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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadBob Utley You Can Understand the Bible - 1 Corinthians 12:4 - 12:11
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NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 1Co_12:4-11
4Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. 6There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons. 7But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. 11But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.
1Co_12:4-6
NASB, NRSV "varieties"
NKJV "diversities"
TEV "different kinds"
NJB "different"
This term means (1) to distribute or (2) variety (cf. 1Co_12:4-6). There is an obvious literary parallel between 1Co_12:4-6, which unites the work of all three persons of the Trinity (see Special Topic at 1Co_2:10).
1Co_12:4-6 "Spirit. . .Lord. . .God" Note the action of the Trinity which emphasizes unity amidst diversity, not uniformity. The church is a group of gifted individuals. We need each other! Each one is important. Each one is gifted for ministry. The term "Trinity" is not a biblical term, but the concept is. See Special Topic: Trinity at 1Co_2:10.
1Co_12:4 "gifts" This is a different word than the one used in 1Co_12:1. This is the Greek term charisma. This is from the root term "chairô," which means to rejoice, or be full of joy (cf. 1Co_7:30; 1Co_13:6; 2Co_2:3; 2Co_6:10; 2Co_7:7; 2Co_7:9; 2Co_7:16 and the compound with sun in 1Co_12:26; 1Co_13:6). From this develops several concepts.
1. chara - joy, rejoicing
2. charis - generous gift (cf. 1Co_16:3; 2Co_8:4; 2Co_8:6)
a. grace (cf. 1Co_1:4; 1Co_15:10)
b. thanks (cf. 1Co_15:57)
3. charizomai
a. give generously
b. forgive (cf. 2Co_2:7-10; 2Co_12:13)
c. cancel a debt
4. charisma - a free gift (cf. Rom_5:15-16; Rom_6:23; 2Co_1:11) or divinely conferred adornment (cf. 1Co_12:4; 1Co_12:9; 1Co_12:28; 1Co_12:30-31)
God has freely gifted His church. The gifts are for building up and growing the body of Christ. In reality they are the work of Christ divided among His followers. Believers must unite their giftedness with love and cooperate with each other so that the church may win and disciple a lost world (cf. Mat_28:19-20; Luk_24:47; Act_1:8).
1Co_12:5 "ministries" This is the Greek term diakonos. It has several uses in the NT.
1. diakonos
a. a servant (cf. Mat_20:28; Mat_22:13; Mat_23:11; Joh_2:5)
b. a minister/preacher (cf. 1Co_3:5; 2Co_3:6; 2Co_6:4; 2Co_11:15[twice],23)
2. diakoneô
a. to serve (cf. 1Pe_4:11)
b. deacon (cf. Rom_16:1; 1Ti_3:8; 1Ti_3:10; 1Ti_3:13; also note Php_1:1)
c. administer (cf. Act_6:2; 2Co_3:3; 2Co_8:19-20)
3. diakonia
a. rendering aid (cf. Act_6:1; 2Co_8:4; 2Co_9:1; 2Co_9:12-13)
b. ministry for the gospel (cf. 1Co_12:5; 1Co_16:15; 2Co_4:1; 2Co_5:8; 2Co_6:3; 2Co_11:8)
c. a revelation from God (cf. 2Co_3:7-9)
The key idea is serving and helping others in need (i.e., spiritual or physical). God equips His church to serve-serve themselves and serve a lost and needy world.
1Co_12:6
NASB "effects. . .works"
NKJV "activities. . .works"
NRSV "activities. . .activates"
TEV "abilities. . .ability"
NJB "activity. . .work"
This is a play on the term energçs from which we get the English term energy. Its basic meaning is to effectively accomplish a task. This sentence has the noun and the matching participle (present active). Paul used this term often in his Corinthian letters.
1. energçs, energeia, energeô, energçma, 1Co_4:12; 1Co_9:6; 1Co_12:6; 1Co_12:10-11; 1Co_16:9-10; 2Co_1:6; 2Co_4:12
2. ergon and sunergeô, 1Co_3:13-15; 1Co_9:1; 1Co_15:58; 1Co_16:10; 2Co_6:1; 2Co_9:8; 2Co_11:15
God's work is effective work. It accomplishes its purpose. Believers are called to active service, but the energy and effectiveness is of God.
1Co_12:7
NASB "But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good"
NKJV "But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all"
NRSV "To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good"
TEV "The Spirit's presence is shown in some way in each person for the good of all"
NJB "The particular manifestation of the Spirit granted to each one is to be used for the general good"
This truth is so important for the life and ministry of the church.
1. Every believer has a freely-given grace gift given by the Spirit for ministry at salvation.
a. Every believer is important.
b. Every believer is gifted.
c. Every believer is a minister.
2. The purpose of God's gift is not the elevation of the individual, but for the health and growth of the whole body. We need each other!
This truth was desperately needed by the factious, arrogant, assertive believers at Corinth (and in every age). The "common good" or "profit" (sumpheron, cf. 1Co_6:12; 1Co_7:35; 1Co_10:33; 2Co_8:10) is for the body and not the individual. Believers must take personal responsibility to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (cf. Eph_4:2-3). This is so radically different from western individualism.
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1Co_12:8
NASB, NKJV "word of wisdom. . .the word of knowledge"
NRSV "the utterance of wisdom. . .the utterance of knowledge"
TEV "a message full of wisdom. . .a message full of knowledge"
NJB "the gift of utterance expressing wisdom. . .the gift of utterance expressing knowledge"
These are two different Greek terms, "wisdom" (i.e., sophia) and "knowledge" (i.e., gnôsis). They reflect the Hebrew distinction between "wisdom" and "knowledge." The first is practical and the second, more academic. The first relates to living the Christian life and the second to a proper explanation of Christian doctrine.
1Co_12:9 "faith" This refers not to saving faith like Mar_1:15; Joh_1:12, because the gifts are only given to believers, but to miracle working faith, which is made clear from 1Co_13:2 (cf. Mat_17:20; Mat_21:21).
▣ "healing" This term (iaomai) is plural (cf. 2Co_12:7-9, 2Co 12:28,30), which is literally "gifts of cures." Healing is a gift from the Spirit in this context and a ministry of the "elders" in Jas_5:14. Physical healing was/is an evidence of the love and care of God and a sign of spiritual healing (i.e., forgiveness of sins, salvation). For the Jews there was a connection between sin and sickness, righteousness and health (cf. Deuteronomy 27-28). However, Job and Psalms 73 clarify the issue as does John 9. The mystery is why some are healed and some are not. One's faith cannot be the key ingredient, but God's will. It is never how much faith we exercise, but the object of our faith (faith the size of a mustard seed moves mountains, cf. Mat_17:20).
Thank God for healing, healers, and caring churches!
1Co_12:10 "the effecting of miracles" This seems to be parallel to 1Co_12:9 a (i.e., miracle-working faith). Since this is a list, they cannot be completely synonymous. The exact distinction is uncertain.
▣ "prophecy" There are at least two ways to understand this term: (1) in the Corinthian letters this refers to sharing or proclaiming the gospel (cf. 1Co_14:1), (2) the book of Acts mentions prophets (cf. Act_11:27-28; Act_13:1; Act_15:32; Act_21:10, even prophetesses, Act_21:9).
The problem with this term is, how does the NT gift of prophecy relate to OT prophets? In the OT prophets are the writers of Scripture. In the NT this task is given to the original twelve Apostles and their helpers. As the term "apostle" is retained as an ongoing gift (cf. Eph_4:11), but with a changed task after the death of the Twelve, so too, the office of prophet. Inspiration has ceased, there is no further inspired Scripture (cf. Jud_1:20). New Testament prophets' primary task is proclamation of the gospel, but also a different task, possibly how to apply NT truths to current situations and needs. See hyperlink at 1Co_14:1.
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NASB "distinguishing of spirits"
NKJV "discerning of spirits"
NRSV "discernment of spirits"
TEV "the ability to tell the difference between gifts that come from the Spirit and those that do not"
NJB "the power of distinguishing spirits"
There are three sources of human giftedness: (1) by nature (i.e., natural talents); (2) by the Spirit; and (3) by the devil. This gift is the ability to differentiate among these sources (cf. 1Ti_4:1; 1Jn_4:1-3).
▣ "various kinds of tongues" This is the Greek term for "tongue" (i.e., glôssa). It was used in the OT as a synonym for "nation." In Greek it was used for speaking the language of a nation. This would imply that it had the connotation of a known human language. However, the need for an interpreter, which also is a spiritual gift, instead of a translator, along with Paul's fuller discussion in chapter 14, leads one to think this was an ecstatic utterance at Corinth.
Exactly how the "tongues" of Corinth are related to the tongues at Pentecost recorded in Acts is uncertain. The miracle in Acts 2 is of the ear (cf. 1Co_2:6; 1Co_2:8; 1Co_2:11), not the tongue. The tongues experiences of Acts communicated the gospel directly to the Jews of the Diaspora who were present. It also functioned as a way to recognize the presence, power, and will of God for the inclusion of other groups, like the Samaritan (cf. Acts 8) and Cornelius, a Roman army officer (cf. Acts 10). The tongues in Acts were a sign to the believing Jews that God had opened the door for Gentiles to be included (cf. 1Co_15:8). Notice no need for an interpreter in Acts!
Tongues at Corinth are similar to the ecstatic speech of the Greek religions (e.g., Delphi). Corinthian tongues were apparently being misused or over-glorified (cf. 1Co_13:1; 1Co_14:1-33).
Tongues were a way for an individual believer to intimately commune with God, but without understanding. It is a valid gift (cf. 1Co_14:39), but it is not for all believers (cf. 1Co_12:29-30, which has a series of questions that expect a "no" answer). It is not a gift that proves one is saved or shows one is a spiritual person. Tongues plus interpretation was another means of communicating the gospel and its relevance.
▣ "interpretation of tongues" Corinth was a cosmopolitan city, Roman in culture, Greek in geography. The city's location combined with the danger of sailing around the cape of Greece in the winter combined to make it a commercial crossroads of the eastern empire and the western empire. Every nationality would be in Corinth, but tongues needed a spiritual gift to communicate its message for the church, not just a translator. Tongues in Corinth was not a known language.
1Co_12:11 This verse emphasizes the truth that the Spirit gives to each believer a ministry gift (cf. 1Co_12:7; 1Co_12:18). Also, which gift is the Spirit's choice, not the believer's. There is no hierarchy of gifts. All the gifts are to serve the body of Christ, the church (cf. 1Co_12:7). They are not merit badges, but servant towels.
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