to time, viz., before, beforehand; or to place, viz., in front of, and so,
publicly; and this latter meaning, in turn, easilyruns into that of in behalf of;
for. The prophet is, therefore, primarily, one who speaks standing before
another, and thus forming a medium betweenhim and the hearer. This sense
runs naturally into that of instead of. Hence it is the technicalterm for the
interpreter of a divine message.So Plato:
For this reasonit is customary to appoint diviners or interpreters to be judges
of the true inspiration. Some persons call them diviners, seers (mantes);they
do not know that they are only repeaters ofdark sayings and visions, and are
not to be called diviners at all, but interpreters (propphetai) of things divine”
(“Timaeus,” 72).

Similarly of an advocate to speak for, or instead of one.
The centralidea of the word (prophetes) is, one to whom God reveals Himself
and through whom He speaks.The revelationmay or may not relate to the
future.
The prophet is a forth-teller, not necessarilya foreteller. The essence ofthe
prophetic characteris immediate intercourse with God. One of the Hebrew
names for “prophet,” and, as some maintain, the earliername, signified a
showeror seer. See 1Sa 9:10;and in 1Cor. 14:26-30, Paulshows that
revelation stands in necessaryconnectionwith prophesying.
Ray Stedman has the following note regarding prophets...
A prophet is essentiallya man who speaks forGod, who unfolds the mind of
God. In the early church, before the New Testamentwas written down,
prophets spoke directly by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, uttering the
truths that are now recordedin the New Testament. Theyunfolded what God
taught, and thus the body was motivated, galvanizedinto activity. Men such
as Mark, Luke, James, and Jude were not themselves apostles but they were
associatedwith the apostles in the writing of the New Testament.
The gift of a prophet differs from that of an apostle:The apostle gives an
authoritative declarationof the whole body of truth concerning Jesus Christ;
but the prophet interprets that authoritative word and explains the truth so
that it becomes very clear, vital, and compelling. The very word "prophet"
suggeststhis. It derives from a Greek root (pháo) which means "to cause to
shine," and is linked with the prefix "pro" which means "before." Thus a
prophet is one who stands before and causes the word of the apostle to

"shine." (Comment: This picture of "to shine forth or before" begs the
question "Who gets the credit?" The inspired, authoritative Word! Are you as
convictedas I am?)
This meaning of the word "prophet" is fully reflectedin Peter's secondletter
when he says, "We have the prophetic word made more sure. You will do well
to pay attention to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place" (2Pe 1:19-note).
Paul also says, "He who prophesies speaks to men for their upbuilding
(edification) and encouragementand consolation"(1Cor14:3).
The church owes much to the ministry of prophets. Not only were parts of the
Scriptures given to us by prophets but the greattheologians and preachers of
the church have been men with prophetic gifts. Men such as Martin Luther,
John Calvin, John Wesley, and the founders of other denominations have
been prophets, and many pastors and Bible teachers todayhave prophetic
gifts. Usually men who speak at conferencesare speaking as prophets, making
the truth clear, shining, and gripping. They differ from teachers in that the
prophet tends more to dealwith the greatsweeping principles of Scripture
and reality, leaving the development of more specific areas to the teacher.
(from PastorStedman's book Body Life [recommended], specificallythe
chapter entitled How the Body Works - see under "2. The Nervous System-the
gift of prophets") (Bolding added)
The following is a list of the OT prophets who are mentioned by name in the
NT (Note:not all of these passagesuse the word prophetes)
Moses = Acts 3:22 quoting Dt 18:15 (Moses is mentioned some 80 times
altogetherin the NT, most often in the contextof the Law not as a prophet).
Jeremiah= Mt 2:17; 16:14, 27:9.

Isaiah= Mt 3:3; 4:14; 8:17; Lk 3:4; Jn 1:23; 12:38, 39, 40, 41 Acts 8:28, 30,
28:25, Ro 9:27, 29, 10:16, 20, 15:12)
Joel= Acts 2:16.
Jonah= Mt 12:39, 40, 41, 16:4, Lk 11:29, 30, 32.
Daniel = Mt 24:15.
Elisha = Lk 4:27;
Samuel = Act 13:20;3:24.
David = Acts 2:30.
Balaam= 2 Pt 2:16.
Approximately 25% of the uses of prophetes are in Matthew's Gospel
primarily with the sense offoretelling which is not surprising as this Gospel
places greatemphasis on OT prophecies that pointed to Jesus as the expected
Messiah. The first NT use of prophetes in Mt 1:22 is a reference to Isaiah's
foretelling of the Messiah's birth Isa 7:14. Mt 2:5 refers to the prophet
Micah's foretelling (Mt 2:6) of Messiah's birth in Bethlehem in Micah 5:2. Mt
2:15 refers to the prophet Hosea's foretelling of Messiah's calling outof Egypt
(Hos 11:1) Mt 2:17 refers to Jeremiah's foretelling of the slaying of all the
male children in Bethlehem who were less than 2 years old (Mt 2:16).
In John 1:21 after John the Baptist denied he was Elijah, the Jews askedhim
“Are you the Prophet?” where the definite article ("the", Greek = to
prophetes) is in the Greek modifying "prophetes" whichsignifies that this is
not just any prophet but "the specific Prophet". In context this is an allusion
to the Messianic prophecyof Moses that"Godwill raise up for you a prophet
like" from among the Jews (Deut 18:15, cp Dt 18:19). Clearly the Jewish
questioners understood this as a prophecy that would be fulfilled in the
Messiah(See relatedresource - Christ as Prophet). John 6:14 refers to the
"ExpectedOne" (Mt 11:31), Messiahthe Prophet Who would come into the
world (an allusion to His incarnation).

The prophets receiveddirect revelations from the Lord and passedthem on to
the church for the purpose of edificationnot popularity. What they spoke by
the Holy Spirit was the word of God. The prophets spoke not their own
thought but what they receivedfrom God, retaining, however, their own
consciousnessandself–possession(c 2Pe 1:21-note)
KJV Bible Commentary writes that...
these men were both foretellers and forthtellers. They receivedtheir message
from God and delivered it for God and to man. They had deep insight into
spiritual truths as they interpreted God’s messageunder the powerof the
Holy Spirit. (Dobson, E G, Charles Feinberg, E Hindson, Woodrow Kroll, H
L. Wilmington: KJV Bible Commentary: Nelson)
NEW TESTAMENT USES
OF PROPHETES
Prophetes - 144xin 138v- Always translated prophet (63x) or prophets (81x).
Click for the 252 uses in the non-apocryphal Septuagint. Note that the word
"fulfill" occurs 16xin the same verse as prophetes...interesting!
Below are all the NT uses of prophetes for your observationand meditation,
to give you a sense ofthis greatBiblical word. Remember to check the context
of the passageforthe most accurate interpretation! Note also that words in
bold red (exceptionis verbs that are commands) highlight the associationof
the Law and the Prophets which is a "shorthand" description of the Old
Testament.

Matthew 1:22 Now all this took place to fulfill what was spokenby the Lord
through the prophet: 23 “BEHOLD, THE VIRGIN SHALL BE WITH
CHILD, AND SHALL BEAR A SON, AND THEY SHALL CALL HIS
NAME IMMANUEL,” which translatedmeans, “GOD WITH US.”
Comment: It is quite fascinating and no accidentthat 13/17 uses ofthe
combination "prophet" or "prophecy" and "fulfill*" in the NT are usedby
Matthew. Indeed, this is another affirmation that this specific Gospelis
directed to the Jews, to those who would most familiar with the OT Scriptures
concerning the Messiah...infactthe scribes, et al knew what the Word said for
they even interpreted the prophecy in Micah5:2 to King Herod in Mt 2:5. It is
possible (even likely?) that because the Jewishleaders knew the OT
prophecies, it follows that they knew that Jesus was the prophesiedMessiah
but they did not want to give up their positions of powerand submit to the
King.
John MacArthur: That phrase gives a simple, straightforward definition of
biblical inspiration as the Word of the Lord coming through human
instruments. God does the saying; the human instrument is only a means to
bring the divine Word to men. Basedon these words of the Lord given
through Matthew, the Old Testamenttext of Isaiahmust be interpreted as
predicting the virgin birth of Jesus Christ.
The phrase might be fulfilled (18x in NAS): Mat 1:22, 2:15, 2:23, 8:17, 12:17,
13:35, 21:4, Mk 14:49, John 12:38, 17:12, 18:9, 18:32, 19:24, 19:28, 19:36, Ro
8:4. This phrase describes "The basic truths and happenings of the New
Testamentwere culminations, completions, or fulfillments of revelation God
had already made-though often the revelationhad been in veiled and partial
form." (MacArthur)

Matthew 2:5 They said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has
been written by the prophet: 2:6‘AND YOU, BETHLEHEM, LAND OF
JUDAH, ARE BY NO MEANS LEAST AMONG THE LEADERS OF
JUDAH; FOR OUT OF YOU SHALL COME FORTHA RULER, WHO
WILL SHEPHERD MY PEOPLE ISRAEL.’” (Micah5:2)
Matthew 2:15 He remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill
what had been spoken(exactphrase 5x = Mt 2:15, 2:17 Lk 1:45 Ro 4:18 Heb
9:19) by the Lord through the prophet: "OUT OF EGYPT I CALLED MY
SON."
Comment: This prophecy is found in Hosea 11:1 where the context clearly
indicates that it was the whole nation of Israelwhich had been calledout of
Egypt as God's young "son." Matthew, under the direction of the Holy Spirit,
applies it to Christ. The children of Israel had been born in the land promised
to them by God, but nevertheless had to leave it and sojourn in the paganland
of Egypt for a while before being brought back home by their Father. Christ
lived through the same experience--bornin Judea, then sojournedin Egypt
for a time before He was called back home.
Matthew 2:17 Then what had been spokenthrough Jeremiahthe prophet was
fulfilled: 18 18 “A VOICE WAS HEARD IN RAMAH, WEEPING AND
GREAT MOURNING, RACHEL WEEPING FOR HER CHILDREN; AND
SHE REFUSED TO BE COMFORTED,BECAUSE THEYWERE NO
MORE.” (Jer31:15)
Ryrie: A quotation of Jer 31:15, which depicts the wailing at the time of
Israel's exile. That calamity and Herod's new atrocity are viewedas part of
the same broad picture. Since Matthew was writing to those with a Jewish

background, he used more quotations from the OT than the other gospel
writers. There are 93 such quotations in Matthew, 49 in Mark, 80 in Luke,
and 33 in John.
Matthew 2:23 and came and lived in a city calledNazareth. This was to fulfill
what was spokenthrough the prophets: "He shall be calleda Nazarene."
Vincent: "Nazarene = A term of contempt (compare Jn 1:46, 7:52). The very
name of Nazareth suggestedinsignificance. In Hebrew it meant sprout or
shoot. The name is prophetically given to the Messiah(Isaiah11:1-note). In
Isa 10:33, 34-note, the fate of Assyria is described under the figure of the
felling of a cedarforest. The figure of the tree is continued at the opening of
Isaiah11 concerning the Jewishstate. The cedar throws out no fresh suckers,
but the oak is a tree “in which, after the felling, a stock remaineth” (Isa 6:13-
note; compare Job14:9). There is a future then for Israel, representedby the
oak. “There shallcome forth a shoot from the stock of Jesse, anda twig from
his roots shall bear fruit.” As David sprang from the humble family of Jesse,
so the Messiah, the secondDavid, shall arise out of greathumiliation. The fact
that Jesus grew up at Nazarethwas sufficient reasonfor his being despised.
He was not a lofty branch on the summit of a statelytree; not a recognized
and honored son of the royal house of David, now fallen, but an insignificant
sprout from the roots of Jesse;a Nazarene, ofan upstart "sprout-town".
The word "prophetes":No one prophet is mentioned, but rather "the
prophets" (plural) which is probably Matthew's way of alerting us to the fact
that he does not have a single OT text in mind.
Matthew 3:3 For this is the one referred to by Isaiah the prophet when he
said, "THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS, 'MAKE

READY THE WAY OF THE LORD, MAKE HIS PATHS STRAIGHT!'"
(Isa 40:3)
Comment: This is a prophecy of John the Baptist's coming as predicted by the
prophet in Isaiah 40:3 which parallels a similar OT prophecy of the his
coming in Malachi3:1.
A T Robertson:This is Matthew’s way of interpreting the mission and
messageofthe Baptist. He quotes Isa. 40:3 where “the prophet refers to the
return of Israelfrom the exile, accompaniedby their God” (McNeile). He
applies it to the work of John as “a voice crying in the wilderness” for the
people to make ready the way of the Lord who is now near. He was only a
voice, but what a voice he was. He can be heard yet across the centuries.
Matthew 4:14 This was to fulfill what was spokenthrough Isaiahthe prophet:
(referring to Mt 4:15, 16 quoted from Isaiah9:1,2-note)
Henry Morris: (This quote from Isaiah9) provides the prophetic background
for the name of Emmanuel "Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The
everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace" (Isaiah9:6). Much of Jesus'early
teaching ministry was carried out in Galilee, especiallyCapernaum, and at
leastHis first six disciples came from there (Matthew 4:18-22;John 1:35-51).
Matthew 5:12-note "Rejoice(presentimperative = Jesus'command to
continually do this) and be glad (also present imperative), for your reward in
heaven is great;for in the same waythey persecutedthe prophets who were
before you.

Comment: Note the command be glad is the Greek verb agalliao derived from
agan= much and hallomai = to jump; leap, spring up, and so literally means
to "jump for joy". Beloved, next time you are persecutedfor the Lord or His
Word, "jump for joy" for you have not seenthe "rest of the story!"
Matthew 5:17-note "Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the
Prophets;I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.
Comment: "The Law or the Prophets" or similar designations are in bold red
here and in the following passagesto help see the repetition of this truth in the
NT.
MacArthur: The Law and the Prophets representwhat we now call the Old
Testament, the only written Scripture at the time Jesus preached(see Matt.
7:12; 11:13; 22:40;Luke 16:16; John 1:45; Acts 13:15;28:23). It is therefore
about the Old Testamentthat Jesus speaksin Matthew 5:17–20. Everything
He taught directly in His own ministry, as well as everything He taught
through the apostles, is basedon the Old Testament. It is therefore impossible
to understand or acceptthe New Testamentapartfrom the Old....The phrase
the Law and the Prophets, however, was always understoodto refer to the
JewishScriptures themselves, not the rabbinical interpretations. The phrase is
used in that sense some fifteen times in the New Testament(see Matt. 11:13;
Luke 16:16; cf. 24:27, 44; etc.), reflecting the common Jewishunderstanding.
(MacArthur, J: Matthew 1-7 Chicago:Moody Press)(Matthew 8-15, Matthew
16-23, Matthew 24-28)
Matthew 7:12-note "In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you
want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

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