WHAT A DIFFERENCE A COMMA MAKES

Bill Fitzhenry's Thoughts For Today…

Understanding important truths from the Bible….

Ephesians 4:12 KJV

¹² For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

Ephesians 4:12 NKJV

¹² for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,

  

The change in the translation came somewhere around the middle of the 19^th century.  The translators became convinced that the change in the Greek preposition “for” from its first occasion “for the equipping” to another preposition in the next two phrases warranted a change in the structure of the sentence.

The new structure of the sentence would have two phrases rather than three.  The comma was removed from between “saints” and “for” making one clause with what was the 2^nd phrase now being an adverbial phrase modifying “equipping”.  This gave an entirely different meaning to the sentence that begins in verse 11 and continues through verse 16.

By this a particular office, deacons, is changed to the overall vocation which is applied to all Christians.  And it was understood that this was the result of the comma removal.

There was not unanimity for this.  Some very great scholars disagreed with good exegetical and grammatical reasons.  John Eadie, a Scotch scholar whose credentials are as impressive as any of that day, wrote the following on this verse in his commentary on Ephesians.

“4.  Meier, Schott, Ruckert, and Erasmus also regard the two clauses introduced by eis as dependent upon  that beginning with pros.  Their opinion is—that the apostle meant to say “for the perfecting of the saints unto all that variety of service which is essential unto the edification of the church.”  This interpretation we preferred in our first edition.  But Meyer argues that diakonia, in such a connection, never signifies service in general, but official service; and his objection there is, that the saints, as a body, are not invested with official prerogative.

5.  Meyer’s own view is, that the two last clauses are co-ordinate, and that both depend on edoke,

while the first clause contains the ultimate reason for which Christ gave teachers.  He has given teachers—eis-- “for the work of the ministry” and--eis--for the edifying of His body—in order to

the perfecting of His saints.”  Ellicott and Alford follow Meyer, and we incline now to concur

 in this opinion.”  The John Eadie Greek Text Commentaries, Vol 2, Ephesians, page 308.

This quote is long and somewhat technical, but it does point out the differences scholars have about the present universally accepted translation.  Meyer’s statement “deacon” in such a connection, never signifies service in general, but official service, “has not been disproved.”

This may seem a small change not worth the time or trouble but the consequences are enormous.  The present day “saints in general” are “invested with an official prerogative”.  There is a position held by many, surely the majority of church leaders, that the most important responsibility they have is to enlist the members of the church to “minister” according to their gifts.

In doing this they have:

A.      Lessened their responsibility for the other critical work mentioned in vv 13-14.  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 fulness of Christ:

¹⁴ That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

The result is the church is beset with what the Apostle describes in vv 14.  The church overall is ignorant of “truth”.

2.  Lessened the overall respect for the ministry in the present day church.  This has demonstrated itself in no respect for adequate preparation; no absolute requirement of spiritual gifts in the Preaching Ministry; and a down-grading of knowledge in teachers (for are not all ministers?)

The chaos that has developed is not an accident.  It came with the removal of a comma.