Bible Study - 1 Corinthians Chapter Twelve

1 Corinthians 12:1–17 ESV

1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed. 2 You know that when you were pagans you were led astray to mute idols, however you were led. 3 Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit. 4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. 7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills. 12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. 14 For the body does not consist of one member but of many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell?

1 Corinthians 12:18–31 ESV

18 But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. 19 If all were a single member, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, yet one body. 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, 24 which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, 25 that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. 26 If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. 27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. 28 And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But earnestly desire the higher gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way.

Study Questions

Verses 1-6

1 Corinthians 12:1–6 ESV

1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed. 2 You know that when you were pagans you were led astray to mute idols, however you were led. 3 Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit. 4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone.

1. Regardless of the manner in which one is led to an idol, what do they find?

“Mute” idols. Doesn’t matter how much “pomp and circumstance” might have preceded the ultimate meeting of the idol. They are all found to be “mute”.

2. If a man serves a “mute” idol…what teaching does he have from the idol to share with the world?

Only the teaching that following after false idols ends in the finding of “mute” idols.

3. What is the source of the Christian voice?

The Spirit of God (3)

You cannot say wrong things about Christ “with the Spirit” or right things about Christ “without the Spirit”

4. Idols are unable to speak, and so men must speak for them. How is the opposite true when a man speaks for God?

As previously mentioned…when man speaks for God, it is God who is speaking.

Verses 7-11

1 Corinthians 12:7–11 ESV

7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.

5. Spiritual gifts bless the one with the gift, but for whom are the blessings of spiritual gifts actually intended? How might we in essence ruin the entire purpose for the spiritual gifts we are individually given?

The “common good” (7)

When we begin to think of our gifts as primarily intended to bless “us” individually, rather than the church and God’s people as a whole.

6. List each “gift of the Spirit” identified in verses 8-10

(1) Utterance of Wisdom - (2) Utterance of Knowledge - (3) Faith - (4) Healing - (5) Working of Miracles - (6) Prophecy - (7) Discerning the Spirits - (8) Tongues - (9) Interpretation of Tongues

7. Who is in charge of distributing spiritual gifts?

The Spirit (11)

8. Is the person who has been blessed with a spiritual gift to be praised?

Obviously no…but we still do it!

How can we avoid doing so? — Being thankful, and appreciative that the individual has exercised the gifts God has given for the “common good”…but remembering that it is God who should be praised for the gift itself.

9. In your own words, explain how we ought to think about the gifts God has given to us, and to others, based on verses 7-11.

As gifts used for the “common good”, according to their “specific use”, as distributed by the “Spirit”, and cause for Praise of God.

Verses 12-18

1 Corinthians 12:12–18 ESV

12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. 14 For the body does not consist of one member but of many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? 18 But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose.

10. Who is in charge of arranging the spiritual body (the church)?

God (18)

11. What is the greatest unifying force within the church? What lesser unifying forces have you seen used as substitutes for this greatest unifying force?

The Spirit

Shared community - nationality - ethnicity - preachers - congregations - etc.

12. If God has made you an ear in the church, what should your attitude be toward the one who has been made the foot?

As a member along with you who is essential for the body to operate effectively.

Not jealous…superior…etc.

Verses 19-26

1 Corinthians 12:19–26 ESV

19 If all were a single member, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, yet one body. 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, 24 which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, 25 that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. 26 If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.

13. Are all spiritual gifts intended to be seen by everyone? What implications would “hidden” gifts have for how we judge the importance of any particular member in the church?

No. Some are meant to be hidden (23-24)

Some gifts are seen…some are not…but all are gifts for the greater good of the church.

14. Can you think of any “hidden” spiritual gifts, or gifts that are of vital importance, but not necessarily seen, identified, and acknowledge publically? Why would certain spiritual gifts need to remain “hidden”?

Prayer - Encouragers - Quiet Strength and Obedience to the Lord

15. Does God view those He has gifted with certain gifts more valuable than others to whom He has given different gifts? Does He prefer one over another and distribute His gifts accordingly?

No. They are distributed as God sees fit.

The preacher is no less honored than any member.

This is a Baptist distinctive, built on Scriptural grounds, that many “protestant” denominations fail to properly recognize.

NOTE: Question 16 will take some thought and you might not know exactly where I’m heading with it. As you think about the question, consider the Eastern worldview where individualism is subservient to collectivism, and where the importance of the group always supersedes the importance of the individual.

16. How can the focus on the individual (an idea espoused by most Western cultures), become a hindrance to the spiritual maturity of a church? Asked another way, what is the Biblical and balanced view of the individual verses the group using this chapter as a guide for your answer?

God has created us unique individuals. Paul has just shown how we have each been given various gifts and roles to play in the church by God.

Yet…we must not take our “individualism” to an extreme where we begin to think that we do not require the church, or congregation of believers, or that our gifts and worship of God should be, or even can be, exercised apart from the church.

We are “individuals” with the “body”. We are not individuals w/out a body. Nor are we a body w/out individuals.

Verses 27-31

1 Corinthians 12:27–31 ESV

27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. 28 And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But earnestly desire the higher gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way.

17. What roles has God appointed in the church according to verse 28?

(1) Apostles - (2) Prophets - (3) Teachers - (4) Miracles - (5) Healing - (6) Helping - (7) Administrating - (8) Tongues

18. Many within the Pentecostal movement teach that in order to be saved, one must speak in tongues. Setting aside the question of whether the gift of tongues remains with us today (a question we will more fully engage in the next chapter), how might we counter that false doctrine using these verses?

Paul’s clearly rhetorical question in verse 30. “Do all speak in tongues?”