PROPHETS AND APOSTLES

PROPHETS AND APOSTLES AT THE START

“And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers,  for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ.” Eph. 4:11-12

In Early Church There were Prophets as Well as Apostles

Cf. Acts 11:27; 13:1; 15:32; Eph. 4:11

 The word prophets means "to speak before" or "to speak for." Thus it refers to one who speaks for God or Christ. Prophets were also called pneumatics (pneumatikos), "spiritual ones" (1 Cor. 14:37). The prophets played a foundational role in the early church

These prophets received new revelation from the Holy Spirit. Eph. 3:5 - Argument Not O.T. prophets, but N.T. prophets. Hidden in the past but now needed in the Church, the mystery of Christ, not a secret. These gifted prophets were there til the New Testament was finished.

Continuing the analogy with returning human conquerors, who gave gifts to their countrymen, the ascended Christ, by His Spirit, has given spiritual gifts to His subjects individually, to be exercised for the benefit of the “one body,” corporately. Many of these gifts of the Spirit are listed in Rom. 12:4-8, and 1 Cor. 12:4-12, 27-30. Only four (or five) of the more essential gifts are listed here. As noted before, however, the gifts of apostles and prophets to the body ceased with the completion of the New Testament and the death of John, the last of the apostles (see notes on Eph. 3:5-6).

 pastors and teachers. The Greek here may be read “pastors-teachers,” suggesting that this may be one gift, rather than two. However, the gift of teaching is also mentioned in the other two lists of gifts (Rom. 12:7; 1 Cor. 12:28), so must be a distinct gift not necessarily combined with the pastoral (or “shepherding”) gift. The only other gift mentioned in all the three lists is that of prophecy, but this gift has ceased.

These gifts were bestowed on men in the church in order that they might perfect by their ministry the church so that the chuch may do the work of the ministry in 1 Pet 5:3.

Apostles-perfection of doctrine.

Prophets-perfecting of forthtelling, the declaring of truth.
Evangelists-Church planters.
Pastor-teacher-perfects the character of the membership so that they might minister.

 

In 1 Cor 12:8-28 the Holy Spirit is seen as enduing the members of the body of Christ with spiritual gifts, or enablement’s for a varied service; here certain Spirit-endued men, i.e. apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers are themselves the gifts whom the glorified Christ bestows upon His body the Church. In 1 Cor., the gifts are spiritual enablement’s for specific service; in Ephesians, the gifts are men who have such enablement’s.

The Lord, in bestowing the gifted men, determines providentially (e.g. Acts 11:22 - 26), or directly through the Holy Spirit (e.g. Acts 13:1-2; 16:6-7), the places of their service. Some churches or places need one gift, as, e.g. an evangelist; others need rather a pastor or teacher. Absolutely nothing in Christ's service is left to mere human judgment or self-choosing. Even an apostle was not permitted to choose his place of service (Acts 16:7-8).