Ephesians 4:12 Commentary - Dr Peter Masters

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Ephesians 4:12

Comments

The word ‘perfecting’ translates the Greek word which means for the ‘finishing’ of the saints, the ‘completion’ of the saints. Years and years ago the upper classes in England used to send their young women to very snooty places called ‘finishing schools’, and that captures the word here. ‘For the perfecting,’ the finishing, the completion of the saints. Conversion changes us so dramatically – a new nature, a new heart, a living soul within us – but there is a lot still to be done. Sanctification is a progressive work, and our ongoing sanctification, finishing, completion is aided and assisted by the work of the ministry, the preaching of the word, the constant laying before us of the standards of God through the Scriptures.‘For the perfecting of the saints.’ In the KJV we have a coma after the word ‘saints’ and it continues: ‘for the work of the ministry’, and the comma leads you to believe that apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers are given so that there is a ministry in the church. Now the modern translations leave out the coma which changes the sense so that it then reads: ‘for the perfecting of the saints for the work of their ministry’, the saint’s ministry. Which is right? Well, clearly the leaving out of the coma is correct and Paul’s meaning is that pastors and teachers complete us for the work of our ministry. How do we know it is correct? Because of the context – ‘for the edifying of the body of Christ.’ The body of Christ is very much in mind throughout the whole passage. In verse 4 – ‘There is one body’, and the apostle Paul uses seven ‘ones’ to emphatically underscore that. Once again in verse 16 – ‘From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.’ The body is built up as a result of the word taught by pastors and teachers, yes, but the growth takes place in the body itself, and the saints have a ministry, a service, to perform to God.

Application

This is one of the great objectives of ministry: to equip and furnish the whole body. In some churches, there are two classes of people: workers and spectators – a minority of active workers and the rest are earnest worshippers, but spectators, hopefully converted. That is not the church of the New Testament. So far as is possible, we are all workers. Of course some people at certain times of their lives carry heavy burdens and cannot be, but so far as is possible, the whole body is being fitted and equipped by sanctification for a testimony to Jesus Christ.

He is the ultimate objective. The purpose of the ministry is to present Christ, to give people a sense of God and glory, to lift up minds and hearts to him, to show his wonders and his lovingkindness, his sacrificial love on Calvary, his caring love throughout life, his government and oversight of us. All ministry ultimately points to him, the Saviour of the world.

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Ephesians 4:12 Commentary and Bible Study

Explain meaning of Ephesians 4:12