Ephesians 4

Ephesians 4 is the fourth of the six chapters of Ephesians. Chapters 1–3 set out God's plan of salvation and describe the church in which Jews and Gentiles have become one body. Chapter 4 opens with "therefore" and begins the practical section of the letter, which urges a life befitting that calling.

Outline

• Verses 1–6 Paul, "the prisoner of the Lord," urges his readers to walk worthy of their calling and to keep the unity that the Holy Spirit has created. He declares that there is one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God.
• Verses 7–10 Grace has been given to each person "according to the measure of the gift of Christ." Paul explains this in connection with Christ, who descended and then "ascended up far above all heavens."
• Verses 11–16 Apostles, prophets, evangelists, and pastors and teachers were given in order to equip the saints and build up the body of Christ. Believers are not to be "carried about with every wind of doctrine" but are to grow up into Christ, who is the head.
• Verses 17–24 Believers are not to walk as the Gentiles do, "in the vanity of their mind," but are to put off the old man and put on the new man.
• Verses 25–32 Believers are to put away lying, anger, stealing, and corrupt speech. Paul urges them not to grieve the Holy Spirit and to forgive one another.

Key Verses

• Ephesians 4:3 "Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit" — widely cited in discussions of church unity.
• Ephesians 4:11–12 "For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry" — states the purpose for which these ministries were given.
• Ephesians 4:32 "Even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you" — makes God's forgiveness the standard for forgiving others.

People and Places

• Paul — the "prisoner" of verse 1, identified in 1:1 as the sender of the letter. Tradition holds that Paul wrote the letter while in prison, though some scholars question whether Paul himself wrote it.
• Jesus Christ — portrayed as the head of the church.

Points to Consider

• Verse 8 quotes Psalm 68:18. The Hebrew text says that he "received gifts," whereas Ephesians says that he "gave gifts," and various explanations have been offered for this difference.
• "The lower parts of the earth" in verse 9 is read by some as a reference to the Incarnation (Christ becoming man and coming to earth) and by others as a reference to his descent into Hades after his death (Ephesians 4:8–10).
• Views differ on whether the apostles and prophets of verse 11 still exist today. Cessationism regards them as offices of the early church that laid its foundation, citing Ephesians 2:20. Continuationism holds that their functions continue today (Cessationism and continuationism). Movements calling for the restoration of the offices of apostle and prophet, along with assessments of those movements, are discussed in the article New Apostolic Reformation.
• The contrast between the old man and the new man (Ephesians 4:22–24) parallels Colossians 3.

In the Korean Church

• Verses 11–12 are frequently cited as a proof text in discipleship training discussions that call for equipping laypeople for ministry. They are also used as sermon texts at ordination services.
• Verses 3–6 are often used to speak of the unity of the church, as at joint worship services.