‘And he gave some Apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers for the perfecting of the saints unto the work of serving, unto the building up of the body of Christ.'
Having ascended on high Jesus now gave His gifts to men. The gifts are interesting in illustrating early ministry. 1 Corinthians 12:28 mentions Apostles, prophets and teachers. It may be that wider outreach into country districts called for evangelists (‘Gospellers') and the need was appreciated for sub-shepherds to the flock. The purpose of these ministries was in order to ‘perfect the people of God' so that they in turn could build up others. ‘Pastors and teachers' may reflect a joint office as ‘teachers' has no definite article in contrast with the remainder. Good and sound servants of God are God's special gift to His people in contrast with those described in 1 Corinthians 12:14.
‘Perfecting.' The verb can be used of setting fractures and mending tears in garments and the idea may therefore be of restoring what was previously spoiled. But it may mean here ‘equipping'.
‘Unto the work of serving.' Diakonios means service, and spiritual ministry in that sense. God's purpose in equipping His people is that they might engage in service.
‘The building up or edifying of the body of Christ.' The latter phrase looks back to the idea of Christ dying in His body of flesh, with which we are united when we come to Him by faith, dying along with Him and rising with Him. We too rise as He rises and conjoined with Him we are therefore His body needing to be built up and made strong. This then led on to the idea of the body having many members, each playing its part in the building up of the whole.
The mention of the body of Christ here suggests Paul has in mind his teaching in 1 Corinthians 12 where the same gifts are similarly related to the body of Christ. The picture of a body with many members (which body ‘is Christ' - 1 Corinthians 12:12) was seen as well describing the numerous activities within the church, contributing to the whole. ‘Building up.' The word is regularly used metaphorically to signify growth in the spiritual life so that the idea of literal building fades into the background. But there may be some reference back to Ephesians 2:20-22 and the thought of the Temple of the Holy Spirit.