Ephesians 4:2 - Meaning and Application

Here the apostle turns to more specific instructions. In this chapter, he especially expands on two things, unity and love, and purity and holiness, which Christians should carefully pursue. We do not live in a way worthy of our calling if we are not loyal friends to all Christians and determined enemies of all sin.

This part gives the call to mutual love, unity, and harmony, along with the right means and motives to encourage them. Scripture presses nothing more strongly than this. Love is the law of Christ’s kingdom, the lesson in his school, and the mark of his household. The apostle begins with the means of unity: humility, gentleness, patience, and bearing with one another in love (Ephesians 4:2).

By humility, he means lowliness of mind, thinking modestly about ourselves. This stands against pride. By gentleness, he means that gracious spirit that keeps us from provoking others and does not quickly take offense at their weaknesses. It is the opposite of angry resentment and irritation. Patience means bearing injuries without looking for revenge.

Bearing with one another in love means putting up with one another’s faults because of love, and not stopping loving someone because of those faults. Even the best Christians need to bear with one another and try to bring out the best in each other. They should stir up one another’s graces, not one another’s passions. We see much in ourselves that is hard to forgive even in ourselves, so we should not think it strange if we see in others what seems hard to forgive. Yet we must forgive them as we forgive ourselves.

Without these graces, unity cannot last. The first step toward unity is humility. Without humility there will be no gentleness, no patience, and no forbearance. Without these, there will be no unity. Pride and anger break peace and cause all kinds of harm. Humility and gentleness restore peace and keep it. Pride always brings quarrels, but humility brings love. The more humble-minded people are, the more alike in mind they become.

We do not live worthy of our calling if we are not gentle and humble in heart. The one who called us, and the one to whom we are called, was remarkable for gentleness and humility. He has commanded us to learn these things from him.

The apostle next describes the kind of unity he means: the unity of the Spirit (Ephesians 4:3). Christian unity lives in the heart and spirit. It does not depend on everyone having exactly the same opinions, or on one form of worship in every detail. Rather, it means one heart and one soul. This unity of affection may be called the work of God’s Spirit, because he creates it and because it is one of the fruit of the Spirit.

We are told to keep this unity. That word, “endeavoring,” is a gospel word. It calls for our best effort. If others quarrel with us, we must do all we can not to quarrel with them. If others despise and hate us, we must not despise and hate them. We are to keep this unity in the bond of peace. Peace is a bond because it joins people together and helps them live kindly with one another. A peaceful spirit and conduct bind Christians together, while conflict and quarrels pull hearts apart.

Many slender twigs tied together become strong. In the same way, the bond of peace gives strength to Christian fellowship. Of course, it is not possible that all godly people, or all members of a society, should agree in every detail, the same way, the same sentiment, and the same judgment. Yet the bond of peace holds them together despite those differences. As with a bundle of rods, they may differ in length and strength, but once tied together, they become stronger than any one rod alone, even the thickest and strongest.

The apostle then gives motives for this Christian unity and harmony. First, we should think about how many forms of oneness there are in the Christian faith, and how these are the joy and glory of it. There should be one heart, because there is one body and one Spirit (Ephesians 4:4). Two hearts in one body would be unnatural. If there is only one body, then all who belong to it should have one heart.

The universal church, the whole body of true believers, is one spiritual body of Christ. All true Christians make up one body, joined together by one charter, the gospel, and made alive by one Spirit. That same Holy Spirit gives life, strength, and direction to the whole body through his gifts and grace. If we belong to Christ, we are all moved by the same Spirit, and so we should be one.

We are also called in one hope of our calling. Here, hope means the thing hoped for, the heavenly inheritance to which we are called. All Christians are called to the same hope of eternal life. They hope in one Christ, and they look toward one heaven. Therefore, they should be of one heart.

There is one Lord (Ephesians 4:5), meaning Christ, the head of the church. By God’s appointment, all Christians are directly under his authority. There is one faith, meaning either the gospel, which contains the doctrine of Christian faith, or the same grace of faith in Christ by which all Christians are saved. There is one baptism, by which we confess our faith, being baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In this way, we enter the same sacramental covenant, the holy agreement sealed in baptism, by which we give ourselves to the Lord Christ.

There is one God and Father of all (Ephesians 4:6). He is one God who owns all true members of the church as his children. He is their Father by a special relationship, just as he is the Father of all people by creation. He is above all in his nature and glorious perfection, and in authority over all creatures, especially over his church. He is through all by his providence, sustaining and governing them. He is in you all, in all believers, by his Spirit and special grace, dwelling in them as in his holy temple.

If there are so many “ones,” it is a pity if there is not one more, one heart, or one soul.

Second, we should consider the variety of gifts Christ has given among Christians: “But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift.” Though the members of Christ’s church agree in so many things, they do differ in some things. Yet that should not lead to different feelings toward one another, since all their gifts come from the same generous giver and are meant for the same great purpose.

Every Christian has received some gift of grace, in some kind or in some measure, for the help of others. Every minister also has been given grace, though some have greater gifts and some lesser. The different gifts of Christ’s ministers became a major cause of conflict among the early Christians, with some saying they were for Paul and others for Apollos. The apostle shows that they had no reason to quarrel over these gifts, but every reason to use them together for the good of all, because each gift was given by Christ in the measure he saw fit to give.

All ministers and all members of Christ owe every gift and grace they have to him. That is a good reason for us to love one another, because grace has been given to each of us. Everyone to whom Christ has given grace and gifts, even if those gifts differ in size, name, or use, ought to live in love with one another.

The apostle uses this moment to list some of the gifts Christ gave. He shows that Christ gave them by quoting David’s words, where David spoke ahead of time about Christ (Psalm 68:18). So Paul says, “He ascended on high, he led captivity captive, and he gave gifts to men” (Ephesians 4:8). David foretold Christ’s ascension, and Paul explains it here and in the next three verses.

“When he ascended on high” can mean the place where Christ went in his human nature, the highest heavens. It can also mean the honor and glory to which the Father raised him. We should think about Jesus Christ’s ascension, because our blessed Redeemer rose from the dead and went to heaven. There he sits at the right hand of God’s majesty on high, which fully proved that he is the Son of God.

When great conquerors rode in triumph, they were often followed by the most important captives in chains. They also shared gifts with their soldiers and the watching crowd. In the same way, Christ ascended into heaven as a victorious conqueror and led captivity captive. In the Old Testament, that kind of language showed victory over enemies, especially enemies who had once taken others captive (Judges 5:12). Here “captivity” stands for captives, meaning all our spiritual enemies who had held us prisoner before. Christ conquered those who had conquered us, sin, the devil, and death.

He had already triumphed over them on the cross, but that triumph was completed at his ascension. Then he became Lord over all, and the keys of death and Hades were put into his hands. “He gave gifts to men” is how the psalm says it, while the psalm also says he received gifts for men. He received gifts for their sake so that he might give them generously. In particular, he enriched his disciples with the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Paul then notices that Christ’s ascension implies his descent first (Ephesians 4:9). In other words, when David speaks of Christ’s ascension, he also points to Christ’s humiliation on earth. If Christ ascended, then he must first have come down. That is proof that he really did.

“Into the lower parts of the earth” may refer to his incarnation, as in David’s words, “My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in secret, and woven together in the depths of the earth” (Psalm 139:15). Or it may refer to his burial, as in “those who seek my life will be brought down to the depths of the earth” (Psalm 63:9). Some of the early church fathers said that his death was his descent into the lower parts of the earth. He came down to earth in his incarnation, and he went into the earth in his burial. As Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the whale, so the Son of Man was in the heart of the earth.

He who came down is the same one who also ascended far above all the heavens (Ephesians 4:10), above the visible heavens, above the air and the stars, into the heaven of heavens. He did this so that he might fill all things, meaning all the members of his church, with gifts and grace suited to their different needs and callings. We should notice that our Lord humbled himself first, and then he was exalted. He came down first, and then he went up.

Paul next tells us what gifts Christ gave at his ascension: “He gave some apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers” (Ephesians 4:11). Some of these were sent out before his ascension (Matthew 10:1-5). But another was added later (Acts 1:26). All of them were more formally set apart and publicly confirmed when he poured out the Holy Spirit on them in an unusual way and measure.

The great gift Christ gave the church at his ascension was the ministry of peace and reconciliation, that is, the ministry that brings sinners back to God. The gift of ministry is one of the fruits of Christ’s ascension. Ministers also have different gifts, and all of them come from the Lord Jesus.

The officers Christ gave his church were of two kinds. Some were extraordinary officers, raised to a higher office in the church, such as apostles, prophets, and evangelists. The apostles were chief among them. Christ called them directly, gave them special gifts, the power to work miracles, and certainty in speaking his truth. Because they had seen his miracles and heard his teaching, he sent them to spread the gospel and to plant and govern churches.

The prophets seem to have been those who explained the Old Testament writings and foretold future things. The evangelists were ordained men (Titus 1:6), whom the apostles took with them on journeys (Galatians 2:1). They were sent to settle and strengthen churches that the apostles had planted (Acts 19:22). Since they were not tied to one place, they continued in that work until they were called elsewhere (Titus 4:9).

Then there are ordinary ministers, who serve in a lower and more limited sphere, such as pastors and teachers. Some understand these two names as describing one office, with both ruling and teaching as part of it. Others think they are two separate ordinary offices that continue in the church. In that case, pastors are those placed over particular churches to guide, teach, and feed them in the way Christ appointed. They are often called bishops and elders. Teachers are those whose work is also to preach the gospel and instruct the people by way of exhortation.

Here we see that it belongs to Christ alone to appoint whatever officers and offices he chooses in his church. And how rich the church is, having had such a variety of officers at first and still having such a variety of gifts. How kind Christ is to his church, and how careful he is for its growth and building up. When he ascended, he obtained the gift of the Holy Spirit, and the Spirit’s gifts are varied. Some receive more, some less, but all are for the good of the whole body. That brings us to Paul’s next reason: Christ gave these gifts for the good of his church and to advance his kingdom among people. Since all these gifts are aimed at one common purpose, that is a strong reason for all Christians to agree in brotherly love and not envy one another’s gifts.

All these gifts are given to perfect the saints, as Ephesians 4:12 says. That is, they are meant to bring believers into a well-ordered spiritual state after sin has thrown them out of shape. They are also meant to strengthen and confirm them there, so each person can do his proper work for the good of all.

They are also given for the work of the ministry, or the work of serving and sharing out God’s truth. In other words, ministers are to pass on the doctrines of the gospel and carry out the different parts of their calling well. They are given for the building up of the body of Christ, meaning the church, which is Christ’s mystical body, his spiritual body. The church grows by the increase of grace in believers and by the addition of new members.

All of this is meant to prepare us for heaven: until we all come, as Ephesians 4:13 says. Some of these gifts and offices are to remain in the church until the saints are made complete. That will not happen until all true believers come together in the unity of the faith, sharing the same precious faith, and in the knowledge of the Son of God. This knowledge is not just a mental agreement that Christ is the Son of God and the great Mediator, that is, the one who brings God and sinners together. It is the kind of knowledge that includes trust, love, honor, and obedience.

The goal is to reach a perfect man, full-grown in gifts and graces, free from the childish weaknesses we still have in this world. It is also to reach the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, meaning full maturity and ripeness in every grace that comes from Christ’s fullness. Or it may mean the measure of that stature that makes up the fullness of Christ, that is, the completion of his mystical body. We will never become that perfect man until we come to the perfect world. There is a fullness in Christ, and there is a fullness given from him. God has appointed a certain measure of that fullness for every believer, and we do not reach it until heaven. God’s children are growing as long as they are in this world.

Dr. Lightfoot understands the apostle to mean here the joining of Jews and Gentiles in the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God, so that together they make one perfect man and reach the measure of Christ’s fullness. The apostle then shows, in the verses that follow, God’s purpose in his holy institutions and what effect they should have on us.

The first effect is that we should no longer be children, as Ephesians 4:14 says. That means we should no longer be childish in our understanding, weak in faith, and unstable in our judgments. We should not be easily led by every temptation, ready to follow everyone’s mood, and always at other people’s beck and call. Children are easily fooled. We must guard against being tossed to and fro, like ships without ballast, and carried around like clouds in the wind by teachings that have no truth or substance. Such teachings may spread far and wide, so they are compared to wind.

The words “by the sleight of men” come from gambling and point to the harmful trickery of deceivers. “Cunning craftiness” means their skill in finding ways to mislead and fool people. That is why the text says they lie in wait to deceive, like people hiding in ambush so they can trap the weak and pull them away from the truth. Those who try to seduce others into false doctrine and error are very wicked men. They use devilish skill and cunning to do it. The best way to guard ourselves against them is to study the Scriptures and pray for the light and grace of the Spirit of Christ, so that we may know the truth as it is in Jesus and be established in it.

The second effect is that we should speak the truth in love, as Ephesians 4:15 says, or follow the truth in love, or be sincere in our love for fellow Christians. If we hold to the doctrine of Christ, which is the truth, we should also live in love with one another. Love is excellent, but we must keep truth with it. Truth is excellent too, but we must speak it in love, not in quarrels. Truth and peace should go together.

The third effect is that we should grow up into Christ in all things. We should grow into Christ, becoming more firmly rooted in him. We should grow in all things, in knowledge, love, faith, and every part of the new life. This growth is the opposite of being childish. Christians who are making progress are growing up into Christ. The more we know Christ, trust him, love him, and depend on him, the more we will flourish in every grace. He is the head, and we should grow in a way that honors our head. The Christian’s growth brings glory to Christ.

The fourth effect is that we should help one another as members of the same body, as Ephesians 4:16 says. The apostle compares the natural body with Christ’s mystical body, the church, of which Christ is the head. Just as the body needs its members to work together and share with one another in order to grow and stay healthy, so Christians need mutual love and unity, along with the fruits of those things, if they are to grow in grace.

From Christ, the head, the whole body of Christians is fitly joined together and held together. Each part is ordered and firmly united, every one in its proper place and task, by what every joint supplies. This may mean the help that each united part gives to the whole, or it may mean the Spirit, faith, love, sacraments, and similar means, which, like the veins and arteries in the body, join Christians to Christ and to one another as fellow members. According to the effective working in the measure of every part, the body grows with the kind of increase that is fitting for it. Some take this to mean the power the Holy Spirit uses to make God’s appointed means effective, in the amount Christ judges proper for each member, according to its place and duty in the body. Others take it to mean the power of Christ, who, as head, gives life and strength to every member. Still others understand it to mean the working of each member as it passes on to others what it has received, so that nourishment reaches all in the right measure, according to the condition and need of each part.

Particular Christians receive their gifts and graces from Christ for the sake and benefit of the whole body. The result is the building up of itself in love.

We can understand this in two ways. It may mean that all the members of the church are to grow in greater love for Christ and for one another. Or it may mean that they are to live in the way just described because they already love Christ and one another.

Notice this: mutual love among Christians is a great help to spiritual growth. It is in love that the body builds itself up. But a kingdom divided against itself cannot stand.