Charles Ellicott Commentary 1 Corinthians 12

Now concerning spiritual gifts.—Again, the sequence of the topics addressed is probably decided by the subjects contained in the letter from Corinth (see 1 Corinthians 7:1; 1 Corinthians 8:1), and the Apostle replies to inquiries regarding the comparative value and importance of certain spiritual gifts. In this early age, the Church was full of the divine energy of spiritual youth.

From the indwelling Spirit of God resulted certain marvelous "gifts": some of these ceased with the apostolic age, while others seem to have lingered for centuries, even to our own day, manifesting themselves intermittently in times of profound religious awakening.

The party spirit with which the Corinthian Church seems to have been saturated naturally led to diverse views as to the relative importance of certain of these gifts—some were unduly exalted, some unduly depreciated. The truth that these gifts are valuable as evidence of the indwelling Spirit, and insofar as they could be useful for the Church, was forgotten.

The Apostle reserves for consideration in more detail (see 1 Corinthians 13) the special gift of tongues, which was, perhaps, the gift most exaggerated and most misunderstood at Corinth, and deals in this chapter with the subject of spiritual gifts generally.

The subject of the chapter is The Source, Object, and Value of Spiritual Gifts, and the chapter may be subdivided as follows:

1. 1 Corinthians 12:1–3. The confession of Christ as Lord is the true evidence of the Spirit.
2. 1 Corinthians 12:4–11. The gifts of the Spirit are diverse in character, but the origin is the same.
3. 1 Corinthians 12:12–30. The analogy of the human body shows that the spiritual Body (the Church) is not a collection of independent parts, but a living organism consisting of mutually interdependent members.

I would not have you ignorant.—Better, I do not wish you to be ignorant.

You know that you were Gentiles.—Better (according to the weight of manuscript evidence), You know that when you were Gentiles you were, etc.

In this and the following verse, the Apostle reminds his readers that, far from regarding the marvelous manifestations of the Spirit, such as speaking with tongues and prophesying, as the most wonderful miracles, the greatest miracle of all was their conversion. That blind followers of dumb idols should be transformed into intelligent believers in the living Word was the most striking work of the Spirit.

They were now no longer led here and there by diverse teachings and diverse gods; they had an unchanging principle of life, and an unerring guide of conduct. The contrast between the present state of Christians and their former state as heathens is a topic of frequent occurrence in St. Paul’s writings (Romans 11:30; Colossians 1:21; Colossians 3:7 and following).

Operating in words, as in prophetic utterances.

Operating in distinguishing true and false spirits.

III. Gifts which relate to tongues.

1. Speaking with tongues.
2. Interpreting tongues.

The “wisdom” and the “knowledge” differ, in that the former expresses the deep spiritual insight into spiritual truth which some possess, the latter the intellectual appreciation of Christian doctrine, which is not so profound as the former, and which as the man passes into the spiritual state will vanish away (1 Corinthians 13:8).

NOW there are diversities of gifts: Although conversion is identical in every case, yet afterwards there are spiritual gifts that vary according to individual capacity and character, but they all come from the one Spirit. There are varieties of ministration in which those spiritual gifts are employed, and (not “but” in the Greek) the same Lord is served by these varied ministries; there are varieties of operations resulting from these gifts and ministrations, but it is the same God who works all of them in everyone.

We have here a clear indication of the doctrine of the Holy Trinity—the HOLY SPIRIT, the direct source of spiritual gifts; the SON, the one in whose service these gifts are to be used as ministers; the FATHER, the one supreme origin of all powers thus bestowed in diverse ways by the one Spirit, and for diverse purposes in the ministering to the One Son. Thus, underlying this passage is the vivid realisation of the Trinity in unity, and unity in Trinity of the Divine Nature.

But the manifestation of the Spirit.—These gifts, which flow from one source, are intended to flow towards one object, namely, the benefit of the whole Church. If it were only for a person’s own benefit, it would cease to be a “manifestation”—it would be sufficient for the person to be conscious of possessing the spirit only for himself. But the object of light is to give light to others. The object of the spiritual light is to make manifest to others.