Setting in Ephesians: Unity

The setting in Ephesians is an exhortation to unity. Ephesians 1—3—the first half of the letter—keeps emphasizing ethnic unity, the unity of Jews and gentiles in Christ. (And if God would transcend in Christ’s body a barrier he himself established in salvation history, the unity of Christ’s body must also surmount every other barrier.) The exhortations later in Eph 4:17—5:2 address relationships, especially members of Christ’s body loving and forgiving like Christ.

Paul also addresses serving one another in the household (Eph 5:21—6:9). Since at least the time of Aristotle, ancient household codes often told the male head of the household how he was to rule his wife (cf. 5:22-33), children (cf. 6:1-4), and slaves (6:5-9). But Paul addresses wives, children and slaves as well as male householders, and his code is the only one we know of in antiquity framed by mutual submission: serving one another (5:21; 6:9). Given Jesus’s teachings about serving one another, the Spirit’s fruit in us, as well as Christ’s example, should make us all eager to serve one another, in Christ’s body generally and in our families.

Just before addressing Christ’s body in our passage (4:4), Paul urges believers to be diligent to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (4:3). “Keep” often means “obey,” as in keeping commandments, but here may mean “preserve.” Christ, who is our peace, has made us one body in him (2:14-16). Now we must preserve that unity by showing humility, gentleness, and patiently putting up with one another (4:2).

Christ’s body earlier in Ephesians

The context relates even more directly to Christ’s body. The theme of Christ’s body appears earlier in Ephesians. Ephesians was a circular letter, but Ephesus was a major destination for the letter. Many Ephesian Christians had been dabbling with other spirits and worshiping other gods before their conversion (Acts 19:18-19, 24-29). Paul assures them, however, that in Christ they are exalted above all spirits (Eph 1:20-23; 2:6). We are Christ’s body (1:23), Paul says, and since all things are under his feet (1:22) that means that these spirits we once honored are now beneath us.

That does not suggest that we go ordering those spirits to do our bidding—that is exactly what magic was all about. Rather, it means that we are no longer subject to their sin-stirring influence, no longer subject to the devil’s schemes (2:1-3). Later in the letter Paul explains how we therefore can resist the devil (4:27): by treating one another right (4:25—5:2), and by living according to truth, righteousness, faith, salvation, and the gospel (6:10-12).

As Christ’s body, Paul says, we are the “fullness of the one who fills all” (1:23). This is because God fills us up with his love and his Spirit (3:19; 5:18). “All” in 1:23 may refer to all believers (as in 4:6), thus reinforcing unity: we are the product of Christ filling all of us to bring us toward the full measure of being like Christ (4:13).

Christ’s body in Ephesians 4

Paul uses the image of one body to highlight unity. Thus, for example, the husband and wife become one flesh and one body because they are united (5:23, 30). Likewise, Christ brings together Jew and gentile in one united body (2:16; 3:6). We as believers today may be different ethnically, denominationally, and so forth. But if we divide from one another over such ethnic or denominational differences, we undercut the unity for which Christ died. We wound Christ’s one body!

In this context, the purpose of spiritual gifts is to build up Christ’s body (4:12). If we boast in our gifts or demean those of others, we harm Christ’s body and abuse God’s own gifts to us, that were given for the opposite purpose! Each member, united to Christ, is needed for Christ’s body (4:16).

Paul’s image was familiar to ancient audiences, but Paul uses it in a different way. In earlier Rome, the lower class people protested that they were doing all the work while the upper class people just enjoyed the fruits of others’ labors. So an upper-class man named Menenius Agrippa argued that everyone has their function in society, like different members of a body. The upper class was like a stomach; the poor people did the work, and the upper class was necessary to consume the food. In other words, he was saying: keep your place.

But more like some Stoic thinkers, Paul used the image of the body in a very different way. For Paul, there is only one head, namely Christ (4:15-16). Far from lording it over us or exploiting us, he laid down his life to save us (5:25). Each member of his body is equally valuable for the body’s overall function, despite our diverse roles. It is not a matter of some “big” leaders being super-gifted while “ordinary” Christians lack gifts or ministries. Rather, all of us are gifted to minister to one another and to the world around us, just in different ways. The so-called “big” leaders must be facilitators, equipping the other members to grow in their ministries.

Another difference is that the body image is much more organic for Paul than for Menenius Agrippa: Christ actually dwells in us (3:17). On an individual level, the fruit of the Spirit reveals his character in us. But as we function together as one body in him, his character should also be expressed in us corporately as a body. Various aspects of Christ’s ministry are revealed in different members.

Grace given to each of us

Various aspects of Christ’s ministry are revealed in us as diverse members, but “But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift” (4:7 NASB). Each of us plays an important and special role—male or female, young or old, Asian or Latin American, Anglican or Baptist, and so forth. Each of us has gifts for the rest of Christ’s body, and should welcome the other gifts in Christ’s body.

At great cost to himself, Christ made us one and made gifts available. Now exalted, Christ has given gifts (4:8). Paul supports this by paraphrasing Psalm 68:18. The original language of the psalm says that the one who ascended took plunder rather than gave it. But everyone understood that, having taken plunder, victors distributed it among their followers. Christ has taken captive some—such as apostles, prophets, evangelists, and pastor-teachers—to serve as gifts to the rest of Christ’s body.

Paul notes the gifts given by Christ: as just noted, apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastor-teachers (4:11). What these particular gifts share in common is the ministry of God’s Word. Through God’s message, given in different ways, these ministers build up the rest of Christ’s body. Their purpose, in fact, is to equip all members of the body for the work of ministry (4:12a) so they can build/be-built-as Christ’s body (4:12b). Those who claim to be apostles, prophets, evangelists or pastor-teachers but exploit God’s people rather than serving and equipping them are more like wolves in sheep’s clothing. (continued in part 2)