Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Corinthians 12:30
Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?
Have all the gifts of healing?…. No; when these gifts were in being, all had them not. When anointing with oil, in order to heal the sick, was in use, it was only performed by the elders of the church, not by the common members of it, who were to be sent for by the sick on this occasion:
do all speak with tongues? no; it was not true in fact, as they well knew; though this was greatly coveted after, as a following chapter of this epistle shows;
do all interpret? that is, unknown tongues, strange languages; or can they? no. This also was a peculiar gift bestowed on some persons only.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Do all interpret? ( ?). He adds this query to the list in 28, but it is in 10.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
See comments above
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
interpret. Greek. diermeneuo. See Act 9:36.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Reciprocal: Mar 16:17 – they 1Co 12:10 – to another the 1Co 13:1 – I speak 1Co 14:5 – except 1Co 14:13 – pray
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
have all gifts of hearings? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret? [Paul here completes his analogy by showing that the gifts bestowed upon individuals in the church are as diverse and variant as the faculties bestowed upon the various members of the body. As the apostle has named nine spiritual gifts, so he here names nine positions in the church. These may be defined thus: 1. The “apostles” were those who possessed plenary inspiration. They could at all times and on all subjects declare the will of God. 2. “Prophets” had occasional inspiration, which was then usually of a very limited nature. 3. “Teachers” were uninspired men that were gifted in teaching and explaining the historic truths of the gospel and the doctrinal truths which came through inspiration, for those having prophetic gifts did not always fully understand the import of their own words (1Pe 1:11-12). 4 and 5. Those who worked miracles and had the gift of healing have been spoken of above. 6. “Helps” means the same as helpers. In our land domestic and other helpers are often provincially called “help.” It here refers to those who had a sympathetic nature or a generous spirit, etc. (Rom 12:8). 7. “Governments.” This refers to those possessing powers of leadership and organization, those having administrative ability, such as the elders. 8 and 9. “Divers kinds of tongues” and the power to interpret the same, have already been described. These appear to have been ranked first in importance by the Corinthians, because most showy, and they are here placed last by the apostles because they added but little to edification, and were of small practical value.]
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
30. Whether have all the gifts of healings. The answer is in the negative. In my travels I have been frequently associated with people on whom it seemed that God had laid this gift in an especial manner. While conducting a camp-meeting in Mississippi among sanctified, foot-washing Baptists ten years ago, a brother from Mississippi and a sister from Alabama were present and giving prominence to the work of Divine healing. They were very spiritual, and splendid altar-workers, so they made it a rule never to interfere with the soul-saving work, but frequently announced publicly that the ministry of healing would receive attention during the intermissions. While preaching day and night, I saw the people coming, carrying the sick on beds and setting them down, getting ready for the ministry of healing when the time arrived. Then, the Lords faithful people kneeling round them, and turning them over to the Great Physician, either the brother or the sister above mentioned proceeded to anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord (Jas 5:14). In many instances they arose from their beds with loud shouts of victory and attended the meetings to the end of the encampment. I was associated with several persons much used of the Lord on this line during my tours the last two years on the Pacific Coast. The persons most used in the ministry of healing in my observation are not eminent for their preaching ability; however, I have known many exceptions to this rule. The ministry of healing is very humble, laborious and responsible, whilst it is of invaluable utility. Perhaps the Lord wants to use you in this ministry, making you a blessing to many and giving you a crown of glory in the bright upper world. He has used your humble servant much in the ministry of healing; yet in my case I feel that it is only a blessed auxiliary to the spiritual work in which He is constantly using my humble instrumentality. Whether do all speak with tongues? The answer to this question is also in the negative. The gifts rendered prominent by these questions are held up before the reader in a preeminent and conspicuous light, there being a sense in which, as we see from the next verse, all the spiritual gifts may be possessed by the same person in a measure, most likely in every case some special one predominating. Paul was an example illustrating the gift of tongues or languages, having at his command Greek, Hebrew, Latin, and perhaps many others. It is my privilege to enjoy this gift, especially at the present time, in the Greek language, the original of the New Testament, to whose exposition I have been called by the Holiness people, as the media of the Holy Spirit, whose presence and leadership I very felicitously realize in the laborious and responsible work of writing these Commentaries. Truly, only one now and then is endued with this gift of tongues, in its primary sense, involving the ability to speak in unknown languages. If God does not call you to be a teacher in that prominent sense, or to go as a missionary to a heathen land, you do not need the gift of tongues in this primary sense. So be content with your lot, and rest assured that a crown of glory awaits you, if you will be a loyal, patient laborer in the Lords vineyard. Whether are all interpreters? The gift of interpretation is an indispensable concomitant of this gift of tongues. In heathen lands, interpreters are indispensable; I had to employ them when I traveled in the East. The Holy Spirit has wisely and graciously provided for every emergency in the evangelization of the world. When the Lord confers on us an unknown language, He simultaneously imparts to us the gift of interpretation, thus qualifying us to impart that language to others.
However, especially in heathen lands, the gift of interpretation frequently obtains separate and distinct from the gift of tongues.