1 Corinthians 12
Spiritual Gifts
1 With regard to spiritual gifts, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed.
The Greek word for "spiritual gifts" is πνευματικός (pneumatics), meaning the invisible spiritual things inside the invisible spiritual realm of the Holy Spirit. Paul called the Corinthians "brothers", meaning that they were fellow believers. The Corinthians came out of the dark and deceptive occultism of the pagan mystery cults, so Paul wanted the Corinthians to understand the way in which the Holy Spirit operated in the Christian spiritual realm.
2 You know that when you were pagans you were often led astray by speechless idols, however you were led.
The idols were nothing but lifeless and speechless wood and stone, but demons deceived these Gentiles into thinking that these idols were alive and powerful enough to control their lives.
3 So I want you to understand that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus is cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.
Some of the false teachers were falsely claiming to receive visions from God. In these vision trances, they would either curse God, curse his humanity, or curse his deity. One of the first cults in the church was Docetism, the belief that Jesus was God, but not man, because the flesh is evil. John wrote his gospel to dispel this false teaching. Cults will deny either the deity of Christ or the humanity of Christ, and sometimes both.
No one can say "Jesus is Lord" except "by the Holy Spirit." Charismatics will misuse this verse to teach that there are two baptisms of the Holy Spirit. They claim that there is one baptism of the Holy Spirit at conversion, which is true. They claim there is a second baptism of the Holy Spirit for additional spiritual power and confirmed by the speaking of tongues, which is false. In this verse, they claim that this baptism of conversion was "by" the Spirit, used in the locative case. In other verses, they claim the baptism into power was "in" the Spirit, used in the instrumental case. However, it only takes one little Greek word to destroy this argument. The Greek for "by" and "en" in every case of the New Testament is ἐν (en), meaning in the Spirit. Every time ἐν Πνεύματι Ἁγίῳ (in pneumatic haigo) is used in the News Testament, it should be translated as "in the Holy Spirit" and not "by the Holy Spirit". To make this doctrine even more clear, Ephesians 4:4-5 says "There is one body and one Spirit, just as you too were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all." When the charismatics claim there are two baptisms of the Holy Spirit, then they are disagreeing with the Greek grammar and with the Apostle Paul himself, who wrote that there was only "one baptism".
4 Now there are different gifts, but the same Spirit.
The Greek word for “gifts” is χάρισμα (charisma), meaning a divine gift of grace used to share the gospel. Charismatics often teach that this Greek word refers to the gift of tongues only, but this is not the case. It deals will all of the gifts which the Holy Spirit gives to believers at conversion.
5 And there are different ministries, buts the same Lord.
The Greek word for “ministries” is διακονία (diakonia), meaning spirit-empowering services done with a willing heart. There is one Lord in a triune unity. The Father supplies the power and energy The Son administers the gifts. The Holy Spirit gives out the gifts. All of these gifts glorify Christ.
6 And there are different results, but the same God who produces all of them in everyone.
The Greek word for “results” is ἐνέργημα (energama), meaning energies from God. God sends out different energies to different believers so that their ministry can glorify Christ.
7 To each person the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the benefit of all.
The Greek word for “manifestation” is φανέρωσις (phanerosis), meaning to shine in the light. This is where we get the word phosphorous. Every believer is given one or more spiritual gifts at the moment of conversion. The purpose of these gifts is to make Jesus shine under a phosphorous light.
8 For one person is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, and another the message of knowledge according to the same Spirit,
The Greek word for “wisdom” is σοφία (sophia), meaning to gain deep insight into spiritual truth. The Greek word for “knowledge” is γνῶσις (gnosis), meaning experiential knowledge of applying Bible doctrine.
9 to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit,
The Greek word for “faith” is πίστις (pistes), meaning God's divine persuasion. The gift of faith is an unusual trust in God beyond that of most Christians.
The gift of healing was the ability to restore health and hold off death temporarily. This was a temporary sign gift used by Christ (Matt. 8:16, 17), the apostles (Matt. 10:1), the seventy (Luke 10:1), and a few associates of the apostles, such as Philip (Acts 8:5–7). This ability was identified as a gift belonging to the apostles (cf. 2 Cor. 12:12).
10 to another performance of miracles, to another prophecy, and to another discernment of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues.
The Greek word for “miracles” is δύναμις (dynamos), meaning the power to perform miracles through God's ability. These supernatural miraculous powers may refer to casting out demons (Acts 19:12), inducing physical disability (Acts 13:11), or even death (Acts 5:5, 9).
The Greek word for “prophet” is προφητεία (prophetia), meaning to reveal a divine message from God. Later in chapter 13, Paul predicted that this gift would eventually disappear.
The Greek word for “discernment” is διάκρισις (diakrinos), meaning to judge two things that look alike, declaring which one is true and which one is false. Satan is a great deceiver. His demons are counterfeiting much of God's work. Those with the gift of discernment could distinguish true prophets from a satanic deceiver. An individual with this gift can judge correctly between false teachers, false pastors, and false people. They may tell you to "watch out for this person". Peter used this gift in Acts 5, when he discerned the lie of Ananias and Saphira. This is an important gift in the church, because it protects the church from those who spread false doctrine.
The Greek word for "different kinds of tongues" is ἑτέρῳ γένη γλωσσῶν (hetero gena gloss on), meaning different families of languages. The gift of tongues was the ability to speak in one's own language, but everyone heard the message in their own language. The apostles used this gift in Acts 2 at Pentecost. Peter spoke in his own language, but everyone heard in their own language of birth. The purpose of this miracle was to authenticate that the message of the apostles was divine. Paul also used this gift on the mission field. He traveled through most of Rome, where there were over 100 different languages and dialects. Paul did not have time to learn all of the languages of the Roman Empire. Therefore, he spoke in his own language, and everyone heard the words in their own dialect. This miracle authenticated that Paul's message was from God.
The Greek word for "interpretation of tongues" is ἑρμηνεία γλωσσῶν (eremaneia glosson), meaning to give the general meaning of the message. This gift was the ability to translate an unlearned, unknown language expressed in the assembly (1 Cor. 14:27). If a person came into the assembly with an unknown language, the person with this gift could translate it.
Most all of these gifts were temporary and transitional to begin the growth of the new church. Once the temple was destroyed, the apostles died out, and the New Testament canon was complete, then these gifts disappeared. These gifts were necessary before the Word of God was written. The Corinthians were abusing some of these gifts, Paul will correct them in chapter 14.
11 It is one and the same Spirit, distributing as he decides to each person, who produces all these things.
At many charismatic assemblies, the leaders will encourage the person to ask for the gift of tongues. Notice that it is the Holy Spirit, not the individual, who decides the gift or gifts for each believer.
Different Members in One Body
12 For just as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so too is Christ.
The body of Christ is like the human body. Just as the human body has many parts working in unity, the body of Christ also has many members working in unity.
13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body. Whether Jews or Greeks or slaves or free, we were all made to drink of the one Spirit.
The Greek word for “baptize” is βαπτίζω (baptize), meaning to dip or immerse. The verb is aorist passive, meaning that the baptism was a one-time completed action of the past. The verb is passive, meaning that the believer was immersed into one body by the Holy Spirit. The moment a person believes, they are immersed into the body of Christ. Notice that there is no second baptism, as charismatics claim. The aorist tense does not allow for a second baptism. This one time baptism occurs in both Jewish and Gentile believers.
14 For in fact the body is not a single member, but many.
Just as the human body consists of many different parts, so does the body of Christ.
15 If the foot says, “Since I am not a hand, I am not part of the body,” it does not lose its membership in the body because of that.
If members of the body of Christ complain that they do not have a certain gift, then this does not mean they lose their membership in the body of Christ.
16 And if the ear says, “Since I am not an eye, I am not part of the body,” it does not lose its membership in the body because of that.
The different body parts do not complain, because they have different functions.
17 If the whole body were an eye, what part would do the hearing? If the whole were an ear, what part would exercise the sense of smell?
If everyone in Corinth had the same gift, such as speaking in tongues, then how would that benefit the body of Christ?
18 But as a matter of fact, God has placed each of the members in the body just as he decided.
God is the one who decided who gets the different gifts. Charismatics do not get to choose their own gifts.
19 If they were all the same member, where would the body be?
If everyone spoke in tongues, the how could the body perform its function?
20 So now there are many members, but one body.
All of the Corinthians had different spiritual gifts, but they all together are the body of Christ.
21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I do not need you,” nor in turn can the head say to the foot, “I do not need you.”
All gifts are important and all are needed.
22 On the contrary, those members that seem to be weaker are essential,
The gifts that the Corinthians were downgrading were actually very essential gifts to the body of Christ.
23 and those members we consider less honorable we clothe with greater honor, and our unpresentable members are clothed with dignity,
Corinthians were thinking that some of the lesser gifts were greater than some of the more important gifts.
24 but our presentable members do not need this. Instead, God has blended together the body, giving greater honor to the lesser member,
The lesser gifts were just as essential as those whom the Corinthians thought were greater.
25 so that there may be no division in the body, but the members may have mutual concern for one another.
The argument over which gifts are better causes division in the church.
26 If one member suffers, everyone suffers with it. If a member is honored, all rejoice with it.
If one person in the body is suffering, then the whole body suffers.
27 Now you are Christ’s body, and each of you is a member of it.
The Corinthians were all believers, baptized into the body of Christ as a unity.
28 And God has placed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, gifts of healing, helps, gifts of leadership, and different kinds of tongues.
The apostles authenticated that their message was from God with miracles, Prophets gave direct revelation from God to the local churches until the New Testament was completed. Teachers taught the Word of God to the people, so that they would be prepared for ministry against the angelic warfare. Miracles, gifts of healing, and tongues were apostolic gifts that were needed in the early church.
29 Not all are apostles, are they? Not all are prophets, are they? Not all are teachers, are they? Not all perform miracles, do they?
These Greek questions all require "no" answers.
30 Not all have gifts of healing, do they? Not all speak in tongues, do they? Not all interpret, do they?
Many charismatics claim that one must speak in tongues to be saved. Yet, the Apostle Paul says that not all people speak in tongues.
31 But you should be eager for the greater gifts. And now I will show you a way that is beyond comparison.
It is good to desire the greater gifts. Believers should ask God for them, and see him answer prayer and use those who ask mightily for his kingdom.
