the book of 1 corinthians chapter fifteen XXVI
"Each event will happen in the right order: Christ, the first crop of the harvest, then those who belong to Christ at his coming, and then the end, when Christ hands over the kingdom to God the Father, when he brings every form of rule, every authority and power to an end" (1 Corinthians 15:23-24 CEB).
While this portion of Scripture focuses primarily upon Jesus' resurrection (along with those who belong to Him), it may be easy to overlook another important aspect of this passage: there will come a time when Christ will abolish "....all rule and all authority and power" (HCSB). This future reality is one that should have a definite impact upon the way we live in the present.
For instance, consider the person who holds a position of leadership and authority in today's world. This individual may be a person of significance and influence within a home, a corporation, a governmental entity, or other area of responsibility. Nevertheless, 1 Corinthians 15:23-24 tells us that all such positions of leadership will eventually be terminated when Jesus "...brings every form of rule, every authority and power to an end" (CEB).
In other words, there will come a time when these positions of rule, power, and/or authority will no longer matter. What will matter is how we conducted ourselves within those areas of responsibility that God entrusted to us. In the end, it won't matter how important or influential or wealthy or powerful we once were, for the critical thing will not be who we were but what we were.
Although he was speaking in a different context, the Apostle Peter asked a question that is related to this discussion: "Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, you should think about the kind of life you are living. It should be holy and God-like" (2 Peter 3:11 NLV).
So in light of these future realities, we would be well advised to live, work, and plan our lives with the recognition that the choices and decisions we make in our individual positions of leadership will count for eternity.
This type of mindset is summarized by the Latin term Coram Deo, a phrase that means "in the presence of God." Those who act with the understanding that our choices and decisions are made in the presence of God are those who are likely to discharge their responsibilities in a way that will reflect well upon them long after every area of rule, authority, and/or power has come to an end.
the book of 1 corinthians chapter fifteen XXV
"But there is an order to this resurrection: Christ was raised as the first of the harvest; then all who belong to Christ will be raised when He comes back. After that the end will come, when He will turn the Kingdom over to God the Father, having destroyed every ruler and authority and power" (1 Corinthians 15:23-24 NLT).
Earlier in 1 Corinthians 15:20 Paul the Apostle introduced the concept of "firstfruits," a reference to the first and best portion of a flock or harvest. Here now in the following verses, Paul will build upon that idea using Jesus' resurrection as the model or prototype for those who follow Him. One source provides us with some background information regarding the concept that Paul presents to us within this passage...
"Each one in his own order indicates that God has a certain design for the resurrection. The word order is a Greek military term that might also be translated 'rank.' The Commander is raised first; His troops afterward." (1)
So the idea is that Jesus is "first in rank" with regard to those who will be physically raised to eternal life. Another commentator expands on these verses with the following observation...
"Paul's idea was that Christ was the 'first' rank and experienced resurrection. Christians are in a different rank and will experience resurrection together at a different time, namely, at the Lord's coming... The apostle did not go on to give a complete explanation of the various resurrections here. There will be other ranks of people who will rise at other times, including Tribulation saints, Old Testament believers, and the unsaved...
Paul's point here was that the resurrection of Christians is just as certain to take place as the fact that Christ's already took place. He did not mean that our resurrection will be of a different type than Christ's (i.e., 'spiritual' rather than physical)." (2)
As Jesus Himself once said...
"I assure you: Anyone who hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not come under judgment but has passed from death to life. I assure you: An hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.
...Do not be amazed at this, because a time is coming when all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come out—those who have done good things, to the resurrection of life, but those who have done wicked things, to the resurrection of judgment" (John 5:24-25, 28-29 HCSB).
(1) Radmacher, E. D., Allen, R. B., & House, H. W. (1999). Nelson’s new illustrated Bible commentary (p. 1486). Nashville: T. Nelson Publishers.
(2) The Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Dr. Constable's Bible Study Notes). Copyright 2012 by Dr. Thomas L. Constable. All Rights Reserved. http://www.soniclight.com/constable/notes/pdf/1corinthians.pdf (15:23)
the book of 1 corinthians chapter fifteen XXIV
"For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead also comes through a man. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive" (1 Corinthians 15:21-22).
Regardless of our ethnicity, culture, or environmental background, every human being is related to Adam, the very first human being. Because of this, every human being will eventually perish from this life, just as he did. But as the passage quoted above tells us, those who fully trust in Christ to atone for their sins are also related to Him as well.
Thus, as one Biblical paraphrase renders 1 Corinthians 15:22, "Everyone dies because all of us are related to Adam, being members of his sinful race, and wherever there is sin, death results. But all who are related to Christ shall be made alive" (TLB). This is a truth should bring great comfort to those in Christ who live in fear of death.
As much as we may not wish to think about about it, there is a 100% certainty that every human being will eventually pass from this life. But just as our physical death is a certainty by way of our relationship with Adam, our everlasting life through Christ is just as certain by way of His atoning death on the cross. If we are related to Jesus as well as Adam, our life in Christ is just as certain as our death through Adam.
This explains why Jesus is sometimes referred to as "the second Adam." His sacrificial work effectively reverses the consequences that were brought about by the actions of the first Adam. Paul the Apostle summarized this idea in the New Testament book of Romans when he wrote, "...Adam's sin brought punishment to all, but Christ's righteousness makes men right with God, so that they can live. Adam caused many to be sinners because he disobeyed God, and Christ caused many to be made acceptable to God because he obeyed" (Romans 5:18-19 TLB).
So Adam's heritage is disobedience leading to death but Jesus' heritage is obedience leading to life for all who accept Him. As we're told in the New Testament Gospel of John...
" But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God" (John 1:12-13).
the book of 1 corinthians chapter fifteen XXIII
"For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive" ( Corinthians 15:21-22).
When Adam made the willful decision to disobey his Creator as detailed within in Genesis chapter three, he terminated the relationship with God that he previously enjoyed. The Scriptures refer to this state as a kind of death. This was not the type of immediate physical death that we might associate with those who pass from this life (although that did come later), but spiritual death or separation from God.
Now at this point someone might raise a legitimate question: "Why should the fact that Adam did something wrong have any impact or effect on me?" Well, there are a number of reasons to explain why Adam's sin continue to affect us today. First, Adam is what theologians refer to as the "federal representative" of the human race. In other words, Adam represents everyone who follows him and every subsequent member of the human family is associated with him by virtue of the fact that he was the first human being.
The International Olympic Games can help to illustrate this idea. For instance, every athlete who participates in the Olympic Games serves as a representative of his or her nation. Thus, if the Canadian ice hockey team wins the Olympic gold medal, we say that "Canada" has won even though a relatively small number of Canadians actually participated in the event.
Just as an individual team or athlete represents his or her country in the Olympic Games, Adam also served as a representative of the human race. Because of this, every human being who follows him is associated with the effects of his sin. Of course, 1 Corinthians 15:22 also tells us that Jesus is a federal representative of a very different sort and we'll examine that aspect of His ministry next.
However, Adam's disobedience affects us in another way as well. You see, just as a parent sets an example for his or her children, Adam also set an example for his descendants through his sin and disobedience. Having only had the example of Adam's sin to emulate, his descendants have continued to follow that example even to this day. This is one reason why Paul the Apostle can say in Romans 5:12: "Just as through one human being sin came into the world, and death came through sin, so death has come to everyone, since everyone has sinned" (CEB).
the book of 1 corinthians chapter fifteen XXII
"For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive" (1 Corinthians 15:21-22).
Earlier in this chapter, Paul the Apostle called upon a number of witnesses to support the historical validity of Jesus' resurrection. Here now in 1 Corinthians 15:21-22, Paul will call upon a very different witness, one whose example stands in stark contrast to Jesus Himself. That witness is Adam, the very first man. Just as Adam's conduct initiated a chain reaction of negative consequences, Jesus' act of sacrificial obedience served to initiate a decidedly different set of consequences.
Paul made a similar reference to Adam and the effect of his choices upon us in the Biblical book of Romans when he said, "...sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin..." (Romans 5:12 NIV). In order to fully appreciate this contrast, it may be helpful to start at the beginning of Adam's account and work our way toward Paul's application.
You see, the first chapter of the first book of the Bible chronicles the beginning of humanity: "Then God said, 'Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them" (Genesis 1:26-27).
A few verses later we're told, "God saw all that He had made, and it was very good..." (Genesis 1:31 NIV). The important thing to note from these passages is that God pronounced the entirety of His creation -including humanity- to be "very good." In the following chapter we find that God spoke the man He created and said, "...'You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it, you will surely die'" (Genesis 2:16-17 NIV).
Unfortunately as most of us are aware, the first human couple chose to disobey these instructions. When Adam made the conscious decision to disobey God, he severed the relationship with God that he previously enjoyed- and things were no longer very good. We'll see how the effect of this decision has gone on to impact every subsequent member of the human family next.
the book of 1 corinthians chapter fifteen XXI
"But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died" (1 Corinthians 15:20 NLT).
One question that arises in regard to Jesus' resurrection involves the number of other individuals who were resurrected from the dead within the Scriptures. For instance, the Biblical accounts of those who were raised from the dead can be found in both the Old Testament (1 Kings 17:17-24, 2 Kings 13:21) as well as the New Testament (Luke 7:11-16, Luke 8:49-56).
Perhaps the most famous Biblical example of a human resurrection (other than Jesus Himself) can be found in the account of Lazarus as detailed within John 11:1-44. There was no question that Lazarus was truly dead prior to his resurrection for even his own sister said of him, "Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days" (John 11:39).
So how are we to understand 1 Corinthians 15:20, a portion of Scripture that tells us, "...Christ really has been raised from death--the first one of all those who will be raised" (ERV). Well, one scholar addresses this puzzling question in the following manner...
"When Jesus returned from the dead, it was the first real resurrection. Every other raising from the dead was merely a resuscitation or revivification of a dead body. There are some crucial differences between a true resurrection and a mere resuscitation. First of all, a resurrection is to an immortal body, whereas a resuscitation is merely back to a mortal body (cf. 1 Cor. 15:53). That is to say, Lazarus and everyone else who was raised from the dead before Christ eventually died again. Christ’s resurrection was the first to declare anyone 'alive forevermore' (Rev. 1:18).
Further, resurrection bodies manifest some supernatural qualities, not inherent in mortal bodies, such as, the ability to appear and disappear from sight immediately (Luke 24:31) or to get inside a closed room (John 20:19). Finally, while a resurrection is more than a resuscitation, it was not less than one. Resuscitated corpses die again, but Jesus’ resurrection body was immortal. He conquered death (Heb. 2:14; 1 Cor. 15:54–55), whereas merely resuscitated bodies will eventually be conquered by death.
However, that Jesus was the first to be raised in an immortal body does not mean it was an immaterial body. It was more than a reanimation of a material corpse, but it was not less than that. It was His same body of 'flesh and bones'" (Luke 24:39). (1)
(1) Geisler, N. L., & Howe, T. A. (1992). When critics ask : a popular handbook on Bible difficulties (p. 463). Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books.
the book of 1 corinthians chapter fifteen XX
"But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep" (1 Corinthians 15:20).
Here in 1 Corinthians 15:20, the Apostle Paul makes use of a word that would have been familiar to those of Jewish descent within the Corinthian church. That word is firstfruits, a type of sacrificial offering that is found within the Old Testament book of Leviticus...
"And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 'Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘When you come into the land which I give to you, and reap its harvest, then you shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest to the priest'" (Leviticuas 23:9-10).
It is probably safe to say that anyone who truly seeks to honor God will be someone who recognizes the importance of offering Him their first and best in every area of life. One Old Testament expression of that commitment involved submitting the initial portion of an agricultural crop (or the firstborn of a flock or herd) as an offering to God. Much as the name implies, these "firstfruits" represented the first and best portion of a flock or harvest.
God's people continue to acknowledge this general principle today whenever they give the first and best of their time, talent, and financial resources to God in appreciation and recognition of the blessings that He has provided. As we're reminded in Proverbs 3:9-10, "Honor the Lord with your possessions, And with the firstfruits of all your increase; So your barns will be filled with plenty, And your vats will overflow with new wine."
For illustration purposes however, the firstfruit offering also served to represent the remainder of the harvest that was to follow. Thus, this offering proved to be an excellent illustration of Jesus' resurrection as well. He was the first of those who would be raised from the dead, never to die again. In this sense, Jesus' resurrection served as the prototype or model of the future prepared for God's people, one that would not be possible if there was no such thing as a resurrection of the dead.
As one commentator explains...
"Jesus is the “firstfruits” because His resurrection and the resurrection of believers are closely related events. Jesus was 'the first to rise from the dead' incorruptible (Acts 26:23), rising as our representative. His resurrection caused us to be raised with Him by the Holy Spirit (Rom. 6:4; Eph. 2:6), and at the same time guarantees that we will be raised bodily." (1)
(1) Sproul, R. C. (Ed.). (2015). The Reformation Study Bible: English Standard Version (2015 Edition) (p. 2040). Orlando, FL: Reformation Trust.
the book of 1 corinthians chapter fifteen XIX
"For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished" (1 Corinthians 15:16-18 ESV).
In 1 Corinthians 15:12-19 Paul the Apostle continued to build upon the logical conclusions that flowed from the belief that a resurrection of the dead was impossible. One such consequence can be found within the passage quoted above. You see, a person who died under the mistaken belief that Jesus had forgiven his or her sins on the basis of His substitutionary death and resurrection was someone who had actually perished if the dead are not raised.
In the original language of this passage, the word "perished" is used to identify something that is lost, ruined, or destroyed. (1) So a person who chose to reject the idea of a future resurrection was left to face a number of eternal implications, not the least of which meant eternal ruin for those who denied that such a thing was possible.
"If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable" (1 Corinthians 15:19).
There are some who recognize Jesus to be an influential historical figure. Others admire His teachings. There are some who accept Him as one of many spiritual mentors. Then there those who view Jesus as a great social reformer. For many, Jesus is viewed as someone who can help people find enlightenment, wisdom, success, and/or fulfillment in life.
However, it is important to remember that Jesus validated everything He taught by rising from the dead (John 20). Thus, Jesus is not just another spiritual leader among many- He is the final, authoritative source for every spiritual belief and practice. If Jesus' resurrection did not really take place, then everything else He taught might also be called into question as well, no matter how personally beneficial some of His teachings may be.
In addition, we should keep in mind that a decision to accept Jesus often brought very little material benefit in Paul's day. On the contrary, a person who self-identified as a Christian during that period typically faced rejection, persecution, poverty, and death. If there was no such thing as a resurrection of the dead, then those hardships would ultimately prove to be futile and pointless.
Therefore, a person who chose to endure such sufferings on the basis of something that didn't really occur was someone who "...should be pitied more than anyone" (HCSB).
(1) G622 apollumi https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?t=kjv&strongs=g622
the book of 1 corinthians chapter fifteen XVIII
"Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up—if in fact the dead do not rise" (1 Corinthians 15:15).
If we were to paraphrase Paul the Apostle's statement here in 1 Corinthians 15:15, we might do so in the following manner: "If Jesus didn't really rise from the dead then it means that a lot of people are telling a lot of lies."
First among these liars would be Jesus Himself. If we were to dismiss the possibility of a literal, bodily resurrection, then it would mean that Jesus was not being truthful when He said, "...'All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written: ‘I will strike the Shepherd, And the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee'" (Matthew 26:31-32, emphasis added).
Next in line would be the Apostles, Jesus' own commissioned representatives. If there is no possibility of a resurrection, then it meant that Paul and the Apostle Peter (along with other God-honoring teachers like Apollos [1 Corinthians 1:12, 3:4-6) had perpetrated a deceptive fraud upon the members of the Corinthian church. But even more alarmingly, their deception is one that has continued to be perpetuated upon untold numbers of people throughout the centuries via the New Testament writings of these Biblical authors.
"For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen" (1 Corinthians 15:16).
Just as he had done a few sentences earlier in 1 Corinthians 15:13, Paul reasoned backward to illustrate the damaging implications that were sure to arise from the rejection of a bodily resurrection: if there is no possibility of a resurrection, then Jesus could not have been raised from the dead. This, in turn, led to a number of other negative implications as well...
"And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins!" (1 Corinthians 15:17).
In addition to a worthless faith, those who had accepted Jesus' substitutionary death and resurrection as the basis for the forgiveness of their sins had no such forgiveness if Jesus had not risen from the dead. If that was the case, then Jesus was someone who ultimately fulfilled the expectation of those who helped put Him to death: "'He saved others,' they said, 'but he can't save himself!'" (Mark 15:31 NIV).
the book of 1 corinthians chapter fifteen XVII
"But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty" (1 Corinthians 15:13-14).
Much like the proverbial tree-trimmer who saws away the limb that he is sitting upon, it appears that those who denied the possibility of bodily resurrection within the church at Corinth had not fully considered the consequences of their position. The first consequence was this: "...if Christ wasn't raised to life, our message is worthless" (CEV).
In other words, there was no value in the good news of Jesus' atoning sacrifice if the Apostles' message turned out to be untrue. Nor was there any value in their efforts to spread the gospel if Jesus' resurrection has not actually taken place.
For instance, consider Paul's heartfelt admission from earlier within this letter...
"...We have become a spectacle to the entire world—to people and angels alike. Our dedication to Christ makes us look like fools...
Even now we go hungry and thirsty, and we don't have enough clothes to keep warm. We are often beaten and have no home. We work wearily with our own hands to earn our living. We bless those who curse us. We are patient with those who abuse us. We appeal gently when evil things are said about us. Yet we are treated like the world's garbage, like everybody's trash—right up to the present moment" (1 Corinthians 4:9-13 NLT).
It would have been absurd for Paul and his fellow Apostles endure such things if they had not been personally acquainted with the resurrected Christ. But the denial of Jesus' resurrection also meant something for the members of the Corinthian church as well: "...your faith is devoid of truth and is fruitless (without effect, empty, imaginary, and unfounded)" (AMPC).
One commentary offers the following observation in this regard...
"...the Lord Jesus had promised that He would rise from the dead on the third day. If He did not rise at that time, then He was either an imposter or mistaken. In either case, He would not be worthy of trust. Secondly, apart from the resurrection of Christ, there could be no salvation. If the Lord Jesus did not rise from the dead, then there would be no way of knowing that His death had been of any greater value than any other person's. But in raising Him from the dead, God testified to the fact that He was completely satisfied with the redemptive work of Christ." (1)
(1) Believer's Bible Commentary William Macdonald, Edited by Arthur Farstad Thomas Nelson Publishers [1 Corinthians 15:14]
the book of 1 corinthians chapter fifteen XVI
"Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?" (1 Corinthians 15:12).
To help the Corinthians examine their beliefs and come to the right conclusion regarding the resurrection of the dead, Paul the Apostle will engage in a series of "if-then" statements here in 1 Corinthians 15:12-19. These brief statements will serve to illustrate the mistakes that some in the Corinthian church had made in their thinking about this important doctrine.
In general, the cultural philosophy of first century Corinth dismissed the possibility that someone could actually rise from the dead. But that wasn't only true of Corinth, for Paul encountered a similar response in the city of Athens as well...
"Then certain Epicurean and Stoic philosophers encountered him. And some said, 'What does this babbler want to say?' Others said, 'He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign gods,' because he preached to them Jesus and the resurrection.... And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked, while others said, 'We will hear you again on this matter'" (Acts 17:18, 32).
Judging from Paul's statement here in 1 Corinthians 15:12, it seems that a similar attitude had worked its way into the Corinthian church. One source provides us with some additional background information on this portion of Scripture...
"Most Greeks did not believe that people's bodies would be resurrected after death. They saw the afterlife as something that happened only to the soul. According to Greek philosophers, the soul was the real person, imprisoned in a physical body, and at death the soul was released. There was no immortality for the body, but the soul entered an eternal state. Christianity, by contrast, affirms that the body and soul will be united after resurrection. The church at Corinth was in the heart of Greek culture. Thus, many believers had a difficult time believing in a bodily resurrection." (1)
So in response, Paul turned to the historical reality of Jesus' empty tomb and countered with a logical assertion: If there is no resurrection of the dead then it means that Jesus has not risen from the dead. Since there were hundreds of eyewitnesses who were still available to verify the reality of Jesus' resurrection at the time of this letter to the Corinthians, this was probably not an argument that those who denied the possibility of a resurrection wanted to make.
(1) Life Application Study Bible [15:12-58] Copyright © 1988, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1996, 2004 by Tyndale House Publishers Inc., all rights reserved.
the book of 1 corinthians chapter fifteen XV
"For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed" (1 Corinthians 15:9-11 ESV).
"When sinners are, by Divine grace, turned into saints, God causes the remembrance of former sins to make them humble, diligent, and faithful." (1)
We can complete this portion of 1 Corinthians chapter fifteen with one final observation from the life of Paul the Apostle. While it is possible to allow the mistakes of the past to negatively impact the future, it is also possible to allow such things to serve as a positive catalyst for spiritual growth and a renewed sense of commitment to the work that God has called us to do. Such was the case with the Apostle Paul.
You see, Paul's vendetta against the church in the days prior to his conversion was probably greater than his admission here in 1 Corinthians 15:9 might lead us to believe. For instance, one Biblical translation tells us that Pail was responsible for "...spewing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples" (CEB) during that period, Yet Paul responded to God's graciousness towards him by saying, "I have worked harder than any of the other apostles, although it was not really my own doing, but God's grace working with me" (GNB).
In commenting on this passage, one source observes that Paul "...did not accept this grace as a matter of fact. Rather it put him under the deepest obligation, and he labored tirelessly to serve the Christ who saved him. Yet in a very real sense it was not Paul himself, but the grace of God which was working with him." (2)
Paul expressed a similar idea in a well-known passage from his Biblical letter to the Galatian church when he said, "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me" (Galatians 2:20).
In the words of another commentator, "Having freely admitted the abnormal and undeserving character of his experience, Paul moves on to stress that his past life is no reason to reject his message. Divine grace did not make Paul lazy, but caused him to labor 'harder' than anyone else." (3)
(1) Matthew Henry, Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible [1 Corinthians 15:1-11]
(2) William Macdonald, Believer's Bible Commentary Edited by Arthur Farstad Thomas Nelson Publishers (1 Corinthians 15:10) p.1084
(3) Sproul, R. C. (Ed.). (2015). The Reformation Study Bible: English Standard Version (2015 Edition) (p. 2039). Orlando, FL: Reformation Trust.
the book of 1 corinthians chapter fifteen XIV
"For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by God's grace I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not ineffective. However, I worked more than any of them, yet not I, but God's grace that was with me. Therefore, whether it is I or they, so we proclaim and so you have believed" (1 Corinthians 15:9-11 HCSB).
It has often been said that a person is shaped by the sum of his or her experiences. Unfortunately, it has also been observed that "to err is human" as well. Whenever we come to the point when we realize that we have been responsible for making a mistake, an error, or an inappropriate choice (as all of us eventually do), we are always faced with a decision: "Am I going to press on and learn from this mistake or am I going to carry it forward and allow it to negatively impact my future?"
One person who refused to allow the mistakes of his past to negatively influence the future that God had prepared for him was the Apostle Paul. For instance, Paul once made the following admission that can be found within the Biblical letter of 1 Timothy: "Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus" (1 Timothy 1:13-14 NIV).
Paul was someone who could have allowed those past experiences to prevent him from pursuing the future that God had planned for him. However, God also inspired Paul to record an important spiritual truth in his second letter to the Corinthian church when he said, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new" (2 Corinthians 5:17).
These passages (along with the portion of Scripture found here in 1 Corinthians 15:9-11) tell us that we do not have to allow the mistakes, poor decisions, or shameful things of the past to undermine God's plan for our future. For those who are in Christ, such things have passed away and all things have become new. Keeping these Scriptural examples in mind can help prevent us from allowing something in our past from enjoying God's best in the present.
the book of 1 corinthians chapter fifteen XIII
"For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. Therefore, whether it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed" (1 Corinthians 15:9-11).
One of the great causes of grief, anguish, and despondency in life has little to do with any type of physical ailment. You see, the existence of such things can often be attributed to one thing: regret.
When presented with the opportunity to receive God's forgiveness through Jesus' sacrificial death on the cross, some may regretfully object by saying, "You don't know the things I've said and done in life. How could God accept me?" For some, its not unusual to feel as if there is no possibility of a reconciliation with God in light of their past actions.
But let's stop for a moment and consider what we read here in 1 Corinthians 15:9-11. For instance, how many of us have hunted God's people from town to town as Paul the Apostle once did? How many of us have been an accessory to murder as Paul (then known as Saul) once was? How many of us have attempted to "...destroy the church" (Acts 8:3) as Paul had once done?
Yet despite these things, Paul was able to find reconcilliation with God through the grace of Christ. Notice that Paul fully acknowledged his past actions in life by saying, "I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God." However, we should also notice that Paul didn't stop there, for he went on to say, "But by the grace of God I am what I am."
Much like Paul the Apostle, we are what we are by the grace of God, You see, Paul knew that he was a man who once persecuted the people of God. But Paul also knew that he was not that same man any more in light of what Jesus had done for him.
Paul's example tells us that it's never too late to accept Christ and begin living the kind of life that honors God, regardless of what we may have done in the past. Even if we (like Paul) have done things that we now regret, God's grace can allow us to move forward and become everything that He created us to be.
the book of 1 corinthians chapter fifteen XII
"Christ appeared to Peter, then to the twelve. After this, he appeared to more than five hundred other followers. Most of them are still alive, but some have died. He also appeared to James, and then to all of the apostles. Finally, he appeared to me, even though I am like someone who was born at the wrong time" (1 Corinthians 15:5-8 CEV).
In the New Testament book of Acts we read of a man named Saul of Tarsus, a person who is better known to us today as Paul the Apostle. Prior to his conversion to Christianity, we're told that Saul was someone who was violently opposed to those who followed Jesus. In fact, Saul was so exceedingly hostile towards Jesus and his followers that he went from home to home in order to find and imprison those who had accepted Jesus as their Messiah (Acts 8:1-3).
As mentioned previously, Saul began a journey to the town of Damascus with letters of recommendation from the religious leadership to aid in his attempt to eradicate the fledgling church (Acts 9:1-2). But while he was on the way, Saul had an encounter that changed his life...
"As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, 'Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?' 'Who are you, Lord?' Saul asked. 'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,' he replied. 'Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do'" (Acts 9:3-6 NIV).
After this experience, we're told that Paul continued on to Damascus, regained the eyesight that he had lost to the blinding light on the road, and immediately began to tell people that Jesus was the Savior. From that point until the end of his life, Paul demonstrated the effect of this encounter with Jesus as he worked to fulfill the call to ministry that God had placed upon his life.
For Paul, a man who was not among the group of Jesus' original twelve disciples, this call to apostolic leadership must have seemed out of synch with those who had walked with Jesus prior to His death and resurrection. Unlike others like Phillip, Bartholomew, Simon, Andrew, Thomas, and the remaining Apostles, Paul did not have the opportunity to watch, learn, and interact with Jesus during His earthly ministry.
Because of this, Paul shared a deeply personal admission with the members of the Corinthian church: he sometimes felt as if he was "...someone who was born at the wrong time" (CEV).
the book of 1 corinthians chapter fifteen XI
"He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. After that, He was seen by more than 500 of His followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. Then He was seen by James and later by all the apostles. Last of all, as though I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw Him" (1 Corinthians 15:5-8 NLT).
While there are a number of "James" mentioned within the New Testament Scriptures, the one spoken of here in 1 Corinthians 15:7 is most assuredly James, the half-brother of Jesus. This particular James is first mentioned by name in Matthew 13:55 but his initial attitude towards Jesus was revealed long before we learned his identity...
"...when the Jewish Festival of Tabernacles was near, Jesus’ brothers said to him, 'Leave Galilee and go to Judea, so that your disciples there may see the works you do. No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world.' For even his own brothers did not believe in him" (John 7:2-5 NIV).
Nevertheless, Paul the Apostle's letter to the Galatians goes on to list "James, the Lord's brother" among the "other apostles" in Galatians 1:19 and even identifies him as someone who held a reputation as a pillar of the church (Galatians 2:9). So how can we account for this change in James' attitude? Well, it seems that Jesus' post-resurrection appearance to James (documented here in 1 Corinthians 15:7) must have constituted a significant turning point in his life and led to his acceptance of Jesus as Savior.
James' conversion to Christianity is especially important for those who doubt the validity of Jesus' resurrection on the basis that He exclusively appeared to His followers. As one scholar (1) observes, it is incorrect to claim that Jesus did not appear to unbelievers for He appeared to His half-brother James, a person who clearly did not believe that Jesus was the Messiah prior to His resurrection. (2)
In addition, Jesus appeared to the most hostile unbeliever of all: Saul of Tarsus. Saul is better known to us today as Paul the Apostle, the human author of this letter to the Corinthians and roughly two-thirds of the other New Testament epistles. Even Jesus' own followers were slow to accept the reality of His resurrection (3) even though He told them to expect it on more than one occasion (see Matthew 16:21 and Matthew 20:17-19).
In light of these realities, it would be inaccurate to claim that Jesus only appeared to His disciples following His death and resurrection.
(1) See Geisler, N. L., & Howe, T. A. (1992). When critics ask : a popular handbook on Bible difficulties (pp. 461–462). Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books.
(2) See also 1 Corinthians 9:5. This passage mentions "the brothers of the Lord" who attended missionary journeys along with their wives, thus providing indirect evidence that Jesus' other half-brothers eventually accepted Him as Savior after their initial rejection of Him.
(3) See Luke 24:9-11, Luke 24:25, and John 20:25
the book of 1 corinthians chapter fifteen X
"and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as though to one born at the wrong time, he appeared to me also" (1 Corinthians 15:5-8 NET).
Perhaps the most remarkable account among Jesus' many post-resurrection appearances is found here in 1 Corinthians 15:6: "...He was seen by more than 500 of His followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died" (NLT). Its likely that this forms a portion of the "many convincing proofs" spoken of in the New Testament book of Acts where we read, "After His great suffering and vindication, (Jesus) showed His apostles that He was alive—appearing to them repeatedly over a period of 40 days, giving them many convincing proofs of His resurrection" (Acts 1:3 Voice).
Given the fact that this letter to the Corinthian church was written more than two decades after Jesus' death and resurrection, its understandable that some of these witnesses had passed away (or " fallen asleep") in the intervening period. However, the fact that the majority of these eyewitnesses were still alive at the time of this letter to the Corinthians held great corroborative value. You see, anyone who wished to verify the genuine nature of Jesus' resurrection during that time had the option to approach these remaining individuals- and any one of them could have contradicted Paul's assertion if it were not true.
This passage also creates difficulty for anyone who might seek to attribute the reports of Jesus' resurrection to a case of mass hallucination or some other type of shared delusion. For instance, Jesus' encounter with more than five hundred people after His death and burial should prompt us to ask the following question: is it reasonable to think that all of those people had the exact same hallucination at the exact same time?
As one scholar points out, "...Jesus did not appear to only a few people. He appeared to over 500 people (1 Cor. 15:6), including many women, His own apostles, His brother James, and to Saul of Tarsus (the chief anti-Christian of the day). Second, Jesus did not simply appear on a few occasions. He appeared on at least 12 different occasions. These were spread over a 40-day period of time (Acts 1:3) and in many different geographical locations" (1)
(1) Geisler, N. L., & Howe, T. A. (1992). When critics ask : a popular handbook on Bible difficulties (pp. 461–462). Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books.
the book of 1 corinthians chapter fifteen IX
"and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born" (1 Corinthians 15:5-8 NIV).
The next set of eyewitnesses to Jesus' resurrection are collectively identified as "the Twelve" here in 1 Corinthians 15:5-8. This is a shorthand method of referring to the principal group of disciples who were personally selected by Jesus during His earthly ministry (see Luke 6:12-16). While "the Twelve" actually numbered eleven following the defection of Judas Iscariot, this designation was still useful in identifying the specific group of Jesus' followers that consisted of Peter, James, John, etc.
The gospels record four different instances where Jesus interacted with this core group of disciples following His death and resurrection. Three of these accounts can be found in Matthew 28:16-20, Luke 24:36-49, and John 21:1-25. But for many, Jesus' best-known appearance following His resurrection may have taken place with the disciple who is widely known to us today as "Doubting Thomas"...
"Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, 'Peace be with you.' When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.
...Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said to him, 'We have seen the Lord.' So he said to them, 'Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.'
And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, 'Peace to you!' Then He said to Thomas, 'Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.' And Thomas answered and said to Him, 'My Lord and my God!'
Jesus said to him, 'Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed'" (John 20:19-20, 24-25).
the book of 1 corinthians chapter fifteen VIII
"and that he appeared to Cephas; then to the twelve; then he appeared to above five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain until now, but some are fallen asleep; then he appeared to James; then to all the apostles; and last of all, as unto one born out of due time, he appeared to me also" (1 Corinthians 15:5-8).
In the manner of a legal attorney presenting the facts of a case, Paul the Apostle will call forth a diverse group of eyewitnesses to verify the reality of Jesus' resurrection here in 1 Corinthians 15:5-8. To support this affirmation, Paul will establish the firsthand, evidential nature of his case with the repeated phrase, "he appeared...", "he appeared...", "he appeared...", "he appeared..."
Paul began this presentation of eyewitnesses with the apostle Peter. Peter is referred to here by his Aramaic name Cephas and since it appears that the Corinthians held Peter in particularly high regard, this post-resurrection appearance was likely to carry a great deal of influence.
Jesus' appearance to Peter was foreshadowed by an angel who appeared at the empty tomb with the following announcement: "But go, tell His disciples—and Peter—that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you" (Mark 16:7).
The fact that this angelic messenger specifically mentioned Peter becomes important when we consider how Peter must have felt during the period following Jesus' death. After all, Peter was the disciple who denied that he knew Jesus on three occasions (Luke 22:54-62) following His arrest, just as Jesus predicted (Matthew 26:33-34). But even though Peter may have rejected Jesus, its equally clear that Jesus had not rejected Peter.
This post-resurrection appearance to Peter serves to illustrate Jesus' unsurpassed patience, kindness, mercy, forgiveness, and grace. It should also serve to reassure anyone who may feel as if he or she has caused irreparable damage in their relationship with God. Remember that Jesus reached out to Peter despite what he had done- and it is highly unlikely that any of us have failed worse than Peter.
So while Paul mentions Jesus' appearance to Peter only briefly within this passage, a closer look at his encounter with Christ should serve as a source of comfort for every generation. As we're reminded in the New Testament epistle of 1 John, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9 NIV).
the book of 1 corinthians chapter fifteen VII
"For I delivered unto you first of all that which also I received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried; and that he hath been raised on the third day according to the scriptures" (1 Corinthians 15:3-4 RV).
In addition to the Gospel accounts of Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection, there are three other references to those events in the New Testament Scriptures. The first can be found in Acts 2:22-32 where the Apostle Peter linked Jesus' death and resurrection to the fulfillment of a prophetic message authored by Israel's king David.
The second took place in a town named Antioch where Paul the Apostle referenced the account of Jesus' resurrection in a sermon to the local Jewish community there (Acts 13:26-33). The final example can be found in the discussion of Jesus' resurrection that takes place here in 1 Corinthians chapter fifteen. Each of these passages serve to emphasize the reality of Jesus' resurrection and the physical, one-to-one correlation between the person who was put to death on the cross and the one who appeared three days later.
One scholar summarizes the importance of these various New Testament references in the following manner...
"On the Sunday after the crucifixion, Jesus’ tomb was found empty by a group of His women followers. Among the reasons that have led most scholars to this conclusion are the following:
1. In stating that Jesus “was buried, that He was raised on the third day,” the old information transmitted by Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:3–5 implies the empty tomb.
2. The empty tomb story also has multiple and independent attestation in Mark, Matthew, and John’s source material, some of which is very early.
3. The empty tomb story as related in Mark, our earliest account, is simple and lacks signs of having been embellished as a legend.
4. Given that in Jewish patriarchal culture the testimony of women was regarded as unreliable, the fact that women, rather than men, were the chief witnesses to the empty tomb is best explained by the narrative’s being true.
5. The earliest known Jewish response to the proclamation of Jesus’ resurrection, namely, the “disciples came during the night and stole Him while we were sleeping” (Mt 28:12–15), was itself an attempt to explain why the body was missing and thus presupposes the empty tomb. For these and other reasons, a majority of scholars hold firmly to the reliability of the biblical testimony to Jesus’ empty tomb." (1)
(1) Craig, W. L. (2007). Did Jesus Really Rise from the Dead? In T. Cabal, C. O. Brand, E. R. Clendenen, P. Copan, & J. P. Moreland (Eds.), The Apologetics Study Bible: Real Questions, Straight Answers, Stronger Faith (pp. 1728–1730). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
the book of 1 corinthians chapter fifteen VI
"For I passed on to you as of first importance what I also received — that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day according to the scriptures" (1 Corinthians 15:3-4 NET).
The Biblical account of Jesus' crucifixion tells us that a man known as Joseph of Arimathea recovered Jesus' body following His death on the cross, The Scriptures identify Joseph as a prominent spiritual leader who had secretly become a follower of Jesus out of fear of the local religious officials (John 19:38). The reason for Joseph's concern might be explained by the fact that while he was a "...highly respected member of the Jewish council" (Mark 15:43 CEV) he "...had not been in agreement with either the Sanhedrin’s motivation or their action" (Luke 23:51 CJB) in sentencing Jesus to death.
We're told that Joseph (assisted by another man named Nicodemus), took Jesus' body, wrapped it in linen, and placed it in his own newly constructed, rock-hewn burial tomb. When their work was complete, Joseph and Nicodemus sealed the tomb by rolling a large stone across the entrance. While this stone was primarily designed to prevent unauthorized access by others, its presence would later help to validate the reality of Jesus' resurrection.
The four gospel accounts of Jesus' death each attest to this burial (see Matthew 27:57-60, Mark 15:43-46. Luke 23:50-53, and John 19:38-42). In addition to Joseph and Nicodemus' direct involvement in this process, three of the four Gospels tell us that there were at least two other individuals who were present to observe Jesus' burial as well (Matthew 27:61, Mark 15:47, and Luke 23:55).
Equally significant is the fact that Joseph and Nicodemus participated in the fulfillment of an important Messianic prophecy as a result of their actions...
"...For He was cut off from the land of the living; For the transgressions of My people He was stricken. And they made His grave with the wicked— But with the rich at His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was any deceit in His mouth" (Isaiah 53:8-9).
Taken together, these narratives leave no room for speculation by anyone who seeks to consider the evidence regarding Jesus' death in an objective manner- Jesus was dead and buried beyond any reasonable doubt. Therefore, those who accept the reality of Jesus' death but deny the possibility of a resurrection (like some among the members of the Corinthian church as we'll later see) must account for the fact that "...that he was raised on the third day" as a physical, material person.
the book of 1 corinthians chapter fifteen V
"For I passed on to you as most important what I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures" (1 Corinthians 15:3-4 HCSB).
Paul the Apostle will make use of a foundational element in building his defense of Jesus' resurrection in the passage quoted above: Jesus' death and resurrection took place "...according to the Scriptures."
While Psalm 22 and Isaiah 53 probably represent the two portions of Old Testament Scripture that are most closely identified with Jesus' death and resurrection, there are a significant number of other Biblical prophecies that were fulfilled in regard to Jesus' life and death as well.
Among these predictive prophecies are the following...
- Jesus' virgin birth (Isaiah 7:14 - Matthew 1:18-24).
- His ancestral link to Israel's king David (2 Samuel 7:8-16 - Matthew 1:1-17).
- His birthplace in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2 - Matthew 2:1-6).
- The announcement of His arrival through God's messenger (Isaiah 40:3-5; Malachi 3:1 - Matthew 3:1-3).
- His betrayal for thirty pieces of silver (Zechariah 11:12-13 - Matthew 26:14-16, Matthew 27:3-9).
- The physical punishment He would receive (Isaiah 50:6 - John 19:1-3).
- How His hands and feet were pierced (Psalm 22:16 - John 20:25).
- That His side was pierced (Zechariah 12:10 - John 19:34).
- And finally how Jesus rose from the dead (Psalm 16:10 - Matthew 28:5-7).
In commenting on a similar (but much more extensive) list of fulfilled Old Testament prophecies related to Jesus' life, death, and resurrection, one scholar makes the following observation...
"It is important to understand that these prophecies were written hundreds of years before Christ was born. No one could have been reading the signs of the times or just making intelligent guesses, like the “prophecies” we see in the check-out line at the supermarket. Even the most liberal critics admit that the prophetic books were completed some 400 years before Christ, and the Book of Daniel by about 167 B.C.
Though there is good evidence to date most of these books much earlier (some of the psalms and earlier prophets were in the eighth and ninth centuries B.C.), what difference would it make? It is just as hard to predict an event 200 years in the future as it is to predict one that is 800 years in the future. Both feats would require nothing less than divine knowledge. Even using the later dates, the fulfillment of these prophecies is just as miraculous and points to the divine confirmation of Jesus as the Messiah." (1)
(1) Geisler, N. L., & Brooks, R. M. 1990. When Skeptics Ask (p. 116) Victor Books: Wheaton, Ill.
the book of 1 corinthians chapter fifteen IV
"For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures" (1 Corinthians 15:3-4 ESV).
Three essential truths regarding Jesus' death and resurrection are established here within this brief portion of Scripture. Each of these truths can be easily distinguished from one another for each begins with the word "that"...
- that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures.
- that he was buried.
- that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.
It is important to note that Paul the Apostle (under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit) also sought to emphasize one particular aspect of Jesus' death and resurrection within this passage: it took place "in accordance with the Scriptures." This key element is repeated twice within these verses and serves to highlight the fulfillment of a number of Biblical prophecies in regard to Jesus' sacrificial death.
For instance, compare the following excerpts from Psalm twenty-two (written around 1000 B.C.) and contrast them with the New Testament accounts of Jesus' death...
- "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" (Psalm 22:1, compare with Mark 15:34)
- "All those who see Me ridicule Me; They shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, 'He trusted in the Lord, let Him rescue Him; Let Him deliver Him, since He delights in Him!'" (Psalm 22:7-8, compare with Luke 23:35-37)
- "They pierced My hands and My feet..." (Psalm 22:16, compare with Luke 23:33, John 19:37)
- "They divide My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots" (Psalm 22:18, compare with John 19:23-24)
Or consider these portions of Scripture from the fifty-third chapter of the book of the Old Testament prophet Isaiah written around 700 B.C. ...
- "He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth" (Isaiah 53:7, compare with Matthew 27:12-14).
- "And He was numbered with the transgressors" (Isaiah 53:12, compare with Matthew 27:38).
- "And they made His grave with the wicked— But with the rich at His death" (Isaiah 53:9, compare with Matthew 27:57-60).
There are a number of other predictive prophecies that were fulfilled in regard to Jesus' death as well, and we will go on to examine a few of those examples next.
the book of 1 corinthians chapter fifteen III
"For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures" (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).
"My high school science teacher once told me that much of Genesis is false. But since my high school science teacher did not prove he was God by rising from the dead, I'm going to believe Jesus instead." (1)
Is there anything about Christianity that truly makes it different or better in comparison to other spiritual beliefs? Well, the answer to that question can be addressed in two words: the resurrection.
The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the cornerstone of Christianity, for without the resurrection, there really is no "Christianity." For instance, the New Testament book of Romans tells us, "...if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved" (Romans 10:9 NIV, emphasis added). Romans 4:5 also tells us that Jesus was "...delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification..." (NIV).
So in light of these things, we can say that a proper understanding of Jesus' death and resurrection is at least as important as a proper understanding of His life and teachings. This makes 1 Corinthians chapter fifteen extremely valuable in helping to establish a solid foundation for this important Biblical doctrine. The truths contained within this chapter can also assist us in addressing any misunderstandings and/or misinterpretations regarding Jesus' resurrection and engage with those who are opposed or indifferent to the Christian faith.
Paul the Apostle began this portion of Scripture by establishing the source of his information: "For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received..." (ESV). In other words, the information that Paul was about to share in regard to Jesus' death and resurrection did not originate with him. Instead, he simply passed on what he had been given.
So what was the source of Paul's information? Well, Paul identifies his source in his Biblical letter to the church in Galatia...
"But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ" (Galatians 1:11-12).
This does not preclude the possibility that Paul received other reports from those who were on hand to witness the events surrounding Jesus' death and resurrection. However, it would serve to reassure Paul's audience that their beliefs were based upon a teaching that originated with the highest possible source.
(1) Andy Stanley, quoted in I Don't Have Enough Faith To Be An Atheist p. 355
the book of 1 corinthians chapter fifteen II
"Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain" (1 Corinthians 15:1-2).
While the subject of Jesus' resurrection encompasses all of 1 Corinthians chapter fifteen, we can also view this portion of Scripture as a continuation of a theme that Paul the Apostle established in the very first chapter of this epistle: "...when we preach that Christ was crucified, the Jews are offended and the Gentiles say it's all nonsense. But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God" (1 Corinthians 1:23-24 NLT).
Paul had first instructed the Corinthians in the subject of Jesus' death and resurrection when the church was initially established at the time of his second missionary journey (see Acts 18:1-8). Unfortunately, it appears that there were some within the church who already had begun to pivot away from this essential pillar of the Christian faith. As one commentator tersely paraphrases Paul's statement in the opening verses of this chapter, "Since some of you destroy the Good News by saying the dead are not raised to life, I repeat to you some things which I told you when I was at Corinth." (1)
To assist in getting the Corinthian believers back on course in this regard, Paul began with the word "gospel," a word that is well known but not necessarily well defined. You see, the word "gospel" finds it's origin in the ancient Greek word euaggelion, a word that refers to "glad tidings" or "good news." Over time, this word began to be associated with the "good news" that human beings can escape an eternal death sentence and enter a relationship with God through faith in Jesus' sacrificial death.
Paul will go on to identify the essential features of the authentic gospel message for us in the following verses, elements that would have been "in vain" if Jesus' resurrection had not been a historical reality.
Nevertheless, the fact that the members of the Corinthian church required a "refresher course" in the subject of Jesus' resurrection so quickly following Paul's departure from Corinth illustrates just how easy it can be to deviate from the key components of the faith if we are not diligent to internalize the truth of God's Word on a daily basis.
(1) Ice, Rhoderick D. "Commentary on 1 Corinthians 15:1". "The Bible Study New Testament". http://www.studylight.org/commentaries/ice/1-corinthians-15.html. College Press, Joplin, MO. 1974.
the book of 1 corinthians chapter fifteen I
"Let me now remind you, dear brothers and sisters, of the Good News I preached to you before. You welcomed it then, and you still stand firm in it" (1 Corinthians 15:1 NLT).
Just as each of the three preceding chapters of 1 Corinthians are dedicated to a single subject, 1 Corinthians chapter fifteen is also devoted to one specific topic: the resurrection of Christ. A brief look at the cultural climate of Biblical Corinth may serve to explain why the subject of Jesus' resurrection forms the entirety of 1 Corinthians chapter fifteen, the single longest chapter within this epistle.
You see, the first-century city of Corinth was known in part for its emphasis on philosophical thought. Two of the more prominent philosophical movements of that time were Stoicism and Epicureanism.
The Epicureans believed that pleasure and happiness represented the highest achievements in life and did not believe in the concept of life after death. On the other hand, a Stoic was someone who sought to maintain a mental outlook that was unaffected by external events. While Stoicism affirmed the idea that the soul was eternal, it did not accept the idea of a bodily resurrection.
Judging from the tone of this chapter, it's likely that one or both of these philosophies had begun to exert some influence upon the Corinthian church. Yet even though the number of people who self-identify as Stoics or Epicureans is relatively modest today, we can still find remnants of these philosophical beliefs in the lives of those who believe that humans become immaterial "spirit beings" when they pass from this life or are simply just annihilated when they die.
In seeking to counter these erroneous teachings, Paul the Apostle will turn to the historical reality of Jesus' bodily resurrection as both a prophetic fulfillment and a preview of what is to come. To make his case, Paul will present two pieces of supporting evidence: the eyewitness testimony of those who saw and interacted with Jesus as a physical, material person following His death, and the implications of His resurrection upon the question of life beyond the grave.
Finally, one source provides us with a convenient outline of this chapter...
"Ch. 15 has three major divisions and a conclusion. Vv. 1-11 introduce the first division and present the resurrection of Christ as the heart of the Gospel message. Both second and third parts conclude with exhortations to proper behavior. Part two (vv. 12-34) makes the case for the fact of the Resurrection as essential for the achievement of God's redemptive purposes, and calls for the Corinthians to stop sinning (vv. 33-34). Part three (vv. 35-58) concerns the mode of the Resurrection and calls them to positive Christian activity in the light of Christ's victory over death (v. 58)." (1)
(1) Lyons, George. “H. The Future Resurrection of the Dead (15:1-58)” In Asbury Bible Commentary. 1016. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, © 1992.
the book of 1 corinthians chapter fourteen XXI
"Therefore, brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak with tongues. Let all things be done decently and in order" (1 Corinthians 14:39-40).
In winding up his discussion of spiritual gifts, the Apostle Paul issued his summary conclusion here in 1 Corinthians 14:40: "all things must be done appropriately and in an orderly manner" (AMP). These parameters are just as applicable today as they were in first-century Corinth for a church with a disorderly worship service says much about the spiritual priorities that are likely to exist within that fellowship.
You see, the church at Corinth was a spiritually gifted church but one that was simultaneously lacking in spiritual maturity. This unfortunate reality tells us that spiritual giftedness in and of itself may not necessarily serve as an accurate indicator of real spiritual maturity. Instead, a good benchmark for genuine spiritual maturity can be found in the following passage from the New Testament book of Galatians...
"...the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law" (Galatians 5:22-23).
Rather than seeking to engage in a never-ending pursuit of those spiritual gifts that will supposedly come with a fresh move, a fresh baptism, or a fresh anointing of the Holy Spirit, we would be far better served to prayerfully seek the fruit that proceeds from the work of the Spirit in our lives. Ideally, the God-honoring characteristics that are associated with the fruit of the Spirit should always be in equal or greater proportion to the gifts of the Spirit within the lives of God's people
Remember that Acts 2:42 tells us that the members of the early Christian community were marked by four important characteristics: prayer, Bible study, communion, and consistent church attendance. While 1 Corinthians 14:1 tells us that an earnest desire for spiritual gifts is a good thing, that desire should never take priority over the fruit of the Spirit or the four characteristics that help promote spiritual growth as found in Acts 2:42.
A church fellowship that prioritizes the gifts of the Spirit over these other qualities is one that may fall dangerously close to replicating many of the same mistakes that plagued the church at Corinth. Therefore, those who long for a greater degree of spiritual giftedness would do well to place their focus upon the Provider of these spiritual gifts and allow Him to distribute them to us as He desires.
the book of 1 corinthians chapter fourteen XX
"Or did the word of God come originally from you? Or was it you only that it reached? If anyone thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things which I write to you are the commandments of the Lord. But if anyone is ignorant, let him be ignorant" (1 Corinthians 14:36-38).
Judging from this portion of Scripture, it appears that Paul the Apostle was well aware of the controversial nature of much of what he had written to the Corinthian church. The Living Bible paraphrase of this passage presents us with a modern-day perspective on the challenge issued by the Apostle Paul in closing out this section of his epistle...
"You disagree? And do you think that the knowledge of God’s will begins and ends with you Corinthians? Well, you are mistaken! You who claim to have the gift of prophecy or any other special ability from the Holy Spirit should be the first to realize that what I am saying is a commandment from the Lord himself. But if anyone still disagrees—well, we will leave him in his ignorance."
This section functions much like the proverbial "shot across the bow" aimed towards those within the Corinthian church who might arrogantly seek to take issue with Paul's counsel. You see, if the Corinthians were to actually implement these directives, it would significantly alter the manner in which they conducted their church services.
For instance, those who were comfortable with the way in which their congregational meetings were already structured (no matter how poorly they reflected upon Jesus and His people) would have to determine whether they truly wished to continue as members of the church.
In addition, those who were arrogant, self-serving, or who chose to continue in spiritual immaturity would hardly feel comfortable if the church were to implement these reforms. Others who enjoyed the attention commanded by the exercise of their spiritual gifts or those who were bent on drawing attention to themselves under the guise of "worship" would likewise be displaced unless they were willing to adopt a more God-honoring mindset.
Given the myriad of issues that existed within their fellowship, there were probably few (if any) members of the church at Corinth who could legitimately question these directives. Besides, anyone who truly possessed the spiritual gifts that the Corinthians valued so highly would know whether or not Paul's instructions were divinely inspired.
Finally, these changes would serve one additional purpose- they would serve to reveal the ignorance of anyone who chose to oppose them.
the book of 1 corinthians chapter fourteen XIX
"the women should be silent in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak. Rather, let them be in submission, as in fact the law says. If they want to find out about something, they should ask their husbands at home, because it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in church" (1 Corinthians 14:34-35 NET).
Two commentaries address a number of important questions regarding this passage of Scripture in a manner that warrants a lengthy excerpt...
"These verses have created debate among Christians, at least partly because it is not known what problem exactly Paul was seeking to correct. It has even been proposed that these verses were not part of Paul’s original letter. In view of 11:5 and other NT passages, it is certain that Paul is not absolutely forbidding women to speak in every church situation.
Paul may have been addressing a particular problem in Corinth, such as women creating disorder during the worship service. He likely has in mind a specific function, such as the evaluation of prophecy (vv. 29, 32), in which women should not participate because this is the role of church elders in their function of the doctrinal guardianship of the church (on which cf. 1 Tim. 2:11–14). Another view, supported by Paul’s direction that women should satisfy their 'desire to learn' by asking their husbands at home, is that the Corinthian women were disruptively interrupting prophets or other teachers with their questions." (1)
"Does this mean that women should not speak in church services today? It is clear from 1Co_11:5 that women prayed and prophesied in public worship. It is also clear in chapters 12-14 that women are given spiritual gifts and are encouraged to exercise them in the body of Christ.
Women have much to contribute and can participate in worship services. In the Corinthian culture, women were not allowed to confront men in public. Apparently some of the women who had become Christians thought that their Christian freedom gave them the right to question the men in public worship. This was causing division in the church. In addition, women of that day did not receive formal religious education as did the men. Women may have been raising questions in the worship services that could have been answered at home without disrupting the services.
Paul was asking the women not to flaunt their Christian freedom during worship. The purpose of Paul's words was to promote unity, not to teach about women's roles in the church." (2)
(1) Sproul, R. C. (Ed.). (2015). The Reformation Study Bible: English Standard Version (2015 Edition) (p. 2038). Orlando, FL: Reformation Trust. https://www.biblegateway.com/resources/reformation-study-bible/1Cor.14.34-1Cor.14.35
(2) Life Application Study Bible [14:34-35] Copyright © 1988, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1996, 2004 by Tyndale House Publishers Inc., all rights reserved.
the book of 1 corinthians chapter fourteen XVIII
"Women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the law says. If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church" (1 Corinthians 14:34-35 NIV).
If the subject of speaking in tongues was not contentious enough, 1 Corinthians chapter fourteen also presents us with another controversial passage here in verse thirty-four: "Let your women keep silent in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak; but they are to be submissive, as the law also says." But much like the discussion of female leadership from earlier within 1 Corinthians chapter eleven, it is not necessary to insist that Paul the Apostle maintained a sexist view of women in considering this portion of Scripture.
For instance, some may attempt to use this verse to justify the exclusion of women from every ministerial position within the church. But if that was Paul's intent, then how then could make a statement such as the one found earlier in 1 Corinthians 14:31: "For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged" (emphasis added), "All" would certainly include the female members of the congregation, something that would not have been possible if Paul had insisted that female prophets remain completely silent.
A far more satisfactory answer might be found within the cultural protocols of first century Corinth. Following the pattern that existed within the first century synagogue, seating arrangements were almost certainly segregated within the church at Corinth. For instance, men and women were generally not seated together as is the custom in much of the church today. Instead, a husband and wife would typically sit on opposite sides of the church's meeting place.
Because of this, a wife who wished to communicate with her husband on a point raised during a message would have to speak "over" others, thereby disrupting the teacher and his message. Thus. the term "They are not allowed to speak..." can be understood to refer to a prohibition on the distracting and disrespectful practice of interrupting a teacher's message.
So in keeping with his instruction that everything within their congregational meetings should be done decently and in order (as we'll go on to read in the final verse of this chapter), Paul instructed that such discussions among the members of the Corinthian fellowship should take place at home and not at church.
the book of 1 corinthians chapter fourteen XVII
"The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets. For God is not a God of disorder but of peace--as in all the congregations of the Lord's people" (1 Corinthians 14:32-33 NIV).
While the means of prophetic revelation described here in 1 Corinthians 14:32-33 can be useful in identifying a number of illegitimate forms of "prophecy," this passage also provides guidance for those within the church who might feel compelled to speak forth in this manner.
For instance, take the example of a person who claims to have been overcome by God's Spirit in speaking forth a prophetic message or a revelation from God. Such a person might appeal to the Biblical book of Acts (where the Holy Spirit is said to have "come upon" people in a number of instances) in order to justify speaking in this manner (see Acts 19:6 for an example).
But no matter how well-meaning or sincere someone may be, a "prophet" who is not in control of his or her ability to speak is someone who is not aligned with the teachings of 1 Corinthians 14:32-33. Whatever it may mean for the Holy Spirit to come upon someone, it cannot refer to any type of overwhelming, involuntary action initiated by God's Spirit.
Consider these insights from the following commentators on this subject...
"That the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets is a truth of universal application. It condemns every impulse of a religious character which is not under the intelligent control of those who display it." (1)
"No true prophet can claim a hearing on the ground that he is under a power over which he has no control." (2)
"Subject to the prophets is added lest someone should claim, 'I simply can’t help myself when God brings a revelation to me from the Spirit.' Paul teaches that the Holy Spirit does not overpower the individual he empowers. The will of the Christian is not broken but must cooperate with the work of God." (3)
"Prophets were to control themselves when speaking, even when giving new revelation (cf. 1Co_14:27-28). The nature of this gift was that it did not sweep the prophet into a mindless frenzy. Pagans who received demonic revelations frequently lost control of themselves. Inability to control oneself was no evidence that the prophet spoke from God. On the contrary, it indicated that he was not submitting to God's control because God produces peace, not confusion." (4)
God's people should never be "overwhelmed" into speaking for Him- and as one Biblical paraphrase renders this passage, "Remember that a person who has a message from God has the power to stop himself or wait his turn" (TLB).
(1) F. B. Meyer, B.A. Through the Bible Day by Day A Devotional Commentary [1Co_14:26-40]
(2) Ryrie, Charles Caldwell Ryrie Study Notes [14:32] © 1986, 1995 by The Moody Bible Institute of Chicago. Database © 2004 WORDsearch Corp.
(3) Radmacher, E. D., Allen, R. B., & House, H. W. (1999). Nelson’s new illustrated Bible commentary (p. 1484). Nashville: T. Nelson Publishers.
(4) Dr. Thomas L. Constable Notes on 1 Corinthians 2017 Edition [14:32-33] Copyright © 2017 Thomas L. Constable http://www.soniclight.com/constable/notes/htm/NT/1%20Corinthians/1Corinthians.htm
the book of 1 corinthians chapter fourteen XVI
"And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints" (1 Corinthians 14:32-33).
A careful examination of Scripture is always beneficial in helping us test the authenticity of a spiritual belief or practice. Consider the passage quoted above for example: "...the prophets' spirits are under the prophets' control" (CJB). Since the genuine ability to speak prophetically is under the control of the speaker, this would rule out the possibility of God communicating through someone in an involuntary fashion.
For instance, if we were to question whether it is possible for someone to communicate an authentic message from God through things like séances, trance-like states, automatic writing, or other, similar types of occultic activities, then the answer would be "no" based on what we read here in 1 Corinthians 14:32-33.
The reason is that a genuine Biblical prophet would retain intelligent control of his or her faculties in receiving a true message from God. This would include the ability to stop and start a prophetic message or even to defer to another person while in the midst of communicating a prophetic message (see 1 Corinthians 14:30).
We can also look to the examples of other Biblical personalities to illustrate this idea. Despite the fantastic revelations and experiences of Godly men such as Ezekiel, Daniel, the Apostle John, and Paul the Apostle, each of these men retained the ability to communicate intelligently and interact with their environments even while they were in the midst of receiving a revelation from God.
Of course, some might object by pointing to the experiences of Paul and the Apostle Peter, each of whom were said to have fallen into a trance while receiving a revelation from God. However, it is propbably more accurate to say that each of these men received visions from God on these occasions, a difference that is recognized within a number of Biblical translations. In addition, the word "trance" is descriptive of their experience in receiving a revelation from God and not the means by which they communicated those revelations to others.
Thus, we can say that God will not possess or control an authentic prophet in the manner that we commonly associate with some occultic forms of "revelation." God will not overpower someone with a revelatory message, nor will He compel others to speak, write, or otherwise communicate against their will. Therefore, we can confidently assert that anyone who claims to have received a revelation in this manner did not receive it from God.
the book of 1 corinthians chapter fourteen XV
"Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others judge. But if anything is revealed to another who sits by, let the first keep silent. For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged" (1 Corinthians 14:29-31).
Much like a number of other topics that have already been discussed within the book of 1 Corinthians, the subject of judgment is one that reappears from time to time within this epistle. As mentioned earlier, the idea of "judgment" in this context is defined by the act of forming an opinion or evaluation. As used here in 1 Corinthians 14:29, the word "judge" can mean "to separate, make a distinction, discriminate, to prefer, to learn by discrimination, to try, decide, to determine, give judgment, decide a dispute." (1)
As with those who possessed the spiritual gift of tongues, the guidelines established here within Paul's letter to the Corinthians also served to limit the ability of prophets to speak within a congregational setting. However, each prophetic message was further subject to the corresponding judgment of others within their fellowship. Thus, anyone who claimed to speak for God would face the scrutiny of other believers, a reality that would surely give would-be prophets cause to reassess their motives and ability to hear from God before they brought forth a "word from the Lord."
Ideally, we would expect this kind of evaluation to be initiated and led by the spiritual leaders within the church. Since good spiritual leaders are always on the lookout for those who might bring harm to the members of a congregation (such as a false prophet, for instance), they will seek to identify those who possess the potential to inflict spiritual injury upon others.
However, it is important to note that the Spirit-inspired letter of 1 Corinthians did not assign the task of evaluating such prophets solely to the leaders of the church- instead, we're told that it was the responsibility of "others" within the congregation to evaluate (HCSB), discern (ASV), and "...weigh what is said" (CJB). This implies that every Christian should know the Word of God well enough to separate truth from error when it becomes necessary to do so.
So these verses remind us that those who claim to occupy this kind of spiritual office are not exempt from judgment. As we're told in the New Testament book of 1 John, "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world" (1 John 4:1).
(1) G1252 diakrino Thayer's Greek Definitions https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=G1252
the book of 1 corinthians chapter fourteen XIV
"If anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be two or at the most three, each in turn, and let one interpret. But if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in church, and let him speak to himself and to God" (1 Corinthians 14:27-28).
In keeping with his instruction that "All things must be done for edification" (1 Corinthians 14:26 HCSB), the Apostle Paul provided the members of the Corinthian fellowship with a few guidelines to help ensure that their services were conducted in a manner that reflected appropriately upon Jesus' church and served the needs of everyone within the congregation.
He first began by saying, "If anyone speaks in a tongue..." This qualifying statement tells us that the exercise of this spiritual gift was not mandated but might represent a feature of their congregational meetings. Next, Paul placed an appropriate limit on the number of individuals who could engage in the expression of this gift: "...two or at the most three." This would effectively compel those who possessed this gift to seriously consider whether they wished to prohibit anyone else from speaking if they were approaching this "three-person" limit.
The next guideline would help to produce a similar effect: "...each in turn." At a minimum, this "one at a time" guideline served to externally motivate the members of the church to demonstrate consideration, respect, and courtesy for the others within their fellowship, qualities that appear to have been somewhat lacking among them.
"Let one interpret" comes next. This directive reinforced a number of key points from earlier within this chapter...
"...if I should come to you speaking in an unknown language, how would that help you?"
"...anyone who speaks in tongues should pray also for the ability to interpret what has been said"
"...in a church meeting I would rather speak five understandable words to help others than ten thousand words in an unknown language" (1 Corinthians 14:6, 13, 19 NLT).
Finally, "...if there is no one to interpret, let each of them keep silent in church and speak to himself and to God" (ESV). Note that the person involved was not restricted from speaking in tongues but was prohibited from doing so before the rest of the congregation. This would enable those who possessed this gift to receive the personal edification that came through it's use while sparing others from the burden of a message that could neither be understood or interpreted.
the book of 1 corinthians chapter fourteen XIII
"How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification" (1 Corinthians 14:26).
On a positive note, 1 Corinthians 14:26 seems to indicate that the various members of the Corinthian church were actively involved in some type of ministerial activity whenever they assembled together. Rather than passively attending worship services at Corinth, it appears that these believers had accepted the responsibility to use their God-given gifts whenever they assembled together as a congregation.
The problem was that the Christians at Corinth had failed to consider how their individual skills, talents, and gifts might best be utilized for the benefit of everyone. Instead, it seems that the Corinthians sought to exercise their gifts without regard for their impact upon others or how their actions might have been perceived by those outside the church.
This lack of a "perception filter" can be explained by the missing element that the Apostle Paul identifies for us in the passage quoted above: "...everything that is done must be useful to all, and build them up in the Lord" (TLB). One source explains how this idea applied to the first-century church at Corinth and provides us with a principle that we can apply today...
"When the church met, anyone was free to participate by contributing a hymn, or a word of instruction (cf. 1Co_14:6; probably a lesson based on the OT), a revelation from one gifted in prophecy (cf. 1Co_14:6, 1Co_14:29-32), or a word from one gifted in a tongue followed by an interpretation of what was said.
The controlling principle in this free participation was the rule of love. All that was said and done was to have as its goal the need of strengthening... others (cf. 1Co_14:4-5)." (1)
The controlling principle described above is one that we can practically apply in many areas of life. For example, we might consider the wisdom of sharing our viewpoints and opinions on non-essential matters whenever its reasonable to assume that doing so would not serve to edify others. As Paul reminded another first-century church, "Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them (Ephesians 4:29 NLT).
In fact, there are times when it is may be appropriate to silence ourselves in deference to others, and Paul the Apostle will go on to provide us with an appropriate example next.
(1) John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck Bible Knowledge Commentary [14:26]
the book of 1 corinthians chapter fourteen XII
"Therefore if the whole church comes together in one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those who are uninformed or unbelievers, will they not say that you are out of your mind? But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an uninformed person comes in, he is convinced by all, he is convicted by all. And thus the secrets of his heart are revealed; and so, falling down on his face, he will worship God and report that God is truly among you" (1 Corinthians 14:23-25).
Imagine if we had the kind of technology that would enable us to return to first-century Corinth and observe a church service there. What might we find if we had the opportunity to revisit the past in this manner? Well, judging from the Apostle Paul's description in these verses and those that follow, it appears that we might encounter a number of people who were simultaneously speaking in unknown and/or unintelligible languages while others were listening and interpreting what was being said.
If we were on hand to observe such an assembly, we might use words such as discord, clamor, and/or disorder to describe it. This kind of response was not lost on the Apostle Paul who made use of a similarly hypothetical observer with a much less charitable description: "Would they not think each and every one of you were raving lunatics?" (1 Corinthians 14:23 Voice).
This kind of disorder reflected poorly upon Jesus and those who claimed to follow Him. On the other hand, a person who was prompted by the Holy Spirit to bring forth God's message in an understandable manner would serve to benefit anyone who was sincerely open to His direction.
As for the seeming discrepancy between 1 Corinthians 14:22-25, here is how one source responds...
"There is an apparent contradiction between verse 22 and verses 23-25. In verse 22, we are told that tongues are a sign to unbelievers whereas prophecy is for believers. But in verses 23-25, Paul says that tongues used in the church might only confuse and stumble unbelievers whereas prophecy might help them.
The explanation of the seeming contradiction is this: The unbelievers in verse 22 are those who have rejected the word of God and closed their hearts to the truth. Tongues are a sign of God's judgment on them, as they were on Israel in the Isaiah passage (v. 21). The unbelievers in verses 23-25 are those who are willing to be taught. They are open to hear the word of God, as is evidenced by their presence in a Christian assembly. If they hear Christians speaking in foreign languages without interpretation, they will be hindered, not helped." (1)
(1) Believer's Bible Commentary William Macdonald Edited by Arthur Farstad Thomas Nelson Publishers [14:23]
the book of 1 corinthians chapter fourteen XI
"In the law it is written: 'With men of other tongues and other lips I will speak to this people; And yet, for all that, they will not hear Me,' says the Lord. Therefore tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but prophesying is not for unbelievers but for those who believe" (1 Corinthians 14:21-22).
The passage quoted above references the book of the Old Testament prophet Isaiah and a prophetic message from God to the people of Israel. The context of that passage involves the ungodly behavior exhibited by the Israelites despite God's repeated warnings to refrain from such conduct.
As a result, Isaiah informed his listeners that God would change His approach toward them. Since the people had refused to listen to God in a language they could understand, He would go on to communicate with them by way of others who spoke in a manner they couldn't understand...
"Woe to the city of Samaria, surrounded by her rich valley—Samaria, the pride and delight of the drunkards of Israel! Woe to her fading beauty, the crowning glory of a nation of men lying drunk in the streets! For the Lord will send a mighty army (the Assyrians) against you; like a mighty hailstorm he will burst upon you and dash you to the ground...
'Who does Isaiah think he is,' the people say, 'to speak to us like this! Are we little children, barely old enough to talk? He tells us everything over and over again, a line at a time and in such simple words!' But they won’t listen; the only language they can understand is punishment! So God will punish them by sending against them foreigners who speak strange gibberish! Only then will they listen to him!" (Isaiah 28:1-2, 9-11 TLB).
So just as the unintelligible language of the invading Assyrian army signaled the fulfillment of the judgment prophesied by Isaiah, the spiritual gift of tongues (as detailed in Acts 2:1-11) should have served as a similar indicator to those who were familiar with the prophet's warning. In light of this, Paul's reference to this passage here in his letter to the Corinthian church also signaled the need to exercise this spiritual gift in an appropriate and responsible manner.
As one commentator has observed, "Paul now introduces an extremely sober note. Whereas the Corinthians regarded speaking in tongues as something to be desired, Paul pointed out that it might be a sign of God's displeasure and punishment." (1)
(1) Coffman, James Burton. "Commentary on 1 Corinthians 14". "Coffman Commentaries on the Old and New Testament". <http://classic.studylight.org/com/bcc/view.cgi?book=1co&chapter=014>.
the book of 1 corinthians chapter fourteen X
"I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all; yet in the church I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I may teach others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue" (1 Corinthians 14:18-19).
Whenever we encourage others to make God-honoring choices, we may encounter those who seek to dismiss such efforts with the following rationalization: "You just don't understand." For anyone within the Corinthian church who might have been tempted to object to the Apostle Paul's teaching on the subject of tongues in a similar manner, the passage quoted above would prove to be an effective rebuttal: "I thank God that my gift of speaking in different kinds of languages is greater than any of yours" (ERV).
In addition to the spiritual gift of tongues, it appears that Paul could also communicate in at least three human languages (Hebrew, Aramaic [a then-common language of that time], and Greek). Yet despite these capabilities, Paul offered the following assessment: "nevertheless, in public worship I would rather say five understandable words in order to instruct others, than ten thousand words in a tongue [which others cannot understand]" (AMP).
As one source observes, "The contrast between his preference in church for five intelligible words to ten thousand words in a tongue is striking— all the more so because ten thousand was the largest word for a number available in Greek." (1) This becomes even more remarkable when we stop to consider that the ratio of five intelligible words to ten thousand unintelligible words equates to five ten thousandths of a percent. Yet even that infinitesimally small number was said to be of greater value than an extensive discourse in a language that others could not understand.
This returns us again to another recurring theme within this chapter- how will the use of our God-given gifts serve to benefit others? Paul will go on to press this point by way of a not-so-subtle contrast...
"Brethren, do not be children in understanding; however, in malice be babes, but in understanding be mature" (1 Corinthians 14:20).
It appears that Paul viewed the Corinthians' disproportionate regard for these sign gifts as a further indication of their spiritual immaturity. But what the Corinthians may not have known was that the act of speaking in an unknown language had previously served as a mark of God's judgment. We'll take a look at one historical example in this respect (and what we can learn from it) next.
(1) Lyons, George. “(1) The criterion of intelligibility (14:1-25)” In Asbury Bible Commentary. 1013. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, © 1992.
the book of 1 corinthians chapter fouteen IX
"Therefore let him who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret. For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding.
Otherwise, if you bless with the spirit, how will he who occupies the place of the uninformed say 'Amen' at your giving of thanks, since he does not understand what you say? For you indeed give thanks well, but the other is not edified" (1 Corinthians 14:13-17).
In a spiritual sense, we can associate the idea of "edification" with the actions of those who work to promote wisdom, affection, grace, virtue, and holiness in others. (1) As we've already seen throughout this portion of Scripture, the edification of others is something that represents an ongoing theme within 1 Corinthians chapter fourteen.
Paul the Apostle expresses this concept in very practical terms with regard to the spiritual gift of tongues here within 1 Corinthians 14:13-17. You see, it would have been virtually impossible for the members of the Corinthian church to join together in honoring God if there were some within the congregation who could not understand what was being said. After all, its difficult to say "Amen" in the presence of those who are speaking in a manner that can't be understood.
In a larger sense, this passage also offers a practical reminder for ministers today. For instance, a good speaker does well to consider his or her potential audience in order to communicate with understanding and edify those who are listening. In like manner, a skillful music minister edifies others by making it easier for them to worship God in song even if it means playing or singing at a level below his or her true ability.
The idea is that we should not seek to place our knowledge, skills, or abilities on display but to use them in manner that serves to build others up. In the words of one commentary...
(1) G3618 oikodomeo Thayer's Greek Definitions https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=G3618
(2) Lyons, George. “(1) The criterion of intelligibility (14:1-25)” In Asbury Bible Commentary. 1013. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, © 1992.
the book of 1 corinthians chapter fourteen VIII
"Therefore let him who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret. For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful.
What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding.
Otherwise, if you bless with the spirit, how will he who occupies the place of the uninformed say 'Amen' at your giving of thanks, since he does not understand what you say? For you indeed give thanks well, but the other is not edified" (1 Corinthians 14:13-17).
When purchasing a product that has been manufactured in another portion of the world, we are sometimes presented with accompanying documentation that suffers from a clumsy (and often laughable) attempt to translate that information into our native language. These instances should serve to remind us of the basic truth found here within 1 Corinthians 14:11: "...if I don't understand the language that someone is using, we will be like foreigners to each other" (CEV).
Nevertheless, many of these same communication challenges can often exist even among those who speak the same language. You see, there are few things in life that can be more frustrating than an attempt to communicate with someone who "just doesn't get it." In fact, many of the issues, difficulties, and problems we experience in life can often be traced to a failure to understand others or their failure to understand us.
While a written or verbal message may hold value for one individual, that may not necessarily be true for others. Such was the case with the spiritual gift of tongues within the Corinthian church. The question for the Apostle Paul was not necessarily related to the gift of tongues itself but rather to this question: "How will the exercise of that gift benefit others within the church?"
Much like the product documentation that is written in a language other than our own, the members of the Corinthian church received no practical benefit from those who spoke in a language that could not be readily understood. Therefore, as Paul went on to say, "Even so you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel" (1 Corinthians 14:12).
Note that Paul did not attempt to quell the Corinthians' desire and enthusiasm for spiritual gifts; instead, he sought to reorient their thinking away from what was best for the individual and redirect it toward that which strengthened, built up, and edified the other members of their fellowship. Thus, this counsel ultimately served to reinforce some important guidance from earlier within this book: "Let a man give attention not only to what is good for himself, but equally to his neighbour's good" (1 Corinthians 10:24 BBE).
the book of 1 corinthians chapter fourteen VII
"Even things without life, whether flute or harp, when they make a sound, unless they make a distinction in the sounds, how will it be known what is piped or played? For if the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare for battle?
So likewise you, unless you utter by the tongue words easy to understand, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air" (1 Corinthians 14:7-9).
To illustrate the importance of communicating with others in a manner that they can comprehend, the Apostle Paul turned to the use of various musical instruments to illustrate his point. In considering this analogy, we should note that musical instruments become extensions of the musicians who use them- and how effectively a musician communicates through his or her instrument is often dependent on a variety of factors.
Take jazz music as an example. As a musical genre, jazz has the distinction of being extremely popular and completely inaccessible to large segments of the public. For many, the discordant notes, odd time signatures, polyrhythms, and spontaneity of jazz music (in its various iterations) often make it difficult to understand and appreciate the gifted artists who create such music. But perhaps it might be easier to recognize and appreciate this musical genre if we had a better grasp on how and why these artists express themselves in this style.
In large part, the heart of jazz music is improvisation, or the spontaneous composition of a musical piece as it is being played. Since an improvising musician will play whatever occurs to him or her at the moment, the result will often reflect a variety of influences and will never be exactly the same as anything that preceded it. For instance, an artist's personality, emotional state, musical background, and interaction with other musicians may all combine to produce a unique interpretation of an existing song or something that is entirely new.
Once we understand how such factors influence the work of these artists, it may become easier to appreciate their creative talents. At the risk of stretching this analogy too far, we might consider the passage quoted above in a similar manner- if we cannot understand the "language" behind a musician's use of a particular instrument, then we may fail to comprehend his or her message. As one commentator writes, "Armies in all ages have been directed by the sound of a bugle. But the loudest blast means nothing, if it does not communicate something which the hearers can understand!" (1)
(1) The Bible Study Textbook Series The Bible Study New Testament [14:8] (College Press) Explanatory notes by Rhoderick D. Ice. Copyright 1974 College Press
the book of 1 corinthians chapter fourteen VI
"I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied; for he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that the church may receive edification. But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you unless I speak to you either by revelation, by knowledge, by prophesying, or by teaching?" (1 Corinthians 14:5-6)
The Apostle Paul offered a contrast between two different types of spiritual gifts within this passage: "The person who prophesies is greater than the person who speaks in tongues, unless someone gives an interpretation, so that the congregation can be edified" (CJB). This distinction is important in light of the subject that Paul discussed at length within the previous chapter: love.
You see, 1 Corinthians 13:5 reminds us that "Love is not self-seeking" (NIV). In other words, a person who loves is someone who considers the needs of others in addition to (or ahead of) his or her own needs. So a person who is truly walking in love is someone who understands that the best spiritual gifts are the ones that benefit others (such as prophesy) in contrast to those that primarily offer a personal benefit (like speaking in tongues).
Later on in 1 Corinthians 14:12, Paul will go on to tell us, "…Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in gifts that build up the church" (NIV). In light of this, we should expand the subject of spiritual gifts to include the following question: "how will the church benefit through the exercise of this gift?" This consideration will help to establish the rationale behind the restrictions that Paul will place upon the exercise of spiritual gifts as we'll see a later within this chapter
Finally Paul's expressed desire for every member of the Corinthian church to possess this ability reminds us that spiritual gifts are not reserved for the benefit of a select few- they are potentially available to every member of the Christian community as directed by the Holy Spirit (see 1 Corinthians 12:11). As one commentary observes...
"Paul would clearly say that no one should put down those Christians who speak in tongues, and those who speak in tongues should not disparage those who do not. Paul makes several points about speaking in tongues: (1) It is a spiritual gift from God (1Co_14:2); (2) it is a desirable gift even though it isn't a requirement of faith (1Co_12:28-31); (3) it is less important than prophecy and teaching (1Co_14:4)." (1)
(1) Life Application Study Bible [14:2-5] Copyright © 1988, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1996, 2004 by Tyndale House Publishers Inc., all rights reserved
the book of 1 corinthians chapter fourteen V
"But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men. He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church" (1 Corinthians 14:3-4).
Although the book of 1 Corinthians identifies the ability to speak in tongues as a valid spiritual gift, we might question how one might benefit from the ability to speak in a language that is unknown to the speaker. In other words, why would anyone wish to communicate in a way that he or she cannot understand? Well, there are a number of reasons given to support this practice by those who accept the modern-day expression of this spiritual gift.
First, a person who possesses the legitimate, God-given ability to communicate in this manner can be assured that his or her speech is entirely within the will of God. This may be what the New Testament book of Romans refers to when it tells us,"…the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered" (Romans 8:26).
The spiritual gift of tongues may also help to overcome the limitations that can be found within various languages. For instance, most of us are probably familiar with the feeling of frustration that occurs whenever we must grasp for an appropriate word in order to communicate effectively with others. With this in mind, let's imagine if someone possessed the ability to select the correct word from any available language in order to communicate with understanding. In that instance, he or she would have the perfect means necessary to completely express whatever he or she might wish to say.
We might consider the ability to speak in tongues in a similar manner- if a person is prompted by the Spirit of God to communicate in this way, then he or she would subsequently enjoy the assurance that comes with the ability to say the right thing in every instance.
In addition to ensuring that our verbal communication is in alignment with the will of God and the ability to overcome the limitations of human language, 1 Corinthians 14:4 tells us that the authentic spiritual gift of tongues also serves to edify (or build up) the person who is speaking: "A person who speaks in tongues is strengthened personally..." (NLT).
Nevertheless, there are a number of important considerations (and limitations) with regard to this practice and we will go on to consider them as we continue through this chapter.
the book of 1 corinthians chapter fourteen IV
"For the one speaking in a tongue does not speak to people but to God, for no one understands; he is speaking mysteries by the Spirit" (1 Corinthians 14:2 NET).
Having looked at an example of "speaking in tongues" from the New Testament book of Acts, we can now offer a Biblical definition for this practice: the act of speaking in tongues can be defined as the ability to speak in a language that is not known to the speaker as he or she is enabled by the Holy Spirit.
While we might legitimately associate this ability with the capacity to communicate in a language that is not native to our own (as demonstrated in Acts 2:1-11), the practice of speaking in tongues can also be identified with a somewhat more controversial term: glossolalia. The word glossolalia is a derivative of two Greek words: glossa (or glõssai, a word that means "tongue" or "language") and lalia (which means "speech"). Contemporary expressions of glossolalia can often be found among those men and women of God who are members of the Pentecostal and Charismatic movements, along with a number of others.
Many sources make a differentiation between glossolalia and a related term: xenoglossia or the ability to speak fluently in another human language that one has not studied or learned. Those who make a distinction between these two definitions generally associate glossolalia with unintelligible speech-like vocalizations that do not carry a humanly discernable pattern or meaning. Thus, the present-day practice of speaking in tongues may sometimes be identified with examples of ecstatic utterances or simply dismissed as gibberish by some.
In deference to this position, it should be observed that genuine, documented examples of the authentic, God-given ability to speak in a human language that is unknown to the speaker are exceedingly rare. However, those who support the modern-day practice of speaking in tongues point out that the language involved may be one that is native to another human culture or one that is unknown to others based on Paul the Apostle's statement in 1 Corinthians 13:1: "If I speak human or angelic languages but do not have love, I am a sounding gong or a clanging cymbal" (HCSB).
The idea is that an angelic language is one that would naturally be unknown to human beings; therefore we should expect such languages to be unintelligible. However, this begs the question: why would anyone wish to communicate in a way that he or she cannot understand? We'll offer some potential answers to that question next.
the book of 1 corinthians chapter fourteen III
"For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to people but to God. Indeed, no one understands them; they utter mysteries by the Spirit" (1 Corinthians 14:2 NIV).
In the New Testament book of Acts we read, "...suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance" (Acts 2:2-4 ESV).
In response to the questions raised by these events, the Apostle Peter replied by saying, "...this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel: 'And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy" (Acts 2:16-18 ESV).
Its important to note that Peter offered a Scriptural basis to validate these things and how it applied to what the people had seen and heard. As a result, "...they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, 'Brothers, what shall we do?' And Peter said to them, 'Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit ..So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls" (Acts 2:37-38, 41 ESV).
With this in mind, which of the following would seem to represent the most important occurence within this portion of Scripture?
- "...suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting."
- "Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them."
- "...(They) began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them" (NIV).
The answer is that none of these events represented the most important thing that occurred within these verses. The most important thing that occurred was this: three thousand people turned to God and were delivered from an eternity of separation from their Creator. Thus, these spiritual manifestations served to fulfill an important objective: they directed others to act upon God's Word.
the book of 1 corinthians chapter fourteen II
"For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries" (1 Corinthians 14:2-4).
This portion of Scripture introduces a highly controversial subject for many within the church today; the subject of speaking in tongues. Since the discussion of this particular spiritual gift occupies the entirety of 1 Corinthians chapter fourteen, it might be constructive to begin by examining the first New Testament expression of this gift as recorded in the New Testament book of Acts...
"When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language. Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, 'Look, are not all these who speak Galileans? ...we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God'" (Acts 2:1-7, 11).
One of the most important considerations involved in judging the validity of a spiritual gift (and/or other types of spiritual manifestations) concerns the need to establish a legitimate Scriptural basis for it's appearance. If we find that we cannot verify a particular "gift" or spiritual expression as something that was taught by Jesus within the Gospels, practiced by the early church within the book of Acts, and referenced by the authors of the New Testament Epistles, then we would be wise to exercise caution before we affirm such things to represent a legitimate move of God.
With regard to the spiritual gift of speaking in tongues, we can look to Jesus' reference to this practice within the Gospel of Mark (Mark 16:17) as well as Paul's teaching here in 1 Corinthians chapter fourteen. We'll take a look at the Apostle Peter's validation of this practice in the book of Acts (and how we can use that portion of Scripture to help establish a foundation for accepting or rejecting a "spiritual gift" (and/or other types of spiritual manifestations) next.
the book of 1 corinthians chapter fourteen I
"Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy" (1 Corinthians 14:1).
The opening verse of 1 Corinthians chapter fourteen serves as a thread that ties this portion of Scripture together with the preceding chapters: Pursue love (a reference to the subject discussed in chapter thirteen), and desire spiritual gifts (a topic that served as the primary focus of chapter twelve). Since the kind of love described in 1 Corinthians chapter thirteen is something that should be representative of God's people, it should also guide and direct the expression of whatever spiritual gifts we may possess.
The importance of love in relation to spiritual gifts is helpful in establishing a proper understanding of this chapter. You see, love is an eternal quality while spiritual gifts are temporal and vary in degree of importance. Paul the Apostle helped to illustrate this idea in saying, "...the gift you should want most is to be able to prophesy" (ERV). In offering this counsel, we should note that Paul assigned a greater value to this particular gift than certain others.
This serves to remind us that the spiritual gifts cataloged in 1 Corinthians 12:8-10, Ephesians 4:11-12, and Romans 12:6-8 are equally valid but may not be equally valuable. One way to accurately measure the value of these individual gifts is to view them in terms of how others might benefit through their use.
In commenting on this idea, one source observes, "Paul is anxious that his readers do not misunderstand him. He does not intend to mean by what he says in chapter 13 that spiritual gifts have no value at all; his concern there is only that they keep the gifts in the proper perspective." (1) As we'll see, this consideration will go on to become a primary focus of attention throughout this chapter.
As mentioned earlier, a genuine "prophet" can be identified as someone who possesses the ability to provide God's direction as prompted by the Holy Spirit. We might also define a legitimate prophet as someone who conveys divinely-initiated information concerning a particular situation or future event. One commentary expands on these definitions with the following insight: "The ability to prophesy may involve predicting future events, but its main purpose is to communicate God's message to people, providing insight, warning, correction, and encouragement." (2)
Therefore again, we might best associate the function of a prophetic gift in a contemporary church setting with those who are prompted by the Holy Spirit to bring a fresh application of Biblical truth to a particular circumstance or situation.
(1) Hindson, E. E., & Kroll, W. M. (Eds.). (1994). KJV Bible Commentary (p. 2322). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
(2) Life Application Study Bible [14:1] Copyright © 1988, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1996, 2004 by Tyndale House Publishers Inc., all rights reserved.
the book of 1 corinthians chapter thirteen XXXI
"Love never ends; but prophecies will pass, tongues will cease, knowledge will pass. For our knowledge is partial, and our prophecy partial; but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass.
When I was a child, I spoke like a child, thought like a child, argued like a child; now that I have become a man, I have finished with childish ways. For now we see obscurely in a mirror, but then it will be face to face. Now I know partly; then I will know fully, just as God has fully known me. But for now, three things last — trust, hope, love; and the greatest of these is love" (1 Corinthians 13:8-13 CJB).
In his message to another New Testament-era church, the Apostle Paul wrote the following: "Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law" (Romans 13:8 NIV). While a financial debt might eventually be paid in full, we should never reach the point where we might say of another person, "My obligation to love is now complete." The third century Christian scholar Origen expressed a similar idea when wrote, "The debt of love is permanent, and we are never finished with it; for we must pay it daily and yet always owe it."
Of course, the supreme example of love is recorded for us in Romans 5:6 where we read, "...at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly" (NIV). This should represent a familiar concept, for it is easy to envision a scenario where someone might be compelled to die on behalf of another person.
For instance, Presidents, Prime Ministers, and other heads of state generally travel with a group of individuals who are tasked with the responsibility to protect and give their lives for that leader if necessary. There are others who might even choose to die for a just or good individual, a reality that is also acknowledged in Romans 5:7: "Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die" (NIV).
But how much greater is the love of Christ who laid down His life not only for the important and powerful but for the weak and unimportant as well? In so doing, Jesus left us with both an example and commandment to follow...
"This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you" (John 15:12-14).
the book of 1 corinthians chapter thirteen XXX
"Love is eternal. There are inspired messages, but they are temporary; there are gifts of speaking in strange tongues, but they will cease; there is knowledge, but it will pass. For our gifts of knowledge and of inspired messages are only partial; but when what is perfect comes, then what is partial will disappear.
When I was a child, my speech, feelings, and thinking were all those of a child; now that I am an adult, I have no more use for childish ways. What we see now is like a dim image in a mirror; then we shall see face-to-face. What I know now is only partial; then it will be complete---as complete as God's knowledge of me. Meanwhile these three remain: faith, hope, and love; and the greatest of these is love" (1 Corinthians 13:8-13 GNB).
In contrast to the temporal, partial, and incomplete nature of spiritual gifts, 1 Corinthians chapter thirteen closes by affirming the lasting, permanent, and eternal qualities of faith, hope, and love. But what makes these particular qualities so special?
Well, as mentioned earlier in our look at 1 Corinthians chapter twelve, faith is an eternal quality because it represents "a belief in or confident attitude toward God, involving commitment to His will for one's life." (1) Unlike the temporal abilities we may possess today, our belief and confidence in God will only be strengthened and reinforced when we "see (Him) face-to-face..."
Hope encompasses the qualities of confidence, expectation, and a sense of pleasurable anticipation with respect to God's work in our lives. (2) In contrast to the short-lived nature of spiritual gifts, there will never come a time when we will not enjoy these characteristics of our relationship with God.
Finally, love abides eternally for it is the fulfillment of God's Law (Romans 13:10) and represents the greatest commandment: "....The first of all the commandments is: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these" (Mark 12:28-31).
Finally, one commentator leaves us with the following reminder...
"Our 'possessions' and 'gifts' we leave behind us. Only godliness abides. At the gates of death we will lay down forever the various weapons and tools which God, in his marvelous grace, has put into our hands for this earthly pilgrimage. All our gifts and every other capacity designed for this temporary earthly existence we shall resign.
But we will carry through the pearly gates the moral and spiritual character which the Holy Spirit, through the conflicts and testings of life, has developed within us through the word. Faith, hope and love abide—but the greatest is love. Make love your aim (1Co_14:1)." (3)
(1) "Faith" Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Copyright © 1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers
(2) G1680 elpis Strong’s Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?t=nkjv&strongs=g1680
(3) Paul T. Butler, Studies In First Corinthians [pg. 289] College Press, Joplin, Missouri Copyright © College Press 1963 https://archive.org/stream/FirstCorinthians/131Corinthians-Butler_djvu.txt
the book of 1 corinthians chapter thirteen XXIX
"For we know in part, and we prophesy in part: but when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I felt as a child, I thought as a child: now that I am become a man, I have put away childish things.
For now we see in a mirror, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I have been known. But now abideth faith, hope, love, these three; and the greatest of these is love" (1 Corinthians 13:8-13 RV).
Anyone who has ever attempted to view an object through a piece of opaque glass (such as the kind that is often found on doors, office buildings, and shower stalls) can appreciate the descriptive word-picture of 1 Corinthians 13:12: "For now we see through a glass, darkly..." (KJV). This idea is fairly straightforward: just as our visual perspective is limited whenever we attempt to peer through a piece of decorative glass, our spiritual perspective is similarly obscured today.
However, most contemporary translations of this passage render the word "glass" as "mirror," thus making use of the poor reflective quality of first-century mirrors to communicate this point. You see, the mirrors used by the Corinthians were little more than highly polished pieces of metal- and unlike the high quality mirrors of today, a mirror of the New Testament-era tended to produce a soft image that was often distorted by surface irregularities.
This analogy served to illustrate an important point; much like the limited nature of our spiritual gifts, our knowledge of God is similarly incomplete today. One commentator goes on to detail the extent of these limitations with the following observation: "Humans, even redeemed humans, are hindered by (1) sin nature; (2) finitude; (3) limited perspective; (4) culture-affected conscience and worldview; (5) time as chronological sequence; and (6) human language to explain and describe a spiritual realm." (1)
So much like a cloudy or broken mirror that produces a dim or fragmented reflection, our knowledge of God is also relatively indistinct and fragmentary today. Nevertheless, there will eventually come a time when such restrictions will be lifted, a point that is echoed in the New Testament epistle of 1 John: “Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is” (1 John 3:2).
(1) Dr. Bob Utley Free Bible Commentary 1 Corinthians 13 [13:12] Copyright ©2014 by Bible Lessons International http://www.freebiblecommentary.org/new_testament_studies/VOL06/VOL06A_13.html
the book of 1 corinthians chapter thirteen XXVIII
""Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.
When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love" (1 Corinthians 13:8-13 ESV).
As with other views regarding the subject of spiritual gifts, there are many among the people of God who believe in the continued validity and function of such gifts today. In general, those who support the modern-day operation of these spiritual gifts believe that they will be rendered obsolete by Jesus' return or through our passing from this life into an eternal state of unity with Christ.
For example...
"The context (especially v. 12) suggests strongly that Paul is here referring to the second coming of Christ as the final event in God’s plan of redemption and revelation. In comparison with what we will receive then, the present blessings are only partial and thus imperfect" (1)
"When the future age comes in its fullness, faith and hope will give way to sight (see Ro 4:14-22; 8:24-25). Then will remain only love, intimate, personal relationship with God (v. 12). All that is partial and imperfect will disappear when the age to come dawns in perfection (vv. 9-10). Just as the speech, the thoughts, and the reasoning of childhood are abandoned when one reaches adulthood, so the partial and indirect knowledge of the present will give way to full and intimate knowledge of God in the coming age (vv. 11-12). Spiritual gifts, which now mediate the life of God to the community, will no longer be necessary when I shall know fully, even as I am fully known (v. 12)." (2)
Finally, we would do well to keep the following counsel in mind as we prayerfully consider our position on the subject of spiritual gifts,...
"Whichever view we hold, the abiding lesson is that while the gifts of the Spirit are partial and temporary, the fruit of the Spirit is eternal and is more excellent. If we practice love, it will save us from the misuse of gifts and from the strife and divisions that have arisen as a result of their abuse." (3)
(1) Sproul, R. C. (Ed.). (2015). The Reformation Study Bible: English Standard Version (2015 Edition) (p. 2036). Orlando, FL: Reformation Trust.
(2) Lyons, George. “(3) The eternity of love (13:8-13)” In Asbury Bible Commentary. 1012. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, © 1992.
(3) Believer's Bible Commentary William Macdonald Edited by Arthur Farstad Thomas Nelson Publishers (1 Corinthians 13:1-13 [v.8])
the book of 1 corinthians chapter thirteen XXVII
"Love never ends. But as for prophecies, they will come to an end; as for languages, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when the perfect comes, the partial will come to an end.
When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put aside childish things. For now we see indistinctly, as in a mirror, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully, as I am fully known. Now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love" (1 Corinthians 13:8-13 HCSB).
In addition to the "closed canon" view, there are a number of other perspectives regarding the arrival of "that which is perfect" and the subsequent dissolution of spiritual gifts. For instance, some associate the eclipse of these gifts with the end of the apostolic era. This view holds that once the core doctrines of Christianity were firmly established through the work of the Apostles, the need for these spiritual gifts passed away along with them.
Others link the Apostle Paul's reference to "putting away childish things" with the advent of "that which is perfect". Much like a child in the early stages of his or her development, proponents of this view believe that the church eventually outgrew the need for these spiritual gifts as it began to reach spiritual maturity. As with those who hold to the completed canon and apostolic-era viewpoints, this position would also preclude the continuing operation of these spiritual gifts today.
However, a number of other sources have taken issue with the idea that the operation of these spiritual gifts ceased around the end of the New Testament era...
"One suggestion is that perfection described the completion of the New Testament. But 1Co_13:12 makes that interpretation unlikely." (1)
"Some have asserted that it refers to the NT. Nothing in this context points toward this. This is only a theory used to claim that the spiritual gifts have ceased in post-apostolic times." (2)
"Some understand this to refer to the completion of the canon of Scripture, but that would mean that we now see more clearly than Paul did." (3)
In light of these objections, we'll conclude our look at this portion of 1 Corinthians chapter thirteen with one additional perspective that allows for a great degree of freedom in interpreting this passage next.
(1) John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck Bible Knowledge Commentary [13:10]
(2) Dr. Bob Utley Free Bible Commentary 1 Corinthians 13 [13:10] Copyright ©2014 by Bible Lessons International http://www.freebiblecommentary.org/new_testament_studies/VOL06/VOL06A_13.html
(3) Ryrie, Charles Caldwell, Ryrie Study Notes © 1986, 1995 by The Moody Bible Institute of Chicago. Database © 2004 WORDsearch Corp.
the book of 1 corinthians chapter thirteen XXVI
"Love never ends. But if there are prophecies, they will be set aside; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be set aside. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part, but when what is perfect comes, the partial will be set aside.
When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. But when I became an adult, I set aside childish ways. For now we see in a mirror indirectly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully, just as I have been fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love" (1 Corinthians 13:8-13 NET).
A great many knowledgeable and God-honoring people hold to the position that the spiritual gifts referenced in 1 Corinthians chapter thirteen were "set aside" following the completion of the New Testament canon. This view acknowledges that such gifts were needed prior to the establishment of the canon in light of the fact that first-century Christians did not possess the entirety of God's Word in written form. Thus, they were dependent upon the gifts of prophecy, knowledge, and/or revelation for God's direction. However, once the church received the complete New Testament, the need for these special gifts was made obsolete.
One commentator offers a good defense of this view...
"Since the previous verse refers to the incompleteness of the divine revelation at that time, 'that which is perfect' [that is, 'complete'] almost certainly refers to the completion of Biblical revelation, as finally announced by John, the last of the apostles (Revelation 22:18-19). We now have all the prophetic truth needed in the Scriptures for the guidance of the church until Christ comes again. With few, if any, exceptions, we also have all the attestation we need to its veracity and power, so there is little need any more for miraculous signs, even though many still desire them." (1)
Another source accepts the validity of this position while allowing for the potential continuance of these gifts in subsequent centuries...
"...many devout Christians hold to the completed canon view, believing that the purpose of the sign gifts was to confirm the preaching of the apostles before the word of God was given in final written form, and that the need for these miracle gifts passed when the NT was completed. While this second view merits serious consideration, it can hardly be proved decisively. Even if we believe that the sign gifts largely passed away at the end of the apostolic era, we cannot say with finality that God could not, if He wished, use these gifts today." (2)
(1) Dr. Henry M. Morris, The New Defender's Study Bible [1 Corinthians 13:10] http://www.icr.org/
(2) Believer's Bible Commentary William Macdonald Edited by Arthur Farstad Thomas Nelson Publishers (1 Corinthians 13:1-13 [v.8])
the book of 1 corinthians chapter thirteen XXV
"Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears.
When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love" (1 Corinthians 13:8-13 NIV).
One commentator has observed that "Unlike many of the spiritual gifts, love will never be outmoded, unnecessary, or eliminated." (1) That being said, the question for us is, "when and by what means will these spiritual gifts become outmoded, unnecessary, or eliminated?" 1 Corinthians 13:10 provides us with an answer for the second portion of that question in saying, "when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away" (ESV).
If we drill into the original language of this verse, we find that the word "perfect" is translated from the Greek word teleios, a word that means "brought to its end, finished wanting nothing necessary to completeness." (2) Other sources associate this word with the idea of "maturity... fully equipped for an assigned task" (3) and "fulfillment" (4)
A great number of Christians hold to the idea that "the perfect" mentioned in this passage is a reference to to the completed canon of the New Testament. You see, the group of divinely inspired Biblical books of Scripture are referred to as the "canon." This word means "rule" or "rod of measurement" and over time, it came to be largely associated with the collection of Biblical books that are recognized to be the authoritative Word of God.
Over time, all 27 books of the New Testament were assembled and officially accepted as a group, a process that gradually took place over three hundred and fifty years. So the idea is that once the church secured the complete set of divinely inspired documents that comprise the New Testament Scriptures, the need for the imperfect spiritual gifts of prophecy, tongues, and words of knowledge ceased.
There are are number of arguments both for and against this view and we will consider a few of them next.
(1) Hindson, E. E., & Kroll, W. M. (Eds.). (1994). KJV Bible Commentary (p. 2321). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
(2) G5046 teleios Strong’s Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=G5046&t=NKJV
(3) Dr. Bob Utley Free Bible Commentary 1 Corinthians 13 [13:10] Copyright ©2014 by Bible Lessons International http://www.freebiblecommentary.org/new_testament_studies/VOL06/VOL06A_13.html
(4) Barker, Kenneth L. Zondervan NIV Study Bible (Fully Revised): 1 Corinthians. 1793. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, © 1985, 1995, 2002.
the book of 1 corinthians chapter thirteen XXIV
"Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.
When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love" (1 Corinthians 13:8-13).
As we enter the final third of 1 Corinthians chapter thirteen, we now come to a portion of Scripture that is highly controversial in many respects. You see, there is hardly a portion of the New Testament that has been subject to a greater difference of opinion among God-honoring teachers, scholars, and commentators than 1 Corinthians 13:8-13. Yet this passage represents more than just a subject for academic debate, for our understanding of these verses will produce a real-life impact on the way in which we view the spiritual gifts mentioned here.
Before we consider the differing points of view regarding this passage, let's first try to identify some of the areas where virtually everyone can find common ground. First, its clear that this portion of Scripture paints a contrast between the temporary nature of spiritual gifts and the permanent nature of love. While the representative gifts of prophecies, tongues, and knowledge will cease at some point, 1 Corinthians 13:8 tells us, "Love never fails."
Next, the fact that we "...know in part and we prophesy in part" highlights the limited nature of these spiritual gifts. In light of this, we can say the Corinthians had their emphasis in the wrong place; instead of placing their focus upon these temporary spiritual gifts, they should have concentrated on developing the lasting characteristics of love given to us earlier.
Finally, the cessation of these spiritual gifts hinges upon the arrival of "...that which is perfect". This leaves us with two big questions:
- How should we define "that which is perfect"?
- When, and by what means will these gifts will be replaced in favor of "that which is perfect"?
We'll take a closer look at the various attempts to answer these questions over the next few studies.
the book of 1 corinthians chapter thirteen XXIII
"Love is very patient and kind, never jealous or envious, never boastful or proud, never haughty or selfish or rude. Love does not demand its own way. It is not irritable or touchy. It does not hold grudges and will hardly even notice when others do it wrong. It is never glad about injustice, but rejoices whenever truth wins out.
If you love someone, you will be loyal to him no matter what the cost. You will always believe in him, always expect the best of him, and always stand your ground in defending him" (1 Corinthians 13:4-7 TLB).
There is one final reason to explain why professing Christians may sometimes act in a manner that is inconsistent with the characteristics found here in 1 Corinthians chapter thirteen. As distasteful as it may be to contemplate this possibility, the unfortunate truth is that people sometimes say and/or do things that are intentionally designed to hurt others.
We can look once again to the experience of Paul the Apostle for help in addressing this unpleasant reality...
"Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife, and some also from good will: The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains; but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel" (Philippians 1:15-17, emphasis added).
This passage reveals that Paul had no illusions regarding the ministerial motives of some who preached Christ: "...They are insincere, hoping to cause me more pain while I’m in prison" (CEB). But in contrast to those others, Paul chose to adopt a healthier (and significantly more God-honoring) attitude...
"But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice..." (Philippians 1:18 NIV).
So Paul did not deny the reality of this situation nor did he complain about the fact that there were other professing Christians who intentionally sought to injure him. Instead, Paul chose to focus on what was really important- the fact that the gospel was being preached.
If we should encounter others who deliberately attempt to injure us, we should seek God for the ability to respond in a similarly appropriate manner. As Jesus Himself taught, "...I tell you, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! Then you will become children of your Father in heaven. For he makes his sun shine on good and bad people alike, and he sends rain to the righteous and the unrighteous alike" (Matthew 5:44-45 CJB).
the book of 1 corinthians chapter thirteen XXII
"Love is patient and kind, not jealous, not boastful, not proud, rude or selfish, not easily angered, and it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not gloat over other people's sins but takes its delight in the truth. Love always bears up, always trusts, always hopes, always endures" (1 Corinthians 13:4-7 CJB).
Another practical challenge we may encounter in seeking to live out the principles of 1 Corinthians chapter thirteen involves the act of confronting another person in response to his or her behavior. Since many of us will eventually find ourselves in a position where we will have to address the actions of another person, the identifying characteristics of love found here in 1 Corinthians thirteen can help guide such interactions and ensure that we act appropriately.
Most of us are probably familiar with the old adage that says, "the truth hurts." This serves to remind us of an important reality: whenever we bring the truth of a given situation to another person, we should be prepared for the possibility that it will result in pain for the person involved, no matter how gentle, loving, and humble we seek to be.
You see, its often hurtful to be informed that something we've hoped for, desired, or worked for will not come to pass. Its painful to be confronted by the news that our actions were not perceived as we intended or that we have acted in a less than God-honoring manner in some area of life.
Because of this, there is always the potential for an emotional backlash whenever it falls upon us to confront others with such realities. In fact, this potential is so great that it may cause us to hold back from speaking the truth in love in certain instances. But once again, we can look to the experience of the Apostle Paul to provide us with a good example in this regard.
The New Testament book of Galatians records a confrontation between Paul the Apostle and the Apostle Peter where Paul tells us, "When Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he was clearly in the wrong" (Galatians 2:11). While Paul did not elaborate on Peter's response, it surely must have been painful for Peter to be confronted in such a manner. Nevertheless, Paul obviously believed that the need for loving confrontation outweighed whatever pain this interaction may have caused.
If we prayerfully allow the qualities of love from 1 Corinthians chapter thirteen to guide such interactions if and when they occur, we can be confident that we have conducted ourselves in a manner that honors God no matter what the response.
the book of 1 corinthians chapter thirteen XXI
"Love is patient, love is kind, it is not envious. Love does not brag, it is not puffed up. It is not rude, it is not self-serving, it is not easily angered or resentful. It is not glad about injustice, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things" (1 Corinthians 13:4-7 NET).
Before we leave this portion of 1 Corinthians chapter thirteen we should take some time to consider some difficult questions: "Why do Christians sometimes act in a manner that seems unloving? Why do the actions taken by God-honoring men and women sometimes appear to be inconsistent with the principles we find here in 1 Corinthians chapter thirteen?"
While there may be any number of potential answers to these questions, there are a few possibilities that we may wish to consider. First, we can say that emotional anger may sometimes cause people to say and do things that conflict with the characteristics of love that we find here within this chapter.
We can find one illustration of this idea in the life of Paul the Apostle, the very same man who was used by God to author the "Love Chapter" of 1 Corinthians thirteen. In the New Testament book of Acts we are told of an incident that occurred when Paul was taken to appear before the religious high council. Acts 23:1 records Paul's opening statement to that court as follows: "Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day."
Upon hearing this, the High Priest immediately ordered that Paul be struck on the mouth for making such a remark. This, in turn, led to Paul's heated response: "God will slap you, you corrupt hypocrite! What kind of judge are you to break the law yourself by ordering me struck like that?" (Acts 23:3 NLT). Although the Scriptures record that Paul later offered an explanation for his outburst, we're never told that he actually retracted this statement.
We should not understand this to imply that anger justifies our behavior in every instance. However, it does serve to explain why Christians may sometimes respond in a manner that lies outside the parameters of love given to us here in 1 Corinthians thirteen. When these things occur, we can benefit by prayerfully employing the counsel given to us in the Old Testament book of Proverbs: "A wise man restrains his anger and overlooks insults. This is to his credit" (Proverbs 19:11 TLB).
the book of 1 corinthians chapter thirteen XX
"Love meekly and patiently bears ill treatment from others. Love is kind, gentle, benign, pervading and penetrating the whole nature, mellowing all which would have been harsh and austere; is not envious.
Love does not brag, nor does it show itself off, is not ostentatious, does not have an inflated ego, does not act unbecomingly, does not seek after the things which are its own, is not irritated, provoked, exasperated, aroused to anger, does not take into account the evil, does not rejoice at the iniquity but rejoices with the truth, endures all things, believes all things, hopes all things, bears up under all things, not losing heart nor courage" (1 Corinthians 13:4-7 Wuest).
As we seek to instill the characteristics of love identified here within 1 Corinthians chapter thirteen, we should also recognize that an action that we might regard as a normal expression of love may be perceived quite differently by others.
For instance, we should remember that there are other genuine followers of Jesus who are very different from us in terms of personality, culture, and emotional makeup. These other members of God's family may not process information or communicate in a way that is similar to our own. They may be more or less mature and may not hold similar attitudes or opinions. Because of this, there may be some who respond negatively to what we may interpret to be an appropriate expression of love or affection.
When others do not respond to such expressions in a way we expect, it may result in hurt feelings or a painful sense of rejection. For some, it may lead to the mistaken perception that others are cold, unloving, or have difficulty expressing their feelings. For others, it may generate a dismissive attitude that regards those who are overtly affectionate as shallow or excessively emotional.
In such instances, it may be helpful to remember that genuine love always seeks another person's highest good- and any attempt to compel someone to act or respond in a manner that is not truly reflective of his or her personality does not serve to exhibit sincere, authentic love. As we're reminded in the following Scriptures...
"Be humble and gentle in every way. Be patient with each other and lovingly accept each other. Through the peace that ties you together, do your best to maintain the unity that the Spirit gives" (Ephesians 4:2-3 GW).
"Never act from motives of rivalry or personal vanity, but in humility think more of each other than you do of yourselves" (Philippians 2:3 Phillips).
"...give preference to one another in honor" (Romans 12:10 NASB).
the book of 1 corinthians chapter thirteen XIX
"Charity has patience, is kind; charity is not envious, is not vain, is not puffed up; does not behave indecently, does not seek her own, is not easily provoked, thinks no evil. Charity does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices in the truth, quietly covers all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things" (1 Corinthians 13:4-7 MKJV).
One of the challenges associated with living out the principles of love given to us in 1 Corinthians chapter thirteen involves our interaction with those who may feel as if we have been unloving in some respect. Since we bear a responsibility to live at peace with others as much as possible and love one another fervently, the way in which we respond in these instances can help determine if we are truly aligned with these identifying characteristics of love.
One way to illustrate this idea is to use the familiar example of a parent and child. You see, a wise and loving parent knows that there are times when it may be inappropriate to give a child something that he or she may ask for. If a parent acts in a child's best interest by lovingly refusing to act on a child's request in such instances, the child may criticize the parent for being "unloving." Even though a responsible parent knows such criticism to be inaccurate, that does not necessarily change the child's perspective.
Unfortunately, this scenario may repeat itself in a more sophisticated form among adult relationships as well. For instance, one person in a relationship may present "love" as an "if-then" proposition, as in "If you love me, you'll do _________." Of course, this type of statement may be perfectly legitimate in certain contexts for as Jesus told His disciples, "If you love me, you will obey what I command" (John 14:15 NIV). The idea is that those who adhere to Jesus' commandments serve to demonstrate the reality of their love for Him.
However, this kind of statement may also represent a calculated and manipulative attempt to use "love" as a means to obtain a desired result. Since a person in an emotionally committed relationship may not wish to appear to be "unloving," he or she may be motivated to respond to such pressure. The problem is that this type of "love" fails to conform to the characteristics given to us here in 1 Corinthians chapter thirteen. Instead, it often represents a selfish attempt to exploit the emotional feelings that one person holds for another.
In such instances, its important to recognize and identify the manipulative nature of such requests and refuse to act upon them no matter how "unloving" it may appear to those who might be involved.
the book of 1 corinthians chapter thirteen XVIII
"Love is patient. Love is kind. Love isn't jealous. It doesn't sing its own praises. It isn't arrogant. It isn't rude. It doesn't think about itself. It isn't irritable. It doesn't keep track of wrongs. It isn't happy when injustice is done, but it is happy with the truth. Love never stops being patient, never stops believing, never stops hoping, never gives up" (1 Corinthians 13:4-7 GW).
As we move toward the end of this section of 1 Corinthians chapter thirteen, we are provided with one final characteristic of genuine love: "(Love) endures all things" (NKJV) or "(Love) always perseveres" (NIV). This identifying aspect of love serves to emphasize the qualities of diligence, perseverance, and tenacity in responding to the challenges and difficulties we sometimes encounter with others.
One source offers the following insight into this passage by examining the concept of "endurance" as embodied within this portion of Scripture...
"The Greek word is hupomenei, literally, 'remaining under.' This does not mean passive resignation, but the kind of spirit which conquers its setbacks, trials and circumstances by faith in God.
It is the kind of 'dogged constancy' which 'hangs-in' in spite of hardships and obstacles. It is the enduring love shown by the patriarch Job, who said, 'I know that my Redeemer lives, and at last he will stand upon the earth.' It is the overcoming endurance of the apostle Paul who said, 'For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions and calamities; for when I am weak, then I am strong' (2Co_12:10)." (1)
So with these identifying characteristics in mind, we can say that the defining qualities of love found here in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 should guide, direct, and inform the choices and decisions we make in our relationships with others. You see, genuine love always seeks the best for everyone involved in a given situation. The people and circumstances may change but a loving response can often be identified by asking the following question: "What is in the best interest of the people who are involved in this situation from God's perspective?"
Yet just as a loving parent will not give a beloved child everything that he or she may ask for, there may be times when love dictates that we respond in a manner that may be perceived by others in very unloving terms. This is a topic that will occupy the focus of our next few studies.
(1) Paul T. Butler, Studies In First Corinthians [pg. 285] College Press, Joplin, Missouri Copyright © College Press 1963 https://archive.org/stream/FirstCorinthians/131Corinthians-Butler_djvu.txt
the book of 1 corinthians chapter thirteen XVII
"Love is patient, love is kind. Love does not envy, is not boastful, is not conceited, does not act improperly, is not selfish, is not provoked, and does not keep a record of wrongs. Love finds no joy in unrighteousness but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things" (1 Corinthians 13:4-7 HCSB).
1 Corinthians 13:7 identifies another characteristic of love in the following manner: "(Love) always trusts" (NIV). This aspect of love is more important than it may appear for trust is something that largely helps to determine the depth and quality of our relationships with others.
You see, most of us are unwilling to invest in someone we do not trust, for trust involves a degree of vulnerability. For instance, two business leaders can enter into an agreement with nothing more than a handshake if a sufficient level of trust exists. But if there is only a limited amount of trust between two parties, then each may seek the protection of a contractual arrangement where the terms and conditions of the agreement are clearly defined (sometimes in page after page of excruciating detail).
Of course, this aspect of genuine love may be represent a challenge in those instances where others have been demonstrably untrustworthy. The unfortunate truth is that a person who has repeatedly made poor decisions, broken promises, or demonstrated recurrent lapses in judgment is probably not someone who can be trusted, at least not entirely. So how should we understand and apply this passage of Scripture in such instances?
Well, perhaps we can understand this idea to mean that love is not inherently suspicious. In other words, love does not immediately seek to assign an ulterior motive or assume the worst about someone without sufficient cause. In those instances where trust in another person is not warranted, love places its trust in God's ability to work in the hearts and minds of the untrustworthy to help such individuals to become men and women of integrity.
Nevertheless, it's important to understand that trust should never be equated with gullibility. Even Jesus (who represents the supreme example of what it means to love) was honest and forthright concerning the true character of one of His disciples (John 6:70-71), the real motives of some who followed Him (John 6:25-27), and the actual agenda pursued by the religious leadership of His day (John 8:37-40).
As one commentator has observed in this regard: "(Love does not) try to persuade itself that a thief is honest or that the criminal is innocent, but it knows God is not willing that any man should perish. So love always hopes for repentance." (1)
(1) Paul T. Butler, Studies In First Corinthians [pg. 285] College Press, Joplin, Missouri Copyright © College Press 1963 https://archive.org/stream/FirstCorinthians/131Corinthians-Butler_djvu.txt
the book of 1 corinthians chapter thirteen XVI
"This love of which I speak is slow to lose patience—it looks for a way of being constructive. It is not possessive: it is neither anxious to impress nor does it cherish inflated ideas of its own importance. Love has good manners and does not pursue selfish advantage. It is not touchy. It does not keep account of evil or gloat over the wickedness of other people. On the contrary, it is glad with all good men when truth prevails. Love knows no limit to its endurance, no end to its trust, no fading of its hope; it can outlast anything" (1 Corinthians 13:4-7 Phillips).
Charles Spurgeon, the well-known 19th century preacher once made the following observation...
“You must have fervent charity towards the saints, but you will find very much about the best of them which will try your patience; for, like yourself, they are imperfect, and they will not always turn their best side towards you, but sometimes sadly exhibit their infirmities. Be prepared, therefore, to contend with 'all things' in them.” (1)
Although "(Love) quietly covers all things..." (MKJV), this is not to say that we are responsible to remain silent concerning those things that may be illegal, immoral, or potentially life-threatening. This might include instances of theft, battery, sexual misconduct, or talk of a potential suicide to name a few examples. In such instances, we should recognize our responsibility to discuss such matters with the appropriate authorities.
The "appropriate authorities" in each instance would largely depend on the issue involved but as a general rule, a clergy member or pastoral minister is often the best place to begin. For indiscretions that fall outside these parameters, Jesus Himself provides us with the appropriate response...
"If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offense. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back. But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two others with you and go back again, so that everything you say may be confirmed by two or three witnesses.
If the person still refuses to listen, take your case to the church. Then if he or she won’t accept the church’s decision, treat that person as a pagan or a corrupt tax collector" (Matthew 18:15-17 NLT).
Finally, we would do well to consider the following guideline from the New Testament book of Galatians in our relationships with others: "...if a Christian is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help him back onto the right path, remembering that next time it might be one of you who is in the wrong" (Galatians 6:1 TLB).
(1) Charles. H. Spurgeon, Love’s Labours (1881) https://www.ccel.org/ccel/spurgeon/sermons27.iv_1.html
the book of 1 corinthians chapter thirteen XV
"Love is never tired of waiting; love is kind; love has no envy; love has no high opinion of itself, love has no pride; Love's ways are ever fair, it takes no thought for itself; it is not quickly made angry, it takes no account of evil; It takes no pleasure in wrongdoing, but has joy in what is true; Love has the power of undergoing all things, having faith in all things, hoping all things" (1 Corinthians 13:4-7 BBE).
In continuing with the description of love found in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, we now arrive at a well-known portion of Scripture: "(Love) bears all things" (NKJV). The original language of this passage expresses the idea of something that serves to protect or keep by covering (1) and various Biblical translations have taken a number of different approaches in attempting to effectively communicate this idea.
For example...
- Love always protects (NIV).
- Love has the power of undergoing all things (BBE).
- Love is always supportive (CEV).
- Love always bears up (CJB).
Although this aspect of love should serve to encompass all of our interpersonal relationships, this idea is especially important when it comes to our relationships with others within the family of God.
You see, family members may sometimes possess insights into the character, temperament, and personality traits of other family members that others will never see or experience. While this is often true for biological family members, the same can also be said for those who represent our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Since the individual members of the Body of Christ may have insights into the flaws and weaknesses of other members of the Body, the way in which we handle this "inside information" often serves to determine if we are truly acting in a manner that reflects the principles found here in 1 Corinthians chapter thirteen.
If we happen to obtain such insight into the life of another member of God's family, it helps to remember that we are not automatically obligated to share such knowledge with everyone. We should also not seek to publicize such information in manner that is brings shame or humiliation upon a fellow brother or sister in Christ.
Instead, such insights should prompt us to pray on behalf of others as we seek to adhere to the defining quality of love given to us here in 1 Corinthians 13:7: "(Love) quietly covers all things..." (MKJV). Nevertheless, there are some potential exceptions to this general policy and we'll consider a few of them next.
(1) G4722 stego Thayer's Greek Definitions https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=G4722&t=KJV
the book of 1 corinthians chapter thirteen XIV
"Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous, it does not brag, and it is not proud. Love is not rude, it is not selfish, and it cannot be made angry easily. Love does not remember wrongs done against it. Love is never happy when others do wrong, but it is always happy with the truth. Love never gives up on people. It never stops trusting, never loses hope, and never quits" (1 Corinthians 13:4-7 ERV).
Another quality associated with genuine love is this: "(Love is) not easily angered" (CJB). In other words, a person who exhibits the characteristics found here in 1 Corinthians chapter thirteen is someone who is not touchy, irritable, or easily provoked. Such a person is not known to fly into a rage whenever things do not go well; instead, he or she prayerfully maintains the ability to manage an appropriate, God-honoring emotional response in the face of such difficulties.
In addition, we're told that "Love keeps no record of wrongs" (NIV). For example, love doesn't say, "I'll forgive, but I won't forget" nor does it say, "I'll get even." Instead, love waits for God to handle a act of injustice (perceived or otherwise) as He sees fit (see Proverbs 20:22). This attitude also precludes the mental process of tallying up the mistakes, failures, and shortcomings of others to use against them in the future.
Now at this point we should pause to make a critical distinction. This characteristic of love does not mean that we cannot be realistic about the frailties and weaknesses of others. Nor does it mean that we should ignore repeated behavior patterns to the point of gullibility. However, it does imply that a person who loves is someone who does not hold grudges, maintain a list of grievances, or question the motives of others without just cause.
Finally, "Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth" (NIV). Love is never pleased when unfortunate things happen to others even if they seemingly appear to deserve it. A person who loves is not blind to the fact that bad choices often lead to bad consequences but instead of viewing such consequences as "payback" for the wrongs that others commit, love is hopeful and sees such instances as potential opportunities for spiritual growth.
As we're told in the Biblical book of Hebrews...
"The Lord corrects the people he loves and disciplines those he calls his own... It is never fun to be corrected. In fact, at the time it is always painful. But if we learn to obey by being corrected, we will do right and live at peace" (Hebrews 12:6, 11 CEV).
the book of 1 corinthians chapter thirteen XIII
"Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things" (1 Corinthians 13:4-7 ESV).
In considering this passage, one source comments on the fact that genuine love "does not insist on its own way" with the following observation: "It would be the key to almost all the problems which surround us today, if men would think less of their rights and more of their duties." (1)
This concept of love as an obligation or duty is extremely valuable, especially in those situations where we may not feel very loving towards others. You see, a person who primarily associates love with a feeling or emotion is someone who must insist on having his or her way. The reason for this is that "love" can only exist for such individuals if another person is willing to accommodate his or her feelings. If others are unwilling to conform in such a manner, then "love" can no longer exist between those individuals.
Since feelings and emotions are often changeable, this means that it is virtually impossible to maintain a genuine long-term love relationship that is primarily rooted in an emotional feeling. On the other hand, the agape love described here in 1 Corinthians chapter thirteen is a love that find's it's origin in the will. Since it does not originate in a feeling, emotion, or personality trait, it does not have to insist on its own way- and this is what makes it possible to maintain a genuine love relationship even the absence of an emotional feeling.
This concept was once illustrated in a humorous anecdote attributed to Ruth Graham, the late wife of famed evangelist Billy Graham. When asked if she had ever contemplated divorcing her husband, Mrs. Graham is said to have replied, "Divorce? No. Murder? Yes." This tongue-in-cheek response served to demonstrate Mrs. Graham's willful commitment to love her husband even in those instances where his actions may have caused her to feel otherwise.
As Mrs. Graham's response implies, this "will to love" is especially important in regard to marriage relationships. As any couple in a long-term marital relationship is surely aware, there are times when one or both partners must willingly commit to love one another- and genuine love recognizes that there are instances where it is best to refrain from insisting on having one's own way.
(1) William Barclay quoted in "Commentary on 1 Corinthians 13". "Coffman Commentaries on the Old and New Testament". <http://classic.studylight.org/com/bcc/view.cgi?book=1co&chapter=013>. Abilene Christian University Press, Abilene, Texas, USA. 1983-1999.
the book of 1 corinthians chapter thirteen XII
"Love is kind and patient, never jealous, boastful, proud, or rude. Love isn't selfish or quick tempered. It doesn't keep a record of wrongs that others do. Love rejoices in the truth, but not in evil. Love is always supportive, loyal, hopeful, and trusting" (1 Corinthians 13:4-7 CEV).
Rudeness represents another characteristic that is not representative of genuine love. For instance, love is not ill-mannered nor does it treat "important people" well and "unimportant people" with disrespect. In short, love does not intentionally act in matter that serves to dishonor others. One source provides us with some additional insight into this idea...
"The Greek words are ouk aschemonei, meaning literally, 'does not act unbecomingly, or, without graciousness.' There is the type of Christian who thinks real loyalty to the Bible means one must act bluntly, candidly, without tact and charm, almost brutally. There may be candidness there, but there is no winsomeness. Love is courteous, tactful, polite, and respectful without compromising truth. Love applies the 'Golden Rule.' Love makes it possible to be right without being rude." (1)
The next "non-quality" of love is described as "self-seeking" (NIV) or "self-serving" (NET). In other words, love does not only look out for its own best interests; instead, it chooses to anticipate the needs of others as well. We can illustrate this idea with the real-life experience of a person who once attended a church with a small parking area adjacent to a church entry door and a larger parking area across the street.
Since a number of church members typically arrived well before the rest of the congregation, this person observed many of these individuals as they enjoyed the convenience of leaving their cars in the small auxiliary parking area. However, that left many other members of the congregation -including the elderly, the infirm, and those with small children- to park their vehicles at a distance. Needless to say, this made it difficult for those individuals to attend the church's services, especially in the intense heat of summer or the snow and cold of winter.
So the question is this: were the people who appropriated the best parking spots acting in love? Well, its likely that many of these individuals never even considered the impact of their decision upon those members of the congregation who found it difficult to walk in the inclement weather or the temperature extremes of winter and summer. But they should have.
This small example serves to remind us that love is not self-seeking; it considers the needs of others as well as what's best for itself and then responds in an appropriate manner.
(1) Paul T. Butler, Studies In First Corinthians [pg. 283] College Press, Joplin, Missouri Copyright © College Press 1963 https://archive.org/stream/FirstCorinthians/131Corinthians-Butler_djvu.txt
the book of 1 corinthians chapter thirteen XI
"Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance" (1 Corinthians 13:4-7 NLT).
Two additional characteristics that are not reflective of genuine love are boastfulness and pride. One translation of 1 John 2:16 helpfully identifies the "...boastful pride of life" as the "pretentious confidence in one's resources..." (AMP). In light of this, we can say that a person with a genuine attitude of love is someone who recognizes that things like our social standing, talents, capabilities, and possessions do not make us inherently superior to others.
Although "pride" is sometimes identified with the legitimate feeling of personal satisfaction that accompanies a job well done, the attitude referenced within this passage is really more reflective of the egotistical bragging and empty bravado that characterizes a sense of arrogance, self-importance, and condescension. Another Biblical word-picture that helps to capture this idea is "vainglorious" (AMPC).
Thankfully, most people do not seem to possess these qualities to any great degree. Nevertheless, we should remember that pride can be extremely subtle and difficult to identify- and much like a destructive computer virus, it may begin with something that initially seems small and harmless.
As an example, let's consider those who are involved in various online communities. How many social media posts represent a subtle expression of the type of attitude that Jesus warned against in the Gospel of Matthew...
"When you pray, don't be like hypocrites. They like to stand in synagogues and on street corners to pray so that everyone can see them. I can guarantee this truth: That will be their only reward" (Matthew 6:5 GW).
While everyone enjoys the affirmation and approval that comes with a "like" or "follow," it may be worth considering this possibility: is there a chance that our seemingly God-honoring social media posts actually contain a hidden element of "vainglory" expressed by a desire to be seen, liked, and affirmed by others? (1) As one commentator observes, "Love is quiet, unassuming, and humble. When love does anything it does not do it for praise or the applause of others." (2)
In light of this, we can say that love is closely aligned with an attitude of humility, a positive personal characteristic that involves courtesy, respect, and a modest self opinion. As we're also reminded in Proverbs 15:33, "Humility and reverence for the Lord will make you both wise and honored" (TLB).
(1) Even those who are not spiritual recognize the existence of such things- see here
(2) Paul T. Butler, Studies In First Corinthians [pg. 289] College Press, Joplin, Missouri Copyright © College Press 1963 https://archive.org/stream/FirstCorinthians/131Corinthians-Butler_djvu.txt
the book of 1 corinthians chapter thirteen X
"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres" (1 Corinthians 13:4-7 NIV).
The second identifying quality of love found in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 is kindness. While "kindness" is generally associated with the idea of compassion, benevolence, and good will, its interesting to note that one definition of this word is to show oneself useful (1) So we can add the constructive qualities of help, assistance, and practical service to these commonly accepted characteristics of kindness as well.
In a negative sense, these definitions also tell us that a person who acts in a malicious, spiteful, or derogatory manner is someone who does not exhibit this defining characteristic of love. It also implies that excessive teasing, hurtful jokes or comments, overly sarcastic remarks, undue criticism, or other, similar responses are not in keeping with the pattern of life described within this passage.
Of course, teasing, sarcasm, and similar types of bantering are often reflective of the fellowship and camaraderie that exists among a group of friends, family members, athletes, co-workers, military veterans, or others with shared experiences. These interactions often serve to demonstrate the appreciation and respect that the members of the group have for one another. So what's the difference between one type of response and the other?
Well, the issue is really one of intent. When sarcasm is generated by something other than a sense of respect for another person, the result is likely to be unkind. The destructive effect associated with this type of attitude is described within the Old Testament book of Proverbs where we're told, "Just as damaging as a madman shooting a deadly weapon is someone who lies to a friend and then says, 'I was only joking'" (Proverbs 26:18-19 NLT).
On the other hand, a "non-characteristic" of love that is conspicuous by its absence is envy, or a feeling of disapproval towards those who are blessed or successful. One commentator offers the following observation regarding envy and its relationship to kindness...
"We are often not patient or kind because we are jealous. We are spiteful and short with people because we see them enjoying something that we want. They have a relationship that we envy; they have a quality about themselves that we do not have and we are angry about it, so we are short and spiteful. That is one reason why we are not patient and kind." (2)
1 G5541 chresteuomai Strong’s Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=G5541&t=NKJV
2 Ray C. Stedman, Supreme Priority 1 Corinthians 13:1-7 https://www.raystedman.org/new-testament/1-corinthians/supreme-priority
the book of 1 corinthians chapter thirteen IX
"Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things" (1 Corinthians 13:4-7).
As we examine the identifying characteristics of love here in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, we first should note that genuine love is never associated with an emotional feeling. Instead, we can say that the emotional component of love is something that should find its origin in the qualities that are given to us within this passage. One source expands on this idea in the following manner...
"With a series of fifteen verbs Paul describes what love is and is not, and does and does not do. The vices contrary to love mentioned here appear elsewhere in the letter as characteristics of the Corinthians, whereas the virtues never describe them.
Paul employs the literary device of personification to suggest that a person who loves demonstrates it by selfless actions, marked by patience, kindness, etc. That is, if I have love, I am not proud or arrogant. If, on the contrary, I am easily angered and keep a record of wrongs, I do not have love. Love is not one of many virtues; it embodies them all. Love is not merely the doing of some heroic or virtuous action or refraining from vices or evil deeds. It is a 'way' of life (12:31b)." (1)
The first among these characteristics is patience. A look at the original language of this passage tells us that this word encompasses the following qualities: to persevere patiently and bravely in enduring misfortunes and troubles, to be patient in bearing the offenses and injuries of others, to be longsuffering, slow to anger, slow to punish (2)
In light of the lawsuits that had been initiated among the members of the Corinthian congregation, it appears that patience may have been a characteristic that was lacking among them. Of course, patience is a quality that is no less necessary today, especially when interacting with those who are hurtful, annoying, immature, or deliberately seek to injure us in some manner.
In these situations, its helpful to remember that patience is a quality exhibited by God Himself who "...is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9). This attribute was also modeled by Jesus who "...when he was reviled, reviled not again" (1 Peter 2:23). Although patience is a quality that may not come naturally for many of us, it can be developed by those who prayerfully seek God's empowerment.
(1) Carpenter, E. E., & McCown, W. (1992). Asbury Bible Commentary. Grand Rapids, Mich: Zondervan Pub. House. (2) The activity of love (13:4–7) https://www.biblegateway.com/resources/asbury-bible-commentary/2-activity-love
(2) G3114 makrothymeo Thayer's Greek Definitions https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=G3114&t=NKJV
the book of 1 corinthians chapter thirteen VIII
"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing" (1 Corinthians 13:1-3 ESV).
Its been said that nothing can ever fully compensate for the absence of love. For example, there is no spiritual gift (no matter how powerful or impressive) that can take the place of love. Even something that is seemingly honorable or virtuous will ultimately amount to nothing if it is not fundamentally motivated by love.
If we were to paraphrase the Apostle Paul's argument here in 1 Corinthians 13:1-3, we might do so by saying, "If I had the ability to speak in any language but did not have love, it would simply be noise. If I possessed the kind of supernatural wisdom that would enable me to unlock any mystery but did not have love, it would be worthless. If I had the faith to move mountains but was deficient in love, it would amount to nothing. If I performed charitable works or sacrificed myself for a noble cause without love, it would ultimately be meaningless."
To illustrate the truth behind this idea, we can turn to a number of Biblical examples. For instance, the Old Testament speaks of a man named Balaam, a person who clearly possessed a prophetic gift. However, Balaam did not employ his gift in an attitude of love. Instead, he used his prophetic abilities to ultimately bring harm upon the people of Israel- a decision for which he ultimately paid with his life.
Judas Iscariot offers another example. Jesus endowed Judas (along with the other disciples) with the authority to preach, eradicate demonic activity, and bring supernatural healing to others. Despite these things, Judas demonstrated his lack of love in taking what belonged to others- and much like Balaam, the account of Judas' life did not end well.
The church of Corinth serves as a further example. Even though the members of the Corinthian church had an abundance of spiritual gifts, their lack of love led them to condone sexual immorality, exhibit an attitude of favoritism, and sue one another in court.
So how can we best identify the characteristics of genuine love? Well, the following verses will go on to provide us with the qualities that will answer that question.
the book of 1 corinthians chapter thirteen VII
"What if I could speak all languages of humans and of angels? If I did not love others, I would be nothing more than a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. What if I could prophesy and understand all secrets and all knowledge? And what if I had faith that moved mountains? I would be nothing, unless I loved others. What if I gave away all that I owned and let myself be burned alive? I would gain nothing, unless I loved others" (1 Corinthians 13:1-3 CEV).
While the New Testament word phileo describes the type of affectionate fondness that one person might have for another, agape love represents the kind of sacrificial love that is best demonstrated by Jesus' atoning work on the cross. There may be no greater Biblical expression of this idea than the one that is found within the well-known passage from John 3:16: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."
But while agape love has often been identified as "God's love," one commentator explains why that idea may not be entirely accurate...
"Strictly speaking, agape can’t be defined as 'God’s love,' because men are said to agape sin and the world (Joh_3:19, 1Jn_2:15). But it can be defined as a sacrificial, giving, absorbing, love. The word has little to do with emotion; it has much to do with self-denial for the sake of another." (1)
Much like the word phileo, a look at a few New Testament appearances of the word agape (along with its associated forms) can help shed some light on its meaning...
"'...you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these" (Mark 12:30-31).
"And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, 'This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased'" (Matthew 3:17).
"...the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son" (Hebrews 12:6 NIV).
Another example of this kind of love can be found within Jesus' parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37). This parable relates the account of a person who acted in a loving, compassionate, and self-sacrificial manner in coming to the aid of an injured traveler. In doing so, the Good Samaritan modeled the type of agape love spoken of here in 1 Corinthians chapter thirteen.
(1) David Guzik, Enduring Word Bible Commentary 1 Corinthians 13 – Agape Love https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/1-corinthians-13/ © Copyright - Enduring Word
the book of 1 corinthians chapter thirteen VI
"If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn't love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God's secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn't love others, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn't love others, I would have gained nothing" (1 Corinthians 13:1-3 HCSB).
The Greek word agape (pronounced ah-gah-pay) is the word that is most commonly translated as "love" within the New Testament Scriptures. This word appears more than one hundred times and can be found within every New Testament book except for the Gospel of Mark and the book of Acts. Agape is also the only word that is translated as "love" here in 1 Corinthians chapter thirteen.
This type of love can be defined in a number of ways. First, we can say that agape love is a love that find's it's origin in the will. Unlike other kinds of love, this type of love is not rooted in a feeling, emotion, or personality trait. Instead, agape love is characterized by a willful desire to love. In other words, agape love loves because it wants to.
For example, we can say that it is God's nature to love but there is nothing inherently lovable within human beings that reject Him. Therefore, God chooses to love by His will. He determines to love because it is His nature to love. We can find an expression of God's love in this regard by looking at a portion of the Old Testament book of Deuteronomy...
"The LORD did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. But it was because the LORD loved you and kept the oath he swore to your forefathers that he brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt" (Deuteronomy 7:7-8 NIV).
Agape love can also be identified as the kind of love that continues without demanding anything in response. Unlike a relationship where one partner expresses love in the hope that it will be reciprocated, agape love makes no such demand. Rather, we can say that this kind of love is unaffected by external conditions or even by whether or not it is returned.
the book of 1 corinthians chapter thirteen V
"If I speak human or angelic languages but do not have love, I am a sounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so that I can move mountains but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I donate all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body in order to boast but do not have love, I gain nothing" (1 Corinthians 13:1-3 HCSB).
Our 21st century world largely associates the word "Philadelphia" with the famous American city of that name. This word means "brotherly love" in the original language of the New Testament and serves to explain why the modern-day city of Philadelphia is also known as "The City Of Brotherly Love" today.
"Philadelphia" is derived from the ancient Greek word phileo, a word that can be defined in the following manner: to approve of, to like, to treat affectionately or kindly, to welcome, befriend. (1) This word also describes the type of love that can be found among those who share a common interest. For example, when a group of close friends get together for a time of social interaction, the affection, acceptance, fondness, and camaraderie that exists among them can often be identified with this type of love.
Other synonyms that can be used to describe the idea of phileo include words such as fraternity, community, and brotherhood, among others. Since human love may sometimes be tainted with the unfortunate qualities of selfishness, manipulation, and/or self-gratification, phileo probably represents the purest expression of love that most people will ever experience without God.
Some Biblical uses of this word can also be found within the following Scriptures...
"For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel" (John 5:20).
"In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I shall pray the Father for you; for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came forth from God" (John 16:26-27).
"Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts" (Luke 20:46).
Despite these appearances however, phileo is not the most common word for love in the New Testament Scriptures. We'll look at the most common word for love (including the word translated as "love" here in 1 Corinthians chapter thirteen) next.
(1) G5368 phileo Thayer’s Greek Definitions
the book of 1 corinthians chapter thirteen IV
"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but I do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so that I can remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away everything I own, and if I give over my body in order to boast, but do not have love, I receive no benefit" (1 Corinthians 13:1-3 NET).
The word "love" is a word that demonstrates an amazing degree of versatility. Depending on the context, "love" can be used to express a variety of responses that range from a general sense of admiration all the way to an intense expression of deep emotional passion. There are any number of degrees along this trajectory and because of this, it is often easy for two or more people to define "love" in a vastly different manner.
The ancient Greeks addressed this problem by developing different words to describe the various aspects of love. One such word was storge. Storge was generally associated with an affectionate kind of love. It described the type of love that a parent might express towards a child, or a family member might have towards another family member.
In other contexts, storge could be used to identify the love that one might have for a beloved pet or a benevolent ruler. In this sense, we can associate the idea behind the use of this word with the natural feeling of affection that one might have for a favorite athlete, musician, actor, or political figure today.
Another word for love was eros, a word that described the sensual, physical aspect of a love relationship. Our modern-day word erotic is derived from this word and it encompasses the intense physical and emotional passion that a human couple might feel towards one another.
In fact, 1 Corinthians 7:3-5 touched on the validity of this aspect of a marital relationship in saying, "The husband should fulfill his wife's sexual needs, and the wife should fulfill her husband's needs. The wife gives authority over her body to her husband, and the husband gives authority over his body to his wife. Do not deprive each other of sexual relations, unless you both agree to refrain from sexual intimacy for a limited time so you can give yourselves more completely to prayer..." (NLT).
Although storge and eros are not used within the Bible, we will consider a different word for love that has found its way into the New Testament Scriptures next.
the book of 1 corinthians chapter thirteen III
It's not uncommon to encounter others who are blessed with an outstanding skill or ability. Perhaps it is a talented musician or an accomplished athlete who is recognized to be among the best at what they do. It might be a skilled craftsman or a gifted artist who creates beautiful and inspiring work. Or it may be a coach or teacher who possesses the ability to help others reach their full potential.
We often honor the Provider of these abilities by identifying such individuals (and others like them) as people who were born with a "God-given" talent. But as great as it may be to possess an outstanding skill or ability, 1 Corinthians chapter thirteen tells us that there is something even better...
"If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing" (1 Corinthians 13:1-3 NIV).
One of the best ways to identify genuine love is to look for the actions that reveal its existence. Just as an image in front of a mirror produces a reflection, real love is also reflected by the actions that it serves to produce. The opening verses of 1 Corinthians chapter thirteen help to emphasize the importance of love while the next few verses will go on to provide us with a list of characteristics that we can use to identify the existence of authentic love within ourselves and others.
The problem is that "love" is one of those words that may be easy to say but difficult to define. For instance, consider the use of the word love in the following instances...
- I love football.
- I love ice cream.
- I love my pet.
- I love my friends.
- I love my children.
- I love my spouse.
Although the use of the word "love" is fully appropriate in each of these instances, it should be reasonably safe to assume that most people probably do not love ice cream in the same way in which they love spending time with their friends. The ancient Greeks found a way around this dilemma by utilizing four different words to describe the various aspects of love and we'll consider that solution in greater detail next.
the book of 1 corinthians chapter thirteen II
The thirteen verses contained within 1 Corinthians chapter thirteen are easily divided into three distinct portions. The first of these sections covers verses one to three. This segment will serve to reveal the ultimate futility associated with the exercise of a God-given gift without a corresponding attitude of love.
The next division is found within verses four to seven. This portion of Scripture identifies the nature and associated characteristics of love and provides us with a number of valuable insights. For instance, a person who studies this section may find that what some identify as "love" today may be something that bears little or no resemblance to the kind of love described in here 1 Corinthians thirteen.
The final portion of 1 Corinthians thirteen begins in verse eight and continues on throughout the remainder of this chapter. This passage identifies the temporal nature of the gifts we possess today and contrasts their short-lived character with the permanent and indestructible nature of real genuine love.
Like any good teacher, the Apostle Paul will not begin this portion of his letter to the Corinthians by immediately placing his audience on the defensive. Instead, Paul will use himself as a hypothetical example and thus serve as an indirect (but highly effective) mirror to the true nature of the Corinthians' behavior...
"Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing" (1 Corinthians 13:1-3).
Having already alerted his readers to the existence of a "more excellent way" at the close of the previous chapter, Paul will go on to describe the "...way of life that is best of all" (NLT) by first identifying what it is not. To do so, Paul will utilize the spiritual gifts of tongues and prophecy (both mentioned earlier in 1 Corinthians 12:10) along with the spiritual gift of giving (Romans 12:8) to contrast the ultimate futility of such gifts in the absence of love.
But what exactly is love? We'll begin to unpack the answer to this important question next.
the book of 1 corinthians chapter thirteen I
"Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal" (1 Corinthians 13:1).
1
Corinthians chapter thirteen is widely recognized among Christians and
non-Christians alike as the "Love Chapter" of the New Testament. As
such, it should come as no surprise to find that portions of this chapter
have found their way into many different merchandising efforts,
including key chains, bumper stickers, coffee mugs, T-shirts, pillows, and
refrigerator magnets among others.
While there are many who surely derive a legitimate spiritual benefit from these items, its important to take steps to ensure that we avoid trivializing the important Biblical truths contained within this chapter. If we allow the message of 1 Corinthians thirteen to devolve into little more than a cute slogan on a coffee mug, we may miss the important lessons we can learn from this beautiful portion of Scripture.
1 Corinthians chapter thirteen is placed squarely in the middle of a three-chapter discussion on the subject of spiritual gifts. While it may seem unusual to change the focus of this section to the subject of love, this digression actually serves an important purpose: it is designed to ensure that our priorities are in order when it comes to the proper exercise of our God-given gifts, skills, talents, and abilities.
As touched upon previously in 1 Corinthians chapter twelve, judgments such as "superior" or "inferior" are often determined by the standard of measurement we use. For the Christian community at Corinth, the external display of various spiritual gifts served as a measure of spiritual superiority. However, Paul the Apostle will go on to re-orient the Corinthians' thinking in this regard by stressing the fact that love is the true measure of spiritual maturity here in 1 Corinthians thirteen.
One commentator expresses this idea in the following manner...
"Instead of selfishly and jealously desiring showy gifts which they don’t have, believers should pursue the greatest thing of all—love for each other. This chapter is considered by many the greatest literary passage ever penned by Paul. It is central to his earnestly dealing with spiritual gifts (chaps. 12–14), because after discussing the endowment of gifts (chap. 12) and before presenting the function of gifts (chap. 14), he addresses the attitude necessary in all ministry in the church (chap. 13)." (1)
Finally, another commentator laments the discord between the type of love described within this chapter and it's practice down through the ages in the following manner: Many consider 1 Corinthians chapter thirteen to be the most wonderful chapter in the New Testament. It has been admired by all ages, but, unfortunately, practiced by none. (2)
(1) MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (1 Co 13:1–13). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers.
(2) (1) Coffman, James Burton. "Commentary on 1 Corinthians 9". "Coffman Commentaries on the Old and New Testament". <http://classic.studylight.org/com/bcc/view.cgi?book=1co&chapter=013>. Abilene Christian University Press, Abilene, Texas, USA. 1983-1999.
the book of 1 corinthians chapter twelve XXVII
"Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?" (1 Corinthians 12:29-30).
The Apostle Paul will close out this portion of his letter to the Corinthian church with a series of rhetorical questions that helped to emphasize an fundamental concept. These questions effectively served as a powerful tool in the hand of the Apostle, for they served to lead his audience to an important destination in regard to the gifts of the Spirit.
In this instance, Paul was not seeking answers to any of the questions found within this passage for the answers to these questions are clearly implied. Instead, these questions helped to direct the reader to a key idea- spiritual gifts are not necessarily distributed in a uniform manner. In other words, no two people should expect to receive an identical set of spiritual gifts since "...one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills" (1 Corinthians 12:11).
"But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way" (1 Corinthians 12:31).
Like so many things, the definition of "best" often depends on the standard of measurement we use. In the context of 1 Corinthians chapter twelve, the "best" gifts are those that are generally aligned with something we read earlier in 1 Corinthians 12:7: "...the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all." In light of this, we can say that the best gifts are likely to be those that can be used to benefit the greatest number of others.
This should serve to remind us that the best gifts may not always be the most visible gifts. For instance, the person who quietly employs the little-noticed gifts of helps or administration may be doing more to advance God's work than the person who exercises a much more visible spiritual gift. One spiritual gift is not necessarily superior to another but one may be more profitable in the sense that it benefits a greater number of people.
So while it is the Holy Spirit's prerogative to distribute each spiritual gift individually as He wills, this does not preclude us from seeking the gifts that will best meet the needs of our families, churches, nations, and generation. But even so, there is a manner of life that excels the exercise of these spiritual gifts- and Paul will go on to discuss that "more excellent way" in the next chapter.
the book of 1 corinthians chapter twelve XXVI
"And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues" (1 Corinthians 12:28 ESV).
To complete the list of spiritual gifts found here in 1 Corinthians chapter twelve, the final verses of this chapter will go on to list a few gifts that might be employed in a variety of different ways. For instance, three of the gifts mentioned here -healing, helping, and administrating- are often found among those who can adapt to the changing needs and conditions of a given situation with a great degree of flexibility.
To begin, we can associate "gifts of healing" with the God-given ability to restore others to health and wellness. As mentioned previously, this spiritual gift is often identified with the type of miraculous healings that are found within the New Testament Gospels and the book of Acts. While this is certainly a valid application, we should also consider the possibility that God has specifically gifted many nurses, physicians, surgeons, mental health specialists and other health care professionals with the ability to bring healing to others today.
"Helping" is a spiritual gift that is generally associated with those who work to aid others in some manner. A person with the gift of helps is someone who can identify a work that needs to be done (or a work that might be done more effectively) and steps up to address the situation. A service ministry, counseling ministry, or other organization that seeks to aid those in need can usually benefit from the work of those who possess the gift of helping.
We can also identify a person who is skilled in the area of direction and management as someone who may possess the gift of administration. Whenever there is a task, project, or activity to complete, a person who has received this spiritual gift is someone who can anticipate and determine the most productive, efficient, and economical way to get things done. A person with this spiritual gift is often someone who quietly and effectively works "behind the scenes" to advance God's agenda with a minimum of recognition or fanfare.
Finally, the spiritual gift of tongues refers to the ability given by the Holy Spirit to speak in a language that would not normally be known to the speaker. This spiritual gift was mentioned earlier within this chapter and we'll go on to consider this subject in greater detail in our study of 1 Corinthians chapter fourteen.
the book of 1 corinthians chapter twelve XXV
"So God has appointed and placed in the church [for His own use]: first apostles [chosen by Christ], second prophets [those who foretell the future, those who speak a new message from God to the people], third teachers, then those who work miracles, then those with the gifts of healings, the helpers, the administrators, and speakers in various kinds of [unknown] tongues" (1 Corinthians 12:28 AMP).
As mentioned previously, a "miracle" involves a God-ordained suspension of the laws that generally govern the course of nature. Scholar and author Norman Geisler summarizes this idea by saying, "In brief, a miracle is a divine intervention into the natural world. It is a supernatural exception to the regular course of the world that would not have occurred otherwise." (1)
Another resource co-authored by Dr. Geisler makes the following observation...
"In fact, miracles are not only possible; miracles are actual, because the greatest miracle of all- the creation of the universe out of nothing- has already occurred. So with regard to the Bible, if Genesis 1:1 is true- "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth" -then every other miracle in the Bible is easy to believe.
Can a God who created the entire universe out of nothing part the Red Sea? Bring fire down from heaven? Keep a man safe in a great fish for three days? Accurately predict future events? Turn water into wine? Heal diseases instantaneously? Raise the dead? Of course. All of those miraculous events are simple tasks for an infinitely powerful Being who created the universe in the first place." (2)
Although some may object to the legitimacy of the miraculous on the basis that miracles are a violation of the natural laws that govern the course of nature, we might ask the following question in response: which natural law is the Creator of every natural law obligated to follow?
You see, just as a computer programmer or systems designer is free to interrupt the natural workings of a program or design, so may God also elect to interrupt the natural workings of His design should He choose to do so.
Of course, a person who holds an anti-supernatural bias is likely to reject the possibility that God might temporarily override the natural laws that He has established. But when events occur for which there can be no other reasonable (or possible) explanation, we might appropriate the following insight from the great fictional detective Sherlock Holmes...
"How often have I said to you that when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth?” (3)
(1) Norman Geisler Miracles and the Modern Mind: A Defense of Biblical Miracles [pg.14]
(2) Norman L. Geisler and Frank Turek I Don't Have Enough Faith To Be An Atheist 8 Miracles: Signs of God or Gullibility? (pg.203)
(3) The Sign of the Four, ch. 6 (1890)
the book of 1 corinthians chapter twelve XXIV
"In the church, God has appointed first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, the ability to help others, leadership skills, different kinds of tongues" (1 Corinthians 12:28 CEB).
The spiritual office of "teacher" is next among the gifts and functions listed for us here within 1 Corinthians 12:28. This important responsibility can also be found among the lists of spiritual gifts contained within Romans 12:6-8 and Ephesians 4:11 as well.
The position of teacher is one of a number of spiritual offices that have been established by God for an important purpose: "...to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ" (Ephesians 4:12 ESV). Thus, the spiritual gift of teaching helps prepare God's people to fulfill His call upon their lives.
Although the concepts of preaching and teaching are sometimes used interchangeably, there are some differences between them. "Preaching" generally involves an exhortation or call to action. On the other hand, a teacher seeks to communicate the Scriptures in a way that others can understand, remember, and apply. While a preacher can preach without teaching and a teacher can teach without preaching, a good teacher does not simply communicate the facts- he or she will incorporate an element of preaching by exhorting others to act upon what they have learned.
While a teaching position may sound attractive, a person who makes the commitment to teach the Scriptures must also accept the accountability that goes along with it. That accountability can be found within James 3:1: "...let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment."
You see, it is possible for a sincere and well-meaning teacher to cause great spiritual and/or emotional damage in the lives of others. Lives may be ruined, churches may be adversely affected, and cultic organizations may get their start whenever someone begins teaching the Scriptures when he or she shouldn't do so.
A teacher who abuses his or her authority, misrepresents God, or teaches something that is Scripturally unsound will give an account for such actions- and the judgment will be very strict. In addition, a teacher should also expect to be called to account for his or her motivation in seeking to teach the Scriptures and whether he or she actually followed the Scriptural precepts that were taught.
This is not meant to dissuade someone from engaging in this valuable ministry but it does illustrate the need to count the cost before pursuing such work. Anyone who does not sense God's calling to teach should think twice before assuming this important responsibility.
Portions of this message were condensed and adapted from a more extensive study beginning here.
the book of 1 corinthians chapter twelve XXIII
"First, God has appointed apostles in the church. Second, he has appointed prophets. Third, he has appointed teachers. Then he has appointed people who do miracles and those who have gifts of healing. He also appointed those able to help others, those able to direct things, and those who can speak in different kinds of languages they had not known before" (1 Corinthians 12:28 NIRV).
As we continue with the roles, responsibilities, and offices found within 1 Corinthians 12:28, here are some additional tests that can help confirm the legitimacy of those who claim to possess the gift of prophecy...
4. Does the person in question encourage others to seek direction from a spiritual source other than God and His Word?
"If a prophet, or one who foretells by dreams, appears among you and announces to you a miraculous sign or wonder, and if the sign or wonder of which he has spoken takes place, and he says, 'Let us follow other gods' (gods you have not known) 'and let us worship them,' you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer.
The LORD your God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul. It is the LORD your God you must follow, and him you must revere..." (Deuteronomy 13:1-4 NIV).
A genuine prophet will direct others to the God of the Scriptures exclusively; those who fail to do so cannot be true prophets of God.
5. Does the person in question fail to tell the truth about Jesus?
"Dearly loved friends, don't always believe everything you hear just because someone says it is a message from God: test it first to see if it really is. For there are many false teachers around, and the way to find out if their message is from the Holy Spirit is to ask: Does it really agree that Jesus Christ, God's Son, actually became man with a human body?
If so, then the message is from God. If not, the message is not from God but from one who is against Christ, like the 'Antichrist' you have heard about who is going to come, and his attitude of enmity against Christ is already abroad in the world" (1 John 4:1-3 TLB).
If these questions can be answered affirmatively, then we can be sure that the person in question is not speaking for God. Remember that God cannot lie (Titus 1:2) nor can His Word fail (Isaiah 55:11), and a true prophetic messenger would never say anything that is contrary to God's Word or His character.
the book of 1 corinthians chapter twelve XXII
"And God has placed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, next miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, managing, various kinds of languages" (1 Corinthians 12:28 HCSB).
The second office mentioned within 1 Corinthians 12:28 is that of a prophet. While there may be any number of seers, fortune-tellers, soothsayers, prognosticators or others who claim to be able to foretell the future today, how can we best determine if such individuals are truly legitimate?
Well, the Scriptures provide us with a few tests that can we use to verify the authenticity of those who claim to possess a prophetic gift...
1. Has the person in question ever offered a "prophecy" that failed to come to pass?
"If you wonder, 'How shall we know whether the prophecy is from the Lord or not?' this is the way to know: If the thing he prophesies doesn't happen, it is not the Lord who has given him the message; he has made it up himself. You have nothing to fear from him" (Deuteronomy 18:21-22 TLB).
We should remember that the test of a genuine prophet is 100% accuracy in his or her prophetic statements. While anyone is free to make a prediction or an educated guess, a person who purports to offer a prophetic statement carries the burden of fulfillment. A person who "prophesies" something that fails to come to pass is just a forecaster at best (or a deceiver at worst). (1)
2. Does the person in question claim to be in contact with the "spirits of the dead" or other such activities?
"Do not turn to mediums or seek out spiritists, for you will be defiled by them. I am the LORD your God" (Leviticus 19:31 NIV).
To borrow a question from the Biblical prophet Isaiah, why would anyone consult the dead on behalf of the living? (Isaiah 8:19-20). A genuine prophet would receive guidance and direction from God instead of seeking insight from the "spirits of the dead."
3. Is the person in question involved in astrology, divination, or other similar types of occultic activity?
"Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the LORD, and because of these detestable practices the LORD your God will drive out those nations before you" (Deuteronomy 18:10-12 NIV).
No genuine prophet would ever use a method that God found detestable in order to seek direction from Him.
We'll look at some additional tests for a genuine prophet next.
(1) Some may point to the example of Jonah as evidence for the claim that a legitimate prophet can offer a prophetic statement that fails to come to pass. However, God's expressed benevolence towards the repentant must be understood to form an inherent part of the context of Jonah's prophetic message (see Ezekiel 33:11-19)
the book of 1 corinthians chapter twelve XXI
"Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. 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" (1 Corinthians 12:27-28).
Having earlier listed a number of different spiritual gifts in verses 8-10, 1 Corinthians 12:27-28 now follows with a short list of roles, responsibilities, and functions within the church. First among these is the office of an apostle.
As mentioned earlier, an apostle is a "commissioned representative" much like an emissary or a spokesperson today. In a general sense, an apostle is something like the modern-day ambassador who represents his or her country within a foreign nation.
In a Biblical context, an apostle is someone who has been entrusted with the power and authority to act as a representative of Christ. We can find an example of this type of delegated authority within the New Testament gospel of Luke...
"Then (Jesus) called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases. He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.
And He said to them, 'Take nothing for the journey, neither staffs nor bag nor bread nor money; and do not have two tunics apiece. Whatever house you enter, stay there, and from there depart. And whoever will not receive you, when you go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet as a testimony against them.' So they departed and went through the towns, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere" (Luke 9:1-6).
While every follower of Jesus is an "apostle" in the sense that every Christian is (or should be) an ambassador of Christ, these New Testament apostles carried certain qualifications that set them apart from all who followed. For example...
- They were first-century eyewitnesses of Jesus following His resurrection (1 Corinthians 9:1).
- They were personally selected by Jesus to fulfill the role of an apostle (Matthew 10:1-4, Acts 9:10-16). (1)
- They were given the ability to perform the miraculous (Acts 2:43).
We should also note that the book of Revelation speaks of a holy city that will exist in the future, a city that features an interesting construction element: "...the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb" (Revelation 21:14).
So while every Christian serves as an apostle in a limited sense, it's also true that no one today can speak with the same authority as these first century apostles who were personally selected by Jesus to communicate His message.
(1) Acts 1:26 tells us that a man named Matthias "...was numbered with the eleven apostles" as Judas Iscariot's replacement (see Acts 1:15-26). There is some debate as to whether Paul or Matthias constituted this twelfth disciple. A case could be made for Matthias' selection since he was chosen by lot following the disciples' prayerful request for God's direction.
the book of 1 corinthians chapter twelve XX
"No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. 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. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it" (1 Corinthians 12:22-26).
The Apostle Paul has continued with the God-inspired illustration of the human body as an analogy for the church for almost half of this chapter- and in reading through this portion of 1 Corinthians chapter twelve, it becomes abundantly clear that every individual member of the church is a person of importance. We can build upon this analogy by keeping a simple but important premise in mind: every human being is comprised of more than what we can see.
While society generally tends to assign the greatest value to someone's physical attractiveness, even a visibly attractive person must still depend upon the parts of his or her body that cannot be seen. These internal organs often go unappreciated in their daily operation- until they fail to perform for some reason. It is only then that we can appreciate just how valuable these unseen parts of the body really are.
In like manner, we may tend to pay little or no attention to the important (but sometimes undervalued) responsibilities that are carried out by God's people. These unsung members of the Body of Christ often draw little or no attention to their work- until they are gone or otherwise prohibited from fulfilling their responsibilities for some reason. Thus, we are reminded of the truth contained within 1 Corinthians 12:22: "...some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary" (NLT).
One commentator provides us with a further illustration of this idea: "If you throw a touchdown pass and win the game, does your left arm get upset because your right arm threw the ball? No, your whole body celebrates. So, too, as believers, we both suffer and celebrate together because we’re all members of the same body." (1)
(1) Courson, J. (2003). Jon Courson’s Application Commentary (p. 1073). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson.
the book of 1 corinthians chapter twelve XIX
"As it is, there are many parts, but one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, 'I don't need you!' And the head cannot say to the feet, 'I don't need you!'" (1 Corinthians 1220-21 NIV).
Much like the human body, every man or woman of God has a particular role and responsibility within the body of Christ. In addition to the passage quoted above, the Apostle Paul expressed this idea within the New Testament book of Romans as well...
"We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully. Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves" (Romans 12:6-10 NIV).
The Apostle Peter echoed a similar theme...
"Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen" (1 Peter 4:10 NIV).
These passages should also serve to remind us that there are two great and equal dangers to the body. The first is a member that doesn't do what it's supposed to do. The second is a member that is doing something that it's not supposed to do. Therefore, it is critically important to identify our individual roles and functions within the Body of Christ and work to fulfill them.
Each day represents a new opportunity to do something good and productive in God's service- and those who identify and employ their God-given spiritual gifts will be well positioned to take advantage of whatever opportunities the day may bring. The person who does so will not only serve to benefit others but will also enjoy the fulfillment and satisfaction that comes from utilizing God's gifts in His service.
the book of 1 corinthians chapter twelve XVIII
"But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. 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'" (1 Corinthians 12:20-21).
While there may be greater value in the exercise of certain spiritual gifts (as we'll later go on to see), it is important to remember that there is no greater value associated with the person who has received such gifts. To help illustrate this idea, let's continue with the concept of the human body as a metaphor for the church.
For example, a person's head may have greater value than certain other parts of the body but it cannot function independently of those other parts. If the head of a human body did not have the heart to supply blood, the lungs to provide oxygen, or the stomach to digest and dispense nutrients, it simply could not survive.
However, we should also note that the opposite is true as well- each of these vital internal organs could not survive without the head either, for each is mutually dependent upon the other to perform its function. The point is that every member of the body -whether it is visible or unseen- must do its part in order to function properly.
As any medical professional is surely aware, a small or seemingly inconsequential body part that fails to fulfill it's function may put the entire body at risk. In a similar manner, a gifted minister or musician may have have a great deal of visibility in the exercise of his or her gifts, but that person must often depend on a variety of other skilled and gifted individuals within the body of Christ to accomplish specific tasks. Much like the internal organs of the human body, those individuals may not be not visible to others but their work is vitally important in helping another part of the body fulfill its role.
So the idea is that each part of the body has value in relation to the other. In commenting on the analogy found within this passage, one source makes two thought-provoking observations: "It is interesting that Paul used the head and the feet as examples, the top of the body and the bottom. He may have been reminding those who felt superior that those whom they regarded as inferior were also necessary (cf. 1Co_11:17-34). Too often because we differ from each other we also differ with each other." (1)
(1) Dr. Constable's Expository Notes Notes on 1 Corinthians 2017 Edition, The application of the figure 12:15-26 [12:21] http://www.soniclight.com/constable/notes/htm/NT/1%20Corinthians/1Corinthians.htm
the book of 1 corinthians chapter twelve XVII
"If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body" (1 Corinthians 12:17-20 NIV).
A tried and true formula of old low-budget horror films from the 1950's involved isolating a portion of the human anatomy, endowing it with
abnormal power and/or supernatural ability, and then unleashing "terror" upon an unsuspecting group of people.
While the ridiculous plot lines, substandard acting, cheap sets, and ludicrous special effects of such "B" movies are regularly lampooned in modern-day pop culture, there is an important question to ask when we strip away the laughable production values of such movies- why would a screenwriter choose to utilize such a formula as the basis for a horror film?
One possible answer is that the idea of a body part that dominates or has grown out of proportion to the rest of the body is something grotesque. Therefore, this concept serves as a good foundation for a horror movie even if that movie ends up generating more laughs than actual horror.
On the other hand, a normal, healthy, functional body is one where each individual member does its part and works in harmony with each other. In a similar manner, humanity's Designer has carefully and purposely endowed each member of the church with various gifts much as He has arranged the various parts of the human body with a specific purpose and function.
As one commentator explains in comparing the various members of the human body to the body of Christ, "...each (has) a particular gift or gifts, serving in ways analogous to the various functions of the different members of a physical body. Not all believers have the gift of tongues or of teaching, any more than all members of a body function as eyes or ears." (1)
The distribution of these gifts to each individual represents a conscious and premeditated decision on behalf of the God who has "...placed each one of the parts in one body just as He wanted" (HCSB). Because of this, we hold a duty and responsibility to discover those gifts that God has sovereignly distributed to us and employ them in His service.
(1) Dr. Henry M. Morris, The New Defender's Study Bible [1 Corinthians 12:13] http://www.icr.org/
the book of 1 corinthians chapter twelve XVI
"For in fact the body is not one member but many. If the foot should say, 'Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body, is it therefore not of the body? 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?" (1 Corinthians 12:14-16).
The Apostle Paul went on to develop the concept of the human body as a metaphor for the church by illustrating the worth and interrelation of each individual member here in 1 Corinthians 12:14-16. This analogy served to emphasize the significance and importance of every member of the body of Christ within the church at Corinth.
But the impact of this message goes far beyond this first century church, for this passage carries relevance for every generation. You see, even if we are inclined to dismiss our God-given gifts or diminish the gifts that others possess, this portion of Scripture reminds us that every member of Christ's body has value regardless of the spiritual gifts that he or she has (or has not) received.
For instance, we may feel dispirited if we encounter others who possess exceptional God-given abilities, especially when those abilities are compared to our own. Or perhaps we may be discouraged by the lack of opportunity to exercise our gifts in comparison to other, similarly gifted individuals.
While it may be easy to yield to a sense of dejection in such situations, 1 Corinthians 12:14-16 reminds us that every member within the body is important. Therefore, we would be far better served to evaluate ourselves by our degree of faithfulness in utilizing the gifts, skills, talents, and abilities God has entrusted to us.
We may never be more than what we are within the body of Christ but to use Paul's analogy, that does not permit us to say, "...I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand" (TLB). Instead, we should seek to be the best we can be wherever God has placed us by utilizing the gifts that the Holy Spirit has personally distributed to us.
So these verses represent an important and timely reminder for God's people today- and as one author reminds us, "There is no room for self-pity at having a less prominent gift, ministry, or position; each and every part of the body is vital for the working of the whole." (1)
(1) Bob Caldwell, 1 Corinthians 12 Unity and Diversity in One Body [v.15]
the book of 1 corinthians chapter twelve XV
"For as the body is one and has many parts, and all the parts of that body, though many, are one body--so also is Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free--and we were all made to drink of one Spirit" (1 Corinthians 12:12-13).
As found within the original language used to author this passage, the word "baptized" carries the idea of something that has been immersed within a body of water. (1) Thus, every Corinthian believer -regardless of race, culture, social status, or national origin- had been similarly immersed within the Body of Christ. In part, it was this immersive oneness in Christ that made the Corinthians' behavior during the Communion meal so unfortunate as discussed extensively in chapter eleven.
This illustration also served to reinforce a concept that Paul had already established within this epistle- just as the human body cannot be divided into it's constituent parts and continue to function properly, the same is true of Jesus' church, the body of Christ. One practical outgrowth of this idea can be found within the Apostle Paul's letter to the Philippian church...
"...for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid more than once when I was in need. Not that I desire your gifts; what I desire is that more be credited to your account. I have received full payment and have more than enough. I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:16-19 NIV).
After Paul departed from Philippi during his second missionary journey, he next traveled next to Thessalonica. While he was there, the church at Philippi continued to demonstrate their support by sending assistance to him. In addition, we'll later find that the Philippians continued to support Paul while he was preaching in Corinth as well (2 Corinthians 11:9).
So these diverse members of the body of Christ each worked together to achieve a specific goal. In other words, the Philippians did what they could to help Paul do what he could. Thus, these examples represent a good illustration of the idea behind verse twelve and the verses to follow: "Christ is just like the human body—a body is a unit and has many parts; and all the parts of the body are one body, even though there are many" (CEB).
(1) G907 baptizo Thayer's Greek Definitions https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?t=nkjv&strongs=g907
the book of 1 corinthians chapter twelve XIV
"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. 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" (1 Corinthians 12:12-13).
As we temporarily set aside the topic of spiritual gifts (a subject to which the Apostle Paul will later return), we'll find that much of the remainder of 1 Corinthians chapter twelve will be devoted to the use of the human body as an analogy for the church. This comparison proved to be a particular favorite of Paul the Apostle and he employed it on a number of occasions within his New Testament writings...
"For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another" (Romans 12:4-5).
"And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ" (Ephesians 4:11-13).
"And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence" (Colossians 1:18).
While this illustration is relatively easy to grasp, the true genius behind the use of this analogy becomes evident when we stop to examine it more closely. For instance, consider the actions that must take place within the human body in order to accomplish a simple task such as the act of drinking a glass of water.
First, the brain must send the proper command. Next, the eyes, shoulder, elbow, wrist, and fingers (along with their associated muscles) must work together to retrieve the glass. In the meantime, the brain must compensate for the weight, height, and width of the glass (along with with its contents) and calculate for the potential movement of the water within it. Finally, the person must raise the glass to his or her mouth without spilling it and pour the contents -not too quickly or too slowly- from the glass.
So this basic task is actually much more complex than it seems- and the same is true of Jesus' church as well. We'll see how 1 Corinthians chapter twelve effectively utilizes the human body as a fitting analogy for the church as we continue through this chapter.
the book of 1 corinthians chapter twelve XIII
"But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills" (1 Corinthians 12:11).
1 Corinthians 12:11 reiterates a point made earlier in 1 Corinthians 12:7- every man and women of God has received at least one spiritual gift. These two verses also bracket a portion of Scripture that emphasizes two other important elements of the Holy Spirit's work.
First, this passage serves to accentuate the Spirit's role in distributing these gifts. Next, we're told that the distribution of each spiritual gift involves the sovereign exercise of the Spirit's will. Taken together, these realities should encourage us to restrain from devaluing one spiritual gift at the expense of another.
One source makes the following observation with regard to the Spirit's distribution of these gifts "individually as He wills"...
"This brief clause sets the preceding list of gifts in the proper perspective. Whether an individual or a church possesses a particular gift is not for us to decide. It is the Spirit who sovereignly provides for the people of God. That factor may explain why no NT passage gives a complete catalog of gifts or a precise definition of them, since they may vary significantly according to God’s plans in changing situations. A church may appropriately pray for God to grant gifts to meet its needs, but such prayers must be offered in submission to His sovereign will and perfect wisdom." (1)
We should also note the personal pronoun ("He") as well as the demonstration of will that marks the Holy Spirit's activity within this passage. These characteristics are associated with a personal being and not an impersonal force as some self-identified "Christian" organizations would have us believe.
Finally, the sovereign power of choice exercised by the Holy Spirit in regard to the distribution of these spiritual gifts has prompted one commentator to address an important question concerning the Spirit's work today...
"Many people are asking today, 'Why don't we have miracles like they did in the New Testament? Why don't we have great healings, tremendous demonstrations of the power of God?' Well, the answer is: The Spirit has not given those gifts. It is not because the church is carnal. It is carnal, but so was Corinth. The most carnal church in the New Testament had these gifts abounding. This is no sign. The true answer is: The Spirit has not chosen to give those gifts today. If he had, he would give them quite regardless of how spiritual or carnal we are, as he did at Corinth. These are given by the Spirit, 'as he wills.'" (2)
(1) Sproul, R. C. (Ed.). (2015). The Reformation Study Bible: English Standard Version (2015 Edition) (p. 2034). Orlando, FL: Reformation Trust.
(2) Ray C. Stedman Guidelines on Gifts © 1978, 1995 by Ray Stedman Ministries. https://www.raystedman.org/new-testament/1-corinthians/guidelines-on-gifts
the book of 1 corinthians chapter twelve XII
"to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues" (1 Corinthians 12:10 NIV).
1 Corinthians 12:10 touches upon a controversial subject for many within the church today- the subject of speaking in tongues. This spiritual gift refers to the ability given by the Holy Spirit to speak in a language that would not normally be known to the speaker. The language involved may be a language that is native to another culture or a language that will later be described by Paul the Apostle as "...the tongues of... angels" in 1 Corinthians 13:1.
A Christian who speaks in tongues is communicating in a manner that goes beyond the limitations of human intellect and understanding. Since this gift may also involve the conveyance of information that a listener might not understand, a person who possesses the spiritual gift of interpretation can assist others in receiving and acting upon such a message when necessary.
One source provides us with the following primer of the subject of tongues and the interpretation of tongues...
The “gift of tongues” has been the most controversial of the gifts, especially in connection with the charismatic renewal of recent decades. The word “tongue” itself (Greek glossa from which we get “glossolalia”), as used in both Biblical and extra-Biblical Greek writings, always refers either to a definite structured language or else the physical organ of speech (never to meaningless noises).
Its use is clearly described in Acts 2:4-6 when the gift of tongues was first given, and included known ethnic languages that were unknown to the respective speakers. The 'interpretation [i.e., 'translation'] of tongues' similarly was the supernatural ability to understand and translate words spoken in a language unknown to the translator." (1)
The spiritual gift of tongues is not only mentioned here in 1 Corinthians chapter twelve, but is also referenced again in the following chapter (albeit briefly), and then again in 1 Corinthians chapter fourteen. In fact, 1 Corinthians chapter fourteen is devoted almost entirely to the subject of speaking in tongues. Since this spiritual gift is the focus of much attention within this epistle, its likely that it was greatly employed among the members of the Corinthian fellowship.
In light of the fact that 1 Corinthians chapter fourteen will go on to explore the use and function of this particular spiritual gift in greater detail, we'll examine this subject more thoroughly when we reach that portion of Scripture.
(1) Dr. Henry M. Morris, The New Defender's Study Bible [1 Corinthians 12:10] http://www.icr.org/
the book of 1 corinthians chapter twelve XI
"to another performance of miracles, to another prophecy, and to another discernment of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues" (1 Corinthians 12:10 NET).
The next spiritual gift mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12:10 is "discerning of spirits" (NKJV) or "...the ability to judge what is from the Spirit and what is not" (ERV). As mentioned earlier, the gift of discernment involves the ability to see things as God sees them and not necessarily how they may appear to be. The gift of discernment can enable us to exercise perception, wisdom, and good judgment, especially when it comes to unearthing the real spiritual motivation behind someone's actions.
Of course, the need for discernment (especially in regard to spiritual matters) is really nothing new, for the New Testament itself provides us with the following warning: "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world" (1 John 4:1). This portion of Scripture then goes on to offer an important tool for the spiritually discerning...
"This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world" (1 John 4:2-3).
So a person who presents a "Jesus" who is different from the Jesus that is found within the pages of the Scriptures is someone who is not telling the truth about Christ. In many instances, its possible to identify such individuals simply by opening a conversation on the topic of spiritual matters. But in those situations where someone's real spiritual motivation remains more deeply hidden, a person with the gift of discernment is someone who can positively identify a proverbial "wolf in sheep's clothing."
Just as it was in the days of the first century, modern-day society also abounds with spiritual frauds, charlatans, and opportunists, as well as "...hucksters—and there are many of them—whose idea in getting out the Gospel is to make a good living out of it" (2 Corinthians 2:17 TLB). A person who has been supernaturally endowed with the gift of discernment can help protect others by identifying and exposing the attitudes, motives, beliefs, and agendas of those who may not be what they appear to be.
the book of 1 corinthians chapter twelve X
"to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues" (1 Corinthians 12:10 ESV).
A genuine "prophet" can be identified as someone who possesses the ability to provide God's direction as prompted by the Holy Spirit. We might also define a legitimate prophet as someone who conveys divinely-initiated information concerning a particular situation or future event. In addition to the numerous prophets mentioned in the Old Testament Scriptures, the New Testament book of Acts also identifies a prophet named Agabus as well.
The spiritual gift of prophecy remains the subject of some controversy within the church today. In considering the potential validity of this gift in the post-New Testament era, we can begin with the observation that no modern-day "prophetic message" can ever carry the same authority as the inspired Word of God as found within the Biblical Scriptures. Instead, a statement that claims to be prophetic must be fully aligned with the Word of God. If it fails to do so, we can confidently say that such a message does not originate with the Holy Spirit.
Another potential concern can be found in the tendency of some within the church to preface various statements with the words, "The Lord told me..." or "The Lord spoke to me..." or other similar terms. Although God can certainly speak and provide direction today, it is important to carefully consider the potential ramifications of such statements.
The issue is that a preface such as ''The Lord spoke to me...'' implies that God Himself is the source of whatever is to follow. If we subsequently go on to misrepresent the Lord in any way when initiating our statements in this manner (no matter how sincere or well-intentioned we may be), we run the risk of violating the Scriptural warning found in Proverbs 30:6: ''Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar" (NIV).
Modern church history is inundated with spiritual predictions and "prophecies" that have failed to come to pass- and that unfortunate reality will go hand-in-hand with the spiritual gift that we will go on to examine next. In light of this, perhaps we can best associate the function of a prophetic gift in a modern-day church setting with the person who is prompted by the Holy Spirit to bring a fresh application of Biblical truth to a particular circumstance or situation.
the book of 1 corinthians chapter twelve IX
"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" (1 Corinthians 12:10).
We often use the word "miracle" in an ironic or facetious manner when dealing with the frustrations and absurdities of life: "I only had to wait on hold for twenty minutes- it was a miracle!" While it may be amusing to refer to such events in this manner, this word actually represents an important Biblical concept.
You see, a genuine miracle involves a God-ordained suspension of the laws that generally govern the course of nature. A miracle represents a specific act of God that overrides the established patterns that normally exist within our natural world. Scholar and author Norman Geisler summarizes this idea by saying, "In brief, a miracle is a divine intervention into the natural world. It is a supernatural exception to the regular course of the world that would not have occurred otherwise." (1)
This was something that the Apostle Paul understood from personal experience...
"God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them" (Acts 19:11-12 NIV).
Dr. Geisler also offers a more detailed explanation regarding this subject...
"In the Bible’s pattern, a miracle has several dimensions:
- First, miracles have an unusual character. It is an out-of-the-ordinary event in contrast to the regular pattern of events in the natural world. As a 'wonder' it attracts attention by its uniqueness. A burning bush that is not consumed, fire from heaven, and a person strolling on water are not normal occurrences. Hence, they draw the interest of observers.
- Second, miracles have a theological dimension. A miracle is an act of God that presupposes a God who acts. The view that a God beyond the universe created it, controls it, and can interfere in it is theism.
- Third, miracles have a moral dimension. They bring glory to God by manifesting his moral character. Miracles are visible acts that reflect the invisible nature of God. No true miracle, then, is evil, because God is good. Miracles by nature aim to produce and/or promote good.
- Fourth, miracles have a doctrinal dimension. Miracles in the Bible are connected directly or indirectly with 'truth claims' They are ways to tell a true prophet from a false prophet (Deut. 18:22). They confirm the truth of God through the servant of God (Heb. 2:3–4). Message and miracle go hand-in-hand.
- Fifth, miracles have a teleological dimension. Unlike magic, they are never performed to entertain (see Luke 23:8). Miracles have the distinctive purpose to glorify the Creator and to provide evidence for people to believe by accrediting the message of God through the prophet of God." (2)
(1) Norman Geisler Miracles and the Modern Mind: A Defense of Biblical Miracles [pg.14]
(2) Geisler, N. L. (1999). Miracle. Baker encyclopedia of Christian apologetics (p. 451). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.
the book of 1 corinthians chapter twelve VIII
"to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit" (1 Corinthians 12:9).
The Biblical book of Hebrews tells us that "…faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see" (Hebrews 11:1 NIV). One Bible dictionary expands on this definition by identifying faith as "A belief in or confident attitude toward God, involving commitment to His will for one's life." (1) In other words, faith involves the confident expectation that God is completely trustworthy and that He will fulfill His promises even when external appearances might seem to suggest otherwise.
These characteristics are important for as Hebrews 11:6 reminds us, "You can never please God without faith, without depending on him. Anyone who wants to come to God must believe that there is a God and that he rewards those who sincerely look for him" (TLB). So in general terms, we can say that faith represents the confident belief that God is who He says He is and will do what He says He'll do.
Aside from the saving faith that every true Christian possesses, 1 Corinthians 12:9 also identifies a specific gift of faith as well. This gift may often be associated with an exceptional level of trust in God, a deep and abiding commitment to the pursuit of God's agenda in prayer, or the capacity to believe God for the accomplishment of an extraordinary or seemingly impossible act.
This verse also goes on to reference "gifts of healing," a spiritual gift that is related to a specific ability to restore someone to health. While this spiritual gift is generally identified with the type of miraculous healings that we find within the New Testament Gospels and the book of Acts, we should also leave room to consider the possibility that God has supernaturally endowed many medical professionals with the knowledge, skill, and ability necessary to cure those who are ill.
It may be significant to note that this verse utilizes the plural form of the word gift in speaking of "gifts of healing" This may serve to indicate the various types of healing (physical, psychological, or emotional) that one might receive. But regardless of the manner in which these gifts are employed, this passage again reminds us that there are varieties of gifts that originate with one source- the Holy Spirit. As 1 Corinthians 12:11 will later go on to tell us, "...one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills."
(1) "Faith" Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Copyright © 1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers
the book of 1 corinthians chapter twelve VII
"for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit" (1 Corinthians 12:8).
The primacy of the Holy Spirit's work in distributing various spiritual gifts among God's people can be verified by the fact His work is referenced five different times within the five verses that comprise 1 Corinthians 12:7-11. There are nine different spiritual gifts listed within this portion of Scripture and the two listed here in verse eight are closely tied to the characteristics of insight, awareness, and understanding.
While most people can be said to possess the qualities of wisdom and knowledge to a greater or lesser extent, the "word of wisdom" and "word of knowledge" referenced here implies something considerably more than just an awareness of the facts and the proper way to act upon them. Since there are no precise definitions of these terms within the Scriptures, a look at two Biblical examples can help provide us with the right parameters to recognize and properly employ such gifts.
For instance, it appears the Apostle Peter was provided with some divinely-sourced knowledge during his encounter with two people who were not what they appeared to be (see Acts 5:1-11). In that instance, Peter was made aware of some information that allowed him to recognize a situation that might have seemed perfectly appropriate to a casual observer but was actually very wrong.
In the following chapter of the book of Acts we are introduced to a man named Stephen. In reading of Stephen's interaction with group of people who were hostile to Christianity, we're told that his opponents were "were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke" (Acts 6:10). Since wisdom largely involves knowing how to properly apply the facts of a given situation, we can say that Stephen was empowered with the ability to counter his opponents with an application of the truth that they simply could not deny.
As to the way in which these gifts might be exercised today, we can say that a word of wisdom or a word of knowledge might best be expressed through the preaching and teaching of God's Word. If a message from the pulpit seems to address a specific circumstance, question, or situation that would not normally be known to the minister, we would do well to consider the possibility that the Spirit of God may be graciously seeking to impart a piece of wisdom or knowledge to the listener.
the book of 1 corinthians chapter twelve VI
"But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all" (1 Corinthians 12:7).
Although 1 Corinthians 12:7 consists of less than twenty words, it packs a wealth of important information with regard to the subject of spiritual gifts.
We can begin by identifying a "spiritual gift" as a God-given empowerment that works in and through a Christian to serve others and fulfill God's calling upon his or her life. While an athlete, musician, or other highly-skilled person may possess a great degree of natural ability, the term "spiritual gift" involves a supernatural enablement that originates with God Himself.
A legitimate spiritual gift also represents a "...manifestation of the Spirit" within someone's life. A "manifestation" refers to something that has been revealed or made recognizable; therefore we can say that every legitimate spiritual gift should serve to focus upon the God who has provided that gift and not the one who has received it. If God is obscured through the exercise of a spiritual gift, or if the focus of a spiritual gift is upon someone or something else, then we would be justified in questioning the validity of that gift or the manner in which it is employed.
We should also notice that a spiritual gift is designed to benefit others and not just the person who receives it. In other words, a spiritual gift is intended "for the profit of all" and should not be hidden away or used exclusively for one's own personal enrichment. When properly employed, a spiritual gift serves to exemplify Jesus' quote from Acts 20:35: "It is more blessed to give than to receive."
Finally, we should note one additional point of emphasis from within this passage: "To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good" (ESV). This tells us that every man and women of God has received at least one spiritual gift- and perhaps to ensure that we don't miss the point, we will encounter a similar declaration once again in verse eleven.
Since every human being inhabits a time, place, and culture that is exclusive to his or her place in history, every Christian's unique combination of spiritual gifting and individual personality has never been seen before in human history and will never be seen again. That makes every man or woman of God important in the advancement of His agenda and should encourage us to make the best use of the gifts that He has given us.
the book of 1 corinthians chapter twelve V
"There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all" (1 Corinthians 12:4-6).
1 Corinthians 12:4-6 identifies two important characteristics of Jesus' church that might seem mutually exclusive at first glance: diversity and unity. Paul the Apostle will go on to explain this concept by way of an illustration that references the triune nature of God in establishing a good foundation for the exercise of various spiritual gifts. This compelling illustration of "unity in diversity" will go on to establish the basis for Paul's discussion of spiritual gifts over the next few chapters.
For instance, there are varieties of spiritual gifts that originate from one source- the Holy Spirit. There are many avenues of service that derive from from one origin- the Lord Jesus. Finally, there are different types of activities that are empowered by one ultimate benefactor- God the Father. As one commentator has observed, "The gifts are linked to the Spirit. The ministries are linked to the Son. The operations are linked to the Father." (1)
In the original language, the word used for "gifts" within this passage is the word charisma. While we may tend to associate the word "charisma" with a person who possesses a dynamic personality, this word carries a different meaning as used in the passage quoted above. In the context of 1 Corinthians 12:4-6, this word is identified with God's grace and unmerited favor. (2) Therefore, it denotes something that is bestowed by God without respect to the merit of the person who receives it.
One source provides us with some additional detail with regard to this concept...
"In this verse, the Greek word for 'gifts' is charisma, meaning 'grace-gifts,' or 'free gifts.' The Spirit, by sovereign grace, gives one or more such 'grace-gifts' to 'every man' (I Corinthians 12:7), as He wills (I Corinthians 12:11). The same word is used in verses 9, 28, 30, and 31. It is also used in Romans 12:6, which similarly lists a number of gifts of the Spirit.
On the other hand, in I Corinthians 12:1, 'spiritual gifts' is a translation of the Greek pneumatikos, meaning 'Spirit-energized gifts,' implying a distinct supernatural element. This word is used again in I Corinthians 14:1 and 14:12. Whichever word is used, the gift is a 'free gift' of the Holy Spirit (like the free gift of eternal life in Romans 6:23, where the same word is used) neither earned nor forced. Furthermore, it is God-given, therefore not man-generated." (3)
(1) Courson, J. (2003). Jon Courson’s Application Commentary (p. 1069). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson.
(2) G5486 charisma Strong’s Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?t=kjv&strongs=g5486
(3) Dr. Henry M. Morris, The New Defender's Study Bible
the book of 1 corinthians chapter twelve IV
"Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says 'Jesus is accursed!' and no one can say 'Jesus is Lord' except in the Holy Spirit" (1 Corinthians 12:3 ESV).
The late Dr. Walter Martin was the founder of the Christian Research Institute and the original host of the "Bible Answer Man" radio broadcast. Dr. Martin was once quoted as saying something to this effect: the quickest and easiest way to identify a false teacher is to simply ask that person, "Who is Jesus?"
The idea is that the answer to that question will immediately serve to reveal whether someone is truly accurate in his or her spiritual beliefs. This can often be useful in speaking with others in regard to spiritual matters for if a person holds an unbiblical view of Jesus, then everything that proceeds from that erroneous belief is likely to be suspect as well.
In a similar manner, the Christian community at Corinth needed a method to assess the validity of the spiritual manifestations that were taking place among them. Then, as now, it was important for the members of the Corinthian church to recognize the fact that everything that claimed to be "of the Holy Spirit" might not be so.
So how could the Corinthian Christians validate the message of someone who was said to be speaking under the influence of the Holy Spirit? Well, Paul the Apostle provided the Corinthians with two important tests: "...no one speaking by the Spirit of God will curse Jesus, and no one can say Jesus is Lord, except by the Holy Spirit" (NLT). While anyone could say the words, "Jesus is accursed" or "Jesus is Lord," the idea is that a valid spiritual source would never say the former and an invalid spiritual source would never say the latter.
One commentator makes a thought-provoking observation in regard to this passage...
"A person might have been given the power to do miracles and not have had the sanctifying presence of the Holy Spirit within. Judas Iscariot was empowered to work miracles right along with the rest of the apostles (see Mat_10:1-8) and it is clear that he did not have the Holy Spirit in his heart for he was a thief from the beginning (Joh_12:6).
It is apparent that some of these Corinthian Christians, while having power to do miracles, were dangerously close (if not at the point) to rejecting the lordship of Christ... by their proud and arrogant misuse of the 'gifts.'" (1)
(1) Paul T. Butler, Bible Study Textbook Series, Studies In First Corinthians College Press Publishing Company, Joplin, Missouri [pg.225] https://archive.org/stream/FirstCorinthians/131Corinthians-Butler_djvu.txt
the book of 1 corinthians chapter twelve III
"You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. Therefore I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, 'Jesus be cursed,' and no one can say, 'Jesus is Lord,' except by the Holy Spirit" (1 Corinthians 12:2-3 NIV).
The pagan spirituality of first-century Corinth could not enable the members of Jesus' church to properly understand and employ the spiritual gifts that God had graciously given them. To accurately grasp such things, the Christian community in Corinth would have to "unlearn" the practices they had inherited from their idolatrous cultural surroundings in order to properly utilize these gifts in a God-honoring manner.
In considering the subject of spiritual gifts, it may be helpful to first examine their origin in order to obtain a proper understanding of their purpose and function. We can begin by observing that all genuine spiritual gifts originate with the Spirit of God, the third Person of the triune Godhead.
In speaking with His disciples, Jesus identified the Holy Spirit as the parakletos, a word designates one who seeks to aid, counsel, help, and advocate on behalf of another. (1) For example...
"And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever-- the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you" (John 14:16 NIV).
"But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you" (John 14:26).
"Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you... when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you" (John 16:7, 13-14).
As a function of this ministry, the Holy Spirit imparts gifts that help us serve others, separate truth from error, facilitate spiritual growth, and fulfill God's calling upon our lives. We'll examine these gifts more closely as we move through this portion of Paul's letter to the Corinthians.
(1) G3875 parakletos Strong’s Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?t=kjv&strongs=g3875
the book of 1 corinthians chapter twelve II
"You know that you were Gentiles, carried away to these dumb idols, however you were led" (1 Corinthians 12:2).
Paul the Apostle began this discussion of spiritual gifts by referencing the pagan idolatry that permeated first-century Corinth. These "dumb idols" were nothing more than human creations that held no true ability to speak or lead (except perhaps into spiritual error).
Of course, this was not a new concept for the Old Testament prophet Isaiah addressed a similar subject many hundreds of years earlier...
"Who but a fool would make his own god—an idol that cannot help him one bit? All who worship idols will be disgraced along with all these craftsmen—mere humans—who claim they can make a god. They may all stand together, but they will stand in terror and shame.
The blacksmith stands at his forge to make a sharp tool, pounding and shaping it with all his might. His work makes him hungry and weak. It makes him thirsty and faint. Then the wood-carver measures a block of wood and draws a pattern on it. He works with chisel and plane and carves it into a human figure. He gives it human beauty and puts it in a little shrine.
He cuts down cedars; he selects the cypress and the oak; he plants the pine in the forest to be nourished by the rain. Then he uses part of the wood to make a fire. With it he warms himself and bakes his bread. Then—yes, it's true—he takes the rest of it and makes himself a god to worship! He makes an idol and bows down in front of it!
He burns part of the tree to roast his meat and to keep himself warm. He says, 'Ah, that fire feels good.' Then he takes what's left and makes his god: a carved idol! He falls down in front of it, worshiping and praying to it. 'Rescue me!' he says. 'You are my god!'
Such stupidity and ignorance! Their eyes are closed, and they cannot see. Their minds are shut, and they cannot think. The person who made the idol never stops to reflect, 'Why, it's just a block of wood! I burned half of it for heat and used it to bake my bread and roast my meat. How can the rest of it be a god? Should I bow down to worship a piece of wood?'
The poor, deluded fool feeds on ashes. He trusts something that can't help him at all. Yet he cannot bring himself to ask, 'Is this idol that I'm holding in my hand a lie?'" (Isaiah 44:10-20 NLT).
the book of 1 corinthians chapter twelve I
"Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant" (1 Corinthians 12:1).
1 Corinthians chapter twelve introduces a new section of this epistle, a segment that also encompasses chapters thirteen and fourteen as well. Although the first eleven chapters of 1 Corinthians largely consists of answers to various questions that were asked of Paul the Apostle, chapter twelve marks something of a transition as Paul addresses one final question from the Corinthians before moving into a series of practical directives.
This portion of Paul's letter to the Corinthians will examine the subject of spiritual gifts- and given what we know about the Corinthians from the preceding chapters of this letter, it should come as no surprise to learn that Paul will focus his attention upon the proper exercise of these gifts, especially within the church.
To do so, this chapter will employ a practical analogy- the human body. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Paul will use this word-picture to illustrate the inter-relationship between the individual members of Jesus' church, the diverse nature of that membership, the proper manner in which each member should exercise his or her gifts, and the supreme importance of love in guiding their operation.
Although the next three chapters of 1 Corinthians will discuss the subject of spiritual gifts quite thoroughly, it's interesting to note that the original language of 1 Corinthians 1:21 introduces this topic in the following manner: "But concerning spirituals brethren..." In other words, the word "gifts" does not appear within the original language at all. Instead, it has been added by modern-day translators to help ensure clarity of thought.
One commentator explains the reasoning behind this insertion: "...translators italicized “gifts” to indicate that the word is not in the original but is implied by the context (cf. vv. 4, 9, 28, 30, 31; 14:1). The Gr. lit. means 'pertaining to the Spirit,”' referring to that which has spiritual qualities or characteristics or is under some form of spiritual control." (1)
We should also be aware that God's people have sought to apply the teachings of 1 Corinthians 12-14 in a number of different ways over the centuries. Although it is possible to arrive at different conclusions in area of spiritual gifts, one thing that virtually everyone can agree upon is that this portion of Scripture can help us learn what not to do in regard to this subject.
Finally, the statement, "I do not want you to be ignorant" tells us that Paul wanted his readers to be fully informed regarding this topic- and if we have questions in the area of spiritual gifts today, these chapters will help answer them.
(1) MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (1 Co 12:1). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers.