Renewalists believe these gifts are for today. This is an old-fashioned Bible study, word by word. line upon line. I thoroughly revised this post.
The sections are titled as follows:
TRANSLATION
ORGANIZING THE NINE GIFTS
COMMENTARY
NINE GIFTS (the nine gifts are numbered)
ANSWERING A THEOLOGICAL CONTROVERY
EXAMPLES
CONCLUSION TO 1 CORINTHIANS 12:7-11
1 CORINTHIANS 12:28
The gifts in 1 Cor. 12:28 are treated briefly. Instead, the focus here is on the nine gifts.
Under each gift are examples of how they operated in the ministries of Jesus and the apostles.
TRANSLATION
Let’s begin with my (tentative) translation. For other translations please click on biblegateway.com. The Greek text comes from Tyndale House Greek New Testament (THGNT) and this link: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+cor+12&version=THGNT
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1 Corinthians 12:4-11 |
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4 διαιρέσεις δὲ χαρισμάτων εἰσίν, τὸ δὲ αὐτὸ πνεῦμα· 5 καὶ διαιρέσεις διακονιῶν εἰσιν, καὶ ὁ αὐτὸς κύριος· 6 καὶ διαιρέσεις ἐνεργημάτων εἰσίν, ὁ δὲ αὐτὸς θεὸς ὁ ἐνεργῶν τὰ πάντα ἐν πᾶσιν. 7 Ἑκάστῳ δὲ δίδοται ἡ φανέρωσις τοῦ πνεύματος πρὸς τὸ συμφέρον. 8 ᾧ μὲν γὰρ διὰ τοῦ πνεύματος δίδοται λόγος σοφίας, ἄλλῳ δὲ λόγος γνώσεως κατὰ τὸ αὐτὸ πνεῦμα, 9 ἑτέρῳ πίστις ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ πνεύματι, ἄλλῳ δὲ χαρίσματα ἰαμάτων ἐν τῷ ἑνὶ πνεύματι, 10 ἄλλῳ δὲ ἐνεργήματα δυνάμεων, ἄλλῳ προφητεία, ἄλλῳ διακρίσεις πνευμάτων, ἑτέρῳ γένη γλωσσῶν, ἄλλῳ δὲ ἑρμηνία γλωσσῶν· 11 πάντα δὲ ταῦτα ἐνεργεῖ τὸ ἓν καὶ τὸ αὐτὸ πνεῦμα διαιροῦν ἰδίᾳ ἑκάστῳ καθὼς βούλεται. |
4 There are a variety of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are a variety of services, and the same Lord. 6 And there are a variety of workings, but the same God who works everything in everyone.
7 To each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given towards the common benefit. 8 For to one person is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom; to another person a message of knowledge according to the same Spirit; 9 To a different person faith by the same Spirit; to another person the gifts of healings by the one Spirit; 10 To another person works of miracles; to another person prophecy; to a another person discernings of spirits; to a different person kinds of (prayer and praise) languages; to another person an interpretation of (prayer and praise) languages; 11 The one and the same Spirit works and distributes all these things to each different individual person, just as he wills. (1 Cor. 12:4-11) |
In v. 8, “a word of wisdom” or “a word of knowledge” are alternative translations. (See below).
ORGANIZING THE NINE GIFTS:
In Renewalist circles, these gifts are often divided into three sets of three gifts: three-three-three.
For example, Derek Prince divides them up (The Gifts of the Spirit, [Whitaker House, 2007], p. 10), as follows:
Revelation Gifts
Word of Wisdom
Word of Knowledge
Discernings of spirits
Power Gifts
Faith
Gifts of Healings
Workings of Miracles
Vocal Gifts
Different Kinds of Tongues
Interpretation of Tongues
Prophecy
This grouping seems to enjoy a certain logic to it, though it takes the order of the words out of sequence, different from how Paul wrote them.
However, other writers note the adjectives “another.” They come from allos and heteros. (They seem to function as nouns, but let’s not get too technical. In my translation, I supplied “person”). So it works out to be two-five-two.
David Lim, Senior Pastor at Grace Assembly of God in Singapore, following two commentators, divides them up like so (Systematic Theology, ed. Stanley Horton, p. 464):
Two (allos)
Teaching (and Preaching) Gifts:
The Message of Wisdom
The Message of Knowledge
Five (heteros)
Ministry Gifts (to the Church and world):
Faith
Gifts of Healings
Miraculous Powers
Prophecy
Distinguishing between Spirits
Two (allos)
Worship Gifts:
Different kinds of Tongues
Interpretation of Tongues
Lim goes on to note that the two commentators, D. A Carson and Gordon Fee suggest that the grouping is based on the adjective heteros (which in this context functions as a noun). Fee believes categories one and three pertain to the problems at Corinth, while the middle five pertains to supernatural gifting (Lim, footnote 12).
Renewal Theologian J. Rodman Williams also capitalizes on the two adjectives. The manifestations of the Spirit follow a two-five-two organization (vol. 2, ch. 14, note 50). Specifically:
Two (allos)
The Message of Wisdom
The Message of knowledge:
The above gifts are mental gifts because the Spirit manifests them through the mind.
Five (heteros)
Faith
Gifts of healing
Workings of Miracles
Prophecy
Discernings of spirit
The above gifts are extramental gifts in distinction to the mind. These gifts flow out of faith; they are faith in action or outflow. For example, the manifestation of faith is needed for miracles and healings.
Two (allos)
Tongues
Interpretation of Tongues
They are supramental or above the mind. The mind is transcended, even though speech is coming through the mind. Prayer language is suprarational, not irrational. The mind is unfruitful or does not understand the words, but the “tongue” is a language. However, Williams’ organizing has one glitch, prophecy, which seems to operate through the mind in the same way that interpretation does. And it is hard to image that interpretations and prophecies are supramental, unless the speaker is seen as a channel, which Williams believes (vol. 2, pp. 382, 395-96, and 403).
Grammarians Timothy A. Brooks and Bruce W. Longenecker, I Corinthians 10-16: A Handbook on the Greek Text (Baylor UP, 2016), after some discussion, say that the adjectives allos and heteros are synonymous, so we should not make too much of the seeming differences. William Mounce says that in the NT, the two terms are virtually interchangeable (p. 490).
In the end, the reader may decide on how to organize the passage. But I agree with Brooks and Longenecker and Mounce. The two terms are synonymous; therefore, to organize the gifts based on the two terms is needless and overworks the Greek.
So I prefer Prince’s organization.
Finally, please note that Paul Walker, writing his essay “The Holy Spirit Gifts and Power,” for the Spirit-Filled Study Bible, says that the gifts in 1 Cor. 12:7-11 are the Spirit’s offerings to Christ’s church; Rom. 12:6-8 indicates that these gifts come from the Father, while the ministry gifts in Eph. 4:11 are the Son’s domain (pp. 1941-49). My response is that the demarcation between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit may be true, but I would not make a big thing of it. He may be right, however, about the Spirit taking the leading role here. But one thing is clear: the Trinity is seen in vv. 4-6, with God being three persons in one deity. Yet Paul specially singles out the Lord (Jesus) and the Spirit. The Trinity is involved in blessing his church with the gifts–that’s how much he loves it.
COMMENTARY
As noted, it is important to understand that the Tri-unity (Trinity) is involved in the health of the church. Let’s begin a word by word, verse by verse commentary.
One more comment before we begin: BDAG is a thick lexicon of the Greek NT. It is named after the four main editors, Bauer, Danker, Arndt, and Gingrich, who added to it over the decades. It is a remarkable achievement.
4:
“variety”: it comes from the rich noun diairesis (pronounced dee-I-reh-seess) and is used only 3 times, here in these verses (vv. 4, 5, 6). It is plural (varieties), but I kept it singular (variety).
Please note: Paul often uses the plural in these verses, and sometimes the plural is difficult to sort out. Is it a “collective plural” (variety or varieties) or “true” plural (two or more itemized things). I decided to just translate the words as true plurals, for example, “gifts of healings” (v. 9).
In the bigger Greek world, the Greek noun diairesis means to count up the votes, “dividing,” “a division.” The picture is a separation and division from one source. So a pile of money or votes needs to be separated out and counted, one item at a time.
In the NT it means “a division of something to persons, apportionment, division; a state of differences in the nature of objects or events; difference, variety” (BDAG). All that means is that the Spirit divides up and distributes and apportions a variety of different gifts.
“the same Spirit” indicates that the Spirit is not divided, but he as a unity distributes these gifts as he wills.
5:
“variety”: see v. 4.
“services”: It is the Greek noun diakonia (pronounced dee-ah-koh-nee-ah). Here it is plural. It could be translated as “ministries.”
As I noted in my commentary on Rom. 12:7, diakonia means, depending on the context, “service,” “office,” “ministry,” “task,” or “aid, support, distribution” (Shorter Lexicon). Yes, we get our word deacon from it (1 Tim. 3:10, 13). It evolved into a position at church for a man or woman (Rom. 16:1 and Phoebe) who did practical service, to help the pastor, so he (or she) could focus on the Word of God. But this does not limit the deacons’ service away from the Word, as evidenced in the lives of Stephen and Philip, who were numbered among the seven servants (deacons) (Acts 6), but who also preached the gospel (Acts 7 and 8). It means basic and practical service.
Here are some verses that use the word diakonia.
In 2 Cor. 8:4, Paul praised the Macedonian churches highly because they were eager to share in the service (diakonia) of giving money to the impoverished churches in Judea. And Paul again calls giving money a service (diakonia) (2 Cor. 9:1). Money is very practical.
In Eph. 4:12 Paul says that God gave the ministry gifts of apostles, prophets, evangelists, teaching pastors to equip the saints (believers in Jesus, and he makes them holy) for the works of service (diakonia). Serving is just working or doing good works that God prepared beforehand for us to do.
Finally, even angels perform service (diakonia) to those who are shall inherit salvation (Heb. 1:14).
Other important verses for your further study of the noun: Luke 10:40; Acts 6:1, 4; 11:29; 12:25; 20:24; 21:9; Rom. 11:13; 15:31; 1 Cor. 16:16; 2 Cor. 3:7-9; 4:1; 5:18; 6:3; 8:4; 9:1, 12-13; 11:8; Col. 4:17; 1 Tim. 1:12; 4:5; 2 Tim. 4:5; 4:11; Rev. 2:19.
6:
“work”: it comes from the noun energēma. Yes, it is related our word energy (though the Greek noun energeia is the real source of our English word). Adding the suffix ma– means “the result of,” so the result of working, operating or acting. It means the results of working. But as usual, let’s not over-analyze the parts of the word. To a first-century Corinthian it is a sure thing that he just heard it as “workings.” BDAG: it is an activity that impacts on another.
Some theology: Above are three great verses on the activity of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The Triunity is not an abstract doctrine, but the three persons want to invade your space and gift you, so that you can reach people.
Click here The Trinity: What Does He Mean to Me? and at the end of that linked ten-point post, you can click on other articles on the Trinity.
7:
“manifestation”: it comes from the Greek noun phanērōsis (pronounced fah-nay-roh-seess), and it is used only twice, here and in 2 Cor. 4:2, but the verb is used 49 times and the adjective 18 times. The noun can mean “disclosure and announcement” (BDAG). But that’s a little arid. I like manifestation, as do the major translations (KJV, NASB, NIV, NKJV, RSV). In this context it does not connote permanence, for the recipient of the gift (the person) cannot claim it as his own, but the Spirit manifests the gift, and then it subsides until another need arises. It seems to be a brief manifestation, like fireworks that shoot up, display its power, and then disappear, until the Spirit moves again. (No, the fireworks metaphor does not mean “showing off” so the gifted person can get hyped-up attention and raise funds.) The manifestation of the gift is produced by the Spirit, visible for all to see, through person’s words and actions.
“common benefit”: I added the word “common,” because it is implied. “Benefit” comes from the verb sympherō (pronounced soom-feh-roh), functioning as a noun following pros to (pronounced pross- tah), which means “towards (the goal) of benefiting.” The term combines syn / sym (with) and pher– (carry), so picture disparate things being brought together and combined to benefit people. Formally it means “bring together in a heap, bring together; to be advantageous, help, confer, be profitable / useful” (BDAG).
But the best translation in 12:7 is benefit for everyone.
It is used 15 times. It is translated in the NIV as “good” or “better” (Matt. 5:29-30; 18:6; 19:10; John 11:50; 16:7; 18:4; Heb. 12:10); “beneficial” (1 Cor. 6:12; 19:23); “bring together (Acts 19:19); “common good” (here); “best” (2 Cor. 8:10); “gained” (2 Cor. 12:1).
ANSWERING A THEOLOGICAL CONTROVERSY
Throughout this series, we will look at Jesus’s ministry to see how the gifts of the Spirit operated.
However, can Christians observe the gifts in the Son’s ministry and perform these same gifts in our ministries, by his anointing and in his name and by his granted authority? Or are these gifts out of reach?
First, Psalm 105:15 says about the entire nation of Israel: “Do not touch my anointed ones; and do my prophets no harm.” The noun “anointed ones” is related to Mashiach or Messiah (Hebrew) or Christ (Greek). All God’s people can be anointed; there is a democratization of God’s anointing, but not on the same level as “the Anointed One.”
God the Father anointed the Son with the Spirit. All three persons performed miracles, like healing and deliverances and multiplying fish and bread and his Son walking on water. Jesus clarified that he does only what he sees his Father doing (John 5:19). He lives because of the Father (John 6:57). He speaks only what the Father taught him (John 8:28). He does what he sees the Father do (John 10:37). What Jesus says is just what the Father told him to say (John 12:49-50, 57). Perhaps the most important verse about miracles: “Many good works I have shown you from My Father” (John 10:32). (In John’s Gospel, “good works” = miracles, at a minimum.)
And so the Father, the Son, and the Spirit performed all miracles during his Son’s ministry because he was anointed by God (Acts 10:38). The Son obeyed and followed his Father and also did the healings by the Spirit. The Trinity was working together.
Here is a trinitarian verse:
How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him. (Acts 10:38, NIV)
Now what about us? We too should develop life in the Spirit (Gal. 5), so we can hear from the Father through the Spirit, in Jesus’s name and authority granted to us. We will never heal and do the miracles as Jesus did with the same power and the same level, because he is the Anointed One without limits (John 3:34). He was born with his divine nature; we receive our divine nature after we are born again with the word (2 Peter 1:4).
And so after the cross and the Son’s ascension, the Spirit can distribute the gifts as he determines (1 Cor. 12:11). Let the Spirit work, and you listen and obey, and then rebuke a disease (not the person) or pray for healing and deliverances. In the book of Acts the apostolic community focused on healings and deliverances and prayed for two resurrections. Paul never calmed the storm (Acts 27:13-44). Healing and deliverances should also be our focus.
To summarize this brief section, throughout this series on the gifts of the Spirit, we can see and learn about the anointing and the gifts of the Spirit from Jesus’s ministry, for we too have been anointed, though to a smaller degree, by the Anointed One who has been exalted to the right hand of the Father. He performs the gifts through us. We do not own them. The Spirit distributes the gifts as he determines (1 Cor. 12:11).
NINE GIFTS
We are still doing a verse by verse commentary.
8:
“person”: this word has been supplied. I could have said “each” or “one” or “each one,” which is literal, but I wanted to emphasize gender inclusiveness and that the Spirit works through people, male and female. The relative pronoun or adjective is masculine, but in Greek it encompasses men and women, like our word mankind. But if you don’t like it, then just use “one” or “each one.”
1.. A Message of Wisdom
“through the Spirit”: Paul is really keen to show that the source of the gifts is the Spirit.
“message”: it is the Greek word logos (pronounced lah-goss), and it may be the richest word in the NT. BDAG devotes six columns of fine print to defining it. It can mean Jesus, who is the Word (John 1:1-3). It can also mean, depending on the context, “communication whereby the mind finds expression—word”; “statement”; “subject under discussion, matter”; it can even be a business accounting term: “computation, reckoning”; or it is really elevated: “an independent personified expression of God, the Logos.”
Other translations: “word” (KJV, NKJV, NASB); “message” (NIV); “wise advice” (NLT); “ability to speak wisdom” (NCV); “speak wisdom” (CEV); “wise counsel” (MSG); “utterance” (ESV).
I like “message,” “statement” or “utterance.” But the deeper point is that the logos has to be spoken; the Spirit gives an utterance or a word or a statement. Logos is unquestionably a mental noun, from the mind of God to the mind of his follower; the Spirit distributes it, so it is not necessarily multi-session counseling, one on one, over six weeks, when a wise man tells someone how to have a happy marriage (i.e. not as it is implied in the Message or the NLT). It is one manifestation among many.
“wisdom”: It is the Greek word sophia (pronounced soh-fee-ah), and it is always translated by the NIV as “wisdom,” wherever it appears in the NT. The lexicon says “the capacity to understand and function accordingly”; “transcendent wisdom” (BDAG). The adjective sophos (pronounced soh-fohss) means “pertaining to knowing how to do something, in a skillful manner, clever, skillful, experienced”; “pertaining to understanding that results in the wise attitudes and conduct, wise” (BDAG). Those related ideas apply to the noun in this verse. It is practical. You’ll know what to do and say, right when you need it. Timing is essential. It has an extra surge to it, rather than godly wisdom from above that is gained by experience and a relationship with God over a lifetime (Jas. 1:5). Both wisdoms come from God, but here it is charismatic. Finally, Spirit-inspired wisdom is not abstract or speculative, as the philosophical Greeks supposed.
Please see the fuller post:
1. Gifts of Spirit: Word of Wisdom
And this one:
2.. A Message of Knowledge
“another” it is the Greek word allos (pronounced ahl-lohss) and it can easily be translated as “other” or “different.”
“person”: it too is supplied (see above, v. 8, for why).
“message”: see above.
“knowledge”: it is the Greek word gnōsis (pronounced g’noh-seess, and be sure to pronounce the “g”; and we get our word know from it too). Like logos, it too is very rich. It is invariably translated by the NIV as “knowledge,” “knowing,” or “understanding,” but by far most often as “knowledge.” Formally it can mean, depending on the context, “comprehension or intellectual grasp of something, knowledge, as possessed by God”; “the content of what is known, knowledge, what is known” (BDAG). In other words, the “official” dictionary definition says it is the content of knowledge—what is known. Now when we apply the gifting and revelation of the Spirit to this definition, it is elevated. The person exercising it know things not by his mind, but by the Spirit.
“according to the Spirit.” Once again Paul really intends the readers to get that the Spirit inspires all these gifts. They speak in accordance and agreement with the Spirit.
Please see this fuller post:
2. Gifts of the Spirit: Word of Knowledge
And this one:
3.. Faith
9:
“to another person”: again, the word person is supplied, because I want to emphasize that both men and women can exercise these gifts. Everyone gets to play.
“different”: it is the word heteros (pronounced heh-teh-rohss), and it too means “other” or “another.”
“faith”: it is the noun pistis (pronounced peace-teace). It is used 243 times, and the NIV translates as “faith” in every case other than these: faithfulness (Matt. 23:23; Rom. 3:3; Gal. 5:22, in the “fruit” list; Rev. 14:12); faithfulness (Rev. 13:10); trusted (Titus 2:10); believe or believing or belief (Gal. 3:2, 5, 7; 2 Thess. 2:13); pledge (1 Tim. 5:12); given proof (Acts 17:31). Incidentally, the verb, pisteuō, is used 241 times. Therefore the noun faith and the verb “faithing” is the language of the NT and so the language of God. Relate to God by and through faith, not intellect alone, or whining for praying, and so on.
So what does the noun mean in the context of the Spirit energizing it? It has to go farther than saving faith, because though that causes a person to enter the kingdom, we are now talking about someone who exercises faith who is inside the kingdom. It has to go deeper than a set of beliefs that constitute doctrine—important as that is. Clearly it must be a surge of faith that cannot come by itself or is worked up by human willpower or figured out by human reasoning. Paul says that this faith comes by the instrumentation of the same Spirit. He produces this faith.
Please see this fuller post:
And this one:
Word Study on Faith and Faithfulness
4.. Gifts of Healings
“gifts”: As noted in my commentary on Rom. 12:6-8, it comes from the Greek noun charisma (pronounced khah-reess-mah). The plural here is charismata, and we get our word charismatic from it. Charis means “grace” and the ma– suffix means, as noted, “the result of,” so charisma means a gift that comes from or is the result of grace. It is clear that God gives each gift to yielded hearts. One last point: charisma in the NT does not equal charisma in the modern political sense, someone with a forceful and likable (more or less) personality and a big smile.
“healings”: it is the noun iama (pronounced ee-ah-mah), and it is used only three times (1 Cor. 12:9, 28, 30). Yes, the ia– stem is related to healing, and adding the ma– suffix means the result of healing, which is health. In this case, let’s not over-analyze the word parts, because it means “healing” or “cure,” which can connote a process.
Please see this fuller post:
4. Gifts of the Spirit: Gifts of Healings
See these related posts:
Atonement: Bible Basics (yes, healing is in the atonement)
Why Doesn’t Divine Healing Happen One Hundred Percent of the Time?
And this one:
Does God Want to Heal Everyone Every Time They Ask?
Those latter two posts should be read with caution, if you are fighting for your or someone’s healing. Wait until the final outcome is known, and then click on them.
5.. Works of Miracles
10:
“works”: it comes from the noun energēma, and it is plural. See v. 6 above.
“miracles”: it comes from the Greek word dunamis (pronounced doo-nah-meess), and it too is in the plural. In other contexts, it is often translated as “miracle” or “miraculous power” or “power.” It means power in action, not static, but kinetic. It moves. Yes, we get our word dynamite from it, but God is never out of control, like dynamite is. Its purpose is to usher in the kingdom of God and repair and restore broken humanity, both in body and soul. This is why the power of God in many of the verses below reside and work within humankind. In this case, the Spirit operates through the individual person to work miracles and miraculous powers—signs and wonders.
Please see this fuller post:
5. Gifts of the Spirit: Workings of Miracles
This one is also relevant:
What Are Signs and Wonders and Miracles?
6.. Prophecy
“prophecy”: As I noted in my commentary on Rom. 12:6, it comes from the Greek noun prophēteia (pronounced pro-fay-tay-yah). It is not in the plural, so this must be a collective definition. This is why we have to be careful about over-analyzing the plural in 1 Cor. 12:7-11, though I still maintain Paul is communicating something to us when he uses the plural.
In both here and Rom. 12:6, it has the same meaning: to speak by the power of the Spirit. It is not merely forthtelling or a strong speaking ability, though the gift of prophecy could include that. It could be spoken softly and in bits and pieces, haltingly. It is not natural talent or ability in speaking, or else why would Paul make so much of God’s grace and charisma inspired by the Spirit? And it does not mean just shrieking and freaking behind the pulpit (too much soul power). It has to go deeper. It does not come by study, though that is important to know God’s mind and to prevent a prophetic person’s own thoughts from dominating. The Spirit speaks special knowledge that the human speaker did not know before (1 Cor. 14:24-25).
Please see this fuller post:
6 Gifts of the Spirit: Prophecy
This one is also relevant:
Do Prophets and Prophecy Exist Today?
New Testament Restricts Authority of Modern Prophets
Scroll down to 1 Corinthians 12:28, below, and read some more commentary. Prophets need to be restricted, scripturally speaking.
7.. Discernings of Spirits
“discernings”: it comes from the Greek noun diakrisis (pronounced dee-ah-kree-seess), and it is in the plural. The formal definition is “the ability to distinguish and evaluate, distinguishing, differentiate” (BDAG). It is built on the noun krisis (pronounced kree-seess), and this noun means “a legal process of judgment, judging, judgment.” Diakrisis means to judge something thoroughly, and since it is the gift of the Spirit, it must take on a charismatic dimension. It cannot be just a critical spirit, which judges people who are not like us. Many of us have critical, judgmental minds, and this is not of God. It is soul power, not the Spirit’s power.
“spirits”: it too is in the plural, and therefore cannot mean just the Holy Spirit. It can include the human spirit, angelic spirits, and evil spirits (demons).
For human spirits, these verses are relevant:
Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. (1 John 4:1-3, NIV)
We are called to discern human spirits, whether they are false. So yes, we need to judge people’s character (fruit) and ministry (fruit, again) and doctrines.
Please see fuller post:
7. Gifts of the Spirit: Discernings of Spirits
These are also relevant:
Bible Basics about Satan and Demons and Victory Over Them
Bible Basics about Deliverance
Magic, Witchcraft, Sorcery, and Fortunetelling
8.. Praise and Prayer Languages
“(praise and prayer) languages”: Should we change the terms from “tongues’ to ‘prayer languages’ or “Spirit languages’ or just ‘languages’? As I note in another post, in Greek the noun glōssa means both the physical tongue and a language. And so it is in modern French, to illustrate the similarity. Langue means both “tongue” and “language,” so Acts 2:4 is translated as “parler en langues” (“speak in tongues / languages”).
In Elizabethan English, which influenced the translation of the King James Version (King James I succeeded Queen Elizabeth I in 1603), tongue could mean both the physical tongue and language. In the early seventeenth century and later, the tongue and language were synonyms. Today, however, we don’t say, “This is the German tongue,” but “this is the German language.”
The New Century Version, the Contemporary English Version, the New Living Translation, and the Message Bible all correctly use languages in v. 4. However, if they mean the natural ability to speak languages, then those translations fall short. The editors of the Spirit-Filled Life Bible (3rd ed., Thomas Nelson, 2018) in their notes call the God-given gift “spiritual languages”; they are right.
In light of all the foregoing, nonetheless, a literal translation of the Greek in v. 10 is “languages,” but “tongues” is also legitimate because the term is so common now.
See this fuller post:
8 Gifts of the Spirit: Spirit-Inspired Languages (‘Tongues’)
These posts are also relevant:
The Purpose and Importance of Spiritual Languages
Questions and Answers about Spirit-Inspired Languages
9.. Interpretation of Prayer Languages
“interpretation”: it comes from the noun hermēneia (pronounced hehr-may-nay-ah), and there are two basic definitions: “translation” and “interpretation” (BDAG). In v. 10 and 1 Cor. 14, Renewalists like to emphasize the interpretive aspect of the noun, because a translation is very close to a word-for-word rendering, and that’s too limiting. Interpretation is more conceptual or dynamic, meaning flexibility and the import and force of the original language. It is not word for word. Take your pick, because I can easily imagine some interpretations of a prayer language being translations. But I understand where the Renewalists are coming from—I share their view, even though BDAG also says translation.
Please see the fuller post:
9 Gifts of the Spirit: Interpretation of Spirit-Inspired Languages
CONCLUSION TO 1 CORINTHIANS 12:7-11
Let’s wrap this study up with Paul’s final words in v. 11.
“works”: it comes from the verb energeō (pronounced eh-nehr-geh-oh), and it means, depending on the context, “to put one’s capabilities into operation, work, be at work, be active, operate, be effective”; or “to bring something about through use of capability, work, produce, effect”; (BDAG). As usual, that definition is arid, so let’s look at how the word is used in other verses.
In Rom. 7:5, the sinful passions were aroused by the law were at work in us.
Paul’s and his team’s comfort produces patience in the Corinthians.
Eph. 1:11 says that God works out everything in conformity to his will.
In Phil. 2:13 God works in us the will and to act to fulfill his good purposes.
Col. 1:29 says that God works powerfully in Paul.
Jas. 5:16 encourages us because the prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.
“distributes”: it comes from the verb diaireō (pronounced dee-I-reh-oh), and it is related to the noun diairesis (v. 4). It means to “distribute” or “divide.” The picture is that one source or thing is divided up and distributed one item at a time. Example: a pile of money needs to be counted and divided up. It appears only twice in the NT, here and next.
Luke 15:12 says that a man asked Jesus to require a man to divide up the inheritance evenly and justly. Jesus turned down the man’s demand. Not in his bailiwick or mission.
“wills”: it comes from the verb boulomai (pronounced boo-loh-my). It means “to desire to have or experience something, with implication of planning accordingly, wish, want, desire”; “to plan on a course of action, intend, plan, will” (BDAG). The Shorter Lexicon just says, “to be willing, disposed; to intend; to desire; to choose, be pleased; to will, decree, appoint.” I like the NIV: “determines.” The point to Paul’s choice of word here is to wrap up the first two verses, where he said the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are the source of these gifts (vv. 4-5). The Spirit distributes them to believers as he wills. Paul wishes to highlight the Spirit who distributes. It is as if the Father assigns the Spirit to work and distribute the gifts.
In Matt. 11:27, the Father chooses to reveal his Son to certain people (Luke 10:25).
In the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus prayed that if the Father willed, to take the cup (death) from him (Luke 22:42).
Luke uses the verb often in the book of Acts: 5:28, 5:33, 12:4, 15:37, 17:20, 18:15, 18:27, 19:30, 22:30, 23:28, 25:20, 27:45, 28:18. In almost all cases the NIV translates it as “wanted.” And in most verses in the rest of the NT, the NIV has “want.”
1 CORINTHIANS 12:28
First the translation:
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1 Corinthians 12:28 |
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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. |
28 God has placed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, leadership, different kinds of (prayer and praise) languages. (1 Cor. 12:28) |
Now for the brief commentary.
“apostles”: See my post here:
It basically means he who is sent or commissioned, in this case by God. And so if you want to see apostles in action, just read about Paul and Barnabas in Acts 13-14. They went into totally unreached areas. In contrast, planting a church (or churches) in Los Angeles or New York or Dallas or Atlanta, for example, does not count to make a man or woman an apostle, because Christianity is well known in those cities. Many are not saved, true, but they have plenty of churches to go into, to hear the message about Jesus. Other cities in the Western world and many regions in Africa, to cite more examples, are also covered with Christianity. Instead, apostles go into uncharted territories where the gospel is completely unknown. There are 3.2 billion people who have never had the opportunity to hear the gospel. Plant churches in those areas, and then come back to the USA and claim your title of apostle.
And most people who attend a new church plant come from other churches. They are not new converts.
However, an objector could ask: what about the twelve who preached in Jerusalem where the name of Jesus was known.
Reply: they stayed in Jerusalem after Pentecost because Jesus told them to do this (Luke 24: 47, 52; Acts 1:4) and to see the people get filled with the Spirit. Eventually they left). The twelve were missionaries. Eventually they left Jerusalem and went to other parts of the world, as they knew it in their limited days. That’s what Paul and Barnabas did. They were missionaries. And so were the twelve.
Further, apostles do not come after the foundation was laid in an unreached area and claim the same apostolic authority. Later, men came to Corinth to lure disciples away from Paul and his foundation and towards themselves (2 Cor. 10:12-16; see Rom 15:20). Paul accused men like these of being super-apostles and then called them false apostles (2 Cor 10:12-16; 11:12-13). This is possibly what the apostles were claiming in the church of Ephesus: […] “you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false” (Rev. 2:2, NIV). They were boasting and claiming authority, but instead they were asking for money and laying their foundation on top of the first foundation (evidently done by Paul himself). They may have been luring disciples towards themselves, with clever words.
So maybe only missionaries who break new ground with evangelism, found churches that last, see signs and wonders, are willing to bear the burden of suffering for the Lord can claim the title “apostle” today.
One last word about apostles (and prophets, just below):
In 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus we have a prolonged job description of church governance, particularly in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus1. Those two chapters spell out the moral and social qualifications. Further, In 1 Timothy 5:17 Paul commends above all the elder who works hard at preaching and teaching, or, more literally, he works hard in the word and doctrine.
17 The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. (1 Timothy 5:17, NIV)
In no place in the pastoral epistles do we read that prophets led the church. Paul was the church planter in Ephesus, so as their apostle he oversaw the church, but he did not instruct Timothy to appoint apostles. He was to appoint elders of the highest character. And the elder who works hard at preaching and teaching are singled out.to receive double honor.
Moreover, in Acts 20:17-38 Paul summoned the leaders of Ephesus. Did he call for any apostle or prophet? No, he asked the elders to meet him southward, along the Aegean Sea, in the city of Miletus.
Be warned about permitting apostles to come into your church and taking over. Tell them no.
“prophets”: See my post here:
Do Prophets and Prophecy Exist Today?
It is an ministry that specializes in prophesying. They have Spirit-inspired knowledge about the present and the future, and they then proclaim it.
Youtube prophets have gone off the rails and are excessive. They are detached from a local church, or they do not tell us what their local church connection is, where they can be cared for and shepherded and encouraged and corrected by the elders. They are setting themselves up for a stricter judgment (James 3:1). There are so many nowadays and their prophecies are so far off that I counsel everyone not to listen to them any longer. I further urge these self-appointed prophets to shut down their media channels, but they won’t.
“teachers”: this gift is discussed in Rom. 12:7. It simply means someone who explains a doctrinal truth from Scripture—like how these nine gifts work! In Ephesians 4:11, it it is attached to the gift of pastor. However, here and in Romans 12:8 this gift is detached. So we can have teachers who are not pastors, but can we have pastors who are not teachers? Since the best translation of Ephesians 4:11, is “teaching pastor,” (so it is a “fourfold ministry, according to the Greek), the lead pastor of the local church must be a teaching pastor.
Be warned about permitting apostles to come into your church and taking over. Tell them no.
And no prophets leading the church! They must submit to the elders, particularly the teaching pastor / elder.
See my exegesis of Romans 12:6-8:
Gifts of the Spirit in Romans 12:6-8
“miracles”: surely this is related to workings of miracles, above at no. 5. It is in the plural and literally reads “miracles” or “powers.” Here it means miracles.
“gifts of healings”: these are the exact words in the gift listed at no. 4, above.
“helps”: it is the Greek noun antilēmpsis (pronounced an-tee-laymp-seess), and it occurs only here in the NT. It is not even frequent even in the larger Greek world and its writings. The stem –lēmp– is related to the verb lambanō, the common verb for “take” or “receive.” And when anti– is prefixed to the verb, it means “to receive instead,” or “to receive in turn” or “as a return.” BDAG says the verb antilambanō means, depending on the context, “to take someone’s part by assisting, take part, come to aid of”; “to commit oneself wholeheartedly to something, take part in, devote oneself to, practice”; “to be involved with something through close contact, perceive, notice.” All those definitions of the verb can be applied to the noun here. In any case, the noun is in the plural, so it means “helps” or “helpful deeds” (BDAG). It surely corresponds to diakonia (service) in Rom. 12:6-8. They seem to be synonyms. (But if you think they are not synonyms, then you may be right. Pursue your own studies.)
“leadership”: it is the noun kubernēsis (pronounced koo-behr-nay-seess). The verb, kubernaō (pronounced koo-behr-nah-oh), which does not appear in the NT, means to guide or steer or pilot (a ship). And the agent noun, kubernētēs (pronounced koo-behr-nay-tayss), means the captain or pilot of a ship (Acts 28:17; Rev. 18:17). It is a sure thing that when first-century Corinthians heard this word read to them for the first time in Paul’s letter, they would have understood it in those cognate terms. How else would they have grasped it? So leadership here can mean guiding and steering the church. This definition corresponds to “leading” in Rom. 12:8; they seem to be synonyms. (But if you think they are different, then you may be right. Pursue your own studies.)
Many translations say guidance, guides, administrators, administrating, administrations, governors, government, organizers, organizational gifts, managers, and of course leaders and leadership (source).
So the question now becomes: how does this gift relate to the fourfold ministries in Ephesians 4:11? Does this gift attach itself to those ministries? Is it a separate gift? Perhaps there are people who just lead without a position. Or it can be attached to the ministries of elders and service gifts. Maybe we don’t need to settle the issue. It may be a separate gift on its own. All men and women can exercise the gift of leadership, if God distributes it to them.
“different kinds of tongues”: this is the exact wording above, at no. 8.
So how does this post help me grow in Jesus?
The gifts of the Spirit exist to help people, not to show off by platform performers. They are not designed to take offerings from the people who receive the blessing of these gifts, like getting healed. Sad to say, some youtube prophets will prophesy to their patreon subscribers only for a fee. This is degraded and wrong. This is grifting (petty or small-scale swindling). These manifestation (gifts) are for the mutual benefit of the body, not to grow ministries and exalt the charismatically gifted.
These gifts are also purposed to work in the local church, where the others can help and encourage and correct those who receive these gifts.
Finally, we are called to earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially prophesy in the local assembly (1 Cor. 14:1). Don’t despise prophecy (1 Thess. 5:20), but don’t believe them all, either, as if you are a naive and needy child. Judge and test them all (1 Thess. 5:21). You don’t need to go to the youtube prophets or even the ones who travel around and hold meetings in churches. Your word from the Lord is “get in a relationship with God and hear from him yourself, in the Christian community, where there is safety in numbers.
RELATED
Do New Testament Apostles Exist Today?
Do New Testament Prophets and Prophecy Exist Today?
New Testament Restricts Authority of Modern Prophets
What 1 Corinthians 14 Really Teaches
The ‘Seven Spirits of God’ and American Prophets and Pastors
False Prophets in Sinai Covenant and Imperfect Prophets in New Covenant: Life and Death Differences
SOURCES
The best source, available right now, on the gifts is J. Rodman Williams, Renewal Theology, vol. 2.
Dr. Jim's Essential Bible Teaching 