The gifts of the Holy Spirit

In the previous lesson, we saw that baptism in the Holy Spirit equips the believer to serve. This lesson examines the main gifts named by Paul in 1 Corinthians 12. Each time, the question is simple: what is it, and how can it be exercised today?

Prophecy

Prophecy is often defined as predicting the future, proclaiming a word from the Lord, or giving powerful teaching. This course adopts another definition: to prophesy is to say something that God has spontaneously brought to our mind.

According to the theologian Wayne Grudem, the Greek word prophētēs had a broad meaning in the first century. It could refer to anyone speaking under an outside influence, not necessarily Christian. Titus 1:12 thus applies it to a Cretan poet. The word is close to our “herald”, the one who announces a message.

Still according to Grudem, the true equivalents of the Old Testament prophets are the apostles. The prophets of Israel spoke in God’s name with precision (“this is what the Lord says”), and disobeying them amounted to disobeying God (Deuteronomy 18:19). In the New Testament, it is the apostles who speak with this authority, and it is their title of apostle that they invoke (Galatians 1:1; 1 Thessalonians 2:13).

Prophecy in the Church therefore does not have that kind of authority. It brings “strengthening, encouraging and comfort” (1 Corinthians 14:3), and it must be examined: “Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said” (1 Corinthians 14:29). Hence a practical question, raised by 1 Corinthians 14:29-33: should we say “thus says the Lord” when the Spirit prompts us to speak?

Teaching

Paul and Barnabas taught in Antioch (Acts 15:35), and Paul spent a year and a half in Corinth teaching the word (Acts 18:11). Teaching is handed on: “the things you have heard me say […] entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others” (2 Timothy 2:2).

Prophecy says what the Spirit reveals at a given moment. Teaching, for its part, repeats and explains what one has received from someone else. It gives its meaning, its context and its applications for the lives of those who listen.

Miracles

In the New Testament, most miracles are healings. But the Greek word used, dunamis (in the plural), means “power, strength”. It refers to any action in which God’s power is displayed. Grudem gives several examples:

• a deliverance from danger, such as the apostles’ release from prison (Acts 5:19-20; 12:6-11);
• a judgement, as with Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-11);
• a protection, as with Paul bitten by a viper on Malta (Acts 28:3-6);
• a victory over demons (Acts 16:18; Luke 10:17).

Healings

The gift of healing concerns the body as well as the spirit (Luke 6:18; Acts 10:38). When Paul speaks of it, he is probably thinking of the fact that some people see more healings than others when they pray. A whole lesson will be devoted to divine healing.

Tongues and their interpretation

There are two forms of speaking in tongues:

1. Xenoglossia, speaking fluently a human language never learned, as in Acts 2.
2. Glossolalia, words that one does not understand (1 Corinthians 14:2).

In 1 Corinthians 12, the gift of interpretation is mentioned immediately afterwards. This suggests that interpretation comes from God and not from human knowledge, and that it is therefore a matter of glossolalia.

Paul asks: “Do all speak in tongues?” (1 Corinthians 12:30). The expected answer is no. For this course, this does not contradict the conviction that all can speak in tongues. Paul observes that not everyone does so, he does not say that it is impossible.

Chapter 14 clarifies: “anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to people but to God” (1 Corinthians 14:2), and “anyone who speaks in a tongue edifies themselves, but the one who prophesies edifies the church” (14:4). Interpretation therefore translates what someone says to God. If a so-called interpretation is addressed directly to people, it is not an interpretation. It is a prophecy, or else it is false.

Wisdom and knowledge

The message of wisdom and the message of knowledge (1 Corinthians 12:8) are not explained anywhere else in the Bible. Any analysis must therefore remain cautious. They are generally understood as a particular revelation of the Spirit, which does not depend on our human wisdom or learning. The context confirms this, since the neighbouring gifts are supernatural, and God gives wisdom to those who ask for it (James 1:5).

Some think that Paul mentions these gifts so that no one feels left out, or that knowledge would duplicate prophecy. These arguments seem weak to the author: expressing the same idea with two related words is nothing strange.

Discerning of spirits

This gift, also mentioned only here (1 Corinthians 12:10), is not acquired through study. It makes it possible to recognise whether someone is acting under the influence of the Spirit of God or of an evil spirit. It is precious for the Church: “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God” (1 John 4:1).

Conclusion

Paul is not trying to draw up a complete list of the gifts. He is teaching the unity of the Church and the usefulness of each member. It would therefore be risky to build a system on this chapter alone. We should rather look at what Jesus and the apostles practised, and believe that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and for ever” (Hebrews 13:8).

God can still speak through people. To those who ask him, he grants to heal the sick, to teach, to accomplish what is beyond their strength, to praise him in an unknown language. He gives the wisdom needed and helps us to discern what comes from him.