DAILY TEXT, Thursday, February 26, 2026. He gave men as gifts (Eph. 4:8).

Let us examine the Scriptures every day 2026

Thursday, February 26, 2026

He gave men as gifts (Eph. 4:8).

No human has been as generous as Jesus. For example, when he was on earth, he used his power to perform miracles and thus help many people (Luke 9:12-17). And he gave us the greatest gift of all by giving his life for us (John 15:13). Since his resurrection, he has continued to be very generous. Just as he promised, he has asked Jehovah to use his holy spirit to teach and comfort us (John 14:16, 17, footnote; 16:13). Furthermore, through congregation meetings, Jesus equips us to make disciples throughout the earth (Matt. 28:18-20).

The apostle Paul wrote that when Jesus ascended to heaven, he “gave men as gifts” (Eph. 4:7, 8). He explained that Jesus gave them to us to help the congregation in various ways (Eph. 1:22, 23; 4:11-13). Of course, these men are imperfect and make mistakes (Jas. 3:2). But they are a precious gift that our Lord Jesus Christ uses to help us. w24.10 18 pars. 1, 2

Explain with an example how we can support the work done by these men whom Jesus has given us as gifts.

Jesus gave us these “men as gifts” to strengthen the congregations (Eph. 4:12). Now, all of us can help them fulfill this vital responsibility. To understand this, consider a group of people building a Kingdom Hall. Some are directly involved in the work, while others support them by providing food, transportation, and other services. Similarly, ministerial servants, congregation elders, and circuit overseers perform certain tasks, and all of us can support them by our actions and words. Let us consider how we benefit from the hard work of these men and discuss how we can show them and Jesus our appreciation for them.

What were some of the “helping services” provided by ministerial servants in the first century?

In the first century, some brothers were appointed as ministerial servants (1 Tim. 3:8). Apparently, they were the ones who provided the “helping services” that Paul spoke of at 1 Corinthians 12:28. They likely took care of some tasks necessary so that the elders could concentrate on teaching and shepherding. For example, the ministerial servants may have helped to make copies of the Scriptures or to purchase the materials needed to make those copies.

What are some of the tasks that ministerial servants perform today?

What are some of the tasks ministerial servants perform today? (1 Pet. 4:10) They may handle the congregation's accounts, manage territories, order publications and distribute them to publishers, operate audio and video equipment, serve as ushers, or help maintain the Kingdom Hall. All of these are necessary for the congregation to function well. (1 Cor. 14:40) On the other hand, some ministerial servants are assigned speaking roles at the Life and Ministry meeting and public talks. They may also be appointed as assistants to a group overseer. And sometimes an elder may ask a ministerial servant to accompany him on a shepherding visit.

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