Paul begins this section in answer to a question the Corinthian congregation has asked him (he has been doing that all through the letter: 7.1, marriage questions; 8.1, food offered to idols). It is important to note that each time he has taken up a question of theirs, he has begun by quoting something they had said in their letter to him: so 8:1 "... all possess knowledge ..." 8:4 "... an idol has no real existence ..." He does so here too. This explains the odd reference to "no-one cursing Jesus by the Spirit": who would think to do such a thing? The answer can only be that the Corinthians must have written something like, "One of our people, speaking in tongues, has been interpreted as saying 'Anathema Jesus.' Is this a 'deep teaching,' perhaps, about the curse Jesus bore for us on the Cross, or what?"
Paul answers bluntly, "Whatever spirit it was that inspired that utterance, it was not the Holy Spirit! Don't imagine, just because you've turned from the worship of dumb idols to a God Who speaks, that every utterance in a tongue is His! I do not want you to be ignorant in this area. There is a test to be applied, and it is a very simple one: the Spirit which is speaking may be known by its attitude to Christ Jesus. If it glorifies Christ and acknowledges His incarnation and Lordship, the Spirit is God's ('He shall testify of me,' John 15:26 ... and 'Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God.' I John 4:2) If the Spirit despises Christ, it is an alien spirit. A voice has been heard among you that is not God's voice."
Tongues-speaking of itself is a guarantee of nothing. It can be prompted by spirits other than God's. It occurs in Mohammedanism, Voodoo and animistic religions, and even in non-religious settings. To speak in tongues does not of itself prove that you have received the Spirit of God; you may have received an alien spirit ... or none. It is what is said in the tongue that matters, and that is why Paul insists that tongues should have interpretation, or else not be exercised at all, whether in private (14:13 & 15) or in public (14:28).
Tongues-speaking is a risky business. You can be fooled ... dangerously. Where the Rule of Interpretation is not observed, the practice is unbiblical and should be condemned.
THE CHARISMATA - SPIRITUAL GIFTS
The word translated 'spiritual gifts' in the Greek is 'charismata'. It is made up of three parts:
1. charis = grace
2. the suffix 'ma' = the effect of
3. the suffix 'ta' = plural ending.
So the word may rendered 'the varying effects of grace.'
A most helpful way of understanding it is suggested by Michael Green. As the grace of God is conveyed to us it 'refracts' through our human personalities, as light does through a prism.
This is helpful, because it enables us to see that that the charismata may be 'creature' gifts (taking their colour from what we are by nature) or 'new creature' gifts (taking their colour from what we are by our new birth). This is why some gifts are 'ordinary,' like administrations, or helps, 12:28, and some extraordinary, like healings and tongues. They are all grace-gifts, for whatever endowments we receive, whether by nature or by regeneration, are gifts of God's grace. Call them 'gracings.'
Note: Paul brackets 'gracings' (charismata), 'ministries' (diakonoia) and 'energisings' (energemata) all together as having their origin in the Triune God, not in the one Person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit, merely.
v. 7: All are for edification
They are "to the profiting" (sumferon) as in 6:12, "lawful and helpful," as in Acts 20:20: "I withheld nothing that was profitable, or beneficial to you." In ch. 14 Paul will expand this emphasis when he insists on edification (up-building) in the exercise of the gifts. Gifts are not given to us simply for our private enjoyment or personal distinction, but for the benefit their exercise may be to others.
A Sample List
Now Paul lists some sample gifts (there are others in Rom. 12:6-8, Eph. 4:11 etc.). His use of adjectives rendered 'another' is worth noting. The Greek word may be 'hetero' or 'allo'; 'hetero' means different, 'allo' means similar. With this in mind, Paul has grouped the gifts thus ...
GROUP I
Word of knowledge
perception
Word of wisdom
application to life
GROUP II
Faith
gifts of cures
operation of powers (e.g. exorcisms, Elymas blinded for a time)
Faith
for ventures (daring claims prompted by the Holy Spirit)
Discerning of Spirits
GROUP III
Tongues and ...
their interpretations
v. 11 They are sovereignly distributed
The gifts are distributed by the Holy Spirit "as He wills," note. This is emphasised again in Heb. 2:4. Remember from the studies in the Old Testament that the Spirit is sovereign and free. What gifts we enjoy are for Him to determine, not us. We may not insist that we be given a gift because we fancy it.
v. 12 The Body
The theme of unity in diversity now occupies Paul at some length. He clearly wants us to see this as important.
We are as needful to each other as legs and hands to our eyes and head, and we need to function with as much coordination, or the 'body' becomes spastic. A spirit of loving harmony is quite vital to the health of a Church - illwill between members does real mischief to the effectiveness of a Church's life and witness. The way to achieve it is by the willing submission of all members to Christ the Head. His acknowledged Lordship is vital to the body's health.
Paul elaborates two ways in which you can disable the 'body':
1. vs. 15-18 By
Self-depreciation
"I'm no use. I can't do this or that like so-and-so can." Maybe not.
But there is something you can do that others cannot for which you
are needed. Shyness is worse than a weakness - it is a 'sin against
the body.' Say: "Thank You God for making me me!"
(Note again the emphasis in v. 18 "... as He chose.")
2. vs. 19-21 By
Self-importance
Your gift does not set you above any others; it merely gives you a
place that ranks you equal with them.
The one attitude (1.)
says: "I'm no good; you don't need me."
The other attitude (2.) says: "You're no good; I don't need you."
God says: "You need each other."
We must neither underrate nor overrate ourselves ... nor each other ... and learn to work together harmoniously as equals. There is to be "no discord in the body," but "all should have the same care for one another." (v. 25)
v. 27 - "you are - literally - 'body' of Christ.
There is no article 'the' with the word 'body.' As you can speak of: 'a man,' 'the man' and 'man,' so you can speak of: 'a body,' 'the body' and 'body (of Christ).' The idea is the same as in John 15 where Jesus said, "I am the vine" - i.e. the whole thing. We are not branches growing out of the trunk which is Christ; rather we are branches of Christ, Who is Himself the whole vine, trunk, branches and all. We are branches - or members - of Him.
vs. 27-8 - The Trinity again, notice;
John Stott: "God gives us Christ, Christ gives us the Spirit, and the Spirit gives us ministries."
Two kinds of giftings
are specified in this paragraph:
Persons : apostles, prophets, teachers (Eph 4:11 adds pastors,
evangelists)
Ministries : energisings, healings, helpings, governings, exercisings
of tongues - these are all participles, where the first three are
nouns. What this means is that people are appointed to the 'office'
of apostle, prophet, teacher etc., but the other giftings are not to
be thought of as 'offices' ... as located in particular persons. They
may 'crop up' here and there in anyone; the fact that one person has
been instrumental in another's healing does not make him or her a
'healer,' but only an 'occasional' channel of Christ's
healing.
Note that in v. 30 Paul says we should aspire to the 'higher' gifts. This is a direct reference back to v. 28 where he ranked them in order of priority: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers ...
Apostleship approximates to what we today call church planting or pioneer missionary endeavour. Whoever takes the Gospel to a place for the first time and establishes a church there needs to be a mature Christian, "complete unto every good work," and so fit to bear authority in Christ over the newborn church 'child.' Apostles are 'statesmen.' Apostleship was not confined to the twelve - Rom. 16:7, Andronicus and Junias ('Junias' is a feminine name, by the way ... a woman apostle?!).
Prophecy is the ability under the inspiration of God's Holy Spirit to bring timeless truth to bear in a relevant way on a situation in time, now. It applies Scripture truth at the point where 'the rubber hits the road.' The prophet speaks for God in a way that bears directly on our current life situation.
Teaching is also a means to convey timeless truth, but in a more general way. Prophecy touches you 'where you're at, now'; teaching prepares you for all sorts of situations, and is more concerned with principles. It serves to "build up the mind of Christ" in us on all issues, where prophecy bears on particular issues.
v. 29-30 - "Are all ... this, that and the other?"
The obvious answer Paul expects to each question is "No," including the question "do all speak with tongues?" It is no more to be expected that all Christians will speak in tongues than that all Christians will be apostles or do miracles. Those who insist that every Christian should speak in tongues as a necessary sign that he or she has received their 'baptism in the Spirit' are quite simply wrong.
Notice how this chapter is introduced at 12:31b: "I will show you a still more excellent way ..." A more excellent way to what?
Answer: a more excellent way (v. 25) to provide that "there be no discord in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another," and generally to promote both the health and the healthy functioning of the body. In other words, Paul is saying that love is much more important than gifts in "building up the body" - more important even than the higher giftings like apostleship and so on! All the gifts of the Spirit are service gifts: the spirit of service is the only thing that makes their exercise worthwhile.
Indeed, if love is lacking then tongues, prophecy, knowledge, faith and self-sacrifice are - all of them - a heap of junk. It does not matter what our gift is: if love does not motivate us in its exercise, the church is better off without it.
LOVE is ... : (verses in bold type showing our need of this quality)
1. Patient
(makrothumia) 6:1, 7-8 - makros = long, thumos = passion,
anger
So the word means literally, long-tempered, as opposed to
short-tempered. In the O.T. the Hebrew equivalent is always rendered
'slow to anger,' as in Prov. 19:11; Neh. 9:17 ; Ex. 34:6.
It is the capacity to
bear endless illwill without your own goodwill toward the one who
hurts and wounds you failing.
Used of God: II Peter
3:15 (note 3:9); Rom. 2:4, 9:22; Matt. 18:26-29; I Tim. 1:12-16; Acts
26:3 (to Agrippa)
Used of us: Gal. 5:22; Eph. 4:2; Col. 3:12-14; I Thess. 5:14; II Tim.
4:2 (refer back to 3:10)
It corresponds to Matt. 5:43-45 - no retaliation. To love your enemies is of the essence of the Gospel, for we are saved only because God so loves us who are His enemies!
2. Kind (chrestos) 8:11-13 10:32-33
A rich affection, unwavering in its devotion to the other's good; neither discouraged by their failure, nor embittered by their ingratitude. So Jesus "washed men's feet" - not "washed His hands" of them (note I Tim 5:10).
Used of God: Jer.
31:10-14; Luke 6:35; Rom. 2:4, 1:22; Eph. 2:7; Titus 3:4; I Peter
2:3
Used of us: Luke 6:35-36; Eph. 4:32, 5,1-2; II Cor. 6:6; Col. 3:12;
Gal. 5:22 (Fruit of Spirit); Rom. 12:13, 20-21
The Parable of the Good Samaritan illustrates this quality.
NOTE: Patience and kindness (makrothumia, chrestotns) are often bracketed together - Rom. 2:4, Gal. 5:22, II Cor. 6:6, Col. 3:12. 'Makrothumia' is the response love makes to illwill as 'chrestotes' is the response it shows to goodwill.
3. Not jealous -
The Hebrew means redness of face under stress of emotion. Acts
7:9 (Joseph's brothers) ; Acts 17:1-5, 3:3
The divine jealousy, as in James 4:5 and II Cor 11:2, is not the
unworthy jealousy we show because it is self-centred; God cares
fiercely for our welfare.
4. Not boastful - "Puffed up" - 4:6-8, 18-19.. Col. 2:18; I Cor. 8:1; 5:2-6
5. Not rude - does
not "behave gracelessly" so as to demean - 6:4-5.
Deut. 25:3 - it would shame a man beyond all the requirements of
just punishment. (The Jews limited it to 39.) I Cor. 7:36
6. Does not insist on having its own way - 6:7-8, 11:21; Phil. 2:3-4; Rom. 15:1-3
7. Not irritable - does not "fly off the handle" ('paroxysm') 1:11, 3:3.. Acts 17:6, 7:57, 22:22-3; I Sam. 25:17 (Nabal)
8. Keeps no score
of wrongs - 1:11, 3:3. II Cor. 5:19; II Tim. 4:16; Acts 7:60;
Matt. 18:21-22
You do not keep a tally of the wrongs done to you - "I'll forgive
you, but I'll never forget" sort of thing.
9. Rejoices in the
truth - 16:3-4, 15:8.
Does not relish scandal, longs to see folk honoured and
vindicated, not put down. II Cor. 10:10 (Cf. II Cor. 7:8-13, and 14)
10. Bears all things - "covers" all things. Psalm 32:1 (Ex.10:5); James 5:20; I Peter 4:8
11. Believes all
things - i.e., "believes the best of people"
In relation to God: II Cor. 1:9-10; Rom. 4:20 (Abraham)
In relation to others: II Cor. Cor 2:3
12. Hopes all things - never "gives up on" people. II Tim. 2:24-26; Luke 22:31-32
13. Never ends -
never fails, faints or flags (Love's flower petals never fall).
It means a tough, sturdy constancy under trial. It "does not
alter when it alteration finds." (Shakespeare).
II Cor. 8:9; Rom. 8:32-39
NOTE: in this respect it is not like prophecy, tongues and knowledge ... they will pass away; only Love, faith and hope are eternally enduring.
v. 8 - Did tongues cease when the Apostolic age ended?
Some interpret this verse to mean that. But that is not fair to the language used. You cannot isolate what Paul says here about tongues from what he says in the same breath about prophecy and knowledge. They did not cease when the apostles died! All three will be superseded - but at the same time ... and that time is "when the perfect comes." That time is not yet; it is when we all get to heaven. So Paul will say (despite the lowly rating he gives to tongues) "Do not forbid speaking in tongues." Neither should we.
For "When the perfect comes" see Rom. 8:22-25; Eph. 1:13-14; I Cori. 15:24-28; I Peter 1:3-5; II Cor. 5:5 (1:22)
v. 11 - Our present grasp of truth may be inadequate, but that does not imply it is false. A child's grasp of higher mathematics may be inadequate, but that does not mean his 'times tables' are false. He will not have to unlearn later what he has learned now. Neither will we.
Similarly, Paul's metaphor about 'seeing through a glass darkly' means that our perception of truth is blurred, but not false. Glass in those days was not wholly translucent. You could see through it, but somewhat fuzzily. The rabbis used to say (and Paul had been one): "All the prophets saw through nine glasses (windows) but Moses saw through one!" You can see through such a window and be sure that what you are looking at is a tree, though you might not be entirely sure whether it is a poinsettia or a poinciana. So we may know some basic things with absolute certainty even though we are hazy on details. We may be sure e.g. that Christ died for our sins without being sure how His death avails to remove them. Some mystery there must be: if there were none, then the truth I see would be no bigger than my seeing mind - and truth has to be bigger than that.
v. 12 - "Face to face" - cf. Moses - Num. 12:8, Deut. 34:10
v. 13 - Faith gives way to sight - II Cor. 5:7. Hope is fulfilled in realisation - Rom. 8:24-5
The argument of the whole chapter is to show why tongues-speaking is of little value to the church, simply because it does so little (compared with other gifts) to "build up the body." It is one of the Spirit's gifts; but its value seems to be for the individual rather than for the assembly.
Paul declined to exercise it in public, v. 19. He allowed its exercise by others only under severe restraints, v. 27, and insisted in v. 37 that what he had written carried divine authority: "If any one thinks that he is a prophet, or spiritual, he should acknowledge that what I am writing to you is a command of the Lord." How can we regard ourselves as "led by the Spirit" in what is a downright disobedience?
NOTE: "I want you all to speak in tongues ..." has no more force than the similar, "I want you all to be as I am ..." in 7:10, meaning, unmarried! If you give the force of a command to one, you must also give it to the other. That would mean we sin if we marry. Clearly Paul's phrase is an everyday idiom which means no more than : "if it were up to me, I'd as soon you all ... ('were unmarried,' in the one case; 'spoke in tongues' in the other) but ... I recognise that it is not up to me - it's up to God. He has clearly gifted some to be married as He has gifted me to be celibate, and my personal inclinations are no reason for me to argue with God. Equally He has clearly not gifted some to speak with tongues as He has gifted me, and my personal inclinations are no reason for me to argue with God about that either."
vs. 6-12 - The Trouble with Tongues
Three illustrations
pin-point their weakness:
1. Their indistinctness (as with musical instruments) ... yields no
knowledge;
2. Their uncertainty (as with a bad bugler) ... produces no
action.
3. Their incomprehensibility (as of a language) ... promotes no
fellowship.
If they fail to provide knowledge, action or fellowship, why rate them so highly?
vs. 11-12 - Why make such a cult of unintelligibility? (The Greeks called their foreign neighbours to the north 'barbarians' because their speech sounded like a stream of 'bar-bar-bar's' ('rhubarb, rhubarb, rhubarb'). Paul is being sarcastic here!
vs. 13-19 - No tongues without interpretation ... because the only way to test them is by the content of what is said in them.
vs. 20-25 - Preoccupation with tongues is childish
They have no 'sign value' at all. Verse 21 seems to contradict v. 22. But the gist of what Paul says in these difficult verses is: "You seem to rate tongues highly as being a 'sign.' Well, the only sign value I can find for them anywhere in Scripture is Isaiah 28; and the only thing they were a sign of there was the unbelief of God's people! Is that why you're so keen on them? They do not convince rank outsiders - and the only sign value they ever had was to show that God's own people were ripe for judgment because of their unbelief. Do grow up, you Corinthians - get your priorities right." (I believe Paul quotes the Corinthians back to them in v. 22, as though they had said, "Tongues are a sign among us that we really are true Spirit-filled believers." Paul's answer to that is "Nonsense. The only sign value tongues ever had was by way of rebuke!")
vs. 26-33 - Order, not confusion, is the "sign" that God is at work Cf. Isaiah 45:18 Likewise God did not ordain worship to be another Babel. The other brand of tongues given at Pentecost, indeed, was a reversal of Babel!
NOTE: v. 32 - Paul dismisses as nonsense what some were saying: "Because the Holy Spirit inspires tongues, we must not quench them." On the contrary, self-control is one of the fruits of the Spirit. "The spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets." There has to be self-discipline in the exercise of tongues in the interests of love toward those who do not have the gift!
vs. 33-36 - Women's silence in the assembly
Paul is not here forbidding women to preach or pray. He has already approved of both in I Cor. 11:5. All he means is: "And while we're on the subject of confusion in public worship, there's another thing. Some of your women shout to their husbands across the floor of the assembly to ask them questions while the preacher is preaching! Stop it! It's downright bad manners."
v. 36 - "You Corinthians really are the giddy limit!"
vs. 37-40 - Summary
"If you can't see the sense in what I'm saying, there's no point in discussing it with you - you're too far gone in your blindness. All I can say is, unless you can show me how the church is better served by tongues than by other gifts, give up your preoccupation with them."
Where tongues are concerned, the rule is: Seek not, forbid not. Before you pray, "Teach me to speak in a tongue," pray, "Teach me to love."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
