1 Corinthians 12:1

Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant. This is the second subject for correction in the Corinthian assemblies: the 'first' was discussed, 1 Cor This is the second subject for correction in the Corinthian assemblies: the 'first' was discussed, 1 Corinthians 11:18. SPIRITUAL GIFTS - the signs of the Spirit's efficacious presence in the Church, which is Christ's body; the complement of His incarnation, as the body is the complement of the head. Foremost the gift of tongues is referred to here, as being the gift overrated by the self-sufficient, excitable, and loquacious Corinthians. By love pervading the whole, the gifts of the several members, reciprocally complementing each other, tend to perfect the one body of Christ. The ordinary and permanent gifts are comprehended with the extrao...

1._Now concerning spiritual things. _He goes on to correct another fault. As the Corinthians abused the gifts of God for ostentation and show, and love was little, if at all, regarded, he shows them for what purpose believers are adorned by God with spiritual gifts — for the edification of their brethren. This proposition, however, he divides into two parts; for, in the _first _place, he teaches, that God is the author of those gifts, and, _secondly, _having established this, he reasons as to their design. He proves from their own experience, that those things in which they gloried, are bestowed upon men through the exercise of God’s favor; for he reminds them how ignorant they were, and stupid, and destitute of all spiritual light, previously to God’s calling them. Hence it appears, that they had been furnished with them — not by nature, but through God’s unmerited benignity. As to the...

1-11 Spiritual gifts were extraordinary powers bestowed in the first ages, to convince unbelievers, and to spread the gospel. Gifts and graces greatly differ. Both were freely given of God. But where grace is given, it is for the salvation of those who have it. Gifts are for the advantage and salvation of others; and there may be great gifts where there is no grace. The extraordinary gifts of the Holy Spirit were chiefly exercised in the public assemblies, where the Corinthians seem to have made displays of them, wanting in the spirit of piety, and of Christian love. While heathens, they had not been influenced by the Spirit of Christ. No man can call Christ Lord, with believing dependence upon him, unless that faith is wrought by the Holy Ghost. No man could believe with his heart, or prove by a miracle, that Jesus was Christ, unless by the Holy Ghost. There are various gifts, and vari...

CHAPTER XII. _The apostle proceeds to the question of the Corinthians_ _concerning spiritual gifts_, 1. _He calls to their remembrance their former state, and how they_ _were brought out of it_, 2, 3. _Shows that there are diversities of gifts which proceed from_ _the Spirit_, 4. _Diversities of administrations which proceed from the Lord_ _Jesus_, 5. _And diversities of operations which proceed from God_, 6. _What these gifts are, and how they are dispensed_, 7-11. Christ is the Head,

NOW CONCERNING - it is now time that I should speak of spiritual endowments. He had no doubt been consulted in regard to them, and probably various questions had been proposed, which he now proceeded to answer. SPIRITUAL GIFTS - The word “gifts” is not in the original. The Greek refers to “spiritual” things in general, or to anything that is of a spiritual nature. The whole discussion, however, shows that he refers to the various endowments, gifts, or graces that had been bestowed in different degrees on the members of the church - including the distinctions in graces, and in degrees of office and rank, which had been made in the Christian church in general 1 Corinthians 12, as well as the extraordinary endowments of the gift of tongues which had been bestowed upon many,...

EXPOSITION 1 Corinthians 12:1.—1 Corinthians 14:1.—ON SPIRITUAL GIFTS, AND THE DANGER WHICH AROSE FROM THE ABUSE OF THE "GIFT OF TONGUES." 1 CORINTHIANS 12:1 _On spiritual gifts in general._ 1 CORINTHIANS 12:1 Now concerning spirit

NOW CONCERNING SPIRITUAL GIFTS,.... Though the word "gifts" is not in the original text, it is rightly supplied by our translators, as it is in the Arabic version: for the apostle does not mean spiritual graces, nor spiritual words, or doctrines, nor spiritual meats and drinks, nor spiritual men, each of which are mentioned before in this epistle; though the latter is thought by some to be here intended, and that the apostle's view is to show the difference between those that are spiritual, and those that are not; but as spiritual gifts are the subject of the apostle's discourse throughout this chapter, and the two following, they seem very manifestly to be designed here. The apostle having gone through various heads of discourse, which he either of himself, or at the request of others, wrote upon, proceeds to a new subject, that of spiritual gifts, which he seems to have been desired to...

1 Corinthians 12:1. _Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant. Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led._ Although the members of the church at Corinth were highly favored with spiritual gifts, they do not seem to have known how to use them. Paul points out to them, in this chapter, how ignorant they were concerning the very gifts which they possessed. They did not know how to put them to proper' use in the service of God. The apostle therefore reminds these gift-exalted Corinthians that, only a little while before, they were heathens, carried away by falsehood and superstition, and worshipping dumb idols. They had nothing, therefore, to boast of; and it is probable that, if we also look back to the hole of the pit whence we were dug, we shall find no more occasion for boasting than they had.

SPIRITUAL GIFTS The Greek word, "pneumatika", literally means, "spirituals", that is, matters of or from the Holy Spirit, gives the key to Chapters 12, 13, 14. Chapter 12 concerns the Spirit in relation to the body of Christ. This relation is twofold: (1) The baptism with the Spirit forms the body by uniting believers to Christ the risen and glorified Head, and to each other (1 Corinthians 12:12); (1 Corinthians 12:13). The symbol of the body thus formed is the natural, human body (1 Corinthians 12:12), and all the analogies are freely used (1 Corinthians 12:

2. THE BODY AND THE MEMBERS OF THE BODY CHAPTER 12 _ 1. Concerning spiritual manifestations and diversities of gifts. (1 Corinthians 12:1 .)_ 2. The Body and its members. (1 Corinthians 12:12 .) In this interesting, important chapter, spiritual manifestations are first mentioned. The church is the body of Christ, the habitation of God through the Spirit. The Holy Spirit dwells in the church. And first the distinctive mark of the Spirit is stated. As heathen they had been under the control of evil spirits, who had deluded them with idolatrous worship. And these evil spirits were still active, creeping in among Christians, pretending to be the Spirit of God and counterfeiting His manifestations. It was so then and it is so now. Seducing spirits and d