[To avoid confusion in our classification of the subjects handled, we have called this section a response, but it is such as to information received, rather than as to questions asked. In the early church the Spirit of God, fulfilling the predictions of prophecy (Joel 2:28 ff.; Acts 2:17-21), and th... [ Continue Reading ]
Ye know that when ye were Gentiles ye were led away unto those dumb idols, howsoever ye might be led.... [ Continue Reading ]
Wherefore I make known unto you, that no man speaking in the Spirit of God saith, Jesus is anathema [devoted to destruction, hence accursed]; _and no man can say, Jesus is Lord, but in the Holy Spirit_. [The previous idolatrous life of the Corinthians left them not only ignorant as to the ways of Go... [ Continue Reading ]
Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.... [ Continue Reading ]
And there are diversities of ministrations, and the same Lord.... [ Continue Reading ]
And there are diversities of workings, but the same God, who worketh all things in all. [Though the gifts were the immediate impartation of the Spirit, yet it was a mistake to think that the Spirit acted as an independent deity in this giving. Hence Paul begins by showing that all the Godhead partic... [ Continue Reading ]
But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit to profit withal. [Each of the gifted ones had some power which manifested that the Spirit of God was with him, and this power was not given to him for his own profit, but for the good of the church and of the world.]... [ Continue Reading ]
For to one is given through the Spirit the word of wisdom; and to another the word of knowledge, according to the same Spirit:... [ Continue Reading ]
to another faith, in the same Spirit; and to another gifts of healings, in the one Spirit;... [ Continue Reading ]
and to another workings of miracles; and to another prophecy; and to another discernings of spirits: to another divers kinds of tongues; and to another the interpretation of tongues:... [ Continue Reading ]
but all these worketh the one and the same Spirit, dividing to each one severally even as he will. [Paul here sets forth fully the diversity of the gifts, but checks any tendency to boastful comparison by showing that the gifts emanate from a common source, and are operated by a common will, and are... [ Continue Reading ]
For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of the body, being many, are one body; so also is Christ. [Paul here strikes a fatal blow at that pride which animated those who held superior gifts. Can there be pride in one member of the body, as to the other members of which it i... [ Continue Reading ]
For in one Spirit were we all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bond or free; and were all made to drink of one Spirit. [Paul here proves the unity of the church by the method of its creation. One Spirit, acting through the apostles and all other evangelists and ministers (1 Th... [ Continue Reading ]
For the body is not one member, but many.... [ Continue Reading ]
If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; it is not therefore not of the body.... [ Continue Reading ]
And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; it is not therefore not of the body. [This passage exposes the folly of those who were belittling themselves in the presence of their fellow-Christians. Being in the church, they were organically united to the entire church bo... [ Continue Reading ]
If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?... [ Continue Reading ]
But now [(as things actually are)]_ hath God set the members each one of them in the body, even as it pleased him_.... [ Continue Reading ]
And if they were all one member, where were the body?... [ Continue Reading ]
But now they are many members, but one body. [The necessity for diversity is here shown. If all the church were teachers, who could be taught? If all were healers, who could receive healing? If all were preachers, who could listen? The glory of an organism is its diversity, and the more diverse its... [ Continue Reading ]
And the eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need of thee: or again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. [The interdependence of the members is here shown. If, as we have seen above, the humbly envious one felt as if he were not included in the church, the proudly superior member felt as if... [ Continue Reading ]
Nay, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be more feeble are necessary:... [ Continue Reading ]
and those parts of the body, which we think to be less honorable, upon these we bestow more abundant honor; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness;... [ Continue Reading ]
whereas our comely parts have no need: but God tempered the body together, giving more abundant honor to that part which lacked;... [ Continue Reading ]
that there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.... [ Continue Reading ]
And whether one member suffereth, all the members suffer with it; or one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.... [ Continue Reading ]
Now ye are the body of Christ, and severally members thereof. [The hands and face have no need of adornment, but the rest of the body, being less comely, is made beautiful with clothing, so that a state of equilibrium is established, and the whole body is acceptable to the indwelling Spirit as its h... [ Continue Reading ]
And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondly prophets, thirdly teachers, then miracles, then gifts of hearings, helps, governments, divers kinds of tongues.... [ Continue Reading ]
Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles?... [ Continue Reading ]
have all gifts of hearings? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret? [Paul here completes his analogy by showing that the gifts bestowed upon individuals in the church are as diverse and variant as the faculties bestowed upon the various members of the body. As the apostle has named nine spiritu... [ Continue Reading ]
But desire earnestly the greater gifts. [Though these powers were bestowed as gifts by the Spirit, yet they were not bestowed blindly. They were apt to be conferred upon those who strove to be worthy of them.] _And moreover a most excellent way show I unto you_. [This may mean that I show you a most... [ Continue Reading ]