Ver. 7. +But unto every one of us is given grace.+--The distributing Spirit (1 Cor. xii. 11) leaves no humblest member of the body of Christ without His endowment. Ver. 8. +Wherefore He saith.+--What follows is a quotation of Ps. lxviii. 18 "with free alteration" (_Meyer_), adapting the return of the hero-king to his own city to that most magnificent of all triumphs--over Hades and Death--achieved by Him "who was dead and is alive for evermore." "Being by the right hand of God exalted He hath poured forth this" abundance, as a conqueror scatters his largesse. Vers. 9, 10. +Now that He ascended . . . that He might fill all things.+--The exaltation, in His case, presupposed the humiliation. From the throne of the universe--"the glory which He had with the Father"--to the profoundest depths where any poor lost piece of humanity that is redeemable can be found, and thence again to the throne He relinquished. +The same also.+--Exalted, to be confidingly and adoringly loved; humbled, to be worshipped no less as "the Son of man who is in heaven." Ver. 11. +And He gave some to be, etc.+--"Christ gave the persons, and the community gave to them the service" (_Meyer_). +Apostles . . . prophets . . . evangelists.+--We cannot accept the order as significant of rank. It would grace an angel to be the "evangelist" of such a salvation. As apostles they went forth "sent" by their Master to men in their need; as prophets they "spoke out" what He had taught them; as evangelists they were the messengers of _good_ tidings. They were apostles that they might be evangelists (Matt x. 5-7), "going about heralding" the kingdom and gathering men into it. +Pastors and teachers.+--Shepherds and instructors of those gathered together by men of another order. These are the true "bishops," whatever "other name" they bear (1 Pet. v. 1-4). Ver. 12. +For the perfecting of the saints.+--"Saints," whilst a title of the highest honour, is often expressive of the ideal rather than the real life of those who bear it; the "perfecting" is the rendering into actual life of what is implied in the term of honour. +For the work of the ministry.+--R.V. "_into_ the work." If the end of all Christ's gifts so far as "the saints" are concerned is their perfect equipment, so far as His messengers are concerned they go forth unto service first, honour afterwards. +For the edifying of the body of Christ.+--Practically the same as the foregoing, but with an ultimate reference to Christ. The double figure of a building and of a body is familiar to our own speech, as when we speak of "building up a strong frame."