Eph 2:20 (A) Are the offices of apostles and prophets still valid ministries in the church today?
Eph 2:20 (A) Are the offices of apostles and prophets still valid ministries in the church today?
Yes. Although there are many who teach that these offices ceased with the first century church.
But that is not correct, as scriptures clearly prove (CP Mt 24:14; Jn 17:18-20; Eph 3:1-11; 4:7-16).
It is plainly evident here that Christ has ordained all the ministry gifts He gave to the church to remain there while ever the church exists.
They are all essential to God's purpose for the church, ... for the perfecting of the saints for the works of the ministry.
"Perfecting" means "to make fully ready", which defines the completed process as outlined in Eph 4:13-16 (CP 4:13-16).
This confirms that all the ministry gifts, including apostles and prophets, which Christ gave to the church will remain there until God's purpose for the church is accomplished, which can only ever be when it has fulfilled its mission on earth and is taken up to heaven by Jesus (CP Jn 14:1-3; 1Cor 15:51-58; 1Th 4:13-18).
In the primary sense Eph 2:20 applies to the original twelve apostles Christ called before pentecost, and in the secondary sense, to all those God has called since pentecost.
This includes Paul, Barnabas, Silas, Timothy, etc. and all those down through the ages to the present time.
The word foundation in Eph 2:20 is used metaphorically of the ministry of the gospel and the doctrines of faith upon which the church is built, which the apostles and the prophets taught (CP Ac 2:14, 41-42; 20:26-28; 1Ti 6:20-21; 2Pe 1:19-21, 3:1-2).
See also comments on Ac 11:27; Ro 11:13; Eph 4:11-12, and author's study The Church in his book Advanced Studies in the Christian Faith (Volume 1).