_Now concerning spiritual gifts_ Miraculous gifts of the Holy Ghost, bestowed on many believers in those times, for their confirmation in the faith, and the conviction of infidels. The abundance of these gifts in the churches of Greece, strongly refuted the idle learning of the Greek philosophers. B... [ Continue Reading ]
_Wherefore_ Since it was so with you once, and it is otherwise now, this is a full demonstration of the truth of the Christian religion, through your faith in, and reception of, which, you received these gifts, which none of the heathen idols, blind, and dumb, and lifeless as they were, could possib... [ Continue Reading ]
_Now there are diversities of gifts_ Χαρισματων, _gifts of grace_, both as to kind and degree; _but the same Spirit_ Divers streams, but all from one fountain. This verse speaks of the Holy Ghost, the next of Christ, the sixth of God the Father. _And there are differences of administrations_ Of offi... [ Continue Reading ]
_But the manifestation of the Spirit_ That ability to exercise some spiritual gift, whereby the Spirit manifests his presence with the person possessed of the gift; _is given to every man_ That has it; _to profit withal_ For the profit of the whole body; to edify the different members of the church,... [ Continue Reading ]
_To another, the working of miracles_ That is, miracles of a different kind; such as taking up serpents, drinking any deadly draught without hurt, and especially casting out devils. But it may not be improper to observe here, that the original expression, ενεργηματα δυναμεων, here rendered _the work... [ Continue Reading ]
_For as the_ human _body is one, and_ yet _hath many members_ For different offices; _and all the members_, though many, constitute but _one body_ United in one well-regulated system; _so also is Christ_ That is, mystically considered, namely, the whole church or society, of which Christ is the head... [ Continue Reading ]
_For the body is not one member, but many_ All of which are necessary, that the various sorts of offices belonging to the body may be all performed: thus there must be different gifts and offices in the church of Christ, which all conduce to the advantage and perfection of the whole. _If the foot_ O... [ Continue Reading ]
_And the eye_ In its commanding station, and possessed as it is of light and discernment; _cannot say to the hand_ Endowed with neither of these qualities, and the mere instrument of action; _I have no need of thee_ For by the hand the whole body is maintained and fed, and the eye itself preserved a... [ Continue Reading ]
_For our comely_ and graceful _parts have no need_ Of being so adorned, as they appear to greater advantage uncovered; _but God hath tempered the body together_ Συνεκερασε, hath attempered and united in just proportions the several parts thereof; _having given_ To such as are naturally weak and with... [ Continue Reading ]
_Now ye_ Believers at Corinth; _are the body of Christ_ A part of it, not the whole body; _and members in particular_ That is, each believer is a particular member thereof, and ought to behave himself accordingly. This is the application of the foregoing allegory, which the apostle is thought by som... [ Continue Reading ]
_And God hath set in the church first apostles_ Who planted the gospel in the heathen nations, being honoured with an office of the highest distinction, and furnished with endowments peculiar to themselves; _secondly, prophets_ Who either foretold things to come, or spake by extraordinary inspiratio... [ Continue Reading ]