1 Corinthians 12:3

Their old experience of the spells of heathenism had not prepared the Cor [1834] to understand the workings of God's Spirit and the notes of His presence. On this subject they had asked (1), and P. now gives instruction: “Wherefore I inform you”. They knew how men could be “carried away” by supernatural influences; they wanted a criterion for distinguishing those truly Divine. The test P. supplies is that of loyalty to Jesus Christ. “No one speaking in the Spirit of God says ΑΝΑΘΕΜΑ ΙΗΣΟΥΣ, and no one can say ΚΥΡΙΟΣ ΙΗΣΟΥΣ except in the Holy Spirit.” Jesus is anathema, Jesus is Lord, are the battlecries of the spirits of error and of truth contending at Cor [1835] The second watchword is obvious, its inclusiveness is the point of interest; it certificates all true Christians, with whatever διαιρέσεις χαρισμάτων (1 Corinthians 12:4 ff.), as possessors of the Holy Spirit, since He inspires the confession of their Master's name which makes them such (see 1 Corinthians 1:2; Romans 10:9; Philippians 2:11, etc.). Not a mystical “tongue,” but the clear intelligent confession “Jesus is Lord” marks out the genuine πνευματικός; cf. the parl [1836] cry Ἀββᾶ ὁ πατήρ, of Galatians 4:6. “He shall glorify Me,” said Jesus (John 16:14) of the coming Spirit: this is the infallible proof of His indwelling. But who were those who might say at Cor [1837], “Jesus is anathema ”? Faciebant gentes, says Bg [1838], sed magis Judœi. Ἀνάθεμα (see parls.) is Hebraistic in Biblical use, denoting that which is cherem, vowed to God for destruction as under His curse, like Achan in Joshua's camp. So the High Priest and the Jewish people treated Jesus (John 11:49 f., Galatians 3:13), using perhaps these very words of execration (cf. Hebrews 6:6), which Saul of Tarsus himself had doubtless uttered in blaspheming the Nazarene (1 Timothy 1:13); this cry, so apt to Jewish lips, resounded in the Synagogue in response to apostolic preaching. Christian assemblies, in the midst of their praises of the Lord Jesus, would sometimes be startled by a fierce Jew screaming out like a man possessed, “Jesus is anathema!” for unbelievers on some occasions had access to Christian meetings (1 Corinthians 14:24). Such frenzied shouts, heard in moments of devotion, affected susceptible natures as with the presence of an unearthly power; hence the contrast which Paul draws. This watchword of hostile Jews would be taken up by the Gentile mobs which they roused against the Nazarenes; see Acts 13:45; Acts 18:6, where βλασφημοῦντες may well include λέγοντες Ἀνάθεμα Ἰησοῦς. Gd [1839], ad loc [1840], and W. F. Slater (Faith and Life of the Early Church, pp. 348 f.) suppose both cries to originate in the Church; they ascribe the anathema to heretics resembling Cerinthus and the Ophites, who separated Jesus from Christ (cf. 1 John 2:18 ff; 1 John 4:1-6); but this identification is foreign to the situation and context, and is surely an anachronism. The distinction between λαλέω and λέγω is well exemplified here: λαλεῖν ἐν is “to speak in the element and sphere of, under the influence of” the Holy Spirit.

[1834] Corinth, Corinthian or Corinthians.

[1835] Corinth, Corinthian or Corinthians.

[1836] parallel.

[1837] Corinth, Corinthian or Corinthians.

[1838] Bengel's Gnomon Novi Testamenti.

[1839] F. Godet's Commentaire sur la prem. Ép. aux Corinthiens (Eng. Trans.).

[1840] ad locum, on this passage.