1 Corinthians 12:1
Περὶ δὲ τῶν πνευματικῶν, ἀδελφοί, οὐ θέλω ὑμᾶς ἀγνοεῖν.
1 Corinthians 12:2
Οἴδατε ὅτι ὅτε ἔθνη ἦτε, πρὸς τὰ εἴδωλα τὰ ἄφωνα, ὡς ἂν ἤγεσθε, ἀπαγόμενοι.
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.
1 Corinthians 12:4
Διαιρέσεις δὲ χαρισμάτων εἰσίν, τὸ δὲ αὐτὸ Πνεῦμα·
1 Corinthians 12:5
καὶ διαιρέσεις διακονιῶν εἰσιν, καὶ ὁ αὐτὸς Κύριος·
1 Corinthians 12:6
καὶ διαιρέσεις ἐνεργημάτων εἰσίν, ὁ δὲ αὐτὸς Θεός ὁ ἐνεργῶν τὰ πάντα ἐν πᾶσιν.
1 Corinthians 12:7
Ἑκάστῳ δὲ δίδοται ἡ φανέρωσις τοῦ Πνεύματος πρὸς τὸ συμφέρον.
1 Corinthians 12:8
ᾧ μὲν γὰρ διὰ τοῦ Πνεύματος δίδοται λόγος σοφίας, ἄλλῳ δὲ λόγος γνώσεως, κατὰ τὸ αὐτὸ Πνεῦμα,
1 Corinthians 12:9
ἑτέρῳ, πίστις ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ Πνεύματι, ἄλλῳ δὲ χαρίσματα ἰαμάτων ἐν τῷ ἑνὶ Πνεύματι,
1 Corinthians 12:10
ἄλλῳ δὲ ἐνεργήματα δυνάμεων, ἄλλῳ δὲ προφητεία, ἄλλῳ δὲ διακρίσεις πνευμάτων, ἑτέρῳ γένη γλωσσῶν, ἄλλῳ δὲ ἑρμηνεία γλωσσῶν.
1 Corinthians 12:11
πάντα δὲ ταῦτα ἐνεργεῖ τὸ ἓν καὶ τὸ αὐτὸ Πνεῦμα, διαιροῦν ἰδίᾳ ἑκάστῳ καθὼς βούλεται.
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: Now all these people, each 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 the church, which is, in a sense, the “body” of Christ.
Comments:
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: True, there are all different kinds 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. At the end of the day, however, we’ve all been baptized with the same Spirit, and this baptism is why we are one body. This baptism has produced one body because the same Spirit dwells within each of us and unites us into one organism living for God’s glory. You might say that this baptism has brought each of to drink of the same Spirit who was poured out on us.
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 believe 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.