1 Corinthians 12:1 Commentary and Bible Study

Paul now turns to the purpose of spiritual gifts, and especially in these days it is of particular importance to look carefully at these verses. He is turning again to questions that have been asked by the Corinthians. In chapter 7 and verse one we read, ‘Now concerning the things whereof you wrote to me’, and he proceeds to deal with the first question. Then a second, then a third, and now in chapter 12: ‘Now, concerning spiritual gifts’ and it is fairly obvious to us from the introduction to the chapter that he is staying with this theme of the answering of their questions. This is particularly about the revelatory and the sign gifts which God gave in those days during the foundation stage of the church. The revelatory and the sign gifts were distinct from all other gifts of the Spirit. There were prophets in New Testament times, not very many – we can see how few in chapter 14, where the indication is given that there were very few prophets in Corinth – but there were prophets, New Testament prophets. We read about them, particularly in the letter to the Ephesians. They were given because the Scripture was still being formed; the New Testament was not yet complete. We are looking at 1 Corinthians, part of the New Testament, just now being delivered to one church, yet to be circulated around the Christian world. 2 Corinthians was still to come, and so were other epistles, so they did not have the New Testament completely in their hands. Not all the Gospels had been written down yet, and so during this formative stage of the early church, while the New Testament was being completed, prophets were given with inspired word, true doctrines: all the doctrines and the principles and the applications given by the Spirit which would in due course be in the completed word of God. After that there would be no more prophets, no more apostles inspired to write further epistles; the word would be complete; no more authoritative revelation of doctrine. Obviously people who were inspired to speak authoritative words had to be authenticated. The churches had to be sure: so-and-so was truly an apostle with a special office, and inspired of God to speak Scripture; so-and-so was indeed an called prophet who spoke truth, and therefore with the gifts of revelation came authenticating gifts, sign gifts that authenticated them. So the apostles could do the same miracles that Christ did, and the same healings, and therefore people knew, for example, that they were apostles. They were inspired; they must be heeded; they had a special power and authority of direction in the churches. But when the revelation of God was complete. There were no more inspired people, and therefore there were no more signs that were particularly designed to authenticate them. One very important feature of these revelations was that there were no contradictions. There were no contradictions between the revelations that came from prophets or apostles, and the Scriptures being unfolded church by church. How different this was to what happens today in Charismatic and Pentecostal circles. Now, we do not condemn all those people. Some of them, especially some of the high-profile leaders are unquestionably phonies, charlatans and rogues. But we cannot condemn them all. There are many true people of God in Pentecostal and Charismatic churches, and we acknowledge that, and respect them as saved by the Lord. But we think they are very mistaken in their idea that these revelatory and sign gifts are for today. They passed away with the passing of the apostles and prophets. That is what pretty well all the church of Christ worldwide has believed down the centuries until the beginning of the 20th century, with only a few people dissenting from that. ‘I would not have you ignorant.’ It is interesting how many times Paul says something along these lines to the Corinthian believers. They were citizens in a city that prided itself on its wisdom, and you wonder if this is in the back of his mind when he repeatedly says words to this effect. It is a little jolt. ‘You must catch up on your knowledge, even as Christians, in certain areas.’