1 Corinthians 12:1
Περὶ δὲ τῶν πνευματικῶν, ἀδελφοί, οὐ θέλω ὑμᾶς ἀγνοεῖν.
Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant.
Paraphrase: Now brothers and sisters, you asked about spiritual gifts. I am glad you asked; it is a very important issue. I don’t want any of you to miss the correct understanding of these wonderful gifts which God gives to His people.
Comments:
1 Corinthians 12:2
Οἴδατε ὅτι ὅτε ἔθνη ἦτε, πρὸς τὰ εἴδωλα τὰ ἄφωνα, ὡς ἂν ἤγεσθε, ἀπαγόμενοι.
Know that when you were pagans, to the speechless idols, you were repeatedly led, being carried away.
Paraphrase: Remember those days before you knew Christ. (1 Corinthians 6:11; Romans 6:17; Ephesians 2:11, 12; Titus 3:3) Remember how you used to attend the worship services where you would bow down and worship idols, none of whom could talk, think, or even move. (Psalm 115:4-8) They were completely lifeless; but still, you were enthralled with their supposed powers. Day after day, you gathered with the other pagans and got swept up in these foolish and pointless exercises.
Comments:
Robertson understands p974 ὡς ἂν here to give the idea of repetition.
1 Corinthians 12:3
διὸ γνωρίζω ὑμῖν ὅτι οὐδεὶς ἐν Πνεύματι Θεοῦ λαλῶν, λέγει Αναθεμα ΙΗΣΟΥΣ, καὶ οὐδεὶς δύναται εἰπεῖν, Κυριος ΙΗΣΟΥΣ, εἰ μὴ ἐν Πνεύματι Ἁγίῳ.
Wherefore, I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says Jesus is accursed and no one is able to say Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.
Paraphrase: How things have changed. Your delusion fell away by the power of the Spirit of God. Once you used to curse Jesus and to do all in your power to insult and blaspheme Him. (Acts 13:45; 18:6) Now, you confess to the glory of God, “Jesus is Lord!” But let me be very clear on this, brothers and sisters. No one who has the Spirit of God dwelling in his heart (2 Corinthians 1:22; Galatians 4:6; Ephesians 3:16-17; Romans 5:5) will ever curse Jesus or speak lightly of Him. Similarly, no one will ever confess “Jesus is Lord!” without the powerful ministry of the Holy Spirit leading them to turn from sin and to bow before King Jesus. (Romans 8:14-16; John 3:5-8)
Comments:
Robertson notes that these verses may very well apply to the apostle himself in his pre-Christian days when he tried to force Christians to blaspheme Jesus. (Acts 26:11).
1 Corinthians 12:4
Διαιρέσεις δὲ χαρισμάτων εἰσίν, τὸ δὲ αὐτὸ Πνεῦμα·
But a variety of gifts there are but the same Spirit.
Paraphrase: Now this same Spirit, who leads every believer to confess Jesus as Lord, is the same Person who continues to minister to the saints after their entry into the kingdom of God. He blesses them by giving them a variety of gifts. Yes, there are a wide variety of different gifts, but it is still the same Spirit who both makes us Christians and who binds us together into one body of Christ.
Comments:
See the very bottom of this page.
1 Corinthians 12:5
καὶ διαιρέσεις διακονιῶν εἰσιν, καὶ ὁ αὐτὸς Κύριος·
and a variety of ministries there are and the same Lord.
Paraphrase: True, there is a large number of different ways in which God’s people serve the kingdom of God. All the same, they are serving the same Lord Jesus Christ. They are all following the same Master.
Comments:
1 Corinthians 12:6
καὶ διαιρέσεις ἐνεργημάτων εἰσίν, ὁ δὲ αὐτὸς Θεός ὁ ἐνεργῶν τὰ πάντα ἐν πᾶσιν.
and a variety of effects there are, but the same God who works all things in all.
Paraphrase: Yes, each ministry has a different goal and different results; but in and through each of these, the same God is working to accomplish His purpose. In each and everyone of these ministries, the results are His doing, and we can’t take credit for any of it.
Comments:
1 Corinthians 12:7
Ἑκάστῳ δὲ δίδοται ἡ φανέρωσις τοῦ Πνεύματος πρὸς τὸ συμφέρον.
Now to each, is given the manifestation of the Spirit for profit.
Paraphrase: Now to each believer, the Holy Spirit gives a gift which this person is to use to bless and edify the other members of the body of Christ. (Ephesians 4:11-12) This gift, then, is a manifestation and demonstration that this person has the Spirit of God dwelling in His soul. (Galatians 5:22-23; Romans 8:5)
Comments:
1 Corinthians 12:8
ᾧ μὲν γὰρ διὰ τοῦ Πνεύματος δίδοται λόγος σοφίας, ἄλλῳ δὲ λόγος γνώσεως, κατὰ τὸ αὐτὸ Πνεῦμα,
for to whom, on the one hand, through the Spirit is given a word of wisdom; but to another, a word of knowledge, according to the same Spirit.
Paraphrase: For example, one believer receives from the Holy Spirit words of wisdom. Such a believer receives from God the ability to know and discern the best course of action and the right decision to make in any given situation. (1 Corinthians 6:5-6; Colossians 1:9-10) This is such a valuable gift in the church of God. To another person, however, the same Spirit gives a word of knowledge. To such a person, God gives a prophetic insight into the future; they are given a revelation of what things are coming. (Acts 5:1-5; 1 Corinthians 13:2)
Comments:
Locke notes (p78) the order of apostles, prophets, and teachers (1 Corinthians 12:28) and suggests that the gifts listed here may apply in the same order. The apostles had the gift of wisdom, the prophets the gift of knowledge, and the teachers the gift of faith. Horsely writes (p429):
The word of wisdom, the talent of arguing from the natural principles of reason for the conversion of philosophical infidels. The word of knowledge, the talent of holding learned arguments from the ancient prophecies and the writings of the Old Testament for the conversion of Jewish infidels. Faith, a depth and accuracy of understanding in the general scheme of the Christian revelation for the improvement and edification of believers.
1 Corinthians 12:9
ἑτέρῳ, πίστις ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ Πνεύματι, ἄλλῳ δὲ χαρίσματα ἰαμάτων ἐν τῷ ἑνὶ Πνεύματι,
to another faith in the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing in the One Spirit.
Paraphrase: To another believer, the Holy Spirit gives the gift of a miraculous faith by which he is able to work miracles. (Mark 9:28-29; 1 Corinthians 13:2) Along the same lines, the Holy Spirit will give someone the gift of healing. This person has a miraculous faith such that, when they pray over a sick person, they believe that God will heal that person. (Mark 11:24) Then, to the joy of the whole church, we see that God is pleased to heal the person, and we are humbled under God’s goodness to the sufferer. (James 5:13-15)
Comments:
See the very bottom of this page.
1 Corinthians 12:10
ἄλλῳ δὲ ἐνεργήματα δυνάμεων, ἄλλῳ δὲ προφητεία, ἄλλῳ δὲ διακρίσεις πνευμάτων, ἑτέρῳ γένη γλωσσῶν, ἄλλῳ δὲ ἑρμηνεία γλωσσῶν.
and to another the doing of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another discerning of spirits, to another kinds of tongues, and to another interpretation of tongues.
Paraphrase: Yes, these believers have the gift of doing miracles, and they are a great blessing to the people of God. To another believer, the Holy Spirit gives direct revelations of God’s truth or leading. These are the words of wisdom and knowledge I already mentioned. These persons should share these words with the entire body of Christians at the right place and time (1 Corinthians 11:4-6; 14:39-40) and under the oversight of the elders. (1 Thessalonians 5:19-21)
Comments:
1 Corinthians 12:11
πάντα δὲ ταῦτα ἐνεργεῖ τὸ ἓν καὶ τὸ αὐτὸ Πνεῦμα, διαιροῦν ἰδίᾳ ἑκάστῳ καθὼς βούλεται.
Now all these work the one and the same Spirit, distributing to each one, his own [gift], even as He determines.
Paraphrase: Now all these different kinds of gifts are all given by the one Holy Spirit. He sovereignly gives to each believer exactly what He thinks is best. It is not we who decide who gets what; it is the Holy Spirit from God.
Comments:
Bullinger (p127): He is the great Giver of all these spiritual gifts: and He gives them, not as we will, but “AS HE WILL.” We are not, therefore, to chide or lash ourselves or others because we or they have not these gifts. No one can receive any of these gifts, except as “He,” the Giver, may be pleased to bestow them. No one has any “claim” to them; none can “demand” them; nor can we establish any right to receive what has never been promised. If we desire a special gift, we incur a grave responsibility. May the Giver never give us a gift without at the same time bestowing the grace to use it aright: for our profit, for the good of others, and for His own glory.
1 Corinthians 12:12
Καθάπερ γὰρ τὸ σῶμα ἕν ἐστιν, καὶ μέλη πολλὰ ἔχει, πάντα δὲ τὰ μέλη τοῦ σώματος, πολλὰ ὄντα, ἕν ἐστιν σῶμα· οὕτως καὶ ὁ Χριστός.
For even as the body is one and has many parts, but all the parts of the body, being many, is one body; in this manner even Christ.
Paraphrase: The important thing I want you to understand, brothers and sisters, is that all these different people with their different gifts make up one unit. It’s very similar to our own physical bodies. We too are made of many different parts, yet all these different parts work together as one organism, each part contributing something to the function of the whole. Now what is true of our physical bodies is also true of God’s church. You can think of this church as the “body” of Christ.
Comments:
This really is Paul’s point from the beginning of this chapter.
1 Corinthians 12:13
καὶ γὰρ ἐν ἑνὶ Πνεύματι, ἡμεῖς πάντες εἰς ἓν σῶμα ἐβαπτίσθημεν, εἴτε Ἰουδαῖοι εἴτε Ἕλληνες, εἴτε δοῦλοι εἴτε ἐλεύθεροι· καὶ πάντες ἓν Πνεῦμα ἐποτίσθημεν.
for even with one Spirit, we all were baptized into one body, neither Jew nor Greek, nor slave nor free; even all one Spirit we drink.
Paraphrase: Yes, we know that there is a great variety of people in our gatherings. We see men and women, rich and poor, and young and old. We see people from different ethnic backgrounds, Jews, Greeks, etc. Some of us are slaves; others are free. (Galatians 3:28) At the end of the day, however, we’ve all been baptized with the same Spirit. This blessed Person of the holy Trinity has been poured out on all of us; and by this cleansing, we have been washed and united into one body. We’ve all been washed, sanctified, and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:11) You might say that we have drunk the blessed and pure water of the Holy Spirit, and now He lives within us. Regardless of who or what we are on the outside, it’s the same Holy Spirit who presents us as one new body, cleansed, purified, and fit for the Master’s service. (Numbers 8:22)
Comments:
Most translators render ἐν ἑνὶ Πνεύματι as “by one Spirit.” I prefer to use the translation “with one Spirit” to reflect what happened at Pentecost when the Spirit was poured out on the first Christians. (Acts 2:17, 18, 33; 10:45) This Pentecost continues in the life of each individual believer when they first put their trust in Jesus and are thus brought into a saving union with Jesus. Paul’s comment about drinking the Spirit also supports the idea that the Spirit here is not the agent of the baptizing but the thing with which they are baptized; cf John 7:39.
1 Corinthians 12:14
Καὶ γὰρ τὸ σῶμα οὐκ ἔστιν ἓν μέλος, ἀλλὰ πολλά.
1 Corinthians 12:15
ἐὰν εἴπῃ ὁ πούς, Ὅτι οὐκ εἰμὶ χείρ, οὐκ εἰμὶ ἐκ τοῦ σώματος, οὐ παρὰ τοῦτο, οὐκ ἔστιν ἐκ τοῦ σώματος.
1 Corinthians 12:16
καὶ ἐὰν εἴπῃ τὸ οὖς, Ὅτι οὐκ εἰμὶ ὀφθαλμός, οὐκ εἰμὶ ἐκ τοῦ σώματος, οὐ παρὰ τοῦτο, οὐκ ἔστιν ἐκ τοῦ σώματος.
1 Corinthians 12:17
εἰ ὅλον τὸ σῶμα ὀφθαλμός, ποῦ ἡ ἀκοή; εἰ ὅλον ἀκοή, ποῦ ἡ ὄσφρησις;
1 Corinthians 12:18
Νυνὶ* δὲ, ὁ Θεὸς ἔθετο τὰ μέλη, ἓν ἕκαστον αὐτῶν ἐν τῷ σώματι, καθὼς ἠθέλησεν.
1 Corinthians 12:19
εἰ δὲ ἦν τὰ πάντα ἓν μέλος, ποῦ τὸ σῶμα;
1 Corinthians 12:20
νῦν δὲ, πολλὰ μὲν μέλη, ἓν δὲ σῶμα.
1 Corinthians 12:21
Οὐ δύναται δὲ ὁ ὀφθαλμὸς εἰπεῖν τῇ χειρί, Χρείαν σου οὐκ ἔχω. ἢ πάλιν ἡ κεφαλὴ τοῖς ποσίν, Χρείαν ὑμῶν οὐκ ἔχω.
1 Corinthians 12:22
ἀλλὰ πολλῷ μᾶλλον, τὰ δοκοῦντα μέλη τοῦ σώματος ἀσθενέστερα ὑπάρχειν, ἀναγκαῖά ἐστιν·
1 Corinthians 12:23
καὶ ἃ δοκοῦμεν ἀτιμότερα εἶναι τοῦ σώματος, τούτοις τιμὴν περισσοτέραν περιτίθεμεν· καὶ τὰ ἀσχήμονα ἡμῶν, εὐσχημοσύνην περισσοτέραν ἔχει·
1 Corinthians 12:24
τὰ δὲ εὐσχήμονα ἡμῶν, οὐ χρείαν ἔχει. Ἀλλὰ ὁ θεὸς συνεκέρασεν τὸ σῶμα, τῷ ὑστερουμένῳ περισσοτέραν δοὺς τιμήν,
1 Corinthians 12:25
ἵνα μὴ ᾖ σχίσμα ἐν τῷ σώματι, ἀλλὰ τὸ αὐτὸ ὑπὲρ ἀλλήλων μεριμνῶσιν, τὰ μέλη.
1 Corinthians 12:26
καὶ εἴτε πάσχει ἓν μέλος, συμπάσχει πάντα τὰ μέλη· εἴτε δοξάζεται [ἓν] μέλος, συνχαίρει πάντα τὰ μέλη.
1 Corinthians 12:27
Ὑμεῖς δέ ἐστε σῶμα Χριστοῦ, καὶ μέλη ἐκ μέρους.
Now you are the body of Christ, and a member of parts.
Paraphrase: Now altogether, you make up the body of Christ. Each one of you individually is a part of Christ’s body.
Comments:
Moulton & Milligan list ἐκ μέρους as an adverbial phrase. (p399) It means individually. See also bottom of p597.
Lightfoot translates (p217) μέλη ἐκ μέρους: “Ye were members of one part of that body;” which he refers to being members of the Gentile wing of the church which is itself part of the larger body of Christ. See also Goodwin (bottom of p538).
1 Corinthians 12:28
Καὶ οὓς μὲν ἔθετο ὁ Θεὸς ἐν τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ, πρῶτον ἀποστόλους, δεύτερον προφήτας, τρίτον διδασκάλους, ἔπειτα δυνάμεις, ἔπειτα χαρίσματα ἰαμάτων, ἀντιλήμψεις, κυβερνήσεις, γένη γλωσσῶν.
and whom, on the one hand, God has placed in the church; first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, service, leadership, diversity of tongues.
Paraphrase: So there is one body but many members. Now these different members are not unfamiliar to you. Consider first the apostles who infallibly delivered to us the teaching of Jesus our Lord. Then we have the prophets who receive from God direct communications of His will for us. Thirdly, we have the teachers who take the word of God, as we have it written, and explain and apply it to us in our weekly meetings. Other members of the body have received from God the ability to work miracles or to pray over the sick and to see them healed. Some are deacons and deaconesses who serve the church in so many different ways. To others, God has given great energy and they take the lead and organize the church into a force for good. Finally, God has given some the ability to speak different languages so that the gospel can be understood even by those who do not speak Greek.
Comments:
These different roles in the church overlap. Nevertheless, they each have their unique function in the church.
- See apostle.
- A prophet is one who has received a revelation from God. (1 Corinthians 14:29, 30)
- A teacher is one who explains and applies what God has already revealed. Note in each of these texts (Acts 15:35; 18:11; Hebrews 5:12) how it is the “word of God” or the “oracles of God” that is taught. It is Scripture that is profitable for teaching. (2 Timothy 3:16) Sometimes, the word of God is called “the traditions” (2 Thessalonians 2:15) which are to be handed down to other faithful men who can, in turn, hand it off to the next generation of believers. (2 Timothy 2:2)
1 Corinthians 12:29
μὴ πάντες ἀπόστολοι; μὴ πάντες προφῆται; μὴ πάντες διδάσκαλοι; μὴ πάντες δυνάμεις;
are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all miracles?
Paraphrase: We all know that it is not everyone who is an apostle. God does not give revelations to all His people. He sovereignly gives these gifts to whoever He chooses. Not everyone has the ability to give explain a text in the public assembly. God hasn’t given all His people the ability to work miracles.
Comments:
See principle 26.
1 Corinthians 12:30
μὴ πάντες χαρίσματα ἔχουσιν ἰαμάτων; μὴ πάντες γλώσσαις λαλοῦσιν; μὴ πάντες διερμηνεύουσιν;
Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?
Paraphrase: Does God give everyone the prayer of faith to work healings? (James 5:14) Does God give everyone the instant ability to speak a language they never studied or to interpret the special prayer language of a fellow believer? (1 Corinthians 12:10; 14:2) We know the answer to these questions, and this is why we all need each other. No one person does everything. Each has a role to play in the community, and each believer has a responsibility to know his gifts and to use them to the edification of the whole body. (Ephesians 4:12)
Comments:
1 Corinthians 12:31
ζηλοῦτε δὲ τὰ χαρίσματα τὰ μείζονα. Καὶ ἔτι, καθ’ ὑπερβολὴν ὁδὸν, ὑμῖν δείκνυμι.
But covet the greater gifts, and still according to superiority a way I show to you.
Paraphrase: Neither should we disrespect others whom God has given different gifts. Some times there can be a spirit of envy towards someone who has a role in the church that we desire to have. On the other hand, some believers are looked down on because they have what some regard as a lesser gift. Brothers and sisters, lay aside all such feelings towards each other. Why don’t you set your minds on the best gifts? The gifts which actually build up the whole body? (Ephesians 4:12) Stop chasing the flashy gifts which often serve only to bring attention to yourself. In fact, why not pursue the greatest gift of all? There is a gift which already lies in the heart of every believer, no matter how poor and lowly they might be. Get off the road of gift-envy and let me show you a better pathway. A path which leads to the greatest and most beautiful of all gifts. Come along; follow me.
Comments:
καθ’ ὑπερβολὴν = an adjectival prepositional phrase modifying ὁδὸν and a superlative.
Edwards (p151): The words of the text [1 Corinthians 13] are to be taken in an immediate connection with the last words of the preceding chapter. The Apostle in that chapter had been speaking much of extraordinary gifts of the Spirit, and then concludes the chapter with these words, “But covet earnestly the best gifts; and yet show I unto you a more excellent way”; and then goes on immediately in the words of the text to show them what this more excellent way is, viz. to pursue after charity. This is a more excellent way than to seek spiritual gifts, because it was charity which was a more excellent privilege than those gifts. And in the words of the text it is observed that it is the most necessary and essential, and so much preferable, that all those spiritual gifts are nothing without it. So the gift of tongues of men and of angels without charity is as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal. The gift of tongues without charity has no more real excellence than the pleasant sound of something without life. It tickles the ear, but is no benefit to the lifeless thing which gives the sound. And so of prophecy and knowledge. They profit nothing, and are nothing without charity.