18 and now, God did set the members each one of them in the body, according as He willed,
and all these doth work the one and the same Spirit, dividing to each severally as he intendeth.
And some, indeed, did God set in the assembly, first apostles, secondly prophets, thirdly teachers, afterwards powers, afterwards gifts of healings, helpings, governings, divers kinds of tongues;
Who, then, is Paul, and who Apollos, but ministrants through whom ye did believe, and to each as the Lord gave?
Thy people `are' free-will gifts in the day of Thy strength, in the honours of holiness, From the womb, from the morning, Thou hast the dew of thy youth.
Declaring from the beginning the latter end, And from of old that which hath not been done, Saying, `My counsel doth stand, And all My delight I do.'
And they cry unto Jehovah, and say, `We pray Thee, O Jehovah, let us not, we pray Thee, perish for this man's life, and do not lay on us innocent blood, for Thou, Jehovah, as Thou hast pleased, Thou hast done.'
In that hour was Jesus glad in the Spirit, and said, `I do confess to thee, Father, Lord of the heaven and of the earth, that Thou didst hide these things from wise men and understanding, and didst reveal them to babes; yes, Father, because so it became good pleasure before Thee.
`Fear not, little flock, because your Father did delight to give you the reign;
and our seemly things have no need; but God did temper the body together, to the lacking part having given more abundant honour,
having foreordained us to the adoption of sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,
having made known to us the secret of His will, according to His good pleasure, that He purposed in Himself,
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