First Corinthians Chapter 12
Originally posted Tuesday July 22, 2008
First Corinthians Chapter
12:1-11 Spiritual Gifts
This
chapter is the first in a series of three dealing with Spiritual gifts and
their role in the church. The opening verse is generally translated into
English as "Now concerning spiritual gifts." While this is in keeping
with the theme of all three chapters it does not provide any insight into the
issue that has been presented to Paul in the letter from Corinth. Instead of
the usual word for gifts (charismata) Paul has used a different word
better understood as either spiritual things or spiritual persons. The latter
is more appropriate for referring to the problem that exists in the church
and is addressed by Paul. The issue is the misuse of spiritual
gifts and the presence of persons who claim to possess certain gifts
that they tout as being superior to those possessed by others. We
have already read of the divisions in the church on other issues leading
to judgment of one group by another. There is no reason to doubt such an
issue as many spiritual gifts would also be the subject of comparing
one gift to another in levels of importance. This would create a pecking
order of "spiritualists" based on what gift is received (my gift
is better than yours). Paul must bring them back to the basic understanding of
how the Spirit works.
Every
Christian has received the Holy Spirit upon baptism. The Spirit is not a
dormant presence, but actively speaks through, teaches and guides
the Christian in all things. Paul begins with two fundamental
affirmations on which all the members can agree. A [truly]
Spirit-filled Christian cannot say "cursed be Jesus" as
can the pagan who rejects God and is led astray to idol worship. Nor can
anyone say "Jesus is Lord" and be truthful except by the Spirit.
So the Spirit is actively involved in the life of the individual and the
church. It is through the Spirit that Christians give voice to faith, and it
is from that one Spirit that they will be gifted to work and to serve the
one Lord and one God. Now Paul can introduce the many gifts
this one Spirit gives to the church - and for the church, through its
Spirit-filled members.
Though
there are many gifts they all are given by the one Spirit.
The gifts are applied through many types of service and work and
apportioned as the Spirit chooses. Each is given a spiritual gift
activated by God, not for personal use but for the common good of the church.
Paul offers a preliminary list of gifts most of which are self evident in
meaning and probably reflect Paul's own observation of the use of these gifts
among the members.
a: The utterance of
wisdom: We all know persons we consider wise. They see "the big
picture" in life and are able to look at a situation and offer sage
advice or help others determine an answer and direction.
b: The utterance of
knowledge: Some people just know a lot about certain subjects. They are
keyed in to the past and can speak from experience of what works and what
doesn't in the church. Paul may be thinking of those who have been with the
church since its beginning, old hands at what it means to be in and of the
church.
c. Faith: This is a gift
all have but some seem to have a special measure of faith from which they
draw in all the circumstances of life. A great faith can lead others to faith.
A great faith can be a model during distressing and tumultuous times.
d. Healing: Many
would relegate this gift to the ancient past and more a matter of insufficient
knowledge of medicine and the human psyche. At the same time there are
events in our experience that defy our own perceptions of what is real or
possible. We might well call these miracles because they are unexpected
outcomes. Healing is more than physical. Relationships can be healed by gifted
counselors. The fragmented minds of the abused and abusers can be inexplicably
mended by medicines and analysis. And how much healing takes place with the
offering of a loving hand, a smile, a word of encouragement? Healing is all
around us and we are often part of it, sometimes without even knowing it.
e. Miracles: Much of what
is said of healing can apply to miracles. We often blurt out, "It's a
miracle," when we see a significant change for the better in a
person's life. This is particularly so in cases of the seriously ill who
recover as if by an act of the will. Some accept the value of prayer in
effecting miracles. Miracles are those events we cannot understand when our own
experience cannot hold them. Perhaps, like beauty, the miracle is in the eye
-or the soul, of the beholder.
f. Prophecy: Paul would
understand this in the context of the prophets of Israel. The prophet speaks a
word of truth from God to be given to the community. In biblical prophesy
what is given is often warning, sometimes guidance. Prophets of our own time
have had an insightful grasp of events and saw through them to the consequences
waiting ahead for those who ignore them. Parents are often prophets - or try to
be, when pointing out how certain paths will lead to certain ends. Prophets are
not generally popular and their words are often ignored. We
see examples of that in our own society when the events of the
present become the product of seeds planted in the past.
g. Discernment of spirits:
These are not "holy" spirits. Think about an advertisement on
television, or listening to one too many politicians seeking election. All of a
sudden you get this rush of skepticism. The words just don't make sense. They
are too good to be true. Some people are able to cut through the jargon, the
hype and insincerity even in the religious environment. Paul understands
this as the spirit of one person being understood by the spirit of another with
the Spirit bearing witness to the truth.
h. Various kinds of
tongues and their interpretation: In all lists of the spiritual gifts tongues
comes last. As we will read in chapter 14 this seems to be the primary issue in
Corinth with respect to the gifts of the Spirit. Here Paul is not referring to
the Pentecost experience in which Luke suggests actual languages were spoken on
behalf of those whose native language they were. This is ecstatic speech, not a
human language. For Paul It is the language of the Spirit. In Romans Paul
hinted at this as the language of prayer given by the Spirit when we cannot
find the words within us to express the depths of our struggle. The Spirit
itself gives utterance to the unspoken sighs of our hearts. There are
those in Corinth who have been speaking in tongues claiming this as the highest
gift, thereby boasting of the high regard the Spirit must have for the one who
possesses the gift. The gift of interpretation is a necessary prerequisite
if such unknown language is spoken in the community. Later Paul will insist
that without an interpreter present the speaker must remain silent.
At
the end of the listing Paul reminds his readers that all gifts are activated by
the one Spirit and the Spirit has allotted gifts "to each one individually
just as the Spirit chooses." For Paul, the Spirit has organized the church
and the spiritual gifts are to support that organization.
First Corinthians Chapter
12:12-31 The Body of Christ - the Church
The
many spiritual gifts that have been distributed to the church members are all
of equal importance. Each is indispensable without the others. No one gift can
be considered favored, more essential or important and no gift can give anyone
a cause to boast as if the gift that person has been given is more
"spiritual" than the rest. To demonstrate the necessary unity of
gifts Paul uses the human body as analogous to the church. Both have
members with the members of the body being limbs and sense organs - ears, eyes,
etc. The members of the body cannot be judged on appearance, use,
respectability or, apparently, location. All are indispensable, not on their
own merit but as a part of the whole. No single member can constitute
the whole. Even those members that are weak or less respectable or
honorable by comparison are necessary to the function of the body. In fact,
Paul writes that God has given greater honor to the inferior member in
order to avoid dissension; when one member suffers all suffer; when one member
is honored all rejoice together.
We recognize
Paul's use of hyperbole in his description of body parts and we see how well
his images relate to the members of the church. The church community is
the body of Christ and all are members of it. The functions God has
appointed (and gifted) are ranked not by importance but by office:
Apostles, prophets and teachers. These are followed by certain gifted
works such as deeds of power, healing, assistance and leadership - with
tongues mentioned last. As the entire body cannot be an eye, the entire church
cannot be an apostle or any other expression of a spiritual gift. The church is
one body and that is the body of Christ. For the body to function in unity and
thereby prosper, all the parts must be healthy. All must work together for the
benefit of the whole. Not any one member can boast of special privilege or
require special honor.
Paul
ends this section with a challenge. Taking all of the spiritual gifts together,
Paul urges the members to consider striving for even greater gifts to find
"a still more excellent way."
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