In St. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, he encourages each of them to live up to the calling they received. They were also called to the one hope which goes with their call. One body of Christ. One Spirit. One Lord. One faith. One baptism. One God and Father of all.
“I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit – just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call – one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift” (Ephesians 4:1-7 ESV).
Next, Paul’s letter to the Ephesians lists the gifts of Christ as apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds (also known as pastors) and teachers. Whereas some of these terms might overlap, there is a definite overlap between ‘pastors’ and ‘teachers’ in this context. Nevertheless, Paul’s use of Greek grammar also suggests that ‘pastors’ and ‘teachers’ are distinct gifts.
“And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes” (Ephesians 4: 11-14 ESV).
Finally, to ‘equip’ the saints for the work of ministry is the same term used in the Greek world for ‘training’ or ‘equipping’ philosophers. In so doing, may God continue to gift the saints with pastors and teachers who call us into greater maturity. And may God use them to keep us from the waves and winds of destructive doctrine.
~ Boethius ~