(7) But unto everyone of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. (8) Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. (9) (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? (10) He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) (11) And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; (12) For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: (13) Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ:
Every verse here is a sermon, and full of the most blessed heads of discourse. Oh! that God the Holy Ghost, the Almighty Preacher of it, may again preach the whole life-giving contents to my soul, and engraft them there. If the Reader hath My Poor Man's Commentary by him on the Psalms, he will find some few observations on the some Scripture, from whence the first of the verses here is taken. Psalms 68:18. In addition, let me beg him to remark, how blessedly, Christ's triumph in our nature is celebrated, and the blessed effects which followed. In the original Scripture, it is said, that he received gifts. Yes! Christ had not then accomplished redemption-work. But here the Apostle celebrates the thing done. Now it is said, he gave them, Jesus had now returned to glory, and, therefore, all his ascension-gifts were sent down, And let not the Reader for a moment overlook, that the whole is spoken of Jesus in our nature. For his ascension implied, his descension. Christ is the same identical Person, who from everlasting, stood up the Covenant-head of his body the Church, when his delights were with the sons of men. Proverbs 8:22-23 etc. Hence descension, therefore, preceded his ascension, and both proved his identity. But I refer the Reader, on this point, to the Poor Man's Commentary. John 3:13
One part, connected with this subject, I must not suffer to escape, until that I have first called the Reader's attention to it. I mean the very blessed, and most interesting record here given of Christ's ascension in our nature, that he might fill all things. The Holy Ghost had before recorded in the sixty-eighth Psalm, that what Christ received when he led captivity captive, he received in the man, that is, in his human nature, as the man, the God-man Christ Jesus.
Now it is the sweetest and most interesting of all subjects, the contemplation of the Son of God in our nature, Jesus still wears our nature in heaven. When he ascended, he ascended in our nature. And all he received, he received in our nature, on purpose that he might convey his mercies, gifts, and graces, to a nature like his own. Hence, this was one reason, among others, wherefore he took into union with his divine nature the human nature, that the communications might be natural. Add to these, in the Son of God assuming our nature, it qualified him for the office of a Mediator, and High Priest. Not to inform him what we are, for by his Godhead he knew this. But by a fellow feeling, that he might enter into all our concerns, and give him a pity that is natural, and which might sympathize with the nature he relieved. How sweet is it thus to view Jesus, in all his offices, and characters, and relations!
I do not think it necessary to offer any observations on the diversity of appointments in the Church, neither of the various qualifications with which the several departments are distinguished. These are all sufficiently obvious to need nothing explanatory. But I venture to make one remark from the whole, which it were to be wished was more seriously regarded. I mean, that in all the appointments, whether Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors, or Teachers, all had their appointment and their qualification from the Lord. What would have been thought, in the days of the Apostles, and in the forming of the Church, if men uncalled by the Lord, and unordained by the Holy Ghost, had rushed into the ministry? Who would have dared to have taken upon him either of those offices, so soon after the descent of God the Holy Ghost, without hearing somewhat like the voice, saying, Separate me Barnabas and Saul, for the work whereunto I have called them! Acts 13:2. Could it ever have entered into the minds of the Apostles of Christ, that the days would come in the Church of Christ, when men, ignorant of the very Being of God the Holy Ghost, would declare themselves moved with the Holy Ghost, to take upon them the sacred office for the sake of filthy lucre?
Readers do not fail to take with you the great and important design, for which the Lord the Spirit hath established a standing ministry in his Church. It is for the perfecting of the saints, for establishing the whole mystical body of Christ, in Christ, their glorious head. Nothing, under the Lord's teaching, can more contribute to this, than the ministry of the word and ordinances. And when the Lord causeth his people to assemble together, and He comes himself in the midst of them, everything is made blessed and refreshing. I might appeal to every well organized Church Of the Lord Jesus upon earth in confirmation. There is, no leaness of soul, no spiritual want, nothing but life and prosperity where Christ visits his Churches. The body is, indeed, edified, when the good will of Him that dwelt in the bush, dwells in the assembly of his saints. That good will flows from his heart into the hearts, of his people, and the fragrancy and savor of Christ's name, is as ointment poured forth! Deuteronomy 33:16; Song of Solomon 1:3.