What grace have you received and why?

What is this grace?

This is only one of the many questions raised in the mind of a careful reader of the text we will explore.  

Another question might be about the accompanying image:

What does the Roman triumphant procession have to do with this?

In this post, we will ask and attempt to answer some crucial questions raised by the text of Ephesians 4. Hopefully, our answers will equip, direct, and encourage you.

Before we begin the text, here is a brief explanation of the image we chose.

Triumphal processions

There are a few metaphorical parallels in the New Testament with the Roman practices of that era (e.g., 2 Corinthians 2:14-16; Colossians 2:15; Ephesians 4:8). The Encyclopedia Britannica describes an ancient Roman triumph as:

A ritual procession that was the highest honour bestowed upon a victorious general in the ancient Roman Republic; it was the summit of a Roman aristocrat’s career. [1]

This metaphor is used of the cosmic triumphal procession of the Lord Jesus Christ, which has a direct bearing on our text.

If you would like to learn more about this biblical image, here is a link to “The Triumphal Procession in Christ.”

Now, let’s introduce the biblical text.

The Text

We begin with Ephesians 4:7-11:

… But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. This is why it says: “When he ascended on high, he led captives in his train and gave gifts to men.” (What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, …

As always, I encourage you to read this text within its context, which is either Ephesians 4 or, even better, the entire letter.

Ephesians 1-3 presents a rich theology of Christ and the relationship between Him and His people. Chapters 4-6 instruct us how to live what we have learned in the previous chapters. The shift at Ephesians 4:1 introduces the desired outflow of this theology in our lives with:

… I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.

Let’s look at our first question.

Grace that is given

Ephesians 4:7 states:

But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.

What is this grace? Why has it been given? And to whom is it given?

Let’s answer the last question first.

The “us” reaches back to the first verse of Paul’s letter:

To the saints in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus.

You might be aware that some early manuscripts do not include the words “in Ephesus,” which really does not change anything. It was written to those who had received Christ, whether at Ephesus 2,000 years ago, or to those ‘in Christ’ wherever and whenever they live.

If you are ‘in Christ,’ then this is for you—grace has been given to you!

We receive this “grace” according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

What is this grace, why is it “according to the measure,” and what is it for?

The word “grace” occurs twelve times in Ephesians [2], and it appears to be used with various focuses.

The focus of “grace” here is somewhat different from, say, Ephesians 2:8-9, where we read that “by grace you have been saved, through faith …” In that context, some do not receive more or less grace than others. All those ‘in Christ’ have received all the grace that provides complete and eternal salvation.

In our text, the grace appears to be so that we can “live a life worthy of the calling you have received” (4:1). Put another way, the Triune God has given you all the undeserved favor you need to enable you to live your life for Christ. This also appears to include the equipping gifts, which we will come to in a moment.  

How the Old Testament is quoted

At this point, Paul quotes the Old Testament (OT) text, Psalm 68:18.

When understanding how New Testament (NT) writers treated OT texts, you need to realize they held the OT—the Scriptures—in the highest esteem as God’s words. Secondly, they did not “cherry pick” a verse and use it out of context to support what they wanted to say. [3]

When NT writers used an OT text, it was like pinching a tablecloth, then pulling it—the whole tablecloth followed. Similarly, when Paul quotes Psalm 68:18, he incorporates the entire Psalm 68 into the context of Ephesians 4.

This is what Paul writes in 4:8:

This is why it says: “When he ascended on high, he led captives in his train and gave gifts to men [anthrōpos mankind, humans].”

Here is what Psalm 68:18 says:

When you [God] ascended on high, you led captives in your train; you received gifts from men, even from the rebellious—that you, O LORD God, might dwell there.

Some have a significant issue with the use of “gave” in Ephesians 4:8 in place of “received” in Psalm 68:18.

Is this really an issue?

If you read the whole of Psalm 68, it should not pose a problem at all. Please take a moment to pause and read Psalm 68.

Now that you have read the Psalm, you know how it concludes (68:35):

You are awesome, O God, in your sanctuary; the God of Israel gives power and strength to his people. Praise be to God!

Yes, God triumphed over His enemies and received gifts (gifts of submission) from:

• humans, the rebellious (68:18),
• kings (68:29), and
• nations (68:30).

Paul knew this Psalm and “cut to the chase” by anticipating that our awesome God “gives power and strength to his people” (68:35).  

The trajectory of the triumphal procession

In Ephesians 4:9-10, Paul provides some commentary on Psalm 68.

(What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.)

“He descended” refers to the incarnation, life, crucifixion, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus, which took place on earth, the place of the cosmic battle between the Lord and his foes.

“He ascended” refers to his Ascension—the triumphal procession from the site of the victorious battle to the Throne, “higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.”

Gifts given for a purpose

At 4:11, we are told:

It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, …

These are not positions or titles; they are people who are gifted by God’s grace for this purpose (4:12-13):

to prepare God’s people for works of service,

so that the body of Christ may be built up

until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

Put another way, these gift-endowed people are to equip those ‘in Christ’ to grow up and “live a life worthy of the calling you have received.”

Summing Up

There is much more we can learn from this text.

For now, I encourage you to ask yourself: 

“Am I living a life worthy of the calling I have received,” as described in Ephesians 1-3?

If you are like me, you will probably say something like,

“No, I am falling short, but I yearn to live that life more worthily.”

One place to begin is to read Ephesians carefully, prayerfully, and responsively. By “responsively,” I mean drawing on the grace you have received to live as you ought to live, making the grace-filled changes that need to be made.

To learn more about “spiritual gifts” and their relevance to you, I encourage you to engage with the series “Spiritual Gifts: Manifestations of the Spirit through His People.” 

If you have any comments or questions about this post, please use this link to contact me. 

 

BACK TO The Promised Presence of God

Notes:

[1] https://www.britannica.com/topic/triumph-ancient-Roman-honor, retrieved July 10, 2025.

[2] Ephesians 1:2, 6, 7; 2:5, 7, 8; 3:2, 7, 8; 4:7, 29 (NIV translates charis as “benefit” whereas almost all other translations render it as “grace”), and 6:24.

[3] See generally, G. K. Beale, Handbook on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2012).

Image credit: Detail of the Triumph of Aemilius Paulus by Carle Vernet, 1789, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.