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A.   The Gift of Apostleship.

The word apostle, a translation of the Greek ἀπόστολος, means literally, a delegate, messenger, or one sent forth with orders.⁴ According to Thayer (after Lightfoot) it is used 79 times in the New Testament, with 68 of these instances in Luke, Acts, or the epistles of Paul.⁵ Its first use in the New Testament is found in the sending of the twelve to preach the imminency of the Kingdom (Matt 10:2; Mark 3:14; 6:30; Luke 6:13). Among those called to the office of apostle was Paul (Rom 1:1; 1 Cor 1:1, etc.), Barnabas (Acts 14:14; cf. Gal 2:9); Matthias (Acts 1:25, 26); and possibly James (1 Cor 15:7; Gal 1:19; and Apollos (1 Cor 4:6, 9). To these some have added Silvanus and Timothy (1 Thess 1:1; 2:6); Epaphroditus (Phil 2:25, cf. Greek and A.S.V. margin); the unnamed brethren (2 Cor 8:23, cf. Greek); and Andronicus and Junia (Rom 16:7).

Because of the varied usage, some have taken the position that an apostle was anyone called of God, particularly to missionary endeavor. Hence, J. C. Lambert writes, “The apostolate was not a limited circle of officials holding a well-defined position of authority in the church, but a large class of men who discharged one-and that the highest-of the functions of the prophetic ministry (1 Cor 12:28; Eph 4:11).”⁶ The more common position is that the word apostle had first of all a strict application to those who were witnesses to the resurrection of Christ and were formally called by Christ or the Holy Spirit to this testimony, and, second, had a general application to all those sent of God to witness. In any case it is clear that every minister of the Gospel in the apostolic age was not designated by the term apostle, nor can it be proved that all the apostles were missionaries, as Lambert contends.⁷

Dr. C. I. Scofield has produced a remarkable summary of the qualities entering into a New Testament apostle: ”(1) They were chosen directly by the Lord Himself, or, as in the case of Barnabas, by the Holy Spirit (Mt. 10.1,2; Mk. 3.13,14; Lk. 6.13; Acts 9.6,15; 13.2; 22.10,14, 15; Rom. 1.1). (2) They were endued with sign gifts, miraculous powers which were the divine credentials of their office (Mt. 10.1; Acts 5.15,16; 16.16-18; 28.8,9). (3) Their relation to the kingdom was that of heralds, announcing to Israel only (Mt. 10.5,6) the kingdom as at hand (Mt. 4.17, note), and manifesting kingdom powers (Mt. 10.7,8). (4) To one of them, Peter, the keys of the kingdom of heaven, viewed as the sphere of Christian profession, as in Mt. 13., were given (Mt. 16.19). (5) Their future relation to the kingdom will be that of judges over the twelve tribes (Mt. 19.28). (6) Consequent upon the rejection of the kingdom, and the revelation of the mystery hid in God (Mt. 16.18; Eph. 3.1-12), the Church, the apostolic office was invested with a new enduement, the baptism with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2.1-4); a new power, that

of imparting the Spirit to Jewish-Christian believers; a new relation, that of foundation stones of the new temple (Eph. 2.20-22); and a new function, that of preaching the glad tidings of salvation through a crucified and risen Lord to Jew and Gentile alike. (7) The indispensable qualification of an apostle was that he should have been an eye-witness of the resurrection (Acts 1.22; 1 Cor. 9.1).”⁸

In view of the distinct nature of the apostolic office, it is designated a gift in the New Testament (1 Cor 12:28; Eph 4:11). It is expressly declared to be the most important gift (1 Cor 12:28), in that “God hath set some in the church, first apostles...” Apostles are distinguished from prophets, teachers, workers of miracles, etc. (1 Cor 12:28). It is clear, then, that the apostolic gift is given only to those who are apostles in the strict sense of the word. As Scofield indicates, as quoted above, the work of the apostles prior to Pentecost and after Pentecost must be distinguished. The work prior to Pentecost was chiefly in announcing the kingdom as at hand. During the period immediately following Pentecost, they were leaders in introducing the Gospel of salvation, having a divine commission and authority in this leadership, and given special revelation as the foundation of their teaching. The apostles in most instances had also the prophetic gift, and the gift of working miracles (2 Cor 12:12), though not all who had these gifts were apostles. The apostolic office died with the first generation of Christians, there being no provision for successors, nor have there been in the history of the church any who could stand with the apostles. The fact that apostles were chosen from those who were eyewitnesses of the resurrected Christ in the nature of the case eliminates any possibility of later generations participating in the call to apostleship. The inventions of the Roman church in the attempt to continue the apostolic office have been often refuted. ^[4]

B.   The Gift of Prophecy.

Classed second in importance in the list of spiritual gifts

is the gift of prophecy (1 Cor 12:28). The importance of this gift is attested by definite mention in other passages (Rom 12:6; 1 Cor 12:10; 14:1–40). The gift of prophecy was evidently possessed by many during the apostolic age. Agabus with evident prophetic gift predicted a famine (Acts 11:27, 28) and warned Paul of his sufferings (Acts 21:10, 11). Barnabas, Simeon, Lucius, Manaen, and Paul are mentioned among the “prophets and teachers” at Antioch (Acts 13:1). The four daughters of Philip possessed the gift of prophecy (Acts 21:9), indicating that in the New Testament as in the Old Testament the prophetic gift was not limited to men. Indication that Paul possessed prophetic insight is apparent in his direct guidance by God (Acts 16:6ff; 18:9, 10; 22:17–21; 27:23, 24). Judas and Silas were evidently prophets (Acts 15:32). In all probability all the apostles possessed the gift of prophecy.

The New Testament prophet partook of some of the characteristics of the Old Testament prophet. Both spoke for God; both warned of judgment upon sin; both delivered their message as from God; both dealt with contemporaneous events as well as predicted events of the future. The Old Testament prophet, however, often had the character of a national leader, reformer, or patriot, and delivered his message normally to Israel. The New Testament prophet has no national characteristics; his message is individual and personal; it revealed the will of God which otherwise might have been unknown, meeting the need which later was to be filled by the written New Testament.

Three elements were essential to the gift of prophecy: (1) the prophet must have received his message from God in the form of some special revelation; (2) the prophet must have divine guidance in the declaration of this revelation, corresponding to the inspiration of the written Word; (3) the message delivered by the prophet must bear with it the authority of God. It has been often pointed out that the prophet’s message was not necessarily of future things-it might be an interpretation of present events or doctrine. This does not destroy the character of his message as from God,

however. Merely teaching guided by the Spirit as experienced by many Christians throughout the present dispensation is not evidence of prophetic gift. The prophet, if a true prophet, must necessarily deliver a message free from error, a product not of his own mind, but a revelation from God. While prophets were men who could err in judgment and in conduct, as illustrated in Peter’s compromise with legalism, in their prophetic messages they must be kept from error. Accordingly, there is no reference in the New Testament to anyone teaching error who is designated a true prophet.

The need for the prophetic gift in the apostolic period is evident. There had been a tremendous doctrinal transition from what was commonly believed by the Jews to what constituted the Christian faith. The New Testament was not written immediately, and there was imperative need for an authoritative source of revelation of the will of God. Guidance was needed in formulating the doctrine of the church as commonly believed. To this end God gave to the church prophets who possessed the supernatural gift of prophecy. To them the church gave heed and was kept in relative doctrinal purity in spite of the fact that many of the first generation of Christians did not live to see the day of the completed canon.

The importance of the prophetic gift is indicated in 1 Corinthians 14, where it is set forth as the greatest gift in respect to edification, exhortation, and comfort (1 Cor 14:3). In contrast to the gift of speaking in tongues, teaching in exercise of the prophetic gift is declared to be far superior: “Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue” (1 Cor 14:19). Prophecy is declared to have special benefit in teaching those who believe (1 Cor 14:22). In establishing order in the church assemblies, Paul indicates that prophets should speak in turn, “For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted” (1 Cor 14:31). Probably related to the prophetic gift is the “word of wisdom”

and the “word of knowledge” given to some by the Spirit (1 Cor 12:8).

While it may be freely admitted that men today possess the gift of teaching, the gift of exhortation, and the gift of evangelism, it is a safe conclusion that none possess the gift of prophecy. With the completed New Testament, it is evident that there is no further need for additional revelation. It is the purpose of God to reveal Himself through the Word, rather than beyond the Word. There is no more possibility of anyone possessing the prophetic gift in the present dispensation than there is of anyone writing further inspired books to be added to the canon. It is in this light that we may interpret 1 Corinthians 13:8, where in contrast to the abiding character of love, prophecy and special revelation (knowledge) are said to “fail” and “vanish away.” The solemn warning of Revelation (Rev 22:18–19), the last to be written of the New Testament, is that God’s judgment will rest upon those who add to the book, a reference specifically to the book of Revelation, but embodying the principle which underlies the whole canon.^[5]

V.   MacArthur – 1 Cor

The Purposes and Responsibilities of the Apostles

Apostles were chosen by God to work in the founding and forming of the church, after which time apostleship ceased. When all the apostles had died, the office of apostle no longer existed. They were selected, sent, and empowered by God for that period in the history of the church, which was over when their lives were over. As the human founders and foundation of the church, the apostles had particular purposes and responsibilities.

First, as eyewitnesses, they were to preach the gospel—the true, complete, and authoritative gospel of Christ’s substitutionary atonement by His death and resurrection and of salvation by faith in Him (1 Cor. 1:17–18; cf. 9:14). Their teaching was equivalent to Christ’s teaching. As will be developed in a later chapter, there is no distinction, as some interpreters maintain, between what Paul (or Peter or James or John) teaches in the New Testament and what God teaches. Paul’s statement in 1 Corinthians 7:12 (“I say, not the Lord”), for example, simply indicates that Jesus, during His earthly ministry, gave no specific teaching on the subject being discussed (that of a believer’s remaining with an unbelieving spouse). As an apostle. Paul was qualified to teach in behalf of Christ, and his teaching was as authoritative as if spoken from Jesus’ own lips.

The apostles also were to be devoted to prayer and to ministering the word (Acts 6:4) and to equipping believers for service in order to build up Christ’s Body (Eph. 4:11–12). Finally, they were to evidence their apostleship by performing miracles (2 Cor. 12:12).^[6]

VI.Eastons Bible Dictionary

Apostle — a person sent by another; a messenger; envoy. This word is once used as a descriptive designation of Jesus Christ, the Sent of the Father (Heb. 3:1; John 20:21). It is, however, generally used as designating the body of disciples to whom he entrusted the organization of his church and the dissemination of his gospel, “the twelve,” as they are called (Matt. 10:1–5; Mark 3:14; 6:7; Luke 6:13; 9:1). We have four lists of the apostles, one by each of the synoptic evangelists (Matt. 10:2–4; Mark 3:16; Luke 6:14), and one in the Acts (1:13). No two of these lists, however, perfectly coincide.

Our Lord gave them the “keys of the kingdom,” and by the gift of his Spirit fitted them to be the founders and governors of his church (John 14:16, 17, 26; 15:26, 27; 16:7–15). To them, as representing his church, he gave the commission to “preach the gospel to every creature” (Matt. 28:18–20). After his ascension he communicated to them, according to his promise, supernatural gifts to qualify them for the discharge of their duties (Acts 2:4; 1 Cor. 2:16; 2:7, 10, 13; 2 Cor. 5:20; 1 Cor. 11:2). Judas Iscariot, one of “the twelve,” fell by transgression, and Matthias was substituted in his place (Acts 1:21). Saul of Tarsus was afterwards added to their number (Acts 9:3–20; 20:4; 26:15–18; 1 Tim. 1:12; 2:7; 2 Tim. 1:11).

Luke has given some account of Peter, John, and the two Jameses (Acts 12:2, 17; 15:13; 21:18), but beyond this we know nothing from authentic history of the rest of the original twelve. After the martyrdom of James the Greater (Acts 12:2), James the Less usually resided at Jerusalem, while Paul, “the apostle of the uncircumcision,” usually travelled as a missionary among the Gentiles (Gal. 2:8). It was characteristic of the apostles and necessary (1.) that they should have seen the Lord, and been able to testify of him and of his resurrection from personal knowledge (John 15:27; Acts 1:21, 22; 1 Cor. 9:1; Acts 22:14, 15). (2.) They must have been immediately called to that office by Christ (Luke 6:13; Gal. 1:1). (3.) It was essential that they should be infallibly inspired, and thus secured against all error and mistake in their public teaching, whether by word or by writing (John 14:26; 16:13; 1 Thess. 2:13).

(4.) Another qualification was the power of working miracles (Mark 16:20; Acts 2:43; 1 Cor. 12:8–11). The apostles therefore could have had no successors. They are the only authoritative teachers of the Christian doctrines. The office of an apostle ceased with its first holders.

In 2 Cor. 8:23 and Phil. 2:25 the word “messenger” is the rendering of the same Greek word, elsewhere rendered “apostle.” ^[7]

VII.          New Bible Dictionary

APOSTLE. There are over 80 occurrences of the Gk. word apostolos in the NT, mostly in Luke and Paul. It derives from the very common verb apostellō to send, but in non-Christian Gk., after Herodotus in the 5th century bc, there are few recorded cases where it means ‘a person sent’, and it generally means ‘fleet’, or perhaps occasionally ‘admiral’. The sense of ‘sent one, messenger’ may have survived in popular speech: at least, isolated occurrences in the lxx and Josephus suggest that this meaning was recognized in Jewish circles. Only with Christian literature, however, does it come into its own. In NT it is applied to Jesus as the Sent One of God (Heb. 3:1), to those sent by God to preach to Israel (Lk. 11:49) and to those sent by churches (2 Cor. 8:23; Phil. 2:25); but above all it is applied absolutely to the group of men who held the supreme dignity in the primitive church. Since apostellō seems frequently to mean ‘to send with a particular purpose’, as distinct from the neutral pempō (save in the Johannine writings, where the two are synonyms), the force of apostolos is probably ‘one commissioned’—it is implied, by Christ.

It is disputed whether apostolos represents in NT a Jewish term of similar technical force. Rengstorf, in particular, has elaborated the theory that it reflects the Jewish šālîaḥ, an accredited representative of religious authority, entrusted with messages and money and empowered to act on behalf of the authority (for the idea, cf. Acts 9:2); and Gregory Dix and others have applied ideas and expressions belonging to the šālîaḥ, concept (e.g. a man’s šālîaḥ is as himself) to the apostolate and eventually to the modem episcopate. Such a process is full of perils, and not least because there is no clear evidence that šālîaḥ was used in this sense until post-apostolic times. apostolos, in fact, may well be the earlier as a technical term, and it is safest to seek its significance in the meaning of apostellō and from the contexts of the NT occurrences.

A.   The origin of the Apostolate

Essential to the understanding of all the Gospels as they stand is the choice by Jesus, out of the wider company of his followers, of a group of 12 men whose purpose was to be with him, to preach, and to have authority to heal and to exorcize (Mk. 3:14f.). The only occasion on which Mark uses the word ‘apostle’ is on the successful return of the Twelve from a mission of preaching and healing (Mk. 6:30; cf. Mt. 10:2ff.). This is usually taken as a non-technical use (i.e. ‘those sent on this particular assignment’), but it is unlikely that Mark would use it without evoking other associations. This preparatory mission is a miniature of their future task in the wider world. From this preliminary training they return ‘apostles’ indeed. There is then nothing incongruous in Luke (who speaks of the ‘apostles’ in 9:10; 17:5; 22:14; 24:10) declaring that Jesus conferred the title (already in Gk.?) himself (6:13).

B.   The functions of the Apostolate

Mark’s first specification on the choice of the Twelve is for them ‘to be with him’ (Mk. 3:14). It is no accident that the watershed of Mark’s Gospel is the apostolic confession of the Messiahship of Jesus (Mk. 8:29), or that Matthew follows this with the ‘Rock’ saying about the apostolic confession (Mt. 16:18f.; *Peter). The primary function of the apostles was witness to Christ, and the witness was rooted in years of intimate knowledge, dearly bought experience and intensive training.

This is complementary to their widely recognized function of witness to the resurrection (cf., e.g., Acts 1:22; 2:32; 3:15; 13:31); for the special significance of the resurrection lies, not in the event itself, but in its demonstration, in fulfilment of prophecy, of the identity of the slain Jesus (cf. Acts 2:24ff., 36; 3:26; Rom. 1:4). Their witness of the resurrection of Christ made them effective witnesses to his Person, and he himself commissions them to world-wide witness (Acts 1:8).

The same commission introduces a factor of profound importance for the apostolate: the coming of the Spirit. Curiously enough, this is most fully treated in Jn. 14-17, which does not use the word ‘apostle’ at all. This is the great commissioning discourse of the Twelve (apostellō and pempō are used without discrimination): their commission from Jesus is as real as his from God (cf. Jn. 20:21); they are to bear witness from their long acquaintance with Jesus, yet the Spirit bears witness of him (Jn. 15:26-27). He will remind them of the words of Jesus (Jn. 14:26), and guide them into all the truth (a promise often perverted by extending its primary reference beyond the apostles) and show them the age to come (of the church) and Christ’s glory (Jn. 16:13-15). Instances are given in the Fourth Gospel of this process, where the significance of words or actions was recalled only after Christ’s ‘glorification’ (Jn. 2:22; 12:16; cf. 7:39). That is, the witness of the apostles to Christ is not left to their impressions and recollections, but to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, whose witness it is also—a fact of consequence in assessing the recorded apostolic witness in the Gospels.

For this reason the apostles are the norm of doctrine and fellowship in the NT church (Acts 2:42; cf. 1 Jn. 2:19). In their own day they were regarded as ‘pillars’ (Gal. 2:9—cf. C. K. Barrett in Studia Paulina, 1953, pp. 1ff.)—perhaps translate ‘marking posts’. The church is built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets (Eph. 2:20; probably the witness of the OT is intended, but the point remains if Christian prophets are in mind). The apostles are the assessors at the Messianic judgment (Mt. 19:28), and their names are engraved on the foundation stones of the holy city (Rev. 21:14).

Apostolic doctrine, however, originating as it does with the Holy Spirit, is the common witness of the apostles, not the perquisite of any individual. (For the common preaching, cf. C. H. Dodd, The Apostolic Preaching and its Developments, 1936; for the common use of the OT, C. H. Dodd, According to the Scriptures, 1952.) The chief apostle could by implication betray a fundamental principle he had accepted, and be withstood by a colleague (Gal. 2:11ff.).

The Synoptists, as already noted, view the incident of Mk. 6:7ff. and parallels as a miniature of the apostolic mission, and healing and exorcism, as well as preaching, were included. Healing, and other spectacular gifts, such as prophecy and tongues, are abundantly attested in the apostolic church, related, like the apostolic witness, to the special dispensation of the Holy Spirit; but they are strangely missing in the 2nd-century church, the writers of those days speaking of them as a thing in the past—in the apostolic age, in fact (cf. J. S. McEwan, SJT 7, 1954, pp. 133ff.; B. B. Warfield, Miracles Yesterday and Today, 1953). Even in the NT, we see no signs of these gifts except where apostles have been at work. Even where there has previously been genuine faith, it is only in the presence of apostles that these gifts of the Spirit are showered down (Acts 8:14ff.; 19:6—the contexts show that visual and audible phenomena are in question).

By contrast, the NT has less to say than might be expected of the apostles as ruling the church. They are the touchstones of doctrine, the purveyors of the authentic *tradition about Christ: apostolic delegates visit congregations which reflect new departures for the church (Acts 8:14ff.; 11:22ff.). But the Twelve did not appoint the Seven; the crucial Jerusalem Council consisted of a large number of elders as well as the apostles (Acts 15:6; cf. 12, 22): and two apostles served among the ‘prophets and teachers’ of the church at Antioch (Acts 13:1). Government was a distinct gift (1 Cor. 12:28), normally exercised by local elders: apostles were, by virtue of their commission, mobile. Nor are they even prominent in the administration of the sacraments (cf. 1 Cor. 1:14). The identity of function which some see between apostle and 2nd-century bishop (cf. K. E. Kirk in The Apostolic Ministry, p. 10) is by no means obvious.

C.   Qualifications

It is obvious that the essential qualification of an apostle is the divine call, the commissioning by Christ. In the case of the Twelve, this was given during his earthly ministry. But with Matthias, the sense of the divine commissioning is not less evident: God has already chosen the apostle (Acts 1:24), even though his choice is not yet known. No laying on of hands is mentioned. The apostle, it is assumed, will be someone who has been a disciple of Jesus from the time of John’s baptism (‘the beginning of the gospel’) to the ascension. He will be someone acquainted with the whole course of the ministry and work of Jesus (Acts 1:21-22). And, of course, he must be specifically a witness of the resurrection.

Paul equally insists on his direct commission from Christ (Rom. 1:1; 1 Cor. 1:1; Gal. 1:1, 15ff.). He in no sense derived his authority from the other apostles; like Matthias, he was accepted, not appointed by them. He did not fulfill the qualifications of Acts 1:21f., but the Damascus road experience was a resurrection appearance (cf. 1 Cor. 15:8), and he could claim to have ‘seen the Lord’ (1 Cor. 9:1); he was thus a witness of the resurrection. He remained conscious that his background—an enemy and persecutor, rather than a disciple—was different from that of the other apostles, but he counts himself with their number and associates them with his own gospel (1 Cor. 15:8-11).

D.   The number of the apostles

‘The Twelve’ is a regular designation of the apostles in the Gospels, and Paul uses it in 1 Cor. 15:5. Its symbolic appropriateness is obvious, and recurs in such places as Rev. 21:14. The whole Matthias incident is concerned with making up the number of the Twelve. Yet Paul’s consciousness of apostleship is equally clear. Further, there are instances in the NT where, prima facie, others outside the Twelve seem to be given the title. James the Lord’s brother appears as such, in Gal. 1:19; 2:9, and, though he was not a disciple (cf. Jn. 7:5), received a resurrection appearance personal to himself (1 Cor. 15:7). Barnabas is called an apostle in Acts 14:4, 14, and is introduced by Paul into an argument which denies any qualitative difference between his own apostleship and that of the Twelve (1 Cor. 9:1-6). The unknown *Andronicus and Junias are probably called apostles in Rom. 16:7, and Paul, always careful with his personal pronouns, may so style Silas in 1 Thes. 2:6. Paul’s enemies in Corinth evidently claim to be ‘apostles of Christ’ (2 Cor. 11:13).

On the other hand, some have argued strongly for the limitation of the title to Paul and the Twelve (cf., e.g., Geldenhuys, pp. 71ff.). This involves giving a subordinate sense (‘accredited messengers of the church’) to ‘apostles’ in Acts 14:14 and Rom. 16:7, and explaining otherwise Paul’s language about James and Barnabas. Some have introduced more desperate expedients, suggesting that James replaced James bar-Zebedee as Matthias replaced Judas, or that Matthias was mistakenly hurried into the place which God intended for Paul. Of such ideas there is not the remotest hint in the NT. However it may be explained, it seems safest to allow that there were, at an early date, apostles outside the Twelve. Paul’s own apostleship makes such a breach in any more restrictive theory that there is room for others of God’s appointment to pass with him. A hint of this may be given in the distinction between ‘the Twelve’ and ‘all the apostles’ in 1 Cor. 15:5, 7. But everything suggests that an apostle was a witness of the resurrection, and the resurrection appearance to Paul was clearly exceptional. Whether, as old writers suggested, some who are later called ‘apostles’ belonged to the Seventy sent out by the Lord (Lk. 10:1ff.), is another matter. The special significance of the Twelve for the first establishment of the church is beyond question.

E.   Canonicity and continuity

Implied in apostleship is the commission to witness by word and sign to the risen Christ and his completed work. This witness, being grounded in a unique experience of the incarnate Christ, and directed by a special dispensation of the Holy Spirit, provides the authentic interpretation of Christ, and has ever since been determinative for the universal church. In the nature of things, the office could not be repeated or transmitted: any more than the underlying historic experiences could be transmitted to those who had never known the incarnate Lord, or received a resurrection appearance. The origins of the Christian ministry and the succession in the Jerusalem church are beyond the scope of this article; but, while the NT shows the apostles taking care that a local ministry is provided, there is no hint of the transmission of the peculiar apostolic functions to any part of that ministry.

Nor was such transmission necessary. The apostolic witness was maintained in the abiding work of the apostles and in what became normative for later ages, its written form in the NT (see Geldenhuys, pp. 100ff.; O. Cullmann, ‘The Tradition’, in The Early Church, 1956). No renewal of the office or of its special gifts has been called for. It was a foundational office: and church history ever since has been its superstructure. (*Bishop; *Tradition.)^[8]

VIII.       Baker New Testament Commentary – 1 Cor

28. And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, next prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helpful deeds, administrations, kinds of tongues.

In earlier verses, Paul taught that God arranges the parts of the human body (v. 18) and combines its various members (v. 24). This is true not only for a person’s physical body but also for the church. God distributes to the members in the church a variety of gifts designed to serve its membership. The appointment to an office or the giving of a function comes from God himself. He calls individuals to an official position within the church, even though church members call, ordain, or install them in the position. As the writer of the epistle to the Hebrews says, “No one takes this honor upon himself; he must be called by God” (Heb. 5:4). So, for instance, Paul and Barnabas were called by the Holy Spirit and ordained by the church in Antioch (Acts 13:1–3). They functioned in the church as apostles, prophets, and teachers.⁵⁸ Conclusively, the phrase in the church applies to the church universal and not merely to the Corinthian congregation.

In descending order, Paul enumerates three groups of persons who have received spiritual gifts. They are apostles, prophets, and teachers. In another epistle, he lists four groups: “It was [Christ] who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers” (Eph. 4:11; compare Rom. 12:6–8). He also lists five gifts, though by implication persons are given and exercise these gifts.

A.   “First apostles.”

Jesus directly commissioned twelve people to be apostles, including Matthias, who succeeded Judas (respectively, Luke 6:13–16; Acts 1:23–26). The apostolic circle extended beyond the Twelve, however, for Paul was an apostle (Rom. 1:1) and so was Barnabas (Acts 14:14). Paul writes that Andronicus and Junias were highly regarded among the apostles but probably did not function as such (Rom. 16:7). This text apparently means that the apostles had great respect for these two people.⁵⁹ The apostles served as Christ’s ambassadors to proclaim, teach, and record the good news.

Paul is not saying that every individual congregation had its own apostles. Certainly not. The apostles served the entire church in its formative years. The apostolic office was temporary and ceased with the death of the last apostle, John, who died probably in a.d. 98. Indeed, the stipulations laid down for apostleship made it impossible to have successors. First, the apostles were to have followed the Lord Jesus from his baptism to his ascension and, second, they were to be a witness of his resurrection (Acts 1:21–22). Although Paul did not accompany Jesus, he had seen the Lord and thus was able to testify of his resurrection (9:1; Rom. 1:1–4). This is the reason that Paul calls himself “one abnormally born” (15:8).

B.   “Next prophets.”

Unlike the apostles, who served the entire church, the prophets often served local congregations (e.g., Acts 13:1). Even though an apostle (e.g., John in the Book of Revelation) could utter prophecies, a prophet never functioned as an apostle. In a few passages Paul lists the apostles and prophets together (Eph. 2:20; 3:5), but he does not equate the two; they remain distinctly separate, for apostles are apostles and prophets are prophets.⁶⁰ We cannot equate the office of apostle and prophet in the current text and other passages (Eph. 4:11; Rev. 18:20; Didache 11:3).

Apostles spoke and wrote with the same authority God had entrusted to the Old Testament prophets. They were witnesses to Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. Prophets in the New Testament era also spoke with the authority of the Holy Spirit. They stood next to the apostles in the work of laying the church’s foundation (Eph. 2:20) and, in rank, they were second to the apostles. Furthermore, the statements of the prophets had to be evaluated (14:29) to guard against the utterances of false prophets whose influence undermined the well being of the church.

The early church had predictive prophets, among whom was Agabus (Acts 11:28; 21:10); John on the island of Patmos also filled that role (Rev. 1:3; 22:9, 18). At Antioch, the church was instructed by teachers and prophets, namely, Barnabas, Simeon Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen, and Paul (Acts 13:1); in Jerusalem were Judas and Silas (Acts 15:32); and in Caesarea resided the four daughters of Philip the Evangelist (Acts 21:8–9). Prophets were engaged in teaching the members of local churches. They gave instruction on Christian conduct,⁶¹ and they stood next to those people who had received the gift of teaching the content of the Scriptures.

Although prophets received the gift of prophecy, we have no evidence that they filled a permanent office in the early Christian communities. Their gift was an ability to prophesy, that is, to receive God’s revelation and to preach his Word. “In the sub-apostolic period the prophet could still take precedence over the local minister, but the day was not far off when this gift of prophecy passed to the local ministers who preached the word to edify the members of the Christian fellowship.”⁶²

The early church had a number of prophets, among whom were Agabus (Acts 11:28; 21:10) and Judas and Silas (Acts 15:32). The influence of prophecy came to an end in the second century, however, when Montanus, claiming to be a prophet with new revelation concerning Christ’s return, arose in Asia Minor. For some time Montanism became influential but soon was condemned as spurious.⁶³ Because of its fraud, Montanism was held in low esteem. Prophets no longer enjoyed prominence when the church relied more on the Scriptures than on prophecy.

C.   “Third teachers.”

If Paul distinguishes between prophets and teachers, what then is the difference between them?

First, the teacher in Paul’s day received respect for his ability to instruct others. For instance, the people addressed Jesus with the Hebrew term rabbi, which literally means “my great [teacher].” In contrast to teachers, prophets were not always accorded high esteem, for the tactics of false prophets gave prophecy a bad name. Indeed Paul admonishes the Christians, “Do not treat prophecies with contempt” (I Thess. 5:20).

Next, while the true prophet waited with his message until he received a revelation (14:30), the teacher possessed the Scriptures as the revealed Word of God. Students had to learn sound doctrine and the traditions which the instructors taught them. (Books were so costly that only the rich could afford them. Thus, the teacher usually resorted to the pedagogical method of repetition to aid the students in committing his instruction to memory.) Paul relates that he was an apostle and a teacher of Christ’s gospel (II Tim. 1:11).

And last, according to Paul the work of the teacher is closely related to that of the pastor (Eph. 4:11). Much of the pastor’s time is devoted to teaching his people.

D.   “Then miracles.”

Paul calls attention to miracles and not to miracle workers. The literal translation is “miracles,” which by implication refers to those who perform them. Because miraculous deeds seldom occur, the gift of doing wonders is not permanent (read the explanation of verse 10).

E.   “Then gifts of healing.”

Gifts of healing also lack permanency (see the commentary on verse 9). The Greek word for “gifts” is charismata, which appears at the beginning of the list of spiritual gifts in verse 4 and at the end of the chapter in verse 30. Of all the gifts, Paul characterizes only healings (plural in the Greek text) as charismata.

F.    “Helpful deeds.”

The Greek word antilēmpseis occurs only once in the entire New Testament and is variously translated “assistants” (NAB), “forms of assistance” (NRSV), or “works of mercy” (Cassirer). The verb from which it derives appears three times in the New Testament. In Luke 1:54 the verb means to help Israel, as it also does in the Septuagint text of Isaiah 41:9; in Acts 20:35 it refers to helping the weak; and the verb form in I Timothy 6:2 means to benefit.⁶⁴

In the current passage the noun signifies the helping hand of love and mercy both within and beyond the Christian community. One commentator asserts that the term conveys “the definite suggestion of assistance given by governing authorities to any who are in need or oppressed.”⁶⁵ But it is more likely that members of the Christian community and not the government received the spiritual gift of helping one another.

G.  “Administrations.”

The Greek term kybernēseis also occurs but once in the New Testament. A related noun which appears twice (Acts 27:11; Rev. 18:17) means “pilot” or “sea captain.” The English verb to govern derives from the Latin gubernare and the Greek kybernan, which means “to hold the helm, to steer.” Paul seems to intimate that the spiritual gift kybernēseis is the ability to hold the helm of the church.

In the Pastoral Epistles, Paul writes that the elders who rule the church effectively, especially the ones who are engaged in preaching and teaching (I Tim. 5:17), are worthy of double honor. That is, Paul refers to ruling elders and to teaching elders.⁶⁶ The person who possesses the gift to be a statesman in the church is indeed worthy of great respect.

H.   “Kinds of tongues.”

This is the last of the nine gifts. Since Paul had in mind to list them by rank, the last one is the least important. We assume that some believers in the Corinthian church had excessively valued tongues, so that this gift became a controversial issue. Consequently, Paul corrected the misconception of these believers by placing the gift of tongues last in the list, writing an entire chapter on love, and then instructing the believers to communicate in intelligible speech.

The expression kinds of tongues is identical to the words in verse 10 (consult the commentary). Paul is not alluding to one particular language, intelligible or unintelligible, but to a variety of languages which were spoken in the metropolitan area of Corinth. Yet the speaking of unfamiliar languages or the practice of tongue-speech often causes alienation and estrangement, so that translators or interpreters are needed to overcome linguistic barriers. However, note that in this particular list Paul fails to include the spiritual gift of interpreting tongues, but see verse 30.^[9]

IX.            Moody Handbook of Theology

DESCRIPTION OF THE GIFTS

A.   Apostle

(Eph. 4:11). An important distinction must be made between the gift and the office of the apostle. The office of apostle was limited to the Twelve and to Paul. In Luke 6:13 Jesus called the disciples to Himself and chose twelve of them “whom He also named as apostles.” To those twelve Jesus gave a unique authority that was limited to those holding the office of apostle (cf. Luke 9:1; Matt. 10:1). Later, in defending his own apostleship, Paul emphasized that the signs of a true apostle were performed by him (2 Cor. 12:12). The qualifications for the office of apostle are set forth in Acts 1:21–22; those holding the office had to have walked with the Lord from the baptism of John until the ascension of Christ. Paul’s situation was unique; he referred to himself as an apostle but one “untimely born” (1 Cor. 15:8–9).

The gift of apostle is mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12:28 and also Ephesians 4:11. The word apostle comes from apo, meaning “from,” and stello, meaning “to send.” Hence, an apostle is one that is “sent from.” It appears the word was used in a technical sense as well as a general sense. In a technical sense it was limited to the Twelve who had the office of apostle as well as the gift.⁵⁶ In that sense it was a foundational gift limited to the formation of the church (Eph. 2:20). When the foundation of the church was laid, the need for the gift ceased. Just as the office of apostle has ceased (because no one can meet the qualifications of Acts 1:21–22), so the gift of apostle in the strict sense has ceased. The word apostle is also used in a general sense of a “messenger” or a “sent one” in the cause of Christ. These are referred to as apostles but do not have either office or gift. The word is used in a non-technical sense of one who is a messenger (cf. Acts 14:14; 2 Cor. 8:23; Phil. 2:25).

B.   Prophet

(Rom. 12:6). The gift of prophecy is mentioned in Romans 12:6, 1 Corinthians 12:10, and Ephesians 4:11. The apostle received his information through direct revelation from God, hence Agabus announced the famine that would come over the world (Acts 11:28) and Paul’s captivity in Jerusalem (Acts 21:10–11). Through direct revelation the prophet received knowledge of divine “mysteries” (1 Cor. 13:2) that man would not otherwise know. Prior to the completion of the canon the gift of prophecy was important for the edification of the church (1 Cor. 14:3). The prophet received direct revelation from God and taught the people for their edification, exhortation, and consolation (1 Cor. 14:3). Since the revelation came from God, it was true; the genuineness of the prophet was exhibited in the accuracy of the prophecy (cf. Deut. 18:20,22). Prophecy thus involved both foretelling future events but also forthtelling God’s truth in terms of exhortation and instruction. The gift of prophecy is also related to the foundation of the church (Eph. 2:20). Because the foundation of the church has been laid and the canon of Scripture is complete there is no need for the gift of prophecy.^[10]

C.   Miracles

(1 Cor. 12:10). The nature of biblical miracles is a large subject, and the student is encouraged to study this as a separate topic.⁵⁷ Miracles did not happen at random throughout Scripture but occurred in three major periods: in the days of Moses and Joshua, Elijah and Elisha, and Christ and the apostles. There were select miracles outside that scope of time, but not many. Miracles were given to authenticate a message, and in each of the above mentioned periods, God enabled His messengers to perform unusual miracles to substantiate the new message they were giving. Miracles occurred in the New Testament era to validate the new message the apostles preached. With the completion of the canon of Scripture the need for miracles as a validating sign disappeared; the authority of the Word of God was sufficient to validate the messenger’s word.

The gift of miracles (1 Cor. 12:10, 28) is a broader gift than the gift of healing. The word miracles means “power” or “a work of power.” Examples of the exercise of miracles are Peter’s judging of Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:9–11) and Paul judging Elymas the magician with blindness (Acts 13:8–11).⁵⁸ The word is also used to describe the miracles of Christ (Matt. 11:20, 21, 23; 13:54).

A distinction should be made between miracles and the gift of miracles. Although the gift of miracles—the ability of an individual to perform miraculous acts—ceased with the apostolic age, that is not to say miracles cannot and do not occur today. God may directly answer the prayer of a believer and perform a miracle in his life. God may heal a terminally ill person in answer to prayer, but He does not do it through the medium of another person.

D.   Healing

(1 Cor. 12:9). A narrower aspect of the gift of miracles is the gift of healing (1 Cor. 12:9, 28, 30). The word is used in the plural (Gk. iamaton, “healings” ) in 1 Corinthians 12:9, suggesting “the different classes of sicknesses to be healed.”⁵⁹ The gift of healing involved the ability of a person to cure other persons of all forms of sicknesses. An examination of New Testament healings by Christ and the apostles is noteworthy. These healings were:⁶⁰ instantaneous (Mark 1:42); complete (Matt. 14:36); permanent (Matt. 14:36); limited (constitutional diseases [eg., leprosy, Mark 1:40], not psychological illnesses); unconditional (including unbelievers who exercised no faith and did not even know who Jesus was [John 9:25]); purposeful (not just for the purpose of relieving people from their suffering and sickness. If this were so, it would have been cruel and immoral for our Lord to leave the cities, where the sick sought healing, for the solitude of the country [Luke 5:15, 16]); subordinate (secondary to preaching the Word of God [Luke 9:6]); significant (intended to confirm Him and the apostles as the messengers of God and their message as a Word from God [John 3:2; Acts 2:22; Heb. 2:3, 4]); successful (except in the one case where the disciples’ lack of faith was the cause of failure [Matt. 17:20]); and inclusive (the supreme demonstration of this gift was in raising the dead [Mark 5:39–43; Luke 7:14; John 11:44; Acts 9:40]).

A distinction should be made between the gift of healing and healing itself. As in the case of the other sign gifts, the gift of healing terminated with the completion of the canon of Scripture; there was no further need for the gift of healing. However, God may still respond to the prayers of His children and heal a person of illness; this is, however, without the agency of another person. God may heal a person directly. A distinction between these two forms of healing appears to be the case in Acts 9, where Peter heals Aeneas through the gift (Acts 9:34) but God heals Tabitha in response to the prayer of Peter (Acts 9:40).⁶¹

It should also be noted that there are a number of examples where God chose not to heal people (2 Cor. 12:8–9; 1 Tim. 5:23).

E.   Tongues

(1 Cor. 12:28). A number of observations help to clarify the meaning of this gift. (1) The book of Acts establishes that biblical tongues were languages (Acts 2:6, 8, 11). When the foreign Jews visited Jerusalem at Pentecost they heard the apostles proclaim the gospel in their native languages (cf. vv. 8–11).

(2) Tongues of Acts and Corinthians were the same. There is no evidence that the tongues of Corinthians were different from the ones in Acts or that they were angelic languages (1 Cor. 13:1).⁶²

(3) Tongues were a lesser gift (1 Cor. 12:28). The foundational gifts that were given for the upbuilding of the church were apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor-teacher, and teacher (1 Cor. 12:28; Eph. 4:11). Tongues were mentioned last to indicate they were not a primary or foundational gift (1 Cor. 12:28).

(4) Tongues were a temporary sign gift (1 Cor. 13:8). The phrase “they will cease” is in the middle voice, emphasizing “they will stop themselves.” The implication is that tongues would not continue until “the perfect comes”mdash the time when knowledge and prophecy gifts would be terminated—but would cease of their own accord when their usefulness terminated. If tongues were to continue until “the perfect comes” the verb would likely be passive in form.

Tongues were a part of the miraculous era of Christ and the apostles and were necessary, along with the gift of miracles, as an authenticating sign of the apostles (2 Cor. 12:12). With the completion of the Scriptures there was no longer any need for an authenticating sign; the Bible was now the authority in verifying the message that God’s servants proclaimed. Tongues were a sign gift belonging to the infancy stage of the church (1 Cor. 13:10–11; 14:20).

Tongues were used as a sign to unbelieving Jews and in this sense were used in evangelism (1 Cor. 14:21–22). When unbelieving Jews would enter the assembly and hear people speaking in foreign languages it was a sign to them that God was doing a work in their midst, reminiscent of Isaiah’s day (Isa. 28:11–12). This sign should lead them to faith in Jesus as their Messiah.

F.    Interpretation of tongues

(1 Cor. 12:10). The gift of interpretation of tongues involved the supernatural ability of someone in the assembly to interpret the foreign language spoken by one who had the gift of tongues. The language would be translated into the venacular for the people who were present.

G.  Evangelism

(Eph. 4:11). The word euanggelistas, written in English as evangelists, means “one who proclaims the good news.” One definition of the gift of evangelism is “the gift of proclaiming the Good News of salvation effectively so that people respond to the claims of Christ in conversion and in discipleship.”⁶³

Several things are involved in the gift of evangelism:⁶⁴ (1) It involves a burden for the lost. The one having this gift has a great desire to see people saved. (2) It involves proclaiming the good news. The evangelist is one who proclaims the good news. While men such as Billy Graham undoubtedly have the gift of evangelism, it is not necessary to limit the gift to mass evangelism. An evangelist will also share the good news with unbelievers on a one-to-one basis. (3) It involves a clear presentation of the gospel.The evangelist has the ability to present the gospel in a simple and lucid fashion; he proclaims the basic needs of salvation: sin, the substitutionary death of Christ, faith, forgiveness, reconciliation—in a way that unbelievers without a biblical background can understand the gospel. (4) It involves a response to the proclamation of the gospel. The one having the gift of evangelism sees a response to the presentation of the gospel; that is an indication he has the gift. (5) It involves a delight in seeing people come to Christ. Because it is his burden and passion, the evangelist rejoices as men and women come to faith in Christ.

Although only some people have the gift of evangelism, other believers are not exempt from proclaiming the good news. All believers are to do the work of evangelism (2 Tim. 4:5).

H.   Pastor-Teacher

(Eph. 4:11). One gift is in view in the statement of Ephesians 4:11, not two gifts. The word pastor (Gk. poimenas) literally means “shepherd” and is used only here of a gift. It is, however, used also of Christ who is the Good Shepherd (John 10:11, 14, 16; Heb. 13:20; 1 Pet. 2:25) and designates the spiritual shepherding work of one who is a pastorteacher. The work of a pastor has a clear analogy to the work of the shepherd in caring for his sheep. “As a pastor, he cares for the flock. He guides, guards, protects, and provides for those under his oversight.”⁶⁵ An example is found in Acts 20:28 where Paul exhorts the elders from Ephesus “to shepherd the church of God.” It is to be done voluntarily, not for material gain nor by lording it over believers but rather by being examples of humility (1 Pet. 5:2–5).

There is a second aspect to this gift; it involves the ability to teach. It is sometimes said of a church pastor: “He can’t teach very well but he is a fine pastor.” That, of course, is impossible. If a person has this gift he is both a shepherd and a teacher. “As a teacher, the emphasis is on the method by which the shepherd does his work. He guides, he guards, he protects by teaching.”⁶⁶ This is an important emphasis for the maturation of believers in a local church. Paul strongly exhorted Timothy to faithfulness in teaching the Word (1 Tim. 1:3, 5; 4:11; 6:2, 17).

There are several related terms. Elder (Titus 1:5) denotes the dignity of the office; overseer designates the function or the work of the elder (1 Tim. 3:2)—it is the work of shepherding; pastor denotes the gift and also emphasizes the work as a shepherd and teacher.

I.      Teacher

(Rom. 12:7; 1 Cor. 12:28). A pastor is also a teacher, but a teacher is not necessarily also a pastor. A number of factors would show that a person has the gift of teacher. He would have a great interest in the Word of God and would commit himself to disciplined study of the Word. He would have an ability to communicate the Word of God clearly and apply the Word to the lives of the people. This gift is clearly evidenced in a man who has the ability to take profound biblical and theological truths and communicate them in a lucid way so ordinary people can readily grasp them. That is the gift of teaching. This gift was emphasized considerably in the local churches in the New Testament because of its importance in bringing believers to maturity (cf. Acts 2:42; 4:2; 5:42; 11:26; 13:1; 15:35; 18:11, etc.).

Two things should be noted concerning the gift of teaching. First, it requires development. A person may have the gift of teaching, but for the effective use of the gift it would demand serious study and the faithful exercise of the gift. Second, teaching is not the same as a natural talent. Frequently public school teachers are given positions of teaching in a local church. It does not necessarily follow that their natural ability to teach means they have the spiritual gift of teaching. The natural ability and the spiritual gift of teaching are not the same.

J.     Service

(Rom. 12:7). The word service (Gk. diakonia) is a general word for ministering or serving others. The word is used in a broad sense and refers to ministry and service to others in a general way. A sampling of the usages of this word indicates that: Timothy and Erastus served Paul in Ephesus (Acts 19:22); Paul served the Jerusalem believers by bringing them a monetary gift (Rom. 15:25); Onesiphorus served at Ephesus (2 Tim. 1:18); Onesimus was helpful to Paul while he was in prison (Philem. 13); the Hebrew believers displayed acts of kindness (Heb. 6:10). From these and other examples, it appears an important aspect of serving is helping other believers who are in physical need. This gift would be less conspicuous, with the believer serving others in the privacy of a one-to-one relationship.

K.   Helps

(1 Cor. 12:28). The word helps (Gk. antilempsis) denotes “helpful deeds, assistance. The basic meaning of the word is an undertaking on behalf of another.”⁶⁷ The word is similar to serving and some see these gifts as identical. Certainly they are quite similar if not the same. The word occurs only here in the New Testament, but the related Greek word, antilambanesthai, occurs in Luke 1:54; Acts 20:35; 1 Timothy 6:2. The gift of helps means “to take firm hold of some one, in order to help. These ‘helpings’ therefore probably refer to the succoring of those in need, whether poor, sick, widows, orphans, strangers, travellers, or what not.”⁶⁸

L.    Faith

(1 Cor. 12:9). While all Christians have saving faith (Eph. 2:8) and should exhibit faith to sustain them in their spiritual walk (Heb. 11), the gift of faith is possessed by only some believers. “The gift of faith is the faith which manifests itself in unusual deeds of trust.…This person has the capacity to see something that needs to be done and to believe God will do it through him even though it looks impossible.”⁶⁹ Stephen exhibited this gift as he was a man “full of faith” (Acts 6:5). Men such as George Mueller and Hudson Taylor are outstanding examples of those possessing the gift of faith.⁷⁰

M. Exhortation

(Rom. 12:8). The word exhortation (Gk. parakalon) means “called alongside to help.” The noun form is used of the Holy Spirit as the believer’s helper (John 14:16, 26). “The exhorter is one who has the ability to appeal to the will of the individual to get him to act.”⁷¹ The gift of exhortation is “often coupled with teaching (cf. 1 Tim. 4:13; 6:2), and is addressed to the conscience and to the heart.”⁷²

The gift of exhortation may be either exhortation, urging someone to pursue a particular course of conduct (cf. Jude 3), or it may be consolation or comfort in view of someone’s trial or tragedy (Acts 4:36; 9:27; 15:39).⁷³

N.   Discerning spirits

(1 Cor. 12:10). In the early church, before the canon of Scripture was complete, God gave direct revelation to individuals who would communicate that revelation to the church. But how did the early believers know whether or not the revelation was true? How could they tell if it was from God, from a false spirit, or from the human spirit? To authenticate the validity of the revelation, God gave the gift of “distinguishing of spirits.” Those having this gift were given the supernatural ability to determine if the revelation was from God or if it was false. John’s exhortation to “test the spirits” has reference to this (1 John 4:1). Similarly, when two or three spoke the revelation of God in the assembly those having the gift of discerning of spirits were to determine if it was from God (1 Cor. 14:29; cf. 1 Thess. 5:20–21). Because direct revelation has terminated with the completion of the Scriptures, and because the gift of discerning spirits was dependent upon revelation being given, the gift of discerning spirits has ceased.

O.  Showing mercy

(Rom. 12:8). To show mercy (Gk. eleon) means to “feel compassion, show mercy or pity.”⁷⁴ In the life of Christ, showing mercy was healing the blind (Matt. 9:27), aiding the Canaanite woman’s daughter (Matt. 15:22), healing an epileptic (Matt. 17:15), and healing the lepers (Luke 17:13). The gift of showing mercy would thus involve showing compassion and help toward the poor, sick, troubled, and suffering people. Moreover, this compassion is to be performed with cheerfulness. The one possessing this gift should perform acts of mercy with gladness, not out of drudgery.

P.    Giving

(Rom. 12:8). The word giving (Gk. metadidous) means “to share with someone,” hence, the gift of giving is the unusual ability and willingness to share one’s material goods with others. The one who has the gift of giving shares his goods eagerly and liberally. The exhortation of Paul is to give “with liberality.” “It refers to open-handed and open-hearted giving out of compassion and a singleness of purpose, not from ambition.”⁷⁵ This gift is not reserved for the rich but for ordinary Christians as well. The Philippians apparently exercised this gift in their giving to Paul (Phil. 4:10–16).

Q.  Administration

(Rom. 12:8; 1 Cor. 12:28). In Romans 12:8 Paul refers to the one who leads. This is from the Greek word prohistimi, which means “to stand before,” hence, to lead, rule, or preside. It is used of elders in 1 Thessalonians 5:12 and 1 Timothy 5:17. First Corinthians 12:28 refers to the gift of “administrations” (Gk. kubernesis), literally, “to steer a ship.” Although the above references refer to elders leading the people, the term would probably go beyond that, suggesting also leading in terms of Sunday school superintendent and beyond the local church in ministries such as president or dean of a Christian college or seminary.

R.   Wisdom

(1 Cor. 12:8). The gift of wisdom was important in that it stands first in this list of gifts. Paul explains the gift of wisdom in greater detail in 1 Corinthians 2:6–12 where it is seen to be divinely imparted revelation that Paul could communicate to the believers. Because this gift involved receiving direct revelation, it was a characteristic gift of the apostles who received direct revelation from God.⁷⁶ The gift of wisdom Thus “is the whole system of revealed truth. One with the gift of wisdom had the capacity to receive this revealed truth from God and present it to the people of God.”⁷⁷ Because this gift is related to receiving and transmitting direct revelation from God the gift has ceased with the completion of the canon of Scripture.

S.    Knowledge

(1 Cor. 12:8). The gift of knowledge appears to be closely related to the gift of wisdom and refers to the ability properly to understand the truths revealed to the apostles and prophets.⁷⁸ This gift relates to the foundational gifts of prophesying and teaching, which would have involved communication of God’s direct revelation to the apostles and prophets (cf. 1 Cor. 12:28). Therefore, this gift too would have ceased with the completion of the Scriptures. First Corinthians 13:8 indicates the cessation of this gift.

The relationship of these gifts is seen in the following diagram:⁷⁹

^[11]

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