|
How
the Body Works
|
|
|
Equipping
the Saints How the Body Works - Unity in Diversity How the Body Works - A Look at the Gifts How the Body Works - Love is the Best |
Now
Paul proceeds to mention several "gifts".
There are other places in Paul's writings where he speaks of
these gifts, and so for the sake of simplicity I will list them all
here. It should be noted
that there are many ways that God gives gifts, and many kinds of gifts.
As we define them, we need to remember that God is beyond
definition. While we can come to some understanding with this knowledge,
all that He is cannot be limited to our definitions. I'm
reminded of an illustration I heard once, of a little girl who hears
from her Mom and Dad at a very young age that "God so loved
the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in
Him should not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16)
Does she understand then all that is knowable about the love of
God? As she grows up and
gets into her teens, she still knows that God loves the world, but does
she yet grasp the depth of that love?
On to college she goes, and that is when she first hears that
there is no God, but something deep inside her remains.
She knows that there is a God who loves.
But does she yet realize how great that love is?
She marries and has children of her own, and has deep love for
her husband and the children that she never realized could be possible.
But does she yet understand the depth of the love of God?
Her children grow up, and through all the heartaches that come
with being a Mother; does she yet understand the love of God?
The
love of God is eternal. As soon as we think we understand it we find
that it is beyond our grasp. All things that pertain to God are like that.
Knowing God is an endless spiral of growing and knowing.
In all of eternity we will be able to see and be with Him, but we
will forever be in awe and wonder at the endless riches of the glory of
God. So it is with His
gifts. They are eternal
because they come by the Spirit of God.
We can only know in part now, but someday we will fully
understand. What God's
Spirit wants to do in His Church, and in this church is vastly beyond
what we can comprehend. That
is why we need His plan, not our programs.
His plan can result in "programs", but they will pass,
and the Word of the Lord will endure forever. Gifts
defined- The
passages that list the gifts use two different words in the Greek.
First in Ephesians 4, the words used are didoômi
and doma.
Doma is
from the root word didoômi. äßäùìé
didoômi
did'-o-mee
A
prolonged form of a primary verb (which is used as an alternate in most
of the tenses); to give (used in a very wide application,
properly or by implication, literally
or figuratively; greatly modified by the
connection):—adventure, bestow, bring forth, commit, deliver
(up), give, grant, hinder, make, minister, number, offer, have power,
put, receive, set, shew, smite (+ with the hand), strike (+ with the
palm of the hand), suffer, take, utter, yield. äüìá
doma
dom'-ah
From the base of G1325; a present:—gift. Please
note the similarity to Latin definition of the word "manifest"
that Paul used in 1 Corinthians 12; smite (+ with the hand), strike (+
with the palm of the hand). In
1 Corinthians 12 and 14, and Romans 12 the word used is charisma. ÷Üñéóìá charisma
char'-is-mah
From
G5483; a (divine) gratuity, that is, deliverance (from
danger or passion); (specifically) a (spiritual) endowment, that
is, (subjectively) religious qualification, or (objectively)
miraculous faculty: —(free) gift. This
is taken from the root- ÷áñßæïìáé charizomai
khar-id'-zom-ahee
Middle
voice from G5485; to grant as a favor, that is, gratuitously, in
kindness, pardon or rescue: —deliver, (frankly) forgive, (freely)
give, grant. (Word Pictures in the New Testament) The
differences in these words have had much weight put on them by many
theologians to show that there is a distinct difference between the
gifts of Ephesians 4, Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12-14. The fact that all three of these passages demonstrate free
"gifts" from God would indicate to this writer that they are all
supernatural endowments. It
is interesting that the different words used by Paul have led some to
the conclusion that the gifts of Ephesians 4 are somehow temporary.
In Ephesians 4 Paul lists what have been described as the
"five-fold" gifts to the church, which include Apostle,
Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor and Teacher, "so that the body of
Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the
knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole
measure of the fullness of Christ." (Ephesians 4:13)
Since we have not "all reached unity in the faith", we
must conclude that the purpose of these gifts are not realized fully,
and therefore are still needed and essential to the church.
This
is indeed an area of controversy. There are some who say there are no Apostolic or Prophetic
ministries today. Yet it is
obvious that there are at least Evangelists, Pastors and Teachers.
Jesus said, "He who receives a prophet in the name of
a prophet will receive a prophets reward."
(Matthew 10:41) God is not yet finished revealing Himself to His
people, and as long as this is true, He will continue to reveal Himself
prophetically. This will
hopefully become abundantly clear when we look at 1 Corinthians 14.
First, let's take a brief look at the gifts and try and define
them. Gifts
listed in 1 Corinthians 12 Message
of Wisdom- The
Word of wisdom (logos
sophias). Old words. Logos
is reason, then speech. Wisdom is intelligence, then practical action in
accord with it. Here it is speech full of God’s wisdom (2:7) under the
impulse of the Spirit of God. This gift is placed first (revelation by
the Spirit). (Word Pictures
in the New Testament) Message
of Knowledge- The
word of knowledge (logos
gnoôseoôs). This
gift is insight (illumination) according to (kata) the same Spirit. (Word Pictures in the New Testament) Faith- Faith
(pistis).
Not faith of surrender, saving faith, but wonder-working faith like that
in 13:2 (Matthew 17:20; 21:21). (Word Pictures in the New Testament) Gifts
of Healing- Gifts
of healings (charismata
iamatoôn). Iama,
old word from iaomai,
common in LXX, in N.T. only
in this chapter. It means acts of healing as in Acts 4:30 (cf. James
5:14) and Luke 7:21 (of Jesus). (Word Pictures in the New Testament) Miraculous
Powers- Workings
of miracles (energeômata
dunameoôn). Workings
of powers. Cf. energoôn
dunameis in Galatians
3:5; Heb 2:4 where all three words are used (seômeia,
signs, terata,
wonders, dunameis,
powers). (Word Pictures in the New Testament) Prophecy- Prophecy
(propheôteia).
Late word from propheôteôs
and propheômi,
to speak forth. Common in papyri. This gift Paul will praise most
(chapter 1 Corinthians 14). Prediction, but a speaking forth of God’s
message under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
(Word Pictures in the New Testament) Discerning
of spirits- Discernings
of spirits (diakriseis
pneumatoôn). Diakrisis
is old word from diakrinoô
and in N.T. only here;
Romans 14:1; Heb 5:14. A most needed gift to tell whether the gifts were
really of the Holy Spirit and supernatural (cf. so-called “gifts”
today) or merely strange though natural or even diabolical (1 Timothy
4:1; 1 John 4:1f.). (Word
Pictures in the New Testament) Speaking
in different kinds of Tongues- Divers
kinds of tongues (geneô
gloôssoôn). There
has arisen a great deal of confusion concerning the gift of tongues as
found in Corinth. They prided themselves chiefly on this gift which had
become a source of confusion and disorder. There were varieties (kinds, geneô)
in this gift, but the gift was essentially an ecstatic utterance of
highly wrought emotion that edified the speaker (14:4) and was
intelligible to God (14:2, 28). It was not always true that the speaker
in tongues could make clear what he had The
Interpretation of Tongues- The
interpretation of tongues
(hermeôneia
gloôssoôn). Old
word, here only and 14:26 in N.T., from hermeôneuoô from Hermeôs
(the god of speech). Cf. on diermeôneuoô
in Luke 24:27; Acts 9:36. In case there was no one present who
understood the particular tongue it required a special gift of the
Spirit to some one to interpret it if any one was to receive benefit
from it. (Word Pictures in the New Testament) Gifts
listed in Ephesians 4 - see also 1 Corinthians 12:28 Apostles- Apostles
(apostolos); a delegate; specifically an ambassador of the Gospel;
officially a commissioner of Christ (“apostle”), (with
miraculous powers):—apostle, messenger, he that is sent. Prophets- Prophets
(propheôtas).
For-speakers for God and Christ. Prophets
are needed today if men will let God’s Spirit use them, men moved to
utter the deep things of God. Evangelists- Evangelists
(euangelist)
; a preacher of the gospel:—evangelist. Pastors
and Teachers- This
word poimeôn
is from a root meaning to protect. Jesus said the good shepherd lays
down his life for the sheep (John 10:11) and called himself the Good
Shepherd. In Heb 13:20 Christ is the Great Shepherd (cf. 1 Peter 2:25).
Only here are preachers termed shepherds (Latin pastores)
in the N.T. But the verb poimainoô,
to shepherd, is employed by Jesus to Peter (John 21:16), by Peter to
other ministers (1 Peter 5:2), by Paul to the elders (bishops) of
Ephesus (Acts 20:28). Here Paul groups “shepherds and teachers”
together. All these gifts can be found in one man, though not always.
Some have only one. Gifts
listed in Romans 12- Prophesying- Prophecy
(suneidoô) to see completely; used (like its primary) only in two
past tenses, respectively meaning to understand or become aware,
and to be conscious or (clandestinely) informed of:—consider,
know, be privy, be ware of. Serving- Serving
(diakonia)
attendance (as a servant, etc.); figuratively (eleemosynary) aid, Teaching-
Teaching
(didaskoô)A
prolonged (causative) form of a primary verb äÜù
daoô (to learn); to teach (in the same broad
application):—teach. Encouraging- Exhortation
(parakaleoô)
to call near, that is, invite, invoke (by imploration,
hortation or consolation):—beseech, call for, (be of
good) comfort, desire, (give) exhort (-ation), intreat, pray. Giving- Contributing
to the needs of others (metadidoômi
) to give over, that is, share:—give, impart. Leadership- Leadership
(proisteômi)
to stand before, that is, (in rank) to preside, or
(by implication) to practise:—maintain, be over, rule. Mercy- Mercy
(eleeoô)
to compassionate (by word or deed, specifically by divine
grace):—have compassion (pity on), have (obtain, receive, shew) mercy
(on). Gifts
listed in 1 Corinthians 12:28- Apostles Prophets Teachers Miracles Gifts
of Healings Helps Governments Diversities
of Tongues It's
interesting to note that at this point in Paul's writing, he enumerates
gifts in a sequential order. He
seems to indicate that first in importance to the Body are Apostles,
then prophets, then teachers and so on.
In no way does this belittle or despise the "lesser"
gift of tongues, or helps. In
fact, Paul's teaching is that greater honor is to be given to the things
that are least. Still we
are to seek earnestly the best gifts.
Most of these gifts we have already defined, but there are two
new ones added here. They
are respectively; Helps-
(antileôpsis)
relief:—help. From; (antilambanomai)take hold of in turn, that is, succor; also to participate:—help,
partaker support. Governments-
(kuberneôsis
) From kubernaoô (of Latin origin, to steer); pilotage,
that is, (figuratively) directorship (in the
church):—government. Here
then is the complete list of Spiritual Gifts from Ephesians 4, Romans 12
and 1 Corinthians 12. Apostles,
Apostles (Ephesians 4, 1
Corinthians 12) Prophets,
Prophesying, Prophecy (Ephesians
4, Romans 12 and 1Corinthians 12) Evangelists
(Ephesians 4) Pastors
and Teachers, Teaching (Ephesians
4, Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12) Message
of Wisdom (Ephesians 4) Message
of Knowledge (Ephesians 4) Faith
(1 Corinthians 12) Discerning
of spirits (1 Corinthians
12) Miracles,
Miraculous Powers (1
Corinthians 12) Gifts
of Healings (1
Corinthians 12) Helps
(1 Corinthians 12) Diversities
of Tongues (1 Corinthians 12) The
Interpretation of Tongues (1
Corinthians 12) Mercy
(Romans 12) Governments
(1 Corinthians 12) Leadership
(Romans 12) Giving
(Romans 12) Encouraging
(Romans 12) Serving
(Romans 12) Before
moving on please note that prophecy, pastor and teacher are mentioned in
all three passages, and the gift of Apostle is mentioned in both
Ephesians 4 and 1 Corinthians 12. This would indicate that these gifts are extremely important.
Yet again, as we shall see all the more clearly as we proceed,
there is no unimportant gift. *all
definitions taken from Greek Words dictionary except where noted. |