1 Corinthians 12:8 Commentary - Dr Peter Masters

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1 Corinthians 12:8

Comments

It is difficult to know exactly what the apostle means by ‘word of wisdom’. Let us break it into two. When the apostle Paul uses the word wisdom he usually refers to the very highest knowledge and wisdom that people can possibly have. When he uses the word knowledge he tends to use it in connection with deep mysteries. To a prophet or to an apostle it would presumably be an application of a doctrine that was inspired: you get doctrine and application in the word. But there is a certain amount of this gift that is ongoing, because in answer to prayer any Christian might be given a measure of wisdom in their reading of the word of God. We humble ourselves; we pray to God for guidance; we read the word. God will sanctify our understanding and help us. So in a measure, everybody gets something of a gift of wisdom as they pray and study the word. Perhaps if you are called to teach the word of God, in answer to humble prayer you may be given more. However, I think here the apostle is particularly talking about the gifts that marked out apostles and prophets, because the Scriptures were not complete, so a prophet would be given a doctrine, and he would teach it to the assembly.

Application

Questions

Some people think that this is not just the gift of revelation, such as an apostle had, to speak the inspired word, but that it refers to the ministry of all times. Certain people are gifted, they say, with wisdom and with knowledge. But that is not the usual view, it is very unlikely that we are supposed to look at ministers today and say, ‘He has the gift of wisdom’, or, ‘He has the gift of knowledge, and he has it more than anybody else.’ Whatever gifts ministers may have, they vary in degree but not in kind from the gifts that ordinary Christian people have. Ministers don’t have some super-spiritual endowment, so that they intrinsically have more understanding and knowledge than others. Preachers have to work at our preparation; they have to pray and seek the correct understanding and correct exegesis of a passage. But every Christian has the right and the same blessing of the Spirit to open God’s word and to understand it for himself, herself, and to check upon the preacher.

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Introduction

1 Corinthians 12:8 Commentary and Bible Study