Offices listed in Ephesians 4

[Davidius]

Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors and Teachers...

Which of these offices still exist in the Church? Should Pastors and Teachers really be understood as one office in this passage, the Pastor-Teacher? What was the difference between an Apostle and a Prophet? What was an Evangelist?

Sorry for all the questions, but my head is still really messed up on this issue as I distance myself further and further from my charismatic past.

 

[VirginiaHuguenot]

There are a number of resources worth reading to assist in your studies on this passage. Here are a few:

Westminster Form of Presbyterian Church Government (see also here):

Of the Officers of the Church.

THE officers which Christ hath appointed for the edification of his church, and the perfecting of the saints, are, some extraordinary, as apostles, evangelists, and prophets, which are ceased.

Others ordinary and perpetual, as pastors, teachers, and other church-governors, and deacons.

William Hetherington, History of the Westminster Assembly of Divines, Chapter 3:

Committees, according to the usual arrangement, had been appointed to prepare the subject of Church-officers for public discussion, and gave in their separate reports. That of the second committee began thus: – "In inquiring after the officers belonging to the Church of the New Testament, we first find that Christ, who is Priest, Prophet, King, and Head of the Church, hath fullness of power, and containeth all other offices, by way of eminency, in himself; and therefore hath many of their names attributed to him." To this sacred and comprehensive proposition they appended a number of Scripture proofs, in six divisions. The following names of Church officers were mentioned as given in Scripture to Christ: –

1. Apostle;

2. Pastor;

3. Bishop;

4. Teacher;

5. Minister, or

but this last name was rejected by the Assembly, as not meaning a Church officer in the passage where it is used. The report of the third committee was similar in character, ascribing, in Scripture terms, the government to Jesus Christ, who, being ascended far above all heavens, "hath given all officers necessary for the edification of his Church; some whereof are extra-ordinary, some ordinary. Out of the scriptures referred to they found the following officers: – Apostles, Evangelists, Prophets, Pastors, Teachers, Bishops or Overseers, Presbyters or Elders, Deacons, and Widows. 3

In the discussion which followed upon the reading of these reports, it is rather remarkable that the Erastians took no part; although the full meaning of the main proposition, – that Christ contains all offices, by way of eminency, in himself, and has given all officers necessary for the edification of his Church, – seems to contain enough to preclude the Erastian theory. But we shall have occasion to show the reason why they allowed this proposition to pass unchallenged. It did not, however, escape the opposition of the Independents. Mr. Goodwin opposed it, as anticipating the Assembly’s work, and concluding that Christ’s influence into his Church is through his officers, whereas he questions whether it be conveyed that way or not. Again, when the kingly office of Christ was under discussion, Goodwin doubted whether the Scriptures prove that Christ is King, in regard of discipline in the Church. He questioned also whether the Headship of Christ should be specified, as being no office in the Church. All these objections were overruled, and the reports proved, as the basis of subsequent deliberations.

The four following questions were also reported by the third committee: –

1. What officers are mentioned in the New Testament?

2. What officers of these were pro tempore, and what permanent?

3. What names were common to divers officers, and what restrained?

4. What the office of those standing officers?"

The general names of officers having been already stated, the debate arose on the second question, – "What officers were perpetual?" The office of apostles was declared to be only pro tempore, and extraordinary, for the eight following reasons: –

1. They were immediately called by Christ;

2. They had seen Christ;

3. Their commission was through the whole world;

4. They were endued with the spirit of infallibility in delivering the truths of doctrine to the churches;

5. They only by special commission were set apart to be personal witnesses of Christ’s resurrection;

6. They had power to give the Holy Ghost;

7. They were appointed to go through the world to settle churches, in a new form appointed by Christ;

8. They had the inspection and care of all the churches.

Jus Divinum Regiminis Ecclesiastici (The Divine Right of Church Government) by Sundry London Ministers

Scottish Second Book of Discipline (1578):

Chapter 2

Of the Parts of
the Policy of the Kirk,
and Persons or Office-Bearers
to Whom Administration
is Committed
1. As in the civil policy the whole commonwealth consists in them that are governors or magistrates, and them that are governed, or subjects; so in the policy of the kirk some are appointed to be rulers (and the rest of the members thereof to be ruled), and obeyed according to the word of God and inspiration of his Spirit, always under one Head and Chief Governor, Jesus Christ.

2. Again, the whole policy of the kirk consists in three things: viz., in doctrine, discipline, and distribution. With doctrine is annexed the administration of the sacraments. And according to the parts of this division arises a threefold sort of office-bearers in the kirk: to wit, of ministers or preachers, elders or governors, and deacons or distributors.

3. And all these may be called by one general word, ministers of the kirk. For albeit the kirk of God is ruled and governed by Jesus Christ, who is the only King, High Priest, and Head thereof, yet he uses the ministry of men as a most necessary middis [means] for this purpose. For so he has from time to time, before the law, under the law, and in the time of the evangel, for our great comfort raised up men endued with the gifts of the Spirit, for the spiritual government of his kirk, exercising by them his own power, through his Spirit and word, to the building of the same.

4. And to take away all occasion of tyranny, he will that they should rule with mutual consent of brethren, and equality of power, every one according to their functions.

5. In the New Testament and time of the evangel, he has used the ministry of the apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and doctors in the administration of the word; the eldership for good order and administration of discipline; the deaconship to have the care of the ecclesiastical goods.

6. Some of these ecclesiastical functions are ordinary, and some extraordinary or temporary. There are three extraordinary functions: the office of the apostle, of the evangelist, and of the prophet, which are not perpetual, and now have ceased in the kirk of God, except when he pleased extraordinarily for a time to stir some of them up again. There are four ordinary functions or offices in the kirk of God: the office of the pastor, minister or bishop; the doctor; the presbyter or elder; and the deacon.

7. These offices are ordinary, and ought to continue perpetually in the kirk, as necessary for the government and policy of the same, and no more offices ought to be received or suffered in the true kirk of God established according to his word.

8. Therefore all the ambitious titles invented in the kingdom of Antichrist, and in his usurped hierarchy, which are not of one of these four sorts, together with the offices depending thereupon, in one word, ought to be rejected.

Edward Veale (Matthew Poole's Annotations) on Eph. 4.11:

Eph 4:11. And he gave; distributed several gifts, (which are spoken of in general, Eph 1:7,) according to his Father's appointment, who is said to set in the church what Christ is here said to give, 1 Cor 12:28. Objection. Nothing is here said of gifts, but only of offices. Answer. Christ never gave offices without suitable furniture; this diversity therefore of offices includes diversity of respective gifts. Apostles; extraordinary officers, with an immediate call, universal commission, infallibility in teaching, and power of working miracles, appointed for the first founding the Christian church in all parts of the world, Matt 28:19; Acts 19:6. Objection. The apostles were appointed by Christ before his death. Answer. The apostle here speaks not of Christ's first calling them, but, 1. Of his fully supplying them with gifts necessary to the discharge of their office, which was after his resurrection, Acts 1:4; John 7:39. And, 2. Of their solemn inauguration in their office, by the pouring out of the Holy Ghost upon them in a visible manner, Acts 2. Prophets; extraordinary officers who did by immediate revelation interpret the Scriptures, 1 Cor 14:4-5, and not only such as did foretell things to come, Acts 11:27; Acts 21:10. Evangelists; these were likewise extraordinary officers, for the most part chosen by the apostles, as their companions and assistants in preaching the word, and planting churches in the several places where they travelled. Such were Timothy, Titus, Apollos, Silas, etc. Pastors and teachers; either two names of the same office, implying the distinct duties of ruling and teaching belonging to it; or two distinct offices, but both ordinary, and of standing use in the church in all times; and then pastors are they that are fixed to and preside over particular churches, with the care both of instructing and ruling them, 1 Thess 5:12; Heb 13:17; called elsewhere elders, and bishops, Acts 20:28; Phil 1:1; 1 Tim 3:1; Titus 1:5,7; 1 Pet 5:1-2. Teachers; they whose work is to teach the doctrine of religion, and confute the contrary errors.

Samuel Rosewell (Matthew Henry's Commentary) on Eph. 4.11:

The apostle next tells us what were Christ's gifts at his ascension: He gave some apostles, &c., v. 11. Indeed he sent forth some of these before his ascension, Matt. x. 1-5. But one was then added, Acts i. 26. And all of them were more solemnly installed, and publicly confirmed, in their office, by his visibly pouring forth the Holy Ghost in an extraordinary manner and measure upon them. Note, The great gift that Christ gave to the church at his ascension was that of the ministry of peace and reconciliation. The gift of the ministry is the fruit of Christ's ascension. And ministers have their various gifts, which are all given them by the Lord Jesus. The officers which Christ gave to his church were of two sorts—extraordinary ones advanced to a higher office in the church: such were apostles, prophets, and evangelists. The apostles were chief. These Christ immediately called, furnished them with extraordinary gifts and the power of working miracles, and with infallibility in delivering his truth; and, they having been the witnesses of his miracles and doctrine, he sent them forth to spread the gospel and to plant and govern churches. The prophets seem to have been such as expounded the writings of the Old Testament, and foretold things to come. The evangelists were ordained persons (2 Tim. i. 6), whom the apostles took for their companions in travel (Gal. ii. 1), and sent them out to settle and establish such churches as the apostles themselves had planted (Acts xix. 22), and, not being fixed to any particular place, they were to continue till recalled, 2 Tim. iv. 9. And then there are ordinary ministers, employed in a lower and narrower sphere; as pastors and teachers. Some take these two names to signify one office, implying the duties of ruling and teaching belonging to it. Others think they design two distinct offices, both ordinary, and of standing use in the church; and then pastors are such as are fixed at the head of particular churches, with design to guide, instruct, and feed them in the manner appointed by Christ; and they are frequently called bishops and elders: and the teachers were those whose work it was also to preach the gospel and to instruct the people by way of exhortation.

Office of Doctor

Brian Schwertley's series on Spiritual Gifts from Eph. 4.11

McClintock & Strong's Cyclopedia

The New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge

Paradigms of Polity: Classic Readings in Reformed and Presbyterian Church Government, ed. by David W. Hall & Joseph H. Hall

 

[Davidius]

thanks!