Matthew Henry Commentary Ephesians 4:7-16

"But unto each one of us was the grace given according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Wherefore he saith, When he ascended on high, he led captivity captive, And gave gifts unto men. (Now this, He ascended, what is it but that he also descended into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) And he gave some [to be] apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, unto the work of ministering, unto the building up of the body of Christ: till we all attain unto the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a fullgrown man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: that we may be no longer children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, in craftiness, after the wiles of error; but speaking truth in love, we may grow up in all things into him, who is the head, [even] Christ; from whom all the body fitly framed and knit together through that which every joint supplieth, according to the working in [due] measure of each several part, maketh the increase of the body unto the building up of itself in love." — Ephesians 4:7-16 (ASV)

To every believer is given some gift of grace, for their mutual help. All is given as seems best to Christ to bestow on everyone. He received for them, that He might give to them, a large measure of gifts and graces; particularly the gift of the Holy Spirit. Not a mere head knowledge, or simply acknowledging Christ to be the Son of God, but the kind that brings trust and obedience.

There is a fullness in Christ, and a measure of that fullness given in the counsel of God to every believer; but we never come to the perfect measure until we reach heaven. God's children are growing as long as they are in this world; and the Christian's growth tends to the glory of Christ. The more a person finds himself drawn to make good use of all that he has received—in his station and according to his measure—for the spiritual good of others, the more certainly he may believe that he has the grace of sincere love and charity rooted in his heart. (Ephesians 4:17–24)