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The third one here is the Evangelist whilst the Teacher is fourth. No other gifts
follow, as they do in I Cor. 12: 28; we are evidently dealing with a different order, e.g.:-
"APOSTLES."--These were given after He had "ascended up on high". Which of the
apostles were thus given? In Matt. 10: 2-4 we read:--
"Now the names of the twelve apostles are these. Peter, Andrew, James, John, Philip,
Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew, James, Lebbæus, Simon and Judas Iscariot."
Before the Lord ascended He was seen "of the twelve" (I Cor. 15: 5). This therefore
includes Matthias, for Judas never saw the risen Lord, and Matthias was a "witness of His
resurrection", and was "numbered with the eleven" (Acts 1: 15-26).
The twelve Apostles are complete without Paul.
In I Thess. 2: 6 Paul associates with himself Timothy and Silas saying, "We might
have been burdensome as the apostles of Christ". These men are also outside the list of
Matt. 10: Paul and the apostles of his Order were the gifts of the ascended Lord, the
apostles of the Circumcision were appointed by Christ on earth.
"PROPHET" are referred to in Ephesians alone of the prison epistles, and always in
the same relation as in 4: 11. First we read that the "One body" is built upon the
foundation of the apostles and prophets (2: 20). Next that the revelation of the Mystery
of Christ, now given to his holy apostles and prophets, is greater and fuller than that
given in other generations (3: 5), and lastly, that this order was a part of the gift of the
ascended Lord to His Church (4: 11).
"EVANGELIST."--This is the gift which is not found in I Cor. 12: Philip is called
an evangelist in Acts 21: 8, and when Paul was giving Timothy his parting charge, he
says:--
"Do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of your ministry, for I am already
being poured out" (II Tim. 4: 5, 6).
The office was evidently very different from that which is so named to-day. The
Evangelist was the successor to the Apostle. Timothy, who had the charge of the Church,
the appointing of the elders and deacons and general administration, was called upon to
make full proof of his ministry at the passing of the Apostle by doing the work of an
Evangelist.
The foundation ministry was that of Apostle and Prophet. These, together with
Evangelist, Pastor and Teacher bridged the gulf, re-adjusted the saints as to the new
dispensation that had been introduced, and led on to the unity of the faith.
From our brief examination of this first passage we find that the "gifts" of Eph. 4:
are totally different from those which were prominent during the Acts. We must continue
our examination in another paper.