Saturday in the 29th Week of Ordinary Time, October 24, 2020

We continue with reflections of the second readings which this week feature the Letter of St. Paul to the Ephesians.

Ephesians 4:7-16

Brothers and sisters: Grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Therefore, it says: “He ascended on high and took prisoners captive; he gave gifts to men.” What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended into the lower regions of the earth? The one who descended is also the one who ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things. And he gave some as Apostles, others as prophets, others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers, to equip the holy ones for the work of ministry, for building up the Body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood to the extent of the full stature of Christ, so that we may no longer be infants, tossed by waves and swept along by every wind of teaching arising from human trickery, from their cunning in the interests of deceitful scheming. Rather, living the truth in love, we should grow in every way into him who is the head, Christ, from whom the whole Body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, with the proper functioning of each part, brings about the Body’s growth and builds itself up in love.

“Grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift.”  Having established their unity, he speaks now of their diversity, for there can be no true diversity without the unity -- such would amount to chaos. "The measure of Christ’s gift": see, for example, in the parable of the talents in Matthew 25, 15, “He gave to one . . . according to his proper ability.”  God, in his marvelous providence predestines each person for a certain amount of grace and native ability for the carrying out of his will in this life.

“Therefore, it says: ‘He ascended on high and took prisoners captive; he gave gifts to men.’ ”  The Greek text says that “He led captivity captive.”  In doing so, he destroyed the power of death.  In this and the next two verses, Paul establishes that Christ has the right to distribute gifts, and the right to choose to whom he gives them.  

“What does ‘he ascended’ mean except that he also descended into the lower regions of the earth?”  He descended “also into the lower parts of the earth”.  This refers to Christ's preaching to the dead upon his own death. 1 Peter 3, 19: “He preached to those spirits that were in prison.”  This is commemorated in the Apostles Creed, in which it is written, as it is usually translated, “He descended into hell.”

“The one who descended is also the one who ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.”  The Lord joins himself to us in every  way, and in every place, so that he can speak for all to the Father, and act on their behalf.  This verse also shows that The Lord knows all people because he is in each person at the least by virtue of his power in the case of a nonbeliever, and through his grace in the case of one who is baptized and free from grievous sin.

“And he gave some as Apostles, others as prophets, others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers, to equip the holy ones for the work of ministry, for building up the Body of Christ.”  This diversity of callings, offices, or duties, has a three-fold purpose: “to equip the holy ones”, through the Sacraments and the teaching of the Gospel; “the work of the ministry”, in which the Gospel is spread to the far parts of the earth; “for building up the Body of Christ”, so that Christians are consoled and encouraged (“building up the Body of Christ can also be translated as “for the edification of the Body of Christ”).  Each of the offices or duties that he names plays a role in each of the purposes.  The offices held by certain Christians exist to provide service, not for the mere exercise of power. See Matthew 20, 25-28.

“Until we all attain to the unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood to the extent of the full stature of Christ.”  This verse is not translated very well.  A more accurate translation would be:  “Until we all meet into the unity of faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the age of the fullness of Christ.”  “A perfect man”, in Greek, άνδρα τέλειον (andra teleion). The adjective τέλειον is derived from τέλος, “the end” or “the goal”. The adjective has the sense of “completely grown in all its parts”, or “of full age”.  In this context, Paul means a Christian fully formed in virtue and solidly educated in the true teaching of God.

“So that we may no longer be infants, tossed by waves and swept along by every wind of teaching arising from human trickery, from their cunning in the interests of deceitful scheming.”  That is, the state of the Ephesians or of anyone before they become Christians.

“Rather, living the truth in love, we should grow in every way into him who is the head, Christ, from whom the whole Body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, with the proper functioning of each part, brings about the Body’s growth and builds itself up in love.”  The parts of the body work together and assist one another in the carrying out of some action.  Paul's use of the body in explaining the unity of the Church would work especially well for the Ephesians who benefitted from the work of Aristotle and Hippocrates, and whose appreciation of the human body is shown in their art and love of athletics.  The head was known by the Greeks to govern all the parts and senses of the body as early as the sixth century before Christ.