1 Corinthians 12:5

And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. ADMINISTRATIONS (the various functions and services of those having the "gifts" of ; cf. ), and "operations" (the effects resulting from both) are the same things viewed in a different aspect. They are "gifts" of the same Spirit of holiness and knowledge (); 'minis- trations' in the service of the same Lord of love, and "operations" derived from the same Source, the omnipotent Father (), omnipotence. SAME LORD - whom the Spirit glorifies by these ministrations....

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...

Verse 1 Corinthians 12:5. _DIFFERENCES OF ADMINISTRATIONS_] διακονιων. Various offices in the Church, such as _apostle, prophet_, and _teacher_; under which were probably included _bishop_ or _presbyter, pastor,_ _deacon_, c. the _qualifications_ for such offices, as well as the _appointments_ themselves, coming immediately from the one Lord Jesus Christ....

OF ADMINISTRATIONS - Margin, “Ministries.” The word properly denotes “ministries;” so that there are different ranks and grades in the ministries which Christ has appointed, to wit, those specified in 1Co 12:9-10, 1 Corinthians 12:28. BUT THE SAME LORD - This refers evidently to the Lord Jesus, by whom these various orders of ministers were appointed, and under whose control they are; see the note at Acts 1:24; compare Ephesians 4:5. The term “Lord,” when it stands by itself in the New Testament, usually refers to the Lord Jesus, the name by which he was commonly known by the disciples; see...

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

AND THERE ARE DIFFERENCES OF ADMINISTRATIONS,.... Or ministries; offices in the church, ministered in by different persons, as apostles, prophets, pastors, or teachers and deacons; who were employed in planting and forming of churches, ordaining elders, preaching the word, administering ordinances, and taking care of the poor; for which different gifts were bestowed on them, they not all having the same office. BUT THE SAME LORD; meaning either Jesus Christ, whom the believer, by the Holy Ghost, says is Lord; who, as the ascended King of saints, and Lord and head of the church, appoints different offices and officers in it; and having received, gives gifts unto them, qualifying them for the same; all which comes through the same hand, and not another's; or rather the Lord, the Spirit, who calls men to these several ministrations, separates and fits them for them, and constitutes and ins...

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.

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

Having given a criterion for detecting the spurious, Paul proceeds to discuss the gifts. There are diversities in the manifestation but none in the source. The same Spirit is manifested in manifold gifts, the same Lord in manifold ministrations, the same God in manifold activities. Unity in the source is accompanied with rich diversity in the effects. The gift is imparted to each; none is passed by, but it is given not for self-gratification but for the benefit of the church. It is to one and the same Spirit that are due the word of wisdom, the word of knowledge, faith, gifts of healing, power to work miracles, prophecy, discrimination of spirits, tongues, interpretation of tongues. All are operations of the same Spirit, who imparts to each of His own unshackled will. The collocation of Spirit, Lord, God should be observed; _cf._ 2 Corinthians 13:14;...

THE CONFESSION OF THE SPIRIT (1 Corinthians 12:1-3)...