1 Corinthians 12
- Who wrote it
- Paul
- Who it was for
- The church in Corinth
- What was happening
- Spiritual gifts: one Spirit, one body, many members
What’s happening
About spiritual gifts, Paul does not want the Corinthians to be uninformed: when they were Gentiles they were led astray to mute idols, so no one speaking by God's Spirit says "Jesus is accursed," and no one can say "Jesus is Lord" except by the Holy Spirit. There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit; different kinds of service, but the same Lord; different kinds of working, but the same God who works all in all. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good: wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discernment of spirits, tongues, and interpretation of tongues, all empowered by one and the same Spirit, who distributes as he wills. Then the picture of the body: just as the body is one and has many members, so also is Christ. In one Spirit all were baptized into one body, Jews or Greeks, slaves or free, and all were made to drink of one Spirit. The body is not one member but many. If the foot says "Because I'm not a hand, I'm not part of the body," it is not for that reason any less part of the body. The eye can't say to the hand, "I have no need of you." The parts that seem weaker are indispensable, and the less honorable parts get greater honor, so there is no division. If one member suffers, all suffer, and if one is honored, all rejoice. "Now you are Christ's body, and members individually." God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, gifts of healings, helps, administrations, and varieties of tongues. Not all are apostles or prophets or teachers or speak in tongues. "But earnestly desire the best gifts. Yet I show you a most excellent way."
Why the setting matters
Corinth was a city of many religions, including ecstatic cults, and some of the Corinthians seem to have prized the more dramatic gifts, especially speaking in tongues, as marks of spiritual superiority. Paul's response is that the Spirit is given to everyone, for the good of all, and no gift is a sign of rank. Notice that his lists are not identical (12:8-10, 12:28-30; compare Romans 12:6-8 and Ephesians 4:11), which suggests they are examples and not a complete catalog. The "body" image had a long history in Greek writing, where it was used to urge the lower classes to accept their place under the rulers; Paul reverses it, giving special honor to the "weaker" parts. His phrase "baptized in one Spirit" in 12:13 is understood in different ways: as the Spirit's work at conversion by which all believers are joined to one body, which is the most common reading, or as a later experience. The passage leads straight into chapter 13: gifts are to be used with love.
Who’s in this chapter
Paul
Teaches about gifts, unity, and diversity.
The believers in Corinth
Gifted, and tempted to rank their gifts.
Jesus
The Lord confessed by the Spirit; the head whose body is the church.
Talk it through
- Paul begins with "Jesus is Lord" as the sign of the Spirit. Why start there when the question is about gifts?
- The body image gives special honor to the weaker parts. Who might those be in a church today?
- Paul says gifts are given "for the common good." How does that change how we think of our own?
- Why does Paul stress that not everyone has the same gift?
Read 1 Corinthians 12
World English Bible
1Now concerning spiritual things, brothers, I don’t want you to be ignorant. 2You know that when you were heathen, you were led away to those mute idols, however you might be led. 3Therefore I make known to you that no man speaking by God’s Spirit says, “Jesus is accursed.” No one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” but by the Holy Spirit.
4Now there are various kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5There are various kinds of service, and the same Lord. 6There are various kinds of workings, but the same God, who works all things in all. 7But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the profit of all. 8For to one is given through the Spirit the word of wisdom, and to another the word of knowledge, according to the same Spirit; 9to another faith, by the same Spirit; and to another gifts of healings, by the same Spirit; 10and to another workings of miracles; and to another prophecy; and to another discerning of spirits; to another different kinds of languages; and to another the interpretation of languages. 11But the one and the same Spirit produces all of these, distributing to each one separately as he desires.
12For as the body is one, and has many members, and all the members of the body, being many, are one body; so also is Christ. 13For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bond or free; and were all given to drink into one Spirit. 14For the body is not one member, but many. 15If the foot would say, “Because I’m not the hand, I’m not part of the body,” it is not therefore not part of the body. 16If the ear would say, “Because I’m not the eye, I’m not part of the body,” it’s not therefore not part of the body. 17If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the smelling be? 18But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body, just as he desired. 19If they were all one member, where would the body be? 20But now they are many members, but one body. 21The eye can’t tell the hand, “I have no need for you,” or again the head to the feet, “I have no need for you.” 22No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. 23Those parts of the body which we think to be less honorable, on those we bestow more abundant honor; and our unpresentable parts have more abundant propriety; 24whereas our presentable parts have no such need. But God composed the body together, giving more abundant honor to the inferior part, 25that there should be no division in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. 26When one member suffers, all the members suffer with it. When one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.
27Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. 28God has set some in the assembly: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracle workers, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, and various kinds of languages. 29Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all miracle workers? 30Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with various languages? Do all interpret? 31But earnestly desire the best gifts. Moreover, I show a most excellent way to you.
Text: World English Bible, Public domain. About our sources