1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be
ignorant: You know that you were Gentiles,
carried away to these dumb idols,
however you were led.
Paul is now moving on to discuss
the spiritual gifts of the Holy Spirit. He tells them, they were Gentiles, and
had been carried away to dumb idols. This is very significant considering the
Northern Kingdom of Israel was led away into captivity and then later scattered
among all the gentile nations.
2 Kings 17:6
In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria took Samaria and
carried Israel away to Assyria, and placed them in Halah and by the Habor, the
River of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.
This took place after Israel
split into two kingdoms, the Northern Kingdom of the House of Israel, and the
Southern Kingdom of the House of Judah. Paul, using the same terminology, seems
to be pointing to these particular people when he refers to the gentiles.
3 Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of
God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the
Holy Spirit.
After saying that, he then tells
them about how only people who do not have God’s Spirit call Yeshua accursed.
Only those with the Holy Spirit will call Yeshua Lord.
4 There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
Many people will share in
different types of Spiritual gifts, but it is the one Spirit of God that gives
these different gifts.
5 There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord.
There are different ministries
within the church, but still only one God.
6 And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who
works all in all.
Also, there are different
operations, but again, still only one God.
7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the
profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to
another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the
same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the
working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to
another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.
Paul breaks down a few of the
gifts given from the Spirit, such as wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing,
miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, tongues, interpretation of tongues.
Wisdom seems to be similar to
crafty, artful, wise in the ways of the world.
Exodus 23:3
So you shall speak to all who are gifted artisans, whom I have filled
with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aaron’s garments, to consecrate
him, that he may minister to Me as priest.
Exodus 31:6
“And I, indeed I, have appointed with him Aholiab the son of Ahisamach,
of the tribe of Dan; and I have put wisdom in the hearts of all the gifted
artisans, that they may make all that I have commanded you:
Knowledge seems to be the knowledge
of importance of God’s Word, and the fear of God.
Job 21:19
Yet they say to God, ‘Depart from us, For we do not desire the
knowledge of Your ways
Proverbs 1:7
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise
wisdom and instruction.
Proverbs 1:29
Because they hated knowledge And did not choose the fear of the Lord
Proverbs 12:1
Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge, But he who hates correction
is stupid.
11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to
each one individually as He wills.
There is only one Spirit that
works in all these gifts and chooses who gets which gift(s).
12 For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of
that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ.
Men have one body with many
members, such as eyes, ears, arms, hands, feet, ext. However, all these members
work together for the good. This is the same thing in the body of Christ.
13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or
Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.
The Holy Spirit baptizes all into
one body. This includes, Jews, and gentiles, slaves and free men. They have all
drank in the one Spirit.
14 For in fact the body is not one member but many.
The body is made up of many
members.
15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the
body,” is it therefore not of the body?
It would be utterly ridiculous to
think that the foot thinks it is not part of the body simply because it is not
a hand. This is the difference between those in the Body of Christ who have different
gifts. They all work together.
16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the
body,” is it therefore not of the body?
Same as previous statement.
17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the
whole were hearing, where would be the smelling?
If everyone had the same gifts,
believers would miss out on different important aspects we all need.
18 But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just
as He pleased.
It is God who we get our
individual gifts from and it is that way according to His will.
19 And if they were all one member, where would the body be?
If each person had the same
gifts, there would not be a body, but only a hand….
20 But now indeed there are many members, yet one body.
So, yes, there are many members
that make up the one body.
21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor
again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.”
We all need each other to be
successful in our faith. We can learn from each other important things.
22 No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker
are necessary.
Even the parts of the body that
seem weak, are very important. This goes for each of the gifts of the Spirit. I
would also submit here that each one of the Believers in Christ have at least
one of the gifts of the Spirit.
23 And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable,
on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater
modesty, but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body,
having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, that there should be no
schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one
another.
We should give a greater honor to
those who have been given gifts that seem to be less honorable. God created the
body to not have a division within the body. All parts must work together.
26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one
member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.
With no division, if one person
suffers, all suffer. If one is honored, all should rejoice.
27 Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.
Believers make up the body of
Christ, and individuals.
28 And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second
prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps,
administrations, varieties of tongues.
The hierarchy of the church falls
in this order. Apostles, prophets, teachers, miracle workers, healers,
discerners, administrators, and speakers of tongues.
29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all
workers of miracles?
Not everyone holds all these
different gifts.
30 Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all
interpret?
Same as above.
31 But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more
excellent way.
Paul says he desires the best
gifts, but he shows a better way.
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