Ephesians 4:11-12
What is written? (ESV)
And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,
What does it say?
He [Christ] gave the apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds, and teachers to equip the saints for the work of ministry and to build up the body of Christ [the church].
What is its immediate context?
Paul, writing to the church in Ephesus, is using a body metaphorically to describe the church. Jesus is the head that supplies all the other members of the body (vss 15-16). This thought seems also to be a continuation of what he stated earlier in the letter (2:19-20), where he talks about the “household of God” whose foundation was laid by Jesus, the apostles, and the prophets.
How Ephesians 4:11-12 is applied across Bible answers
Is a preacher a pastor?
Paul identifies distinct and separate roles for preachers ("evangelists") and "pastors" (e.g. elders/shepherds). While distinct roles, the objective for each is to "build up" the body/church (vs 12).
Is it required that an apostle see Jesus?
Apostles were an office of the early church, appointed by Jesus.
What are the qualifications for church elder?
The office of pastor (e.g. elder) is an official and distinct position in the church.
What is the organization of the church?
Jesus appointed several roles for "the building up of the body of Christ" (e.g. the church universally), including apostles, prophets, evangelists (e.g. preachers), pastors (e.g. elders), and teachers.
Coupled with an earlier statement from Paul in Ephesians 2:19-22, we can understand that Jesus, the apostles, and the prophets have already laid the foundation. What remains are the evangelists, pastors, and teachers (and deacons), who continue on in each local church.
