1 Cor 12 Gifts

where Rom 12 mention of gifts is exhortive in nature

1 Cor 12 mention of gifts of both instructive and corrective in nature

the Corinthian treatise on gifts continues out to chapter 14

1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be unaware.

2 You know that when you were pagans, you were led astray to the mute idols, however you were led.

3 Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus is accursed”; and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.

spiritual 4461   [4152]   πνευματικός, pneumatikos, a.  [4463]. spiritual, pertaining to the Spirit

(there is no word here for “gifts”)  focus on “matters of the Spirit”

1Cor. 12:1 ¶ What I want to talk about now is the various ways God’s Spirit gets worked into our lives. This is complex and often misunderstood, but I want you to be informed and knowledgeable.  – the Message

Do not be ignorant of the gifts of the Spirit.

Remember how you were gullible and easily misled before you came to Christ ?

(you needed to be led back to the truth)

we are going to do that again now.

Paul seems to be answering a question in verse 3 regarding cursing and proclaiming Jesus by the Spirit (perhaps in the context of prophecy or tongues or translation)  we just dont know what he heard or read in that regard.

4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit.

5 And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord.

6 There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons.

variety of gifts, variety of ministries, variety of effects

gifts 5922   [5486]   χάρισμα, charisma, n.  [5897]. gracious gift

ministries (1355   [1248]   διακονία, diakonia, n.  [1356]. ministry, practical service

effects 1920   [1755]   ἐνέργημα, energēma, n.  [1877 + 2240]. working, activity

free gifts of the Spirit, they have various functions, various purposes, various expressions
(these variations interwork with each other and overlap creating unique workings even from the same gift in different people or situations)

same Spirit, Lord, God (working each of these gifts in each and every person)

catch the reference to the Trinity here ?

Spirit = πνεῦμα

Lord = κύριος

God = θεὸς

7 But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.

why are the gifts given ?

overarching purpose of each and every gift is right here  = common good
(if it’s not being used for the common good, then it’s being abused, or perhaps not even of the Spirit)

8 For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit;

9 to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit,

10 and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues.

11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.

hammers the idea home that differing gifts will be expressed in different people

12 For just as the body is one and yet has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ.

gives an example of differences serving a purpose for the common good (proving the differences need to be present to serve that purpose)

and that purpose is to serve the Body of Christ.

13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.

now he will elaborate more on the body metaphor (going deeper to explain how it is foolish to think one gift, person, or part, is better or more needed than another is needed.

14 For the body is not one part, but many.

15 If the foot says, “Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any less a part of the body.

16 And if the ear says, “Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any less a part of the body.

17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be?

18 But now God has arranged the parts, each one of them in the body, just as He desired.

19 If they were all one part, where would the body be?

20 But now there are many parts, but one body.

21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; or again, the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.”

22 On the contrary, it is much truer that the parts of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary;

23 and those parts of the body which we consider less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor, and our less presentable parts become much more presentable,

24 whereas our more presentable parts have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that part which lacked,

25 so that there may be no division in the body, but that the parts may have the same care for one another.

26 And if one part of the body suffers, all the parts suffer with it; if a part is honored, all the parts rejoice with it.

27 Now you are Christ’s body, and individually parts of it.

some use this following verse to indicate prioritization among the gifts

28 And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, and various kinds of tongues.

πρῶτον= first can mean first priority , but can also mean chronologically first (context determines the usage)

this is not saying first means best, it means it came first in order of the building of the church in the beginning

apostles, then prophets, then teachers, then everything else followed

29 All are not apostles, are they? All are not prophets, are they? All are not teachers, are they? All are not workers of miracles, are they?

verse 29 supports the chronological use of proton for first by reinforcing the idea of interdependency 

30 All do not have gifts of healings, do they? All do not speak with tongues, do they? All do not interpret, do they?

31 But earnestly desire the greater gifts. And yet, I am going to show you a far better way.

1Cor. 12:31 And yet some of you keep competing for so-called “important” parts. ¶ But now I want to lay out a far better way for you. – the message

greater gifts ?