Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Corinthians 12:7
But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.
7. to profit withal ] God’s object is ever the well-being of man. If man is to become one spirit with God (ch. 1Co 6:17), his object must be the same. See notes on ch. 1Co 6:12, 1Co 8:1 ; 1Co 8:9-13, 1Co 10:23.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
But the manifestation of the Spirit – The word manifestation ( fanerotis) means properly that which makes manifest, conspicuous, or plain; that which illustrates, or makes any thing seen or known. Thus, conduct manifests the state of the heart; and the actions are a manifestation, or showing forth of the real feelings. The idea here is, that there is given to those referred to, such gifts. endowments, or graces as shall manifest the work and nature of the Spirits operations on the mind; such endowments as the Spirit makes himself known by to people. All that he produces in the mind is a manifestation of his character and work, in the same way as the works of God in the visible creation are a manifestation of his perfections.
Is given to every man – To every man whose case is here under consideration. The idea is not at all that the manifestation of the Spirit is given to all people indiscriminately, to pagans, and infidels, and scoffers as well as to Christians. The apostle is discoursing only of those who are Christians, and his declaration should be confined to them alone. Whatever may be true of other people, this statement should be confined wholly to Christians, and means simply that the Spirit of God gives to each Christian such graces and endowments as he pleases; that he distributes his gifts to all, not equally, but in a manner which he shall choose; and that the design of this is, that all Christians should use his endowments for the common good. This passage, therefore, is very improperly adduced to prove that the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit are conferred alike on all people, and that pagans, and blasphemers, and sinners in general are under his enlightening influences. It has no reference to any such doctrine, but should be interpreted as referring solely to Christians, and the various endowments which are conferred on them.
To profit withal – ( pros to sumtheron). Unto profit; that is, for utility, or use; or to be an advantage to the church; for the common good of all. This does not mean that each one must cultivate and improve his graces and gifts, however true that may be, but that they are to be used for the common good of the church; they are bestowed for utility, or profit; they are conferred in such measures and in such a manner as are best adapted to be useful, and to do good. They are bestowed not on all equally, but in such a manner as shall best subserve the interests of piety and the church, and as shall tend harmoniously to carry on the great interests of religion, and further the welfare of the whole Christian body. The doctrine of this verse is, therefore:
- That the Holy Spirit bestows such endowments on all Christians as he pleases; and,
- That the design is, in the best manner to promote the common welfare – the peace and edification of the whole church.
It follows from this:
- That no Christian should be unduly elated, as if he were more worthy than others, since his endowments are the simple gift of God;
- That no Christian should be depressed and disheartened, as if he occupied an inferior or unimportant station, since his place has also been assigned him by God;
- That all should be contented, and satisfied with their allotments in the church, and should strive only to make the best use of their talents and endowments; and,
- That all should employ their time and talents for the common utility; for the furtherance of the common welfare, and the advancement of the kingdom of Christ on earth.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
1Co 12:7-11
The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.
The manifestation of the Spirit
As there are diversities of gifts, so are there diversities of measures in which these gifts are bestowed. Three degrees of the power of the Spirit are mentioned in Scripture.
I. For some special occasion. This is but transitory and occasional. It was granted to men in ancient times, as when Balaam prophesied and Samson displayed his strength. The phrase generally used for this is, The Spirit of the Lord came upon him. the subject of this influence was not necessarily a man of holy life He was but used as an instrument, and for the hour brought into acquiescence with the Divine will.
II. For salvation. This is the continuous possession of the Spirit as a new life. It is described in such terms as led by the Spirit, walking after the Spirit, to be spiritually minded, which is life. The entrance into this state is regeneration–the inclination of the will to God. This is eternal life.
III. For exalted service. This is the new life in its fulness, the flowering and fruiting of the plants of Divine grace. It is called being filled with the Spirit. It is the development of Christian life, at times attained by a sudden influx of the Divine power, and termed the baptism of the Holy Ghost. (J. Hunt Cooke.)
Grace given to individuals for the general good
By the word manifestation is intended the same thing as is set forth in the phrases, gift, administration and in this context, doubtless, the allusion is to miracles. By the phrase, profit withal, is to be understood, for the advantage of others, i.e., as the context proves, of the Church in the first instance, and then, through the Church, of the world at large. The transition from the miraculous gifts of early times to the graces in which the Spirit is now more commonly manifested, is easy and appropriate; the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every one of you to profit withal. What, then, are the manifestations of the Spirit which are peculiar to no one age of the Church? There is a manifestation of the Spirit in the miracle of a changed heart, evidenced by a holy life, and by this manifestation of the Spirit, God now speaks to men, and calls upon those thus gifted to profit the brethren. Is a man meek, gentle, longsuffering, temperate, and kind? He is so to use these graces as to profit others. Is a man blessed with joy and peace? He is, through the instrumentality of these gifts, to profit others. Has a man a strong faith? He is to exercise it to the general benefit. Has a man clever and vigorous hope, well grounded on Christ; he is to exercise himself to the general advantage. Is one full of charity? Such a one needs not to be told he is to be solicitous for his fellows. Let us see in what manner this may be done, and let us take the several particulars in the order just enumerated. Is any meek, gentle, longsuffering, temperate, and kind? Let him remember that his example is much needed in an age of retaliation, impatience, and extremes! I will pass on now to consider the case of him who is blessed with joy and peace. And let those who thus are warranted in relying on the favour of God, and who derive an awful joy, and not fear alone, from the contemplation of His holiness, let such love to recollect how they may profit the Church by speaking of their own consolation to the mourning penitent. Have you the gift of faith? It is that yon may profit others. First, by its instrumentality in keeping your spiritual life vigorous, whereby you may be an example in all things. One holy example is better than a thousand sermons. The former may convince, the latter must. But there is another way in which we are called upon to exercise our faith to the advantage of all. Faith alone can give our prayers audience in the presence chamber of Divinity. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much; but prayer is not, cannot be effectual unless it be the prayer of faith. Pray for the conversion of sinners, and the good estate of the Church through the guidance of her great and glorified Head, Christ Jesus. So those whose hope is strong will do well to let their conviction that they are walking humbly with their God incite them to build others up in the same reverent confidence; while those whose love comes up to the gospels standard will be fain to benefit others; nay, in benefiting others it is that this manifestation of the Spirit is made. He who believes, and he who hopes, may forget that the Body is not one member, but; many; and so they may come to forget that the manifestation of the Spirit is given to them to profit others; but he who loves cannot forget this; hence love is the fulfilling of the law. Hence, charity is the chiefest grace, the most valuable for time, no less than the only one needed in eternity! He who loves is using the gift of grace for the general good; he is a living member of the Body of Christ. (A. Watson, M.A.)
But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.
In the first verse of this chapter St. Paul proposeth to himself an argument, which he prosecuteth the whole chapter through, and, after a profitable digression into the praise of charity in the next chapter, resumeth again at the fourteenth chapter, spending also that whole chapter therein; and it is concerning spiritual gifts, Now, concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant, etc. These gracious gifts of the Holy Spirit of God, bestowed on them for the edification of the Church, the Corinthians, by making them the fuel either of their pride in despising those that were inferior to themselves, or of their envy in malicing those that excelled therein, abused to the maintenance of schism, and faction, and emulation in the Church. For the remedying of which evils the apostle entereth upon the argument, discoursing fully of the variety of these spiritual gifts, and who is the author of them, and for what end they were given, and in what manner they should be employed, omitting nothing that was needful to be spoken anent this subject. In this part of the chapter, entreating both before and after this verse of the wondrous great, yet sweet and useful variety of these spiritual gifts, he showeth that howsoever manifold they are, either for kind or degree, so as they may differ in the material and formal, yet they do all agree both in the same efficient and the same final cause. In the same efficient cause, which is God the Lord by His Spirit (1Co 12:6), Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord; and there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all And in the same final cause, which is the advancement of Gods glory, in the propagation of His gospel and the edification of His Church, in this verse, But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. By occasion of which words we may inquire into the nature, conveyance, and use of these gifts. First, their nature in themselves and in their original; what they are, and whence. They are the works of Gods Spirit in us, the manifestation of the Spirit. Secondly, their conveyance unto us–how we come to have them, and to have property in them; it is by gift: It is given to every man. Thirdly, their use and end; why they were given us, and what we are to do with them. They must be employed to the good of our brethren and of the Church; it is given to every man to profit withal. Of these briefly, and in their order, and with special reference ever to us that are of the clergy. By manifestation of the Spirit, here our apostle understandeth none other thing than he doth by the adjective word in the first, and by the substantive word in the last verse of the chapter Both which, put together, do signify those spiritual gifts and graces whereby God enableth men, and especially Churchmen, to the duties of their particular callings for the general good. Such as are those particulars, which are named in the next following verses, the word of wisdom, the word knowledge, faith, the gifts of healing, working of miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, divers kinds of tongues, interpretation of tongues. All which, and all other of like nature and use, because they are wrought by that one and selfsame Spirit, which divideth to every one severally as He will, are therefore called , spiritual gifts; and here , the manifestation of the Spirit. The word Spirit, though in Scripture it have many other significations, yet in this place I conceive it to be understood directly of the Holy Ghost, the Third Person in the ever-blessed Trinity. For first, in 1Co 12:3, that which is called the Spirit of God in the former part, is in the latter part called the Holy Ghost. I give you to understand that no man, speaking by the Spirit of God, calleth Jesus accursed; and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. Again that variety of gifts, which in 1Co 12:4 is said to proceed from the same Spirit, is said likewise in 1Co 12:5 to proceed from the same Lord, and in 1Co 12:6 to proceed from the same God, and therefore such a Spirit is meant, as is also Lord and God, and that is only the Holy Ghost. And again, in those words in 1Co 12:11 : All these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as He will. The apostle ascribeth to this Spirit the collation and distribution of such gifts according to the free power of His own will and pleasure, which free power belongeth to none but God alone, Who hath set the members every one in the body, as it hath pleased Him. Which yet ought not to be so understood of the Person of the Spirit; as if the Father and the Son had no part or fellowship in this business. For all the actions and operations of the Divine Persons (those only excepted which are of intrinsical and mutual relation) are the joint and undivided works of the whole three Persons, according to the common known maxim, constantly and uniformly received in the Catholic Church, Opera Trinitatis ad extra sunt indivisa. And as to this particular concerning gifts the Scriptures are clear. Wherein, as they are ascribed to God the Holy Ghost in this chapter, so they are elsewhere ascribed unto God the Father, Every good gift and every perfect giving is from above, from the Father of Lights (Jam 1:1-27.), and elsewhere to God the Son, Unto every one of us is given grace, according to the measure of the gift of Christ (Eph 4:1-32.). Yea, and it may be that for this very reason in the three verses next before my text, these three words are used: Spirit in 1Co 12:4, Lord in 1Co 12:5, and God in 1Co 12:6, to give us intimation that these spiritual gifts proceed equally and undividedly from the whole three Persons: from God the Father, and from His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, and from the eternal Spirit of them both, the Holy Ghost, as from one entire, indivisible, and co-essential Agent. But for that we are gross of understanding, and unable to conceive the distinct Trinity of Persons in the unity of the Godhead, otherwise than by apprehending some distinction of their operations and offices to usward, it hath pleased the wisdom of God in the holy Scriptures, which being written for our sakes were to be fitted to our capacities, so far to condescend to our weakness and dulness as to attribute some of those great and common works to one person, and some to another, after a more special manner than unto the rest; although indeed and in truth none of the Three Persons had more or less to do than other in any of those great and common works. This manner of speaking Divines used to call appropriation. By which appropriation, as power is ascribed to the Father, and wisdom to the Son, so is goodness to the Holy Ghost. And therefore, as the work of creation, wherein is specially seen the mighty power of God, is appropriated to the Father; and the work of redemption, wherein is specially seen the wisdom of God, to the Son; and so the works of sanctification and the infusion of habitual graces, whereby the good things of God are communicated unto us, is appropriated unto the Holy Ghost. And for this cause the gifts thus communicated unto us from God are called , spiritual gifts, and , the manifestation of the Spirit. We see now, why Spirit? but then, why manifestation? The word, as most other verbals of that form, may be understood either in the active or passive signification. And it is not material, whether of the two ways we take it in this place, both being true, and neither improper. For these spiritual gifts are the manifestation of the Spirit actively, because by these the Spirit manifesteth the will of God unto the Church, these being the instruments and means of conveying the knowledge of salvation unto the people of God. And they are the manifestation of the Spirit passively too, because where any of these gifts, especially in any eminent sort, appeared in any person, it was a manifest evidence that the Spirit of God wrought in him. As we read it (Act 10:1-48.), that they of the circumcision were astonished when they saw that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gifts of the Holy Ghost, if it be demanded, But how did that appear? it followeth in the next verse, For they heard them speak with tongues, etc. The spiritual gift, then, is a manifestation of the Spirit, as every other sensible effect is a manifestation of its proper cause. We are now yet further to know that the gifts and graces wrought in us by the Holy Spirit of God are of two sorts. The Scriptures sometimes distinguish them by the different terms of and ; although those words are sometimes again used indifferently and promiscuously, either for other. They are commonly known in the schools and differenced by the names of Gratice gratum facientes and Grutiae gratis datae. Which terms, though they be not very proper (for the one of them may be affirmed of the other, whereas the members of every good distinction ought to be opposite), yet because they have been long received (and change of terms, though haply for the better, hath by experience been found for the most part unhappy in the event, in multiplying unnecessary book-quarrels)we may retain them profitably, and without prejudice. Those former, which they call Gratum facientes, are the graces of sanctification, whereby the person that hath them is enabled to do acceptable service to God in the duties of His general calling; these latter, which they call Gratis dates, are the graces of edification, whereby the person that hath them is enabled to do profitable service to the Church of God in the duties of His particular calling. Those are given Nobis, et Nobis, both to us and for us, that is chiefly for our own good; these Nobis, sed Nostris, to us indeed, but for others; that is, chiefly for the good of our brethren. Those are given us ad salutem, for the saving of our souls; these ad lucrurm for the winning of other mens souls. Those proceed from the special love of God to the person, and may therefore be called personal, or special; these proceed from the general love of God to His Church, or yet more general to human societies, and may therefore rather be called ecclesiastical or general gifts or graces. Of the first sort are faith, hope, charity, repentance, patience, humility, and all those other holy graces, fruits of the Spirit, which accompany salvation. Wrought by the blessed and powerful operation of the Holy Spirit of God, after a most effectual but unconceivable manner, regenerating, and renewing, and seasoning, and sanctifying the hearts of His chosen. But yet these are not the gifts so much spoken of in this chapter; and namely in my text, every branch whereof excludeth them. Of those graces of sanctification, first, we may have indeed probable inducements to persuade us that they are, or are not, in this or that man. But hypocrisy may make such a semblance that we may think we see spirit in a man in whom yet there is nothing but flesh, and infirmities may cast such a fog that we can discern nothing but flesh in a man in whom yet there is spirit. But the gifts here spoken of do incur into the senses and give us evident and infallible assurance of the Spirit that wrought them; here is , a manifestation of the Spirit. Again, secondly, those graces of sanctification are not communicated by distribution–Alius sic, alius vero sic. Faith to one, charity to another, repentance to another; but where they are given they are given all at once and together, as it were strung upon one thread and linked into one chain. But the gifts here spoken of are distributed, as it were, by dole, and divided severally as it pleased God, shared out into several portions, and given to every man some, to none all; for to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom, to another the word of knowledge, etc. Thirdly, those graces of sanctification, though they may and ought to be exercised to the benefit of others, who by the shining of our light and the sight of our good works may be provoked to glorify God by walking in the same paths; yet that is but utilitas emergens, and not finis proprius; a good use made of them upon the bye, but not the main proper and direct end of them, for which they were chiefly given. But the gifts here spoken of were given directly for this end, and so intended by the giver to be employed for the benefit of others and for the edifying of the Church; they were given to profit withal. It then remaineth to understand this text and chapter of that other and later kind of spiritual gifts, those graces of edification, or gratiae gratis datae, whereby men are enabled in their several callings, according to the quality and measure of the graces they have received, to be profitable members of the public body, either in Church or Commonwealth. Under which appellation (the very first natural powers and faculties of the soul only excepted, which, flowing a principiis speciei, are in all men the same and like), I comprehend all other secondary endowments and abilities whatsoever of the reasonable soul, which are capable of the degrees of more and less, and of better and worse; together with all subsidiary helps any way conducing to the exercise of any of them. Whether they be, first, supernatural graces, given by immediate and extraordinary infusion from God; such as were the gifts of tongues and of miracles, and of healings, and of prophecy properly so called, and many other like, which were frequent in the infancy of the Church, and when this Epistle was written, according as the necessity of those primitive times considered God saw it expedient for His Church. Or whether they be, secondly, such as philosophers call natural dispositions, such as are promptness of wit, quickness of conceit, fastness of memory, clearness of understanding, soundness of judgment, readiness of speech, and other like, which flow immediately a principiis individui, from the individual condition, constitution, and temper, lure of particular persons. Or whether they be, thirdly, such as philosophers call intellectual habits, which is, when those natural dispositions are so improved and perfected by education, art, industry, observation, or experience, that men become thereby skilful linguists, subtle disputers, copious orators, profound Divines, powerful preachers, expert lawyers, physicians, historians, statesmen, commanders, artisans, or excellent in any science, profession, or faculty whatsoever. To which we may add, in the fourth place, all outward subservient helps whatsoever, which may any way further or facilitate the exercise of any of the former graces, dispositions, or habits, such as are health, strength, beauty, and all those other bona corporis, as also bona fortunae, honour, wealth, nobility, reputation, and the rest. All of these, even these among them which seem most of all to have their foundation in nature, or perfection from art, may in some sort be called , spiritual gifts; inasmuch as the Spirit of God is the first and principal worker of them. Nature, art, industry, and all other subsidiary furtherances, being but second agents under Him, Him and as means ordained. And now we have found out the just latitude of the spiritual gifts spoken of in this chapter, and of the manifestation of the Spirit in my text. From whence not to pass without some observable inferences for our edification, we may here first behold, and admire, and magnify the singular love, and care, and providence of God for and over His Church. Those active gifts, and graces, and abilities which are to be found in the members of the mystical body of Christ, are a strong manifestation that there is a powerful Spirit of God within, that knitteth the whole body together, and worketh all in all and all in every part of the body. Secondly, though we have just cause to lay it to heart, when men of eminent gifts and place in the Church are taken from us, yet we should sustain ourselves with this comfort, that it is the same God that still hath care over His Church. And therefore we may, not doubt but this Spirit, as He hath hitherto done from the beginning, so will still manifest Himself from time to time, unto the end of the world; in raising up instruments for the service of His Church, and furnishing them with gifts. Thirdly, where the Spirit of God hath manifested itself to any man by the distribution of gifts, it is but reason that man should manifest the Spirit that is in him, by exercising those gifts in some lawful calling.
II. Consider we next, and in the second place, the conveyance of these gifts over unto us; how we come to have a property in them, and by what right we can call them ours. The conveyance is by deed of gifts; the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man. Understand it not to be so much intended here that every particular man hath the manifestation of the Spirit, as that every man that hath the manifestation of the Spirit hath it given him and given him withal to this end, that he may do good with it. The variety both of the gifts meet for several offices, and of the offices wherein to imply those gifts, is wonderful; and no less wonderful the distribution of both gifts and offices. But all that variety is derived from one and the same fountain, the Holy Spirit of God; all those distributions pass unto us by one and the same way, of most free and liberal donation. Possibly thou wilt allege thy excellent natural parts–these were not given, but thou broughtest them into the world with thee; or thou wilt vouch what thou hast attained to by art and industry–and these were not given thee, but thou hast won them, and therefore well deservest to wear them. Deceive not thyself. But the truth is, the difference that is in men in regard of these gifts and abilities ariseth neither from the power of nature nor from the merit of labour, otherwise than as God is pleased to use these as second causes under Him. Whatsoever spiritual abilities we have, we have them of gift and by grace. The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man. A point of very fruitful consideration for men of all sorts, whether they be of greater or of meaner gifts. And first, all of us generally may hence take two profitable directions; the one, if we have any useful gifts, whom to thank for them; the other, if we want any needful gifts, where to seek for them. I must now turn more particularly to you to whom God hath vouchsafed the manifestation of His Spirit in a larger proportion than unto many of your brethren, giving unto you, as unto His firstborn, double portion of His Spirit, as Elisha had of Elijahs, or perhaps dealing with you yet more liberally, as Joseph did with Benjamin, whose mess, though he were the youngest, he appointed to be five times as much as any of his brethren. It is needful that you, of all others, should be put in remembrance, that those eminent manifestations of the Spirit you have, were given you. First, it will be a good help to take down that pride which is so apt to engender in the soul through abundance of knowledge, and to let out some of the corruption. It is a very hard thing to know much, and not to know it too much. Secondly, every wise and conscionable man should advisedly weigh his own gifts, and make them his rule to work by, not thinking he doth enough if he do what law compelleth him to do, or if he do as much as other neighbours do. But thirdly, though your graces must be so to yourselves, yet beware you do not make them rules to others. The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man; let no man be so severe to his brother as to look he should manifest more of the Spirit than he hath received. Now, as for you to whom God hath dealt these spiritual gifts with a more sparing hand, the freedom of Gods distribution may be a fruitful meditation for you also. First, thou hast no reason, whosoever thou art, to grudge at the scantness of thy gifts, or to repine at the Giver. How little soever God hath given thee, it is more than He owed thee. He hath done thee no wrong, may He not do as He will with His own? Secondly, since the manifestation of the Spirit is a matter of free gift, thou hast no cause to envy thy brother whose portion is greater. Thirdly, if thy gifts be mean, thou hast this comfort withal, that thy accounts will be so much the easier. Merchants that have the greatest dealings are not ever the safest men. And how happy a thing had it been for many men in the world if they had had less of other mens goods in their hands. The less thou hast received, the less thou hast to answer for. Lastly, remember what the preacher saith in Ecc 10:10 : If the iron be blunt, then he must put to the more strength. Many men that are well left by their friends and full of money, because they think they shall never see the bottom of it, take no care by any employment to increase it, but spend without either fear or wit; whereas, on the contrary, industrious men that have but little to begin withal, yet by their care and providence, and painstaking, get up wonderfully. It is almost incredible what industry, and diligence, and exercise, and holy emulation are able to effect, for the bettering and increasing of our spiritual gifts; so, though thy beginnings be but small, thy latter end shall wonderfully increase. By this means thou shalt not only profit thyself in the increase of thy gifts unto thyself, thou shalt also profit others by communicating of thy gifts unto them. Which is the proper end for which they were bestowed, and of which we are next to speak. The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. To profit whom? it may be himself. It is true, If thou art wise, thou shalt be wise for thyself, said Solomon; and Solomon knew what belonged to wisdom as well as another. He that is not good to himself, it is but a chance that he is good to anybody else. He that hath a gift, then, he should do well to look to his own, as well as to the profit of others, and as unto doctrine (1Ti 4:16), so as well and first to take heed unto himself, that so doing he may save himself as well as those that hear him. This, then, is to be done; but this is not all that is to be done. In wisdom we cannot do less; but in charity we are bound to do more than thus with our gifts. You see, then, what a strong obligation lieth upon every man that hath received the Spirit to call his gifts into the common treasury of the Church, to employ his good parts and spiritual graces so as they may some way or other be profitable to his brethren. It was not only for the beautifying of His Church that God gave some apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers; but also, and especially, for more necessary and profitable uses; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ (Eph 4:11-12). The stomach eateth, not to fill itself, but to nourish the body; the eye seeth, not to please itself, but to espy for the body; the foot moveth, not to exercise itself, but to carry the body; the hand worketh, not to help itself, but to maintain the body. Now this necessity of employing spiritual gifts to the good and profit of others, ariseth first from the will and the intent of the Giver. My text showeth plainly what that intent was. The manifestation of the Spirit was therefore given to every man, that he might profit withal. Certainly, as nature doth not, so much less doth the God of nature make anything to no purpose, or barely for show, but for use; and the use, for which all these things were made and given, is edification. He that hath an estate made over to him in trust and for uses, hath in equity therein no estate at all, if he turn the commodities of the thing some other way, and not to those special uses for which he was so estated in it. It is a just thing with the Father of Lights, when He hath lighted any man a candle by bestowing spiritual gifts upon him, and lent him a candlestick, too, whereon to set it, by providing him a stay in the Church, if that man shall then hide his candle under a bushel and envy the light and comfort of it to them that are in the house, either to remove his candlestick or to put out his candle in obscurity. As the intent of the Giver, so, secondly, the nature and quality of the gift calleth upon us for employment. It is not with these spiritual gifts, as with most other things, which, when they are imparted, are impaired, and lessened by communicating. Here is no place for that allegation of the virgins, Lest there be not enough for you and for us. These graces are of the number of those things that communicate themselves by multiplication, as the seal maketh impression in the wax, and as fire conveyeth heat into iron, and as one candle findeth a thousand, all without loss of figure, heat, or light. Had ever any man less knowledge, or wit, or learning, by teaching of others? Had he not rather more? Thirdly, our own insufficiency to all offices, and the need we have of other mens gifts, must enforce us to lend them the help and comfort of ours. Surely, then, those men, first of all, run a course strangely exorbitant, who, instead of employing them to the profit, bend those gifts they have received, whether spiritual or temporal, to the ruin and destruction of their brethren. Abusing their power to oppression, their wealth to luxury, their strength to drunkenness, their wit to scoffing, atheism, profaneness, their learning to the maintenance of heresy, idolatry, schism, novelty. Be persuaded, in the second place, all you whom God hath made stewards over His household, and blessed your basket and your store, to bring forth of your treasures things both new and old; manifest the spirit God hath given you, so as may be most for the profit of your brethren. Thirdly, since the end of all gifts is to profit, aim most at those gifts that will profit most, and endeavour so to frame those you have in the exercise of them, as they may be likeliest to bring profit to those that shall partake of them. Covet earnestly the best gifts. You cannot do more good unto the Church of God, you cannot more profit the people of God by your gifts, than by pressing effectually these two great points, faith, and good works. These are good and profitable unto men. I might here add other inferences from this point, as namely, since the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every one of us, chiefly for this end, that we may profit the people with it, that therefore, fourthly, in our preaching we should rather seek to profit our hearers, though perhaps with sharp and unwelcome reproofs, than to please them by flattering them in evil; and that, fifthly, we should more desire to bring profit unto them than to gain applause unto ourselves. (Bishop Sanderson.)
The gifts of the Holy Spirit
These are–
I. Profitable. Some are more showy, others are more useful.
1. For the conversion of sinners.
2. For the edification of saints.
II. Diverse.
1. The word of wisdom.
2. The word of knowledge.
3. Faith, such as became the confessors and martyrs (Heb 11:1-40.).
4. Gifts of healing (Act 3:4).
5. Working of miracles.
6. Prophecy (1Co 14:24-25).
7. Discerning of spirits (Act 5:3-4; Act 5:9).
8. Divers kinds of tongues (Act 2:4).
9. The interpretation of tongues (1Co 14:27).
III. Bestowed upon each and all by the same spirit (verse 11). Let there be no rivalry in the Churches.
IV. Should unify the Church into one body (verses 12, 13).
V. Should be coveted earnestly (verse 31). To him that hath shall be given, and he shall have more abundantly. (L. O. Thompson.)
Diversity of operations, but one Spirit
Note the specific methods of the Spirits operation–
I. In the church.
1. As a breath, wind. See Ezekiels vision of the valley, Christ breathing on His disciples, and the rushing, mighty wind of Pentecost. Symbol of life, quickening inspiration.
2. Refreshment. Water the type. If any man thirst, I will pour water, etc. Fertilising, cleansing of the outward.
3. Inward purifying. Fire the symbol. He shall baptize with fire. I am come to send fire on earth. Also of vital warmth, zeal, fervour.
4. Consecration. Anointing. Oil the type. Settling apart, enduing with power.
II. With the world.
1. A reprover (Joh 16:8-11).
2. Strives with men (Gen 6:3; Act 7:51).
3. Enlightens by revealing Christ.
4. Regenerates by awakening faith in Christ. (Homiletic Monthly.)
The distribution of gifts in the Church is
I. Liberal. To every man.
II. Wise. Designed for the profit of–
1. The individual.
2. The whole Church.
III. Suitable.
1. Wisdom and knowledge contribute to enlargement of view.
2. Faith to edification and increase.
3. Gifts of healing, etc., to the confirmation of the truth.
IV. Sovereign. By the Spirit–as He will–hence all glory belongs to God. (J. Lyth, D.D.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 7. The manifestation of the Spirit] . This is variably understood by the fathers; some of them rendering by illumination, others demonstration, and others operation. The apostle’s meaning seems to be this: Whatever gifts God has bestowed, or in what various ways soever the Spirit of God may have manifested himself, it is all for the common benefit of the Church. God has given no gift to any man for his own private advantage, or exclusive profit. He has it for the benefit of others as well as for his own salvation.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
He here calleth gifts, the manifestation of the Spirit, partly to let them know, that these powers flowed from the Holy Spirit apparently, they having no such powers while they were heathens, and carried after dumb idols, as they were led; and partly to let all know, that these gifts and powers were evident proofs both of Christs ascension, and of the promise of the Father and of Christ in sending the Holy Spirit, Act 1:4; 16:7,8; Eph 4:8. These gifts he tells them were
given to every man; where every signifieth each one; for the same gifts or powers were not given to all, but to those to whom they were given, they were given not to puff them up, or to give them matter to boast of, but to do good withal to the church of Christ. No man hath any power or gift given him of God, either for his own hurt, or the hurt of others, but only for his own good, and the good of others.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
7. ButThough all the giftsflow from the one God, Lord, and Spirit, the “manifestation”by which the Spirit acts (as He is hidden in Himself), varies in eachindividual.
to every manto eachof the members of the Church severally.
to profit withalwitha view to the profit of the whole body.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
But the manifestation of the Spirit,…. Not that which the Spirit manifests, as the grace and love of God, an interest in Christ, the doctrines of the Gospel, and the things of another world; for he is a spirit of revelation, more or less, in the knowledge of these things; but that which manifests that a man has the Spirit of God; or rather the gifts of the Spirit, as the fruits and graces of the Spirit, the least measure of which, as being able to say that Jesus is Lord, shows that a man has the Spirit of God; or rather the gifts of the Spirit, ordinary or extraordinary, which are such as manifestly declare their author:
is given to every man; not that the special grace of the Spirit is given to every individual man in the world, nor to every member of a visible church, for some are sensual, not having the Spirit; but as the same graces of the Spirit are given to every regenerate man, for all receive the same spirit of faith, so the gifts of the Spirit, more or less, either ordinary or extraordinary, are given to all such persons;
to profit withal; not to make gain of, as Simon Magus intended, could he have been possessed of them; nor to encourage pride or envy, or to form and foment divisions and parties; but for profit and advantage, and that not merely private, or a man’s own, but public, the good of the whole community or church, to which the least grace or gift, rightly used, may contribute.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Manifestation (). Late word, in papyri, in N.T. only here and 2Co 4:2, from , to make manifest (). Each instance of the whole (verse 6) is repeatedly given (, present passive indicative of ).
To profit withal ( ). See on 1Cor 6:12; 1Cor 10:23; 1Cor 10:33 for Paul’s guiding principle in such matters.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
1) “But the manifestation of the Spirit.” (hekasto de didotai he phunerosis tou pneumatos) “But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit.” Distribution of spiritual gifts were visible manifestations, credentials of genuineness, to sustain the testimony of every member of the Corinth church.
2) “is given to every man to profit withal.” (pros to sumpheron) “To or toward the profit (of others).” Paul asserted that visible manifestations of supernatural gifts held by the Corinth members, were not for their singular, individual, or personal profit and glory, but for the help of the entire church, and even those without. Miracles and special spiritual gifts appear to have been given primarily to convince the unbelievers of the deity of Jesus Christ and to strengthen the weak believers. Mar 2:10-11; Joh 11:41-44; 1Jn 2:11.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
7. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man He now points out the purpose for which God has appointed his gifts, for he does not confer them upon us in vain, nor does he intend that they shall serve the purpose of ostentation. Hence we must inquire as to the purpose for which they are conferred. As to this Paul answers — ( with a view to utility) — πρὸς τὸ συμφερον; that is, that the Church may receive advantage thereby. The manifestation of the Spirit may be taken in a passive as well as in an active sense — in a passive sense, because wherever there is prophecy, or knowledge, or any other gift, the Spirit of God does there manifest himself — in an active sense, because the Spirit of God, when he enriches us with any gift, unlocks his treasures, for the purpose of manifesting to us those things that would otherwise have been concealed and shut up. The second interpretation suits better. The view taken by Chrysostom is rather harsh and forced — that this term is used, (736) because unbelievers do not recognize God, except by visible miracles.
(736) “ Que ceci est appele Manifestation : ” — “That this is termed a Manifestation. ”
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(7) But the manifestation of the Spirit.These gifts which flow from one source are intended to flow towards one object, viz., the benefit of the whole Church. If it were only for a mans own benefit it would cease to be a manifestationit would be sufficient for the person to possess the spirit consciously to himself. But the object of light is to give light to others. The object of the spiritual light is to make manifest to others.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
7. Manifestation The exhibition in the exercise.
To profit Utility is made the test of the rank and value of the gift, as in 1 Corinthians 13:19 more fully.
The gifts here mentioned have been variously classified, but not in the order of their mention by the apostle. We propose a classification into gifts of mind, of voice, and of action; thought, word, and deed. Under mind, are gifts of wisdom, knowledge, faith, discerning of spirits, and interpretation; under gifts of voice or utterance, prophecy and tongues; under gifts of action, healing and working of miracles.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit to profit withal.’
From considering the mighty power of the triune God in His working on behalf of His people, Paul now comes down to the individual believer. The mightiest Being imaginable resources every believer as He chooses. Thus there is no room for jealousy or boasting. Each one is in some way given the manifestation of the Spirit that all may profit. This may mean that each one who is given a manifestation of the Spirit is given it for the benefit of the whole church. Or it may signify that each member of the church can be sure that they will have some gift from God through His Spirit with which they can serve in the church and make the truth known in one way or another, so that all may profit. Both are in fact true, especially if we take the gifts in their wider sense as revealed elsewhere. And all are necessary to the wellbeing of Christ’s body (Eph 4:15-16). None can do without the other.
‘Is given.’ The passive verb regularly indicates that the source is God. Thus the source of the Spirit’s genuine gifts is God, and the manifestation of the Spirit at work is God’s gift to His own.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
The actual working of the several gifts:
v. 7. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.
v. 8. For to one is given by the Spirit the Word of wisdom; to another, the Word of knowledge by the same Spirit;
v. 9. to another, faith by the same Spirit; to another, the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;
v. 10. to another, the working of miracles; to another, prophecy; to another, discerning of spirits; to another, divers kinds of tongues; to another, the interpretation of tongues.
v. 11. But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as He will. The apostle now shows how the various gifts of the Spirit, in which the congregation at Corinth was so rich, were manifested, and what purpose was to be kept in mind by them: But to each (Christian) there is being given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common profit. He speaks very generally, stating that every Christian possesses some gift of grace, a gift which was not merely bestowed upon him at one time in the dim and distant past, but is being dealt out to him day after day. Its aim and object, therefore, is not to serve for personal aggrandizement and enjoyment, but to be placed at the disposal and to minister to the spiritual profit of the entire congregation and Church. Every Christian should prove himself a good steward of the manifold grace of God, 1Pe 4:10; Mat 25:14-30.
Just how the spiritual talents of the individual Christians should serve for the benefit of the whole congregation Paul shows by a number of examples: To the one was given through the Spirit, through His power, the Word of wisdom; he had an exceptionally thorough knowledge of the great truths of Scripture, of the mystery of the Gospel, of the Word of the Cross, and could expound them in their connection in a clear, convincing way. But to another was given the Word of understanding, according to the same Spirit, directed by His power; he had the gift of applying the Word of God to individual cases in life, to throw light upon them in a proper way, to make the right conclusion on the basis of clear understanding. Wisdom is the more theoretical, knowledge the more practical; the qualifications of the teacher and pastor, particularly.
In the second series of gifts, there is given to another faith, in the same Spirit, in His power and bestowment alone; not that faith which accepts salvation in Christ, not justifying faith, but a strong and unwavering confidence in the omnipotence of God or in the power of Christ, as able to reveal itself in extraordinary deeds and to accomplish what seems impossible to men. This gift of heroic faith was needed especially in the early days of the Church, but has appeared since in many servants of the Lord that accomplished the apparently supernatural, with the assistance of the Lord. To another were given the gifts of healings in the bestowment of the same Spirit; there were Christians in the early days that were able to cure the sick without medicines and to perform other miraculous things, such as raising the dead, punishing the wicked by some extraordinary manifestations of God’s wrath, as in the case of Ananias and Sapphira, Elymas, etc. Closely connected with these gifts were those of the acts of power, working of miracles in general.
In the third group of gifts St. Paul mentions that to another Christian is given prophecy, which includes not only the ability to see into the future and to declare coming events in advance, but also that of applying the Word of God in teaching and admonishing. “Prophecy is that one can interpret and explain the Scripture correctly, and there from, in a powerful manner, prove the doctrine of faith and overthrow false doctrine; also, through it to admonish the people, to threaten or to strengthen and to comfort, indicating, meanwhile, the wrath to come, the punishment and revenge upon the unbelievers and disobedient, and again, divine help and reward for the believers and pious; as the prophets did from the Word of God, both from the Law and from the promises. ” To another is given the discerning of spirits, the ability to distinguish between true and false teachers very readily, 2Th 2:10; 1Jn 4:1. When Satan found that open enmity and persecution did not succeed according to his plan, he employed guile and stealth in raising up false teachers in the very midst of the Christian congregations, whose glib tongues often succeeded in introducing doctrines at variance with the pure Gospel as preached by the apostles. Therefore a person with the ability to discriminate, to uncover the weak and dangerous position of the false teachers at once, was a great asset in a congregation. To still another Christian were given kinds of tongues; he was able to speak the great things of God in strange languages, which he had never studied, Mar 16:17, or he could praise the Lord in an entirely new, unknown language, virtually the tongue of angels, chap. 13:1. But since this gift would have been unprofitable in itself, the Lord had also given to another the interpretation of tongues, the ability to translate the unknown language for the benefit of the congregation, for the edification of the hearers.
The apostle distinctly reminds his readers that all these gifts, no matter how great the difference between them, no matter what inclination there was among the holders of the several talents to exalt their own peculiar endowment, were all wrought by one and the selfsame Spirit, in distributing to each individual person just as His will dictated. Two thoughts stand out here: That it is the Spirit alone that deals with each individual, that it is His choice and judgment which determined the gifts, but that also there could be no idea of merit on the part of the receiver; the measure of the Holy Ghost is His free, gracious will and counsel. Note: Of the gifts here mentioned by the apostle, “four have disappeared entirely out of the Christian Church, the other five are still to be found, though in a smaller measure. The gift to heal without the application of medicines, the gift to perform other miracles, the gift to speak strange languages without previous study and use, and finally the gift to interpret such languages as one has never learned, have disappeared entirely. But this is not the case with the other gifts mentioned by the apostles, namely, with the gifts of speaking of wisdom and of knowledge through the Spirit, with the gift of prophesying, that is, of expounding the Scriptures, with the gift of an unusually high, strong, and heroic faith, and finally with the gift to distinguish between the spirits. ” If these gifts were only employed more often, in all humility, for the benefit of the Church!
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
1Co 12:7. But or Now.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
1Co 12:7 . ] leading on to the like destination of all the gifts. The emphasis lies on . This is the aim, which is the same in the case of every one who receives a gift. To each one is the manifestation of the Spirit (his making known the Holy Spirit to others by charismatic acts) given with a view to benefit (in order to be of use, see 1Co 14:12 ). The genitive is to be taken in this objective sense (with Billroth, Schulz, Geistesg . p. 164, and Hofmann), because there exists no reason here for departing from the similar meaning of . . in 2Co 4:2 ; and we have no other instance of the use of the word except in the Fathers. Calvin, Rckert, de Wette, and most expositors understand it subjectively: the self-revelation of the Spirit . Even on the first interpretation there is not too much concession to independent human activity (in opposition to de Wette), as is plain from the very idea of the .
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
(7) But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. (8) For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; (9) To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; (10) To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: (11) But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.
Very blessedly we are told, that those manifestations of the Holy Ghost are given to every child of God, for their spiritual improvement in the knowledge of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, Col 2:2-3 . This should be well considered. Our union with Christ, which the Spirit shews; under his quickening influences, leads the regenerated soul to improve that knowledge into occasions of comfort and holy joy, through the whole of our walk of faith. Christ as our Head and Husband, is continually manifested to us by the Spirit, on purpose to shew, that whatever our wants are, or our exercises are, however circumstanced, or however tried, the Holy Ghost manifests Christ to us for our profit. This manifestation preached Christ, shews Christ, proclaims Christ in all his suitableness and all-sufficiency. And this one office alone, of God the Holy Ghost, most loudly testifies his person and agency, and that in the Covenant, his ministry was, and is, to be carried on through the whole time-state of the Church, until grace is finished in glory.
If the Reader will count over the several gifts, here said to be the work and grace of the Holy Spirit, he will find no less than nine distinctly enumerated. Neither are those the whole which are in the creation and gift of the Lord the Holy Ghost. Numberless others are spoken of in the word of God. Be is a spirit of judgment, and a spirit of burning; Isa 4:4 , a spirit of grace and of supplication, Zec 12:10 , an ambassador, Joh 16:7 . advocate, Joh 16:8-10 , teacher, Rom 8:26-27 , the, glorifier of the Lord Jesus, Joh 16:14 . In short, his graces and gifts in the (economy of the Covenant, are so many, and various; that it would be difficult, if not impossible, to particularize all. But these are marked down in this chapter; to shew how gracious the Lord is, and how much depends upon his efficient ministry in the church of Christ, for spiritual knowledge, improvement, and consolation. Not a single act of faith can a child of God exercise upon the Person or work of Christ, but by his immediate power. Not a promise can the child of God apprehend, much less plead, but from the Lord the Spirit’s opening it to his view, and prompting him to present it for acceptance, and for payment, before the throne. And, notwithstanding God the Spirit hath regenerated that soul, and brought all his newborn faculties forth to life and light in Christ; yet the actions of the renewed nature can only be kept alive, and in sweet enjoyment upon the Person, work, blood-shedding, and righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, by the quickening graces of God the Holy Ghost, Hence, the Apostle prays for the Church to this amount. The Lord (saith he) direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ, 2Th 3:5 .
Reader! I beseech you pause over this view of God the Holy Ghost, and his divine ministry, which, the Apostle hath here given in these few words. All these worketh that one and the self-same Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will. Hence, then it must undeniably follow, that all spiritual life and action come from Him. Creating work, renewing work, quickening at first the soul, which was before dead in trespasses and sins, and keeping alive the soul when quickened by his daily, hourly, minutely communications, must be His, Eph 2:5 ; Psa 22:29 . Say then, Reader, can any facts upon earth be more plain and palpable, than that God the Holy Ghost is a Person whose Almighty Agency creates all spiritual blessings, divides all spiritual blessings, and gives to everyone severally as he will? Can anything manifest the will and act of a Person more plainly and fully, than by what is here said? Oh! the blindness, folly, and daring presumption of the present Christ despising, Holy Ghost-disowning generation!
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.
Ver. 7. To profit withal ] We are neither born nor born again for ourselves. If we be not fit to serve the body, neither are we fit to be of the body; he is not a saint that seeketh not communion of saints. Pudeat illos, qui ita in studiis se abdiderunt, ut ad vitam communem nullum fructum ferre possint, saith Cicero. They may well be ashamed that employ not their talents for a public good. a The Greek word importeth such a kind of profit, as redounds to community. It seemeth to be a metaphor from bees, that bring all the honey they can get to the common hive.
a Paulum sepultae distat inertiae celata virtus. Hor.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
7 11. ] These operations specified in their variety, but again asserted to be the work of one and the same Spirit .
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
7. ] To each individual, however (the emphasis on , as shewing the character of what is to follow, viz. individual distinction of gifts.
again contrasted with the of the last verse; though the workings of One God, One Lord, One Spirit, they are bestowed variously on each man), is given the manifestation of the Spirit (not, as Meyer, al., the means of manifesting the Spirit which dwells in him (gen. obj.): but, as De W., the manifestation by which the Spirit acts (gen. subj.); it is a general term including , , and ) with a view to profit (with the profit of the whole body as the aim: see reff.).
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
1Co 12:7 . . . . distributive in contrast with the collective . of 1Co 12:6 ; cf. Eph 4:6 f., and the emphatic of 1Co 3:5-13 : “But to each there is being given the manifestation of the Spirit with a view to profiting”; cf. Eph 4:7-16 , where the . is similarly portioned out amongst the members of Christ, for manifold and reciprocal service to His body. The thought of mutual benefit, there amply expressed, is here slightly indicated by ( ad utilitatem , Vg [1846] ): see 1Co 6:12 , 1Co 10:23 ; 1Co 10:33 , on this word. , datur ( not datum est ), indicates continuous bestowment; so in 1Co 12:8 ff.: these charisms, blossoming out in rich, changeful variety, disclose the potencies of the Spirit ever dwelling in the Church. (opp [1847] of ) governs . in obj [1848] gen [1849] : to each is granted some personal gift in which he shows forth the Spirit by whose inspiration he calls Jesus Lord (1Co 12:3 ); for the constr [1850] , cf. 2Co 4:2 For the general idea, Mat 5:14 ff., Luk 12:1 f., 1Pe 2:9 .
[1846] Latin Vulgate Translation.
[1847] opposite, opposition.
[1848] grammatical object.
[1849] genitive case.
[1850] construction.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
1 Corinthians
THE UNIVERSAL GIFT
1Co 12:7
The great fact which to-day 1 commemorates is too often regarded as if it were a transient gift, limited to those on whom it was first bestowed. We sometimes hear it said that the great need of the Christian world is a second Pentecost, a fresh outpouring of the Spirit of God and the like. Such a way of thinking and speaking misconceives the nature and significance of the first Pentecost, which had a transient element in it, but in essence was permanent. The rushing mighty wind and the cloven tongues of fire, and the strange speech in many languages, were all equally transient. The rushing wind swept on, and the house was no more filled with it. The tongues flickered into invisibility and disappeared from the heads. The hubbub of many languages was quickly silent. But that which these things but symbolised is permanent; and we are not to think of Pentecost as if it were a sudden gush from a great reservoir, and the sluice was let down again after it, but as if it were the entrance into a dry bed, of a rushing stream, whose first outgush was attended with noise, but which thereafter flows continuous and unbroken. If churches or individuals are scant of that gift, it is not because it has not been bestowed, but because it has not been accepted.
My text tells us two things: it unconditionally and broadly asserts that every Christian possesses this great gift-the manifestation is given to every man; and then it asserts that the gift of each is meant to be utilised for the good of all. ‘The manifestation is given to every man to profit withal.’
I. Let me, then, say a word or two, to begin with, about the universality of this gift.
Let me remind you, too, that that universality of the gifts of the Divine Spirit is implied in the very conception of what Christ’s work, in its deepest and most precious aspects to us, is. For we are not to limit, as a great many so-called earnest evangelical teachers and believers do-we are not to limit His work to that which is effected when a man first becomes a Christian-viz. pardon and acceptance with God. God forbid that I should ever seem to underrate that great initial gift on which everything else must be built. But I am not underrating it when I say, ‘Let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith,’ and the ‘proportion of faith’ has been violated, and the perspective and completeness of Christian truth, and of Christ’s gifts, have been, alas! to a very large extent distorted because Christian people, trained in what we call the evangelical school, have laid far too little emphasis on the fact that the essential gift of Christ to His people is not pardon, nor acceptance, nor justification, but life ; and that forgiveness, and altered relationship to God, and assurance of acceptance with Him, are all preliminaries. They are, if I may recur to a figure that I have already employed, the preparing of the channel, and the taking away of the obstacles that block its mouth, in order to the inrush of the flood of the river of the water of life.
This life that Christ gives is the result of the gift of the Spirit. So ‘If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of His.’ The life is the gift considered from our side, and the Spirit is the gift considered from the divine side. ‘Every man that hath the Son hath life’; because the law of the Spirit of life in Christ has made him free from the law of sin and death. So you see if that is true-and I for my part am sure that it is-then all that vulgar way of looking at the influences of the Holy Spirit upon men, as if they were confined to certain exceptional people, or certain abnormal and extraordinary and elevated acts, is swept away. It is not the spasmodic, the exceptional, the rare, not the lofty or transcendentally Christlike acts or characters that are alone the manifestation of the Spirit.
Nor is this gift a thing that a man can discover as distinct from his own consciousness. The point where the river of the water of life comes into the channel of our spirits lies away far up, near the sources, and long before the stream comes into sight in our own consciousness, the blended waters have been inseparably mingled, and flow on peacefully together. ‘The Spirit beareth witness with our spirits’; and you are not to expect that you can hear two voices speaking, but it is one voice and one only.
Now, that universality of this divine gift underlies the very constitution of the Christian Church. ‘Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty,’ said Paul. It is because each Christian man has access to the one Source of illumination and of truth and righteousness and holiness, that no Christian man is to become subject to the dominion of a brother. And it is because on the servants and on the handmaidens has been poured out, in these days, God’s Spirit and they prophesy, that all domination of classes or individuals, and all stiffening of the free life of God’s Church by man-made creeds, are contrary to the very basis of its existence, and an attack on the dignity of each individual member of the Church. ‘Ye have an unction from the Holy One’ is said to all Christian people-and ‘ye need not that any man teach you,’ still less that any man, or body of men, or document framed by men, should be set up as normal and authoritative over Christ’s free people.
Still further, and only one word-Let me remind you of what I have already said, and what is only too sadly true, that this grand universality of the Spirit’s gift to all Christian people does not fill, in the mind of the ordinary Christian man, the place that it ought, and it does not fill it, therefore, in his experience. I say no more upon that point.
II. And now let me say a word, secondly, about the many-sidedness of this universal gift.
But again, we see another sphere of the Spirit’s working in the manifestations of it in the experience of the primitive Church. These are, as we all know, accompanied with miracles, speaking with tongues and working wonders. The signs of that Spirit in those days were visible and audible. As I said, when the river first came into its bed, it came like the tide in Morecambe Bay, breast-high, with a roar and a rush. But it was quiet after that. In the context we have a whole series of manifestations of this Divine Spirit, some of them miraculous and some being natural faculties heightened, but all concerned with the Church as a society, and being for the benefit of the community.
But there is another class. If you turn to the Epistle to the Galatians, you will find a wonderful list there of what the Apostle calls ‘the fruit of the Spirit,’ beginning with ‘love, joy, peace.’ These are all moral and religious, bearing upon personal experience and the completeness of the individual character.
Now, let us include all these aspects in our conception of the fruit of the Spirit’s working on men-the secular, if we may use that word, as exhibited in the Old Testament; the miraculous, as seen in the first days of the Church; the ecclesiastical, if we may so designate the endowments mentioned in the context, and the purely personal, moral, and religious emotions and acts. The plain fact is that everything in a Christian’s life, except his sin, is the manifestation of that Divine Spirit, from whom all good thoughts, counsels, and works do proceed. He is the ‘Spirit of adoption,’ and whenever in my heart there rises warm and blessed the aspiration ‘Abba! Father!’ it is not my voice only, but the voice of that Divine Spirit. He is the Spirit of intercession; and whenever in my soul there move yearning desires after infinite good, child-like longings to be knit more closely to Him, that, too, is the voice of God’s Spirit; and our prayers are then ‘sweet, indeed, when He the Spirit gives by which we pray.’ In like manner, all the variety of Christian emotions and experiences is to be traced to the conjoint operation of that Divine Spirit as the source, and my own spirit as influenced by, and the organ of, the Spirit of God. If I may take a very rough illustration, there is a story in the Old Testament about a king, to whom were given a bow and arrow, with the command to shoot. The prophet’s hand was laid on the king’s weak hand, and the weak hand was strengthened by the touch of the other; and with one common pull they drew back the string and the arrow sped. The king drew the bow, but it was the prophet’s hand grasping his wrist that gave him strength to do it. And that is how the Spirit of God will work with us if we will.
III. Finally, consider the purpose of all the diverse manifestations of the one universal gift.
Now, that involves two plain things. There have been people in the Christian Church who have said, ‘We have all the Spirit, and therefore we do not need one another.’ There may be isolation, and self-sufficiency, and a host of other evils coming in, if we only grasp the thought, ‘The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man,’ but they are all corrected if we go on and say, ‘to profit withal.’ For every one of us has something, and no one of us has everything; so, on the one hand, we want each other, and, on the other hand, we are responsible for the use of what we have.
You get the life, not in order that you may plume yourself on its possession, nor in order that you may ostentatiously display it, still less in order that you may shut it up and do nothing with it; but you get the life in order that it may spread through you to others.
‘The least flower with a brimming cup may stand,
And share its dew-drop with another near.’
You can regulate the flow. You have the sluice; you can shut it or open it. I have said that the condition, and the only condition, of possessing the fulness of God’s Spirit is faith in Jesus Christ. Therefore, the more you trust the more you have, and the less your faith the less the gift. You can get much or little, according to the greatness or the smallness, the fixity or the transiency, of your desires. If you hold the empty cup with a tremulous hand, the precious liquid will not be poured into it-for some of it will be spilt-in the same fulness as it would be if you held it steadily. It is the old story-the miraculous flow of the oil stopped when the widow had no more pots and vessels to bring. The reason why some of us have so little of that Divine Spirit is because we have not held out our vessels to be filled. You can diminish the flow by ignoring it, and that is what a host of so-called Christian people do nowadays. You can diminish it by neglecting to use the little that you have for the purpose for which it was given you. Does anybody profit by your spiritual life? Do you profit much by it yourselves? Has it ever been of the least good to anybody else in the world? ‘The manifestation of the Spirit is given to’ you, if you are a Christian man or woman, more or less. And if you shut it up, and do never an atom of good with it, either to yourselves or to anybody else, of course it will slip away; and, sometime or other, to your astonishment, you will find that the vessels are empty, and that the Spirit of the Lord has departed from you. ‘Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.’
1 Whitsunday.
Fuente: Expositions Of Holy Scripture by Alexander MacLaren
manifestation. Greek. phanerosis. Only here and 2Co 4:2. Compare App-106. .
every man = each one.
to profit withal = for (Greek. pros. App-104.) profiting, i.e. for the profit of others.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
7-11.] These operations specified in their variety, but again asserted to be the work of one and the same Spirit.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
1Co 12:7. , manifestation) various, by which the Spirit manifests Himself, as He is hidden in Himself,- , with a view to that which is profitable) This is treated of at 1Co 12:12-13.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
1Co 12:7
1Co 12:7
But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit to profit withal.-But whatever gifts or manifestations of the Spirit are given to any one, are given for the instruction and profit of all. No gift was bestowed by the Spirit for the personal good of him alone on whom it was bestowed. These gifts were never so used. The most highly gifted suffered persecution, hunger, and sickness; but no one used the gifts for personal relief or help. Nor did the possession of the gift bestow moral strength or spiritual power to free from or resist temptation, save as it gave them knowledge of the will of God and left them to contend with the temptations the same as those not gifted. Hence Peter dissembled and did wrong (Gal. 2; 11, 12), and Paul prayed that he might not, after having preached to others, be rejected (1Co 9:27). The gift bestowed on each one was for the instruction and help of all the church, and not for the private benefit of the gifted. The apostle now gives the separate gifts bestowed by the Spirit. It is difficult to define the scope, as they have all disappeared in the appearance of the completed word of God contained in the New Testament.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
1Co 14:5, 1Co 14:12, 1Co 14:17, 1Co 14:19, 1Co 14:22-26, Mat 25:14-30, Rom 12:6-8, Eph 4:7-12, 1Pe 4:10, 1Pe 4:11
Reciprocal: Exo 28:3 – filled Exo 35:34 – Aholiab Dan 1:17 – Daniel had understanding Mar 4:21 – Is a Luk 19:13 – delivered Act 20:20 – profitable Rom 12:3 – according 1Co 12:28 – God 1Co 14:6 – what shall I 1Co 14:26 – Let Gal 3:2 – Received Eph 4:12 – perfecting 1Th 1:5 – in the 2Ti 3:16 – and is
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
THE RIGHT USE OF GODS GIFTS
The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.
1Co 12:7
Do you not see how the lesson which St. Paul was teaching applies to all our Christian life among one another? Whatever any of us has, or is, he only has, or is, just what God has chosen him to have or to be.
I. We often wonder at the inequalities we see in life.It often seems strange to people that some should be so very poor, and others so very richsome so very clever, and others so very stupidthat some persons should have the advantages of a first-rate education, and others no education at allthat some should have strong health and be able to be so active, while others are weak and delicate and can do so little.
II. Then, again, we often wonder at what we think the imperfect way in which advantages are given to men.We see a man gifted with great talents, but wanting in the health to use them, as we should say, to the best advantage. Or one man is persevering but dull, when if he had but half the abilities of another person who cannot persevere, he might do great things, as we say. Or as to money, we see a very benevolent, generous person without the means to carry out his benevolence; or a person of shining talents left in what we think obscurity.
III. What is all this meant to teach us than that what we call our own distinction, or our own success, is not the object for which God gives us our abilities, or our money, or our health, or any of our powers. Whatever we are, or have, is Gods doing and Gods arranging, and we are to use our capacities for His service and the good of our neighbours, and not for our own selfish advantage. If God had meant a mans talents to be used solely for his own advancement, it would have been just as easy for God to have taken care that every clever man should have the best of educations, and the strongest health, and the most perfect freedom from interruptions. If God had meant all these things for our distinction it would have been quite as easy for Him to have arranged them so. But we see just the reverse.
IV. And from this we learn two things mainly:
(a) How to look at ourselves and our own lot and our own abilities.
(b) How to look at other people in their lot and station.
As to ourselves, we learn never to value ourselves for any talent God has given us; and we learn never to murmur because there is (as we say) something wanting in our lot which, if we had it, would enable us to succeed so much better than we do.
As to other people, we learn never to despise any one else, or to think ourselves better than they are because we have some advantages which they have not. Quick, clever people are very apt to be impatient with slow people. Rich people are apt to despise poor people. People of strong health are apt to look down on the sickly or the delicate.
All this is wrong. God has divided to each his gift. No one is without some gift. It is our business to see that whatever our gift is we use it to profit withal in the sphere in which God has placed us.
Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary
1Co 12:7. A foreman over a crew of workers knows his men and which tool each can use to the best advantage for the whole project. Likewise, the Lord knows which spiritual gift each disciple can best use to the profit of the Gospel work. Hence not all members of the church received the same gifts, and yet the diversities of the various assignments indicated no partiality as to the different brethren.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Third principle:All spiritual gifts are imparted for the common benefit of the body of Christ.
Ver. 7. But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spiritwhatever may be his special giftto profit withalfor the common good.
Ver. 8. For to one is given through the Spirit the word of wisdom; and to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit. The former of these (according to New Testament usage, including that of our apostle), appears to mean the ability to open up Divine truth in its deeper principles; the latter, the aptitude to apply it to the affairs of life (see Col 2:3).
Ver. 9. to another faith in (or by) the same Spiritnot the faith which saves, for that is common to all Christians, and is the root of every Christian grace, but that faith which removes mountains (1Co 13:2; Mat 17:20); that faith which, in the confident assurance that the effect would follow, had but to give the word of command, and be straightway obeyedand to another gifts of healings in (or by) the one Spirithealings in various forms (Mar 16:18; Jas 5:14).
and to another . . . prophecyuttering by inspiration the mind of God about things past, present, or future; and to another discernings of spiritsthe gift of laying bare the secrets of others hearts (Act 5:3; Act 5:9); but here, perhaps, meaning the gift of penetrating to the heart and mind of persons professing to speak by inspiration, and discovering whether they were actuated by the Spirit of God, or by an evil spirit, or by their own inflated spirit (1Co 14:29; 1Ti 4:1; 1Jn 4:1; 1Ki 22:19-25).
to another divers kinds of tonguesreal languages, unknown to themselves (Act 2:4; Act 2:7-8); and to another the interpretation of tonguesthe power of interpreting to the audience that unknown tongue.
Note.Three distinct kinds of gifts are here enumeratedembracing probably all the supernatural endowments of the primitive Church, though not professedly with that view. And though the attempts that have been made to show that there is here a systematic arrangement of these gifts seem quite forced, there are some features common to them all, and some which are peculiar to one or two of them. They all suppose utterance in the gifted, directly or indirectly. Wisdom and knowledge, though in their own nature internal, behovedas gifts intended for edificationto find utterance; and so they are termed the word of wisdom, and the word of knowledge. The faith meant here gives the word of command. As for healings and workings of miracles, they were exercised in the way of something spoken to the objects of them. Then prophecy, tongues, and interpretation of tongues, were of course uttered; while discernings of spirits came forth in audible expression (Act 5:3; Act 5:9).
Note further, that spiritual edification was the direct object of three of those giftswisdom, knowledge, and prophecy; that other three were designed to attest the presence of God with the gifted person, or the Divine authority of His messagefaith, healings, and workings of miracles. As for tongues, and interpretation of tongues, they had a somewhat analogous object; while discernings of spirits was a sort of crowning gift. But all were Divine in their source, as is now to be emphatically repeated.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Observe here, how the apostle enumerates and reckons up the several sorts and kinds of spiritual gifts, which were at that time plentifully poured forth upon the ministers and members of the church of Christ, which begat astonishment and admiration; and of these extraordinary gifts our apostle reckons up nine sorts or kinds, which were found in the primitive church in his days, as they here follow:
1. One had the word of wisdom; that is, the revelation of the gospel, which is called the manifold wisdom of God: this was the gift of the apostles, to whom extraordinary measures of divine wisdom were first given, to reveal the mysteries of the gospel to the pagan world.
2. Another had the word of knowledge; that is, a special ability to interpret the mystical senses and veiled meanings of the scripture, and also to foretell remote and future things. Thus St. Paul told the centurion before the shipwreck, that not a man in the ship should be lost, Acts 27 : and Agabus foretold the famine, and St. Paul’s imprisonment, Acts 11.
3. To another faith; by which some understand supernatural courage and confidence, with which God did endow them, when he called them to extraordinary sufferings or services; accordingly we read, in the Acts of the Apostles, with what invincible courage and resolution poor men appeared before the Jewish and heathen tribunals, and with what astonishing presence, both of body and mind, they bore the name of Jesus before the kings and people of the earth. Others by faith here understand miraculous faith, that is, a supernatural confidence, and firm assurance, wrought by the Holy Spirit in the minds of some, in the apostle’s time, by which they were certain that they could do such a miracle before they do such and such a miracle before they undertook to do it; and the greatest apostle durst never undertake to do a miracle, but when he was assured by the Spirit that he could do it: and indeed it was requisite for Almighty God, by some secret preceding impression of mind, to let the teachers of the gospel know when he would assist them in working miracles, lest they should attempt to work when they could not, and so discredit Christ’s doctrine, their own authority, and dishonour the name of God: and therefore it is observable, that the gift of faith here is set immediately before the gift of healing and working miracles, because it consisted in an antecedent impulse to both.
4. The next miraculous gift is the gift of healing; that is, a power of curing all diseases both of body and mind, without the help of physic, through the name alone of Jesus Christ.
5. The gift of miracles; under which is comprehended the power of silencing and casting out devils, inflicting disease and death on the bodies of incorrigible sinners, as on Elymas and Ananias: also the more wonderful power in raising the dead.
6. The gift of prophecy; that is,
(1.) The prediction or foreknowledge of things to come. Thus Agabus foretold by the Spirit a famine, Acts 12 and this gift was sometimes exercised by foretelling who would be fit persons to do God service in the church; thus, According to the foregoing prophecies concerning thee, neglect not the gift that was given thee by prophecy. 1Ti 1:18; 1Ti 1:14
(2.) Others by prophecy understand preaching and expounding the scriptures by divine inspiration, praising God by inspired hymns and psalms, and also praying unto him in public assemblies by inspired prayers; for in the apostle’s time there was a miraculous gift of preaching, praying, and singing, in which the Spirit did in an extraordinary manner assist some persons; which with other extraordinary gifts is long since ceased.
7. The gift of discerning spirits; that is, either,
First, a power of quick and sure discerning, whether men pretending to the Spirit spake from God, or not; or a supernatural sagacity to discern between the impulses of satanical spirits, and divinely- inspired persons.
Secondly, a spirit of discerning whether such or such persons be best qualified for such an office in the church, and accordingly choosing them out for that work. Thus Act 13:2-3 the Holy Spirit in the prophet said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.
Or, lastly, by this power of discerning spirits, the apostles could tell very much of the inward purposes of men’s hearts and thoughts; so Peter discerned the heart of Ananias, and the thoughts of Simon Magus.
8. The gift of tongues, that is, an ability to speak divers kinds of languages, unlearned and untaught. To which was added,
9. The gift of interpreting those languages: for these two gifts did not always go together: some could speak divers languages, that could not interpret them; others could interpret them that could not speak them; for, say some, the gift of strange tongues was usually accompanied with such strange raptures, that the person affected could not use his understanding in an ordinary way, so as to interpret and explain his own inspriations, in the audience to which he spoke; which he spoke; which was the reason why the Spirit did usually reveal to others, who stood by, and understood not the inspired languages, the matter which was spoken.
Thus are the extraordinary and miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit enumerated by the apostle, which were bestowed upon the primitive church, whose infant state required all this extraordinary assistance; but as the church grew up, Almighty God, like a wise nurse, weaned her by degrees from these miraculous gifts, till at last arriving at her full stature, he left her, as parents leave their children when grown to be men, to subsist without these extraordinary helps and supplies.
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
1Co 12:7-9. But the manifestation of the Spirit That ability to exercise some spiritual gift, whereby the Spirit manifests his presence with the person possessed of the gift; is given to every man That has it; to profit withal For the profit of the whole body; to edify the different members of the church, and to be only thus used, and not for the purposes of pride and division. For to one is given, by the immediate influence of the Spirit, the word of wisdom Ability to speak what is instructive and prudent, by way of information, counsel, caution, warning, encouragement, exhortation, &c., in any matters of duty or privilege: to another, the word of knowledge An acquaintance with, and ability to expound, the Holy Scriptures aright, and to understand and explain the mysteries of redemption and salvation. To another, faith Faith may here mean, 1st, An extraordinary trust in God, under the most difficult or dangerous circumstances; producing that supernatural courage which enabled our Lords apostles, and other disciples, to bear testimony to the gospel, not only in the presence of kings and magistrates, but before the most enraged enemies. In consequence of this gift, we find Peter and John speaking with such boldness before the chief priests and council, as astonished them, Act 4:13; Act 4:29. 2d, It signifies that firm persuasion of the power, love, and faithfulness of God, and confidence therein, which led the apostles to attempt and succeed in the performing of miraculous works, when they felt an inward impulse so to do. Of this faith Christ speaks Mat 17:20; and Paul, 1Co 13:2. To another, the gifts of healing Power to heal various bodily diseases in an extraordinary way. In the original it is , healings; in the plural, denoting the variety of diseases that were healed. This gift was promised by Christ, not only to the apostles and public teachers in the first church, but generally to those who should believe, Mar 16:18. Accordingly, many of the first Christians possessed it; and by exercising it, they not only confirmed the gospel, but they conciliated the good-will of the more considerate heathen, who could not but esteem the Christians when, in these miracles, they discerned the beneficent nature of their religion. The apostles, however, possessed these gifts in a more eminent degree, and exercised them in a superior manner. See Act 5:15; Act 19:12. It must be observed, however, that, in the exercise of this gift, none endued with it, not even the apostles, were permitted to act according to their own pleasure; but were always directed to the exercise of it by an impression on their minds from God; otherwise Paul would not have left Trophimus sick at Miletus; nor have suffered his beloved Timothy to labour under his infirmities; nor Epaphroditus to be sick nigh unto death. This gift, however, need not be wholly confined to the healing of diseases by a word or touch. It may exert itself, also, though in a lower degree, where natural remedies are applied. And it may often be this, and not superior skill, which makes some physicians more successful than others. And thus it may be with regard to other gifts likewise. As, after the golden shields were lost, says Bengelius, the king of Judah put brazen ones in their place, so, after the pure gifts of the Spirit were lost, the power of God exerted (and still exerts) itself in a more covert manner, under human studies and helps: and that the more plentifully, according as there is the more room given for it.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Vv. 7. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each man for the common advantage.
Each receives an aptitude from the Spirit, but not for himself; what each possesses is intended for the good of all.
The genitive , of the Spirit, cannot be, as Meyer and others will have it, an objective complement, as if it were the Spirit who was manifested by the gift. From the fact that in 2Co 4:2 the word has an objective complement (of the truth), it does not follow that it should be the same here; the two notions of truth and Spirit are very different. Paul does not mean that what belongs to the Spirit is revealed by the exercise of gifts, but that He manifests Himself by communicating them. And as the Spirit is one (1Co 12:4), it follows that all the gifts, however different, must tend to a common end, the good of the whole, and not to the selfish satisfaction of the individual on whom they are bestowed. With the dative , to each, which is placed first, there is connected grammatically and logically the whole following enumeration of the gifts, or, as has been said, the presents which the bridegroom makes to the bride.
Fuente: Godet Commentary (Luke, John, Romans and 1 Corinthians)
But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit to profit withal. [Each of the gifted ones had some power which manifested that the Spirit of God was with him, and this power was not given to him for his own profit, but for the good of the church and of the world.]
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
7. To each one the manifestation of the Spirit has been given to profit. The omnipotent Trinity co-operate in the wonderful plan of salvation, give perfect victory to every humble, believing, appreciative soul, while all of these spiritual gifts are at your availability. Some will be manifested in great prominence in one, another in another, indefinitely, for the glory of God and the good of humanity. We now enter upon the catalogue of the wonderful nine. I read so much in Greek literature about the nine Muses, who inspired all the poets, scholars, philosophers and artisans, that when I was in Athens I visited the Hill of the Muses, where they were believed to abide in the romantic days of yore. Though heathen, it seems that the Holy Spirit permitted them to catch at least a few stray notes floating out from the golden harps of Heavens charming music, First in the glorious catalogue is wisdom, which is sanctified intelligence, and so much needed in the diversified emergencies of this life. One hundred and fifty years ago a poor Irish family migrated to America and floated off to the wild woods of Kentucky, and settled on the frontier. Ere long the baby dies. They are all superstitious Roman Catholics. No priest can be heard of in all the land to pray the poor little thing out of purgatory. They are all in deep sorrow. One day a backwoodsman says to them: A fellow called a circuit rider comes round once a month; for ought I know, he may be a priest. I feel sure he is a man of that sort. By all means send him to our house. Fortunately, Bishop Asburys blood-washed, fire baptized circuit-rider happened in that part of his monthly round in a day or two. Receiving the information, he goes at once to the Irish cabin, and calls on the heart-broken family. I heard you were in trouble, and have called to see you. I am the circuit rider. Oh! But we want a priest to pray the baby out of purgatory. Are you a priest? Oh, yes, I am a priest. Are you a Roman Catholic priest? Not exactly, but I can do anything a Roman priest can. The man concludes he is all right, the difference being simply in this new country, so they hail him welcome and turn over to him the job. Oh, says he, the baby is not in purgatory, but in Heaven. It is the prettiest thing you ever saw. It has never cried since it got there, and the angels are all delighted with it. This helped them wonderfully, so they break down with grateful tears. Now he interviews them about their souls asks them if they have ever been born again. All respond in the negative. Then he tells that the baby is in Heaven; that they are all on their way to Hell. They get convicted under his plain talk, and ask him to come again. This is all the excuse he wants to make their house one of his regular preaching-places, as he had no churches. So he publishes the appointment all round his circuit. The day arrives, the house is crowded with red-hot Methodists, singing, praying and shouting uproariously. The fire falls. They all get converted and join the Methodists, and turn preachers. They have gone preaching from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and are preaching yet. I am one of them; for I have given you an item from the history of my family. All originated from the spiritual gift of wisdom possessed by the pioneer circuit rider. Without this gift, he never could have turned priest and succeeded in converting that ignorant, superstitious family. I could write a volume on this wonderful gift. A good preacher of another church migrated into my circuit twenty- seven years ago, proposing to build a house in view of establishing a congregation. My members were alarmed at the prospect of competition. I visited him, helped him build it out four miles from any of my churches, but in my circuit. By the time it is done, he and myself are like David and Jonathan, side by side on the battlefield. I accept his invitation to hold the first protracted meeting for him. We ran a full month, witnessing the mighty works of God. At the close I tell them all to come down and give their hands to the good man who built the house. One hundred come and give him their hands, but tell him they want to belong to Brother Godbeys pastorate. He decides to go with them. So I get the preacher, house and one hundred new members to swell the army roll of my circuit. To God be the glory! He managed the whole matter through the spiritual gift of wisdom happily enjoyed by your humble servant. You can not get along without this blessed gift from the Holy Ghost. It is absolutely indispensable. Without it you will begin at the wrong end, or in the middle, and try to run both ways simultaneously. If any man lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to all cheerfully, and upbraideth not.
Let him ask in faith, without doubting (James 1).
You need entire sanctification to save you gloriously from all doubt. Then you will be in constant attitude to receive all of these wonderful gifts.
Fuente: William Godbey’s Commentary on the New Testament
Verse 7
To profit withal; for his benefit, and for that of his brethren.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
12:7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is {f} given to every man to {g} profit withal.
(f) The Holy Spirit opens and shows himself freely in the giving of these gifts.
(g) To the use and benefit of the church.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Each believer regardless of his or her gifts, ministries, and the manner and extent of God’s blessing demonstrates the Holy Spirit through his or her life. Paul’s point here was not that each believer has a gift, though that is true (cf. 1Pe 4:10). His point was that the Spirit manifests Himself in a great variety of ways. Gifts, ministries, and effects all manifest the Spirit’s presence, not just the more spectacular ones in each category. Believers who have spectacular gifts, ministries, or effectiveness are not necessarily more spiritual than Christians who do not. Each believer makes a unique contribution to the common good, not just certain believers (cf. 1Co 12:12-27; 1Co 3:4-10). Several examples of this fact follow in 1Co 12:8-10.