Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Corinthians 12:29
[Are] all apostles? [are] all prophets? [are] all teachers? [are] all workers of miracles?
29. Are all apostles? ] The common priesthood of every Christian (1Pe 2:5; 1Pe 2:9) no more precludes the existence of special offices of authority in the Christian Church than the common priesthood of the Jewish people (Exo 19:6) precluded the existence of a special order of men appointed to minister to God in holy things. The Apostle appeals to it as a notorious fact that all were not apostles or prophets, but only those who were called to those offices. Accordingly there is scarcely any sect of Christians which has not set apart a body of men to minister in holy things and to expound the word of God. “Were all teachers,” says Estius, “where were the learners?” The question here, however, is, rather of gifts than of the offices to which those gifts lead.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Are all apostles? … – These questions imply, with strong emphasis, that it could not be, and ought not to be, that there should be perfect equality of endowment. It was not a matter of fact that all were equal, or that all were qualified for the offices which others sustained. Whether the arrangement was approved of or not, it was a simple matter of fact that some were qualified to perform offices which others were not; that some were endowed with the abilities requisite to the apostolic office, and others not; that some were endowed with prophetic gifts, and others were not; that some had the gift of healing, or the talent of speaking different languages, or of interpreting and that others had not.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 29. Are all apostles, c.] That is: All are not apostles, all are not prophets, c. God has distributed his various gifts among various persons, each of whom is necessary for the complete edification of the body of Christ. On these subjects see the notes on 1Co 12:7-10.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
That is, all are not, nor can be, any more than all the body can be an ear, or an eye, or a hand, or a foot: you cannot expect, that in a governed body all should be governors; and you see by experience, that all cannot work miracles, prophesy, speak with tongues, or heal those that are sick.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
29. Are all?Surely not.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Are all apostles?…. No some are prophets, as distinct from apostles; and some are teachers, as distinct from them both, and some are neither:
are all prophets? no; some are apostles, above them, and some are teachers, inferior to them; and but very few there were who had that peculiar character and gift:
are all teachers? no; the far greater part of the members of churches are hearers, or persons that are taught in the word; are neither in the office of teaching, nor have they the qualifications for it.
Are all workers of miracles? no; in those early times, when the gift of doing miracles was bestowed, it was not given to all, only to some; and now there are none that are possessed of it.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Are all ( ). The expects a negative answer with each group.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
1) “Are all apostles?” (me pantes apostoloi) “Not all (are) apostles (are they)?” Paul asked seven successive rhetorical questions by use of parallelism. Each question implied a negative answer to be right.
2) “Are all prophets?” (me pantes prophetai) “All (are) not prophets (are they)?” Surely all church members were neither of the first four kinds name, 1) apostles, 2) prophets, 3) teachers, and 4) miracle
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
29. Are all Apostles ? It may indeed have happened, that one individual was endowed with many gifts, and sustained two of the offices which he has enumerated; nor was there in this any inconsistency. Paul’s object, however, is to show in the first place, that no one has such a fullness in everything as to have a sufficiency within himself, and not require the aid of others; and secondly, that offices as well as gifts are distributed in such a manner that no one member constitutes the whole body, but each contributing his portion to the common advantage, they then altogether constitute an entire and perfect body. For Paul means here to take away every occasion of proud boasting, base envyings, haughtiness, and contempt of the brethren, malignity, ambition, and everything of that nature.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
‘Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? Have all gifts of healings? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?’
The questions are a reminder of their interdependence. As he has already demonstrated, the gifts are distributed throughout the body. All do not have all the gifts, and some have more than others, but all have their part to play in building up and establishing Christ’s body. It should be noted here that not all speak with tongues any more than all do miracles or prophesy. There are no Biblical grounds for the statement that tongues is a sign for all of the reception of the Holy Spirit in a special way. (The passages in Acts that mention tongues will not bear the weight put on them. They refer to unique situations where tongues were a necessary sign so as to show that Jews of all nations, Gentiles and disciples of John the Baptiser, a unique group who were numerous in those early days, all had to be, and could be, incorporated into Christ by the Spirit).
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
1Co 12:29. Are all Apostles? It appears that this invidious temper was not extirpated from among the Corinthians, even by this just and lively expostulation: for Clemens Romanus, writing to them many years after, complains of its continued prevalence, as leading them to neglect a due regard for those presbyters who were fixed by the divine direction among them, and to throw them out of their episcopal office. See his epistle to the Corinthians, sect. 44.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
1Co 12:29-30 . None of these functions and gifts is common property of all (all gifted persons). This Paul expresses in the animated queries: But all surely are not apostles ? and so on; whereby, after the same thing had been done positively in 1Co 12:28 , the of 1Co 12:27 is now clearly elucidated afresh in a negative way in order to make the readers duly sensible of the non omnia possumus omnes , and of the preposterousness of envy against other gifted persons.
] Accusative depending on , not nominative , as if it denoted wonder-working persons (Bengel, Rckert, de Wette, Osiander, Hofmann, and others); see on 1Co 12:28 .
Paul here passes over the . and ., since it was of no importance to make a complete repetition.
With reference to the whole thought, comp Homer, Il. xiii. 730 f.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
29 Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles?
Ver. 29. Are all teachers? ] Yes, some would have it so, as in Alcibiades’ army all were leaders, no learners.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
29, 30. ] The application of the questions already asked 1Co 12:17-19 .
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
29. ] not, as Meyer, al., accusative , governed by which involves a departure from the parallelism, besides the harshness of construction: but nominative , in apposition with . The Apostle has above placed the concrete, , , , in apposition with and . ., and now proceeds with the same arrangement till he comes to , which being too palpably unpredicable of persons , gives rise to the change of construction, . ; In the last two questions, he departs from the order of the last verse, and takes in again one particular from the former catalogue, 1Co 12:10 .
Meyer compares Hom. Il. . 726 734. See Stanley’s note and excursus.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
1Co 12:29-30 . In this string of rhetorical questions P. recapitulates once more the charisms, in the terms of 1Co 12:28 . He adds now to the its complementary (see 10, and 1Co 14:13 , etc.: in this vb [1942] imports translation ); and omits and , for these functions had not taken articulate shape at Cor [1943] : the eight are thus reduced to seven . The stress of these interrogations rests on the seven times repeated all ; let prophet, teacher, healer, and the rest, fulfil each contentedly his in the commonwealth of grace, without trenching upon or envying the prerogative of another; “non omnia possumus omnes”. Thus by fit division of labour the efficiency of the whole body of Christ will be secured and all Church functions duly discharged. may be nom [1944] (Bg [1945] , Hf [1946] , Hn [1947] , Al [1948] , Bt [1949] , Gd [1950] , El [1951] ), in the vein of the foregoing questions “are all powers?” ( cf. 1Co 15:24 , Rom 8:38 , etc., for the personification applied elsewhere, however, to supernatural Powers); but these “powers” are in 1Co 12:28 ; 1Co 12:8 ff. so decidedly separated from the teaching and associated with the healing gifts, that appears to look forward, and to be obj [1952] (prospectively) to along with : “do all possess powers? all grace-gifts of healings?” (so Bz [1953] , Mr [1954] , Ed [1955] ). For , see Rev 3:8 ; also Luk 9:1 , Act 1:8 , Mat 14:2
[1942] verb
[1943] Corinth, Corinthian or Corinthians.
[1944] nominative case.
[1945] Bengel’s Gnomon Novi Testamenti.
[1946]
[1947] C. F. G. Heinrici’s Erklrung der Korintherbriefe (1880), or 1 Korinther in Meyer’s krit.-exegetisches Kommentar (1896).
[1948] Alford’s Greek Testament .
[1949] J. A. Beet’s St. Paul’s Epp. to the Corinthians (1882).
[1950] F. Godet’s Commentaire sur la prem. p. aux Corinthiens (Eng. Trans.).
[1951] C. J. Ellicott’s St. Paul’s First Epistle to the Corinthians .
[1952] grammatical object.
[1953] Beza’s Nov. Testamentum: Interpretatio et Annotationes (Cantab., 1642).
[1954] Meyer’s Critical and Exegetical Commentary (Eng. Trans.).
[1955] T. C. Edwards’ Commentary on the First Ep. to the Corinthians . 2
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Are. All these seven questions are introduced by me (App-105).
workers of. There is no word for “workers”. Figure of speech Ellipsis. App-6.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
29, 30.] The application of the questions already asked 1Co 12:17-19.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
1Co 12:29. , are all? [surely not]) i.e., not very many are.-, powers) viz., are all? For if Paul referred the have all? of 1Co 12:30, to it, he would have expressed it here.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
1Co 12:29-30
1Co 12:29-30
Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? have all gifts of healings? do all speak with tongues? do all interpet?-These questions were in answer to the complaint that they all did not have the higher gifts. As in other things, the fewest number attained to them, and these questions were to impress on them this truth; and yet, all were required to make one body.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
all apostles: 1Co 12:4-11, 1Co 12:14-20
workers: or, powers
Reciprocal: Mat 13:27 – the servants Luk 19:13 – delivered Act 13:1 – prophets Act 15:32 – being Rom 10:15 – And how 1Co 12:5 – administrations 1Co 12:10 – the working 1Co 12:17 – General 1Co 13:1 – I speak Eph 3:5 – as it Eph 4:11 – pastors
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1Co 12:29-30. Are all apostles?, etc. All of the questions in this paragraph should receive the negative answer; they are a summing up of the argument that Paul has been making regarding the relation of the different members of the church in the exercise of their spiritual gifts.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
1Co 12:29-30. Are all apostles, etc. If not, then why suppose that all possess and were intended to exercise every gift, or imagine that this would benefit the Church?
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
The force of the apostle’s argument lies thus: As the natural body, to which he had before alluded, cannot be all eye, nor all ear, nor all hand, nor all foot; in like manner in the mystical body, the church, all cannot govern, prophesy, teach, work miracles, heal diseases; but one has this gift, and another that; one has this office in the church, and another that; all which are to be employed and improved for the common good of the church, and mutual benefit of each other.
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
Vv. 29, 30. Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all powers? 30. Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret? God has given to believers a certain spiritual endowment (1Co 12:28); but side by side with this endowment He has left a blank in each of them, and so a want which does not allow him to separate himself from the rest. It is obvious that the questions are put so as to lead to the result which was expressed in regard to the members of the body in 1Co 12:14-17. No individual ought to pose as self-sufficient. The body, as a whole, only exists on the condition that each member needs all the rest. The questions, all beginning with , all expect a negative answer: All are not, however, apostles? None of those, therefore, who are not such, will be able to dispense with the brethren whom God has made apostles. And if this is true regarding apostles and prophets, it is also true in regard to all other gifts and offices.
It is unnecessary to understand before , powers. This substantive may very well be the predicate of the subject. The power of working miracles is identified with its possessor (1Co 12:28).
Helps and governments are omitted in this second list, probably because they did not greatly excite the ambition of believers.
It follows, therefore, from this application to the Church, 1Co 12:27-30 : (1) that no one ought to regard himself as being unnecessary to the whole, since he has been placed there with his gift by God Himself (1Co 12:28); (2) and consequently, also, that no one ought to consider himself as possessed of self-sufficiency or as combining in himself all that is necessary for the life of the Church of which he is a member (1Co 12:29-30).
From these general principles the apostle might pass immediately to the practical applications he has in view. But, before entering on this subject, which will be treated in chap. 14, he here inserts a meditation on the fundamental disposition of the Christian life, charity without which all gifts, whatever they may be, become useless, but which, on the other hand, gives them all their true consecration and alone assures their effectual and beneficent exercise (chap. 13). To our 1Co 12:31, which forms the transition to this episode, there obviously corresponds chap. 1Co 14:1, whereby the apostle returns from this digression to his principal subject.
Fuente: Godet Commentary (Luke, John, Romans and 1 Corinthians)
Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles?
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
DIVERSITIES OF GIFTS
29. Whether are all apostles? Of course the answer is in the negative. No age of Christendom has ever needed a very great number of pioneers to explore and plant the work in new fields, as it would be fruitless unless those fields are immediately occupied and permanently utilized. If God has not made you a pioneer, it does not follow that He has not called you into the work and has not for you a crown of glory waiting to greet you on the mount of victory. Sanctification kills out all your ambitions so you are as willing to be a most humble worker as the very chief of the apostles. If any one thinks that the apostolic office, in its original and literal signification as a pioneer, is not still a happy verity in Gods kingdom, read Eph 4:10-12. Are all prophets? i. e., Spirit-filled preachers of the gospel, evangelists and pastors? The answer is in the negative. As in the preceding exegesis, you see there is a symmetry in the body of Christ homogeneous to that in the human body, which would be ruined if it were all eye, or all ear, or all nose, or all foot, or all trunk, and no members. In a similar manner the Omniscient Creator of the body of Christ, which includes all the saints, has beautifully, symmetrically and proportionately supplied it with all the diversified members and infinitesimal constituencies of the infinitely diversified organism. Well has the human body been denominated a harp with a thousand strings, on which Jehovah alone can play and He alone keep it in tune. How prominently, even elaborately, in this chapter does the Holy Ghost specify the different members of the body constituting a mysterious unity and beautifully illustrating the mystical unity amid illimitable variety and diversity characterizing the body of Christ. How deplorably do the fallen churches illustrate the sad discomfiture of this Divine arrangement, and their deplorable deficiency of many organs which are indispensable not only to the efficiency, but even the life, of the body. These organs, however, the devil is prompt to supply, which makes the matter infinitely worse than the deficiencies. Of course we are not all prophets, i. e., fire-baptized evangelists and pastors. But that is no reason why we should conclude that we have been left out of the catalogue. The Holy Ghost honors and utilizes all the members of the body. He has no deadbeats. The devil supplies them. Whether are all teachers? James (Jas 3:1) commands us, Be not many teachers, E.V., masters, in harmony with the old style of calling a schoolteacher a schoolmaster. The Greek is didaskaloi, the very word we have here. Hence we find that teachers are not many, but few. I have spent years in other capacities of gospel work, but for some years have been used as a teacher in the school of Christ. Of this office I feel very unworthy, yet I must be true to the Holy Ghost by the grace of God. The cause of God in all ages, as abundantly and sadly illustrative ever and anon in the present Holiness Movement, has suffered much from incompetent teachers, propagating dangerous and damaging errors. Thousands of true saints, who could be eminently useful if they would go out in the office of prophet, i. e., edifying, exhorting and comforting the people (ch. 1Co 14:3), could win platoons for God and weave a crown of glory for their own brows in the coming eternity by reading the Word of God, proclaiming it to the people, exhorting them to receive it and prepare for death and judgment, and everywhere comforting the brokenhearted by reading and repeating the precious promises, at the same time corroborating all by their own happy experiences. Meanwhile, if they undertake to go down into the profundities of exegesis for which they are utterly incompetent, they will actually, though innocently, run into sad mistakes and propagate all sorts of errors which the enemy will use to break our heads, prejudice the people against sanctification and lead them down to Hell. While teaching is so exceedingly important and indispensable, we must admit that education, especially in the Greek and Hebrew, which form the inspired original Scriptures, is of infinite value. The saints of the Lord should move slowly, carefully, prayerfully and judiciously on the line of exegesis, and at the same time be bold as lions, everywhere ringing out the plain Word of God extemporaneously if you have a good memory, but if you do not remember and have the Word at your tongues end, praise the Lord! He has given you good eyes and your precious and infallible Bible, which shall judge you and all the people with whom you deal in the interests of their souls, consequently you are left without excuse. You can read Gods Word to the people, exhort them to obey it and comfort them with the precious promises, thus enjoying the honorable office of prophet if not that of teacher. The word prophesy means to overflow. So you can go around overflowing the Word of God as you read it in your Bible, and exhorting the people to obey it, at the same time reading and repeating the precious promises to the brokenhearted. He that prophesieth speaketh to the people edification, exhortation and comfort (ch. 1Co 14:3). Be sure you never lose sight of this definition of prophecy given by the Holy Ghost. It is so simple, easy and practical that by the help of the blessed Spirit you certainly can reach it. Oh! I am so sorry I can not read the Scriptures in Greek and Hebrew! Do not please the enemy by talking that way. But shout aloud because you can read your Bible in one language. You are wonderfully fortunate. Five hundred years ago not one person in five hundred could read it. N. B. You will not be judged by Greek nor Hebrew, but by the plain English Bible, when you stand before the great white throne, so rest easy and press the battle for souls. If you are not prepared to be a teacher, shout the louder because God has given you the more felicitous office of an exhorter and comforter. Whether are all dynamiters? i. e., the honored participants of the fifth gift of the Spirit, as they stand in the preceding catalogue, denominated in E.V. the working of miracles. Perhaps God does not especially need you in that line. He has for you a fade less diadem in your own calling. Be true, and ready to stand in your lot at the end of the days. The church imperatively needs these dynamiters, to go around with their sharp, New Jerusalem steel drills and ponderous mallets, patiently drilling through the devils profound flinty strata, putting down the dynamite, igniting it with heavenly electricity, and blowing up the devils mountains. But remember, a few dynamite blasts will burst out rock enough to work in a year. Then what a grand open field for a regiment of stone sledgers to come, knock off the asperites, give each piece its requisite shape and dimension, and patiently chisel it out, preparatory to the occupancy of its necessary position in the grand superstructure of Gods temple. In Jerusalem they use neither wood nor brick, but build all the houses out of stone and calcareous cement, which quickly consolidate into a rock. When I was there a number of very magnificent edifices were in process of erection. As I passed along I saw many brown sons of Esau sitting around, each with a rock, hammer and chisel, diligently and patiently preparing his piece for the superstructure. So do not get blue if God has not made you a dynamiter. But shout the louder, because he has honored you with the privilege of dressing the rocks, blown up by his dynamiters, and locating them in the celestial temple to abide forever, the admiration of angels. I have seen much of this beautiful, Divine order manifested; some hard-fisted, clubfooted old dynamiter in a few lightning blasts blow up rock enough to keep a hundred Christian workers diligently employed for days and weeks.
Fuente: William Godbey’s Commentary on the New Testament
Verse 29
Are all, &c.; can all be.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
These two verses contain a third list of gifts in a descending order of priority. Each of Paul’s seven questions expects a negative answer. The apostle’s point was that it would be ridiculous for everyone to have the same gift. Variety is essential. It is wrong to equate one gift, particularly speaking in tongues, with spirituality.
"All of the believers in the Corinthian assembly had been baptized by the Spirit [1Co 12:13], but not all of them spoke in tongues (1Co 12:30)." [Note: Wiersbe, 1:609.]
". . . in these verses Paul strikes a deathblow to the theory that speaking in tongues is the sign of the possession of the Spirit, for the answer ’No’ is expected to each question (cf. Greek)." [Note: S. L. Johnson Jr., p. 1251.]