5 And there are diversities of ministrations, and the same Lord.
And having gifts differing according to the grace that was given to us, whether prophecy, `let us prophesy' according to the proportion of our faith; or ministry, `let us give ourselves' to our ministry; or he that teacheth, to his teaching; or he that exhorteth, to his exhorting: he that giveth, `let him do it' with liberality; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that showeth mercy, with cheerfulness.
For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; or whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's. For to this end Christ died and lived `again', that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.
And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondly prophets, thirdly teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, `divers' kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all `workers of' miracles?
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 1 Corinthians 12
Commentary on 1 Corinthians 12 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 12
In this chapter the apostle,
1Cr 12:1-11
The apostle comes now to treat of spiritual gifts, which abounded in the church of Corinth, but were greatly abused. What these gifts were is at large told us in the body of the chapter; namely, extraordinary offices and powers, bestowed on ministers and Christians in the first ages, for conviction of unbelievers, and propagation of the gospel. Gifts and graces, charismata and charis, greatly differ. Both indeed were freely given of God. But where grace is given it is for the salvation of those who have it. Gifts are bestowed for the advantage and salvation of others. And there may be great gifts where there is not a dram of grace, but persons possessed of them are utterly out of the divine favour. They are great instances of divine benignity to men, but do not by themselves prove those who have them to be the objects of divine complacency. This church was rich in gifts, but there were many things scandalously out of order in it. Now concerning these spiritual gifts, that is, the extraordinary powers they had received from the Spirit,
1Cr 12:12-26
The apostle here makes out the truth of what was above asserted, and puts the gifted men among the Corinthians in mind of their duty, by comparing the church of Christ to a human body.
1Cr 12:27-31