Bible passage

Eph 4:8-10

Topic

In Ephesians 4, Paul quotes Psalm 68:18-19, which states:

“Ascending on high, He took captivity captive and gave gifts to men.”
Eph 4:8

The apostle now explains this with

“But the “He ascended”, what does it say but that He also descended before to the lowlands of the earth? He who descended is the same who also ascended, high above all the heavens, to complete the universe.”
Eph 4:9-10

Traditional interpretation

The fact that Christ ascended on high is meant to point to His ascension. His descent before “into the lower parts of the earth” is supposed to refer to the fact that He was in the grave before and descended into Hades. Emerging from this through resurrection, he should have captured the prison (death) and thus effectively abolished death. Since then, we do not die properly, but go directly to heaven when we die.

Counterargument

This is not about death or the state of death, but about “gifts being given” to the church according to the “measure of the gift of Christ.” What we have in the church as different gifts, we received from Him as He assigned them to us. Or, to put it another way, Christ makes the church possible and, through His death and through His resurrection, has given the condition for the building up of the church.

Justification

Text in context: Paul’s emphasis on service and a way of life worthy of our calling (Eph 4:1) should also be ministered to in respecting and preserving the unity of the church. Eph 4:11 speaks of gifts to the church, namely: apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds, and teachers. They were to conform believers to the “work of ministry” and to edification (Eph. 4:12). Now these gifts are “given according to the measure of the gift of Christ (Eph. 4:7). The quotation from Psalm 68:18-19 was now intended to make this gift clear, especially to such members of the congregation who were familiar with the Tenach (the Old Testament).

Psalm 68 is the clarification of a principle: It comes from Him. He has given gifts. This is even anchored in the Psalms. And who is this one who gives gifts?

“But the ‘He ascended’, what does it say but that He also descended before to the lowlands of the earth? He, the descended one, is the same who also ascended, high above all the heavens, to complete the universe.”
Eph 4:9-10

Paul makes it clear that this Psalm quote is to be applied to Christ. He who came on earth before (“the lowlands of the earth”) is the same one who ascended. Since the church knew this about Christ, Paul can now interpret the text this way. It is about Christ, not about captivity. It is about Him who ascended on high to complete the All. “The same gives some as apostles, others as prophets, still others as evangelists or shepherds and teachers…” (Eph 4:11).

But what is captivity? It should be clear now that this has nothing to do with death. But what is meant by this? Psalm 68 speaks of Mount Sinai, where the law was given, as well as the temple service. It is only after the ascent that the captivity is captured. That was after death, resurrection and ascension. Possibly it is the law that Jesus fulfilled as the Son of God, and whereby sonship was obtained for us (Gal 4:1-7). There is a changed reality. The gifts (namely: apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds, teachers) adapt the church to this new reality. That’s their job.