1 Corinthians 12

1 Corinthians 12:12-26

In this chapter the apostle, (2.) Confiders the case of spiritual gifts, which there very plentifully poured out on the Corinthian chapels. He confiders their original, that they are from God; their variety and use, that they were all intended for one and the same general and, the advancement of Christianity, and the church’s edification, ver. 1—12. (2.) He illustrates this by an allusion to an human body, in which all the members have a mutual relation and subserving, and each its proper place and use, ver. 12—27. (3.) He tells us, that the church is the body of Christ, and the members are variously gifted, for the benefit of the whole body and each particular member, ver. 27—30. And then, (4.) Copies with an solicitation to feel somewhat more beneficial than these gifts, ver. 31.

1. NOW concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant. 2. Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were best. 3. Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God, called Jesus ascerced: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the holy Ghost. 4. Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. 6. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh, all in all. 7. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. 8. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; 9. To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; 10. To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another devere kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues. 11. But all these worketh that one and the self-same Spirit, dividing to every man feverally as he will.

2. 1—11. The church of Corinth was greatly enriched in spiritual gifts, and these had been sadly abused, and made an occasion of much pride and contention. The apostle therefore here leads them to consider the author, nature, design, and use of the extraordinary powers which were given them.

3. He reminds them, for their humiliation, of their former state, Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were best, hurried on blindfold to worship these sentiently stocks and stones. Wherefore I give you to understand,

now that God hath brought you out of darkness into his marvellous light, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God called Jesus ascerced, it being a sure proof that both the Jewish exorcists, and the brethren divines who pretend to such inspiration, yet blaspheme him from whom the Spirit proceeds, are lying, and of their father the devil; and, on the other hand, no man can say that Jesus is the Christ, but by the Spirit of God; to discover his all-sufficiency for the work of redemption, and his faithfulness to every necessity of our souls, we need a divine illumination; and though we may confess him to be the Christ with our lips, yet we can never experimentally know him to be an anointed Saviour, till it please God to reveal his Son in us. And all the miracles which are wrought in confirmation of this truth, are by the power of the holy Ghost, who intends thereby to glorify Christ. Let a man pretend to what he will, if he doth not know and love the Lord Jesus, he must be destitute of the Spirit; but if he doth, then, however how his gifts may be, he hath an assured interest in the Saviour.

2. He directs them in the proper use of the spiritual gifts which they enjoyed. Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit, who bestows them in all their variety on private Christians, or ministers; and there are differences of administrations, of offices and services, some superior to the others, but the same Lord appoints to each his employment, and they act under his authority. And there are diversities of operations, and miraculous powers, but it is the same Lord which worketh all in all, by whose mighty energy alone they are performed. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal; whatever gifts or powers he is endowed with, that manifest the presence and energy of the holy Ghost, they are designed to promote the edification of the body of Christ, and to advance his glory. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom, a clear understanding of the great doctrines of the gospel, and ability to express them with judgment and eloquence; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit, an insight into the types and prophecies of the Old Testament, and a readiness to explain and apply them. To another faith by the same Spirit, to that in the midst of the most threatening dangers, he is enabled, confidently and quietly, to repulse on God. To another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit, all manner of bodily diseases, by a word or a touch instantaneously. To another the working of miracles, in mercy, or judgment, Acts viii. 40. Acts vi. 5. 12. To another prophecy, or the power of foretelling future events; to another the discerning of spirits, under what influence, divine or diabolical, men act, what is their real design and qualifications, and who are fit to be publically employed in the church; to another devere kind of tongue, to be underlined and speak fluently languages he had never learnt; to another the interpretation of tongues, the ability of rendering with creations and propriety a foreign tongue, which the congregation may not understand, into their own native language. But all these worketh that one and the self-same Spirit, deciding to every man feverally, and foveroughly, as he will. Nate, (1.) The Holy Ghost is a divine person; he acts with foveroughly in the distribution of his own gifts, and in energy and operation is one with the Father and the Son. (2.) All our gifts are bestowed for service, not to advance our own honour and interest, but the glory of God, and the salvation of man’s souls.

3. For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. 13. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. 14. For the body is not one member, but many. 15. If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? 16. And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? 17. If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? if the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? 18. But now hath God set the members, every one of them in the body, as it hath pleaded him. 19. And if they were all one member, where were the body? 20. But now are they many members, yet but one body. 21. And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again, the head to the feet, I have no need of you. 22. Nay, much more those members of the body which seem to be more feeble, are necessary. 23. And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon the eye we bestow more abundant honour, and our uncomely parts have more abundant continents. 24. For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked: 25. That there should be no schism in the body;

body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. 26. And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it: or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.

The apostle represents the union subsisting between the faithful who partake of the several gifts of the Spirit, under the similitude of a human body consisting of many members: it is but one, though composed of various parts, which have each their particular function for the good of the whole. In also is the mystical body of Christ; the consisting of different persons, with different gifts, and appointed to different stations, yet all who are vitally united to him compose but one spiritual body, into which all, whether Jews or Gentiles, who have been baptized with water and the Holy Ghost, are by faith incorporated, and are nourished by that one Divine Spirit that resides in all his fulness in Christ, and is from him diffused through the several members, who thereby maintain communion with their exalted Head. Now in the natural body, (1.) Each member constitutes a part of the whole, and the means are needed: the feet and the ears, though less useful perhaps than the head and eyes, are yet equally parts of the body. The means of Christian is dear to the Saviour, and regarded by him as truly a member of his body as the nobles. (2.) There is a beauty in the variety of the different members: if the body were all eye or all ear, it would be defective and nonfistious. Thus the diversity of officers and gifts in the church display a beautiful symmetry. (3.) As in the body natural God gives, as he pleases, to every member its proper office; so, in the body mystical, the Lord appoints to each his station, and furnishes him with gifts, which he is bound to receive with thanksfulness, to use with diligence, and neither to murmur against the giver, nor envy the superiority of others. (4.) Every member of the body contributes to the good of the whole. The eye waists the hand, the head the feet, nay the feshied members are necessary. Thus do those who are in the most exalted stations in the church need the inferior members, and must not deplete them as insignificant or useless. (5.) In the body we show peculiar regard to our uncomely parts, covering them with proper cloathing, which our comely parts do not need; and thus hath God ordered it, that we should give more abundant honour to the part which becketh. In like manner ought the more eminent in gifts and abilities in the church to hide the infirmities of their weaker brethren; not to reproach or despair them, but treat them with kindest and regard, and desire to make them appear in the most respectable manner. (6.) In the body the suffering of one member gives pain to the whole, and all the members share in the honour conferred on any particular part: such a mutual sympathy prevents all feshism in the body, and obliges the members to have the same care one for another. The like fellow-feeling should every Christian have for his brother: we should tenderly sympathise with the afflicted in body or soul; and their temporal or spiritual prosperity, far from being the occasion of our envy, should be matter of our fincerest joy. All coldness and diffence is as unnatural as a feshism between the members, and should be shunned as the most dangerous evil.

27. Now are ye the body of Christ, and members in particular. 28. And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healing, height, governments, diversities of tongues. 29. Are all apostles are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? 30. Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret? 31. But cover earnestly the best gifts: And yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.

1 Corinthians 12:27-31

The apostle particularly applies the case in hand. Now are ye the mystical body of Christ, and members in particular, each being a part of the whole. And God, in infinite wisdom and with admirable propriety, hath set some in the church, appointing one to a higher, another to a lower station. In the first rank stand the apostles, who received their commission immediately from Christ himself: secondarily prophets, who are endowed with the gift of foretelling future events: thirdly teachers, who labour in the word and doctrine, and are the ordinary ministers of the gospel: after that miracles, which some are endowed with the power of working: then gifts of healing the sick: holy, such as are affiant to the superior ministers: governments, those who preside over the affairs of the church: others are endowed with diversities of tongues, the ability to speak or interpret them. Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret? No. Each has his appointed station and peculiar gifts; wherein the highest are not to be revived, nor the lowest to be despised. But cover earnestly the best gifts. It may be regarded as his advice; or it may be read as an assertion. To be clear the best gifts, and bismassily desire to excel in these extraordinary endowments; or as an interrogation, Do ye covet

acrossly the best gifts? and envy each other’s superior attainments? Yet shew I unto you a more excellent way: a Spirit of love, which prompts to every good word and work for the glory of God and the profit of men’s souls, is far better and more desirable than the most shining gifts. Now, (1.) Gifts, when valued because of the esteem which they procure us, more than for their use to the souls of men, prove the most fatal share to the soul. (2.) One part of godlike charity is infinitely preferable to all the glare of the most eminent titles or abilities.