Equipping the Saints for the Work of Ministry

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Ephesians 4:11-12 is an essential text for a theology of ministry and the church.

The issue in v. 11 is whether there are four or five offices, since pastors and teachers are both governed by the one article, so are they two distinct offices (pastors and teachers) or one combined office (maybe pastors-who-teach)?

Then, in v. 12, are the three prepositional phrases in v. 12 coordinate (so Lincoln) or else is the second phrase subordinate to the first (Cohick, Martin, Best, etc.)? Consider these two translations of v. 12:

“For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ” (KJV)

“for the training of the saints in the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ (CSB)

Spot the difference?

If you want to know more, I did a sermon on Eph 4:11-12 for St. Barts in Toowoomba as part of their Equip conference.

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