[Hyperlinks (shown underlined in blue) are links to the Blue
Letter Bible.]
Introduction
1 Corinthians 12
Paul separates this chapter into
two sections. The first section is an explanation of the gifts of the Spirit.
In chapter 12, the reader is told that there are different gifts given at the
Holy Spirit's discretion. These gifts are given for the advantage of the
church. The second part of this chapter concerns the unity of the body, how
some parts should not be prized above other parts. God places each part for his
purpose. As in the natural body, when one part is injured or sick, the entire
body feels the pain.
Chapter 12 Outline
Gifts of the Spirit
…………………………………… 1-11
There are different kinds of gifts,
but the same Spirit distributes them…….
4
Now to each one the manifestation
of the Spirit is given for the common good.
7
Unity of the Body
……………………………………. 12-31
But in fact God has placed the
parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be if one part
suffers, every part suffers. 18
with it; if one part is honored,
every part rejoices with it. 26
Chapter 12 Inductive Bible Study
Verses 1-11
gifts of the Holy Spirit.
In your observations of the first section of this chapter, how would
you markup the text?
The choice is yours on how to
markup the section. The critical thing to remember is that these stressed words
and phrases bear further investigation. For example, in verse one, the phrase, brothers,
and sisters.
Paul brought attention to these
questions through using the principles of literary structure, namely
“explanation”.
Your observations should spawn
questions.
In verse 2, The
phrase influenced and led astray begs the question; what was bringing the influence
(V2)?
In verse 3,
Paul brings up phrases needing further clarification. Why did Paul say no one
except the Holy Spirit could say “Jesus is Lord”?
In verse 4,
Paul speaks of the Holy Spirit's gifts with two phrases summing up the Spirits
gifts. What are the different kinds of gifts given by the Spirit?
In verse 5,
Paul speaks of different kinds of service. Is there a connection between the
service and the gifts?
How is one to know what kind of
gifts he/she has received? The phrase manifestation of the Spirit found in
verse 6 and 7 need
further clarification.
In verse 8,
Paul speaks of two messages given by the same Spirit. What is the “message
of wisdom”? What is the message of knowledge”?
Verse 9-10
list different gifts given by the Holy Spirit. Faith, healing, prophecy,
distinguishing between spirits, speaking in tongues, and interpretation of
tongues.
As you can see, we have
incorporated both steps of observation, literary principles of structure, and
finding the details (who, what, where, and when.
This incorporation was done to show
the progression of word and phrase identity to questions to be answered.
We now will find the answers to
the questions generated during our observations.
We will take each question
during the interpretation phase and research the answers, first using
Scripture, then outside authoritative sources.
Why are both brothers and
sisters named by Paul (V1)?
In earlier translations, you will
find the name brethren used instead of brothers and sisters. Brethren is an
inclusive word meaning brothers and sisters. The Greek word is adelphos G80,
although masculine none the less means brothers and sisters in Christ.
Are both brothers and sisters
in Christ going to receive gifts?
Because Paul uses the inclusive
term brethren, both males and females receive Spiritual gifts as determined by
the Spirit. Every individual who believes Jesus is the messiah will be given
faith, or in Greek pistis G4102,
(see alsoV11).
Faith goes deeper than belief; after all, even the demons believe Jas 2:19 NIV.
Having faith in Jesus involves a commitment to and trust in Him for the
deliverance from the damnation of your eternal soul (see G4100,
pisteuō).
The phrase influenced and led
astray by whom or what? (V2).
Before the Gentiles (pagans)
salvation, they worship mute man crafted god idols. The custom of pagan worship
involved worshiping many idols, which led them away from worshiping the one
true God.
Why did Paul say only the Holy Spirit could say “Jesus is Lord”?
The word Lord comes from the Greek
word kyrios G2962
a masculine noun, meaning “he to whom a person or thing belongs …” (BLB,
2021). It is through the work of the Holy Spirit, who testifies of Christ Jesus
(Ref: 1Co 12:3,
Rom 8:16,
Heb 10:15,
1Jo 5:6). Therefore
anyone who the Spirit speaks through or as the Spirit dictates does not say
“Jesus be cursed” and say that “Jesus is Lord”.
The gifts of the Holy Spirit are
enumerated in verses 8-10.
Two of the gifts’ wisdom and knowledge are listed in a message.
Most definitely, there is a
connection. The connection is stated in verse 7, “… for the common good”. The
Spirit gives gifts as needed for service to the Lord. The common good spoken of
(V7) is
the church (the body of believers).
The word message is translated from
the Greek word logos g3056.
Logos is a noun, meaning word.
The word wisdom is the feminine
noun Sophia, G4678,
meaning knowledge of the spiritual realm rather than the natural realm. Putting
this all together, the Holy Spirit gives some the ability to speak words of
wisdom to others of the spiritual realm's unseen things.
Verses 1-11
You may find it helpful when
writing the chapter summary to compose a short section summary at the end of
each section.
For Example:
The Holy Spirit's gifts, Paul
instructed them not to be jealous of gifts given to another. Gifts are given by
the Spirit, as He deems profitable for the common good of the church.
Verses 12-31
Unity of the Body. After reading these verses you should have several
questions.
Some of these question involve a
word study.
What does the word baptism mean?
How is baptism used elsewhere in
Scripture?
Are people always baptized by full
submersion in water?
Can a person receive salvation
without being baptized?
Why did John baptize Christ Jesus?
Is water essential in all forms of
baptism?
What is the Christian & Missionary
Alliance view of baptism?
What does Paul mean by saying “we
were all given the one Spirit to drink”?
Why did John baptize Christ Jesus?
Begin by answering the questions
identified in your section observations. What does it all mean? We will begin
with a word study.
There is not enough time to review
all 65 verses. However, we will review a few.
Mat 3:11
John reveals a different kind of baptism. Jhn 1:33
baptism by the Holy Spirit. Jhn 4:1 Pharisees believed Jesus baptizes more than
John. Jhn 4:2 Jesus’s disciples baptized. Act 2:38
Be baptized and receive the Holy Spirit. Act 8:16
baptism alone does not save.
Salvation comes by faith, baptism
signifies the penitents sharing in Christs death, burial and resurrection (Act 8:12,
Act 19:4).
Paul taught salvation is through faith in Jesus the Messiah, the Son of
God (Rom 1:5-6).
Salvation is received through a
belief in LORD n1 Jesus Act 4:12, Eph 1:13).
Jesus was without sin and yet
submitted himself to John for baptism. John ask Jesus this question, and Jesus
replied to fulfil all righteousness ( Mat 3:15). Jesus
was to keep the law and fulfill the prophecies.
The prophet Isaiah foretold of one
crying in the wilderness make way for the coming of the LORD (Isa 40:3).
Is water essential in all
forms of baptism?
NO! Although the word baptizō
G907,
as previously stated, means submersion. See also vines dictionary for baptizō
The 12 apostles were baptized by the Holy Spirit (Luk 3:16) without
water submersion.
“Jesus introduced water baptism in
connection with His Great Commission (Matthew 28:19). He said that new
disciples were to be baptized in the Name of the Triune God: Father, Son, and
Holy Spirit. The Alliance believes Jesus meant this to be a permanent practice,
and Alliance churches encourage water baptism1.”
“Immersion in the baptismal waters
symbolizes the end of the old way of life and the resurrection of a new life.” For
further information on baptism and other beliefs, please visit the CMA
website.
Paul uses imagery here to clarify
“the one body” expression. When garments are dyed the same color, they are
submerged into the same vat to drink the same dye. When baptized, we are
immersed beneath the water, then raised out of the water. This process is in
the name of the Father, Son, and Spirit and symbolizes the death, burial, and
resurrection of Jesus.
We will see this question answered
in the section summary.
Body (the
church) unity is the main theme of this section. Paul uses the parts of the
human body metaphorically to illustrate how no one part is more important than
another. All body parts work together for the common good of the body.
Chapter Summary
The church in
Corinth was divided into several issues. On the issue of the Holy Spirit's
gifts, Paul instructed them not to be jealous of gifts given to another. Gifts
are given by the Spirit, as He deems profitable for the common good of the
church. Body (the church) unity is the main theme of this section. Paul uses
the parts of the human body metaphorically to illustrate how no one part is
more important than another. All body parts work together for the common good
of the body.
Bibliography
[1] Editors, CMA Staff. “Alliance
Perspectives.” The Alliance. Christian missionary alliance organization,
2020. Last modified 2020.
Accessed October 30, 2020.
https://www.cmalliance.org/about/beliefs/perspectives/.
Notes:
The Blue Letter Bible was used for
Scripture reference and Stongs Concordance references.
[n1] In the CSB translation of Scripture when
lord is all in caps it means Jehovah. Jehovah is the Latin translation for the
Hebrew יְהֹוָה Yəhōwā the Hebrew name of God.
