1 Corinthians ~ Part 22

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As I emphasized in my previous post, we are delving into the profound significance of Sha’ul’s Letters to the Corinthians, a crucial cornerstone of our faith.

Regarding Spiritual Gifts ~ Part 2

Consider a team of athletes who are all given different equipment suited to their individual strengths. Likewise, God has equipped each believer with unique spiritual gifts to serve the Kehilah (community) of Yeshua. Recognizing and utilizing these gifts not only benefits the Kehilah but also brings fulfillment and purpose to the individual.

The Body Is Diverse

¹⁵ If the foot says, “I’m not a hand, so I’m not part of the body,” that doesn’t make it stop being part of the body. ¹⁶ And if the ear says, “I’m not an eye, so I’m not part of the body,” that doesn’t make it stop being part of the body.

Sha’ul personified body parts as speakers to express the absurdity of envy and self-deprecation among members of the physical human body. Some Corinthians apparently fell into grading the gifts, attaching importance to the public, showy gifts (such as the gift of utterance), and relative unimportance to less observable gifts.

¹⁷ If the whole body were an eye, how could it hear? If it were all hearing, how could it smell? ¹⁸ But as it is, God arranged each of the parts in the body exactly as he wanted them. ¹⁹ Now if they were all just one part, where would the body be? ²⁰ But as it is, there are indeed many parts, yet just one body. ²¹ So the eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you,” or the head to the feet, “I don’t need you.”

Many parts, yet one body encapsulates our identity as individuals enfolded into the corporate body of Yeshua.

Every Member Is Important

²² On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be less important turn out to be all the more necessary; ²³ and upon body parts which we consider less dignified we bestow greater dignity; and the parts that aren’t attractive are the ones we make as attractive as we can, ²⁴ while our attractive parts have no need for such treatment. Indeed, God has put the body together in such a way that he gives greater dignity to the parts that lack it, ²⁵ so that there will be no disagreements within the body, but rather all the parts will be equally concerned for all the others. ²⁶ Thus, if one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts share its happiness.

Those Believers who possessed spectacular gifts looked down upon the others and thought them unimportant. Yet here, Sha’ul teaches that every member of the body is essential to the life, health, and growth of the church. (Read Ephesians 4 to see how God uses gifted people to help build the saints, who, in turn, build the body.) No Believer can say to his less-gifted brother, “I don’t need you!” In fact, those parts of our body that seem the least important can do the most good—or cause the most trouble if not functioning properly! Doctors used to list several organs or members of the human body that (they said) were not important. That list is much shorter today!

The Community Needs Diversity

(No, this is not a DEI rant.)

²⁷ Now you together constitute the body of the Messiah, and individually you are parts of it. ²⁸ And God has placed in the Messianic Community first, emissaries; second, prophets; third, teachers; then those who work miracles; then those with gifts of healing; those with ability to help; those skilled in administration; and those who speak in various tongues.

God has determined several distinct ministries. First, the most important group is the emissaries (“apostles”)—those sent by God to proclaim the Gospel and form new congregations of Believers. Second are prophets, who speak for God (see vv. 8–10 in post 81). Third are teachers to deepen Believers’ knowledge of God’s truth. Then, after these in importance, are those who work miracles and those with gifts of healing. Listed next are those with two gifts not mentioned specifically in vv. 8–10, the ability to help those in need and skill in administration; these seem to cover much the same ground as four gifts named in Romans 12:8—counseling, giving, doing acts of mercy, and leading. But the exercise of those gifts would be manifestly improved if one also had the charismata listed above that are not mentioned here—wisdom, knowledge, faith, and discernment of spirits (vv. 8–10, paragraphs 1, 2, 3, and 7). Finally, at the bottom of both this list (v. 30) and the one above are the two showy charismata that are most easily abused—speaking in different kinds of tongues (see the four varieties listed in vv. 8–10) and interpretation (see vv. 8–10, paragraph 9). Sha’ul minimizes the importance of these two gifts as compared with the others, but at the same time that he deals with abuses involved in manifesting the gift of tongues, he instructs the Corinthians not to forbid speaking in tongues (14:39) and wishes that all would speak in tongues (14:5). Thus he strikes a balance worthy of imitation (11:1).

²⁹ Not all are emissaries, are they? Not all are prophets, are they? or teachers? or miracle-workers? ³⁰ Not all have gifts of healing, not all speak in tongues, not all interpret, do they? ³¹ Eagerly seek the better gifts. But now I will show you the best way of all. ^[1]

 

 

In our next post, we will eagerly explore Sha’ul’s Letters to the Corinthians, starting with 1 Corinthians 13:1 and delving deeper into the topic of Regarding Spiritual Gifts. Stay tuned for more insights and revelations.

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^[1] 1 Corinthians 12:15–31.