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Text -- 1 Corinthians 12:4 (NET)

Strongs On/Off
Context
12:4 Now there are different gifts, but the same Spirit.
Parallel   Cross Reference (TSK)   ITL  
Table of Contents

Word/Phrase Notes
Robertson , Vincent , Wesley , JFB , Clarke , Calvin , Defender , TSK

Word/Phrase Notes
Barnes , Poole , Haydock , Gill

Verse Notes / Footnotes
, Geneva Bible

Verse Range Notes
TSK Synopsis , MHCC , Matthew Henry , Barclay , Constable , College , McGarvey , Lapide

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Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per phrase)

Robertson: 1Co 12:4 - -- Diversities ( diaireseis ). Old word for distinctions, differences, distributions, from diaireō , to distribute, as diairoun (dividing, distribut...

Diversities ( diaireseis ).

Old word for distinctions, differences, distributions, from diaireō , to distribute, as diairoun (dividing, distributing) in 1Co 12:11. Only here in the N.T.

Robertson: 1Co 12:4 - -- Of gifts ( charismatōn ). Late word and chiefly in Paul (cf. Rom 12:6) in N.T. (except 1Pe 4:19), but some examples in papyri. It means a favour (f...

Of gifts ( charismatōn ).

Late word and chiefly in Paul (cf. Rom 12:6) in N.T. (except 1Pe 4:19), but some examples in papyri. It means a favour (from charizomai ) bestowed or received without any merit as in Rom 1:11.

Vincent: 1Co 12:4 - -- Diversities ( διαιρέσεις ) Only here in the New Testament. It may also be rendered distributions . There is no objection to combinin...

Diversities ( διαιρέσεις )

Only here in the New Testament. It may also be rendered distributions . There is no objection to combining both meanings, a distribution of gifts implying a diversity. 1Co 12:11, however, seems to favor distributions .

Vincent: 1Co 12:4 - -- Gifts ( χαρισμάτων ) See on Rom 1:11.

Gifts ( χαρισμάτων )

See on Rom 1:11.

Vincent: 1Co 12:4 - -- Administrations ( διακονιῶν ) Rev., better, ministrations . Compare Eph 4:12. In the New Testament commonly of spiritual service of a...

Administrations ( διακονιῶν )

Rev., better, ministrations . Compare Eph 4:12. In the New Testament commonly of spiritual service of an official character. See Act 1:25; Act 6:4; Act 20:24; Rom 11:13; 1Ti 1:12; and on minister , Mat 20:26.

Wesley: 1Co 12:4 - -- Divers streams, but all from one fountain. This verse speaks of the Holy Ghost, the next of Christ, the sixth of God the Father. The apostle treats of...

Divers streams, but all from one fountain. This verse speaks of the Holy Ghost, the next of Christ, the sixth of God the Father. The apostle treats of the Spirit, 1Co 12:7, &c.; of Christ, 1Co 12:12, &c.; of God, 1Co 12:28, &c.

JFB: 1Co 12:4 - -- That is, varieties of spiritual endowments peculiar to the several members of the Church: compare "dividing to every man severally" (1Co 12:11).

That is, varieties of spiritual endowments peculiar to the several members of the Church: compare "dividing to every man severally" (1Co 12:11).

JFB: 1Co 12:4 - -- The Holy Trinity appears here: the Holy Spirit in this verse; Christ in 1Co 12:5; and the Father in 1Co 12:6. The terms "gifts," "administrations," an...

The Holy Trinity appears here: the Holy Spirit in this verse; Christ in 1Co 12:5; and the Father in 1Co 12:6. The terms "gifts," "administrations," and "operations," respectively correspond to the Divine Three. The Spirit is treated of in 1Co 12:7, &c.; the Lord, in 1Co 12:12, &c.; God, in 1Co 12:28. (Compare Eph 4:4-6).

Clarke: 1Co 12:4 - -- There are diversities of gifts - Χαρισματων· Gracious endowments, leading to miraculous results; such as the gift of prophecy, speaking...

There are diversities of gifts - Χαρισματων· Gracious endowments, leading to miraculous results; such as the gift of prophecy, speaking different tongues, etc. And these all came by the extraordinary influences of the Holy Spirit.

Calvin: 1Co 12:4 - -- 4.Now there are diversities of gifts The symmetry of the Church 730 consists, so to speak, of a manifold unity, 731 that is, when the variety of gift...

4.Now there are diversities of gifts The symmetry of the Church 730 consists, so to speak, of a manifold unity, 731 that is, when the variety of gifts is directed to the same object, as in music there are different sounds, but suited to each other with such an adaptation, as to produce concord. Hence it is befitting that there should be a distinction of gifts as well as of offices, and yet all harmonize in one. Paul, accordingly, in Rom 12:6, commends this variety, that no one may, by rashly intruding himself into another’s place, confound the distinction which the Lord has established. Hence he orders every one to be contented with his own gifts, and cultivate the particular department that has been assigned to him. 732 He prohibits them from going beyond their own limits by a foolish ambition. In fine, he exhorts that every one should consider how much has been given him, what measure has been allotted to him, and to what he has been called. Here, on the other hand, he orders every one to bring what he has to the common heap, and not keep back the gifts of God in the way of enjoying every one his own, apart from the others, 733 but aim unitedly at the edification of all in common. In both passages, he brings forward the similitude of the human body, but, as may be observed, on different accounts. The sum of what he states amounts to this — that gifts are not distributed thus variously among believers, in order that they may be used apart, but that in the division there is a unity, inasmuch as one Spirit is the source of all those gifts, one God is the Lord of all administrations, and the author of all exercises of power. Now God, who is the beginning, ought also to be the end.

One Spirit This passage ought to be carefully observed in opposition to fanatics, 734 who think that the name Spirit means nothing essential, but merely the gifts or actions of divine power. Here, however, Paul plainly testifies, that there is one essential power of God, whence all his works proceed. The term Spirit, it is true, is sometimes transferred by metonymy to the gifts themselves. Hence we read of the Spirit of knowledge — of judgment — of fortitude — of modesty. 735 Paul, however, here plainly testifies that judgment, and knowledge, and gentleness, and all other gifts, proceed from one source. For it is the office of the Holy Spirit to put forth and exercise the power of God by conferring these gifts upon men, and distributing them among them.

One Lord The ancients made use of this testimony in opposition to the Arians, for the purpose of maintaining a Trinity of persons. For there is mention made here of the Spirit, secondly of the Lord, and lastly of God, and to these Three, one and the same operation is ascribed. Thus, by the name Lord, they understood Christ. But for my part, though I have no objection to its being understood in this way, I perceive, at the same time, that it is a weak argument for stopping the mouths of Arians; for there is a correspondence between the word administrations and the word Lord. The administrations, says Paul, are different, but there is only one God whom we must serve, whatever administration we discharge. This antithesis, then, shows what is the simple meaning, so that to confine it to Christ is rather forced.

Defender: 1Co 12:4 - -- In this verse, the Greek word for "gifts" is charisma, meaning "grace-gifts," or "free gifts." The Spirit, by sovereign grace, gives one or more such ...

In this verse, the Greek word for "gifts" is charisma, meaning "grace-gifts," or "free gifts." The Spirit, by sovereign grace, gives one or more such "grace-gifts" to "every man" (1Co 12:7), as He wills (1Co 12:11). The same word is used in 1Co 12:9, 1Co 12:28, 1Co 12:30 and 1Co 12:31. It is also used in Rom 12:6, which similarly lists a number of gifts of the Spirit. On the other hand, in Rom 12:1, "spiritual gifts" is a translation of the Greek pneumatikos, meaning "Spirit-energized gifts," implying a distinct supernatural element. This word is used again in 1Co 14:1 and 1Co 14:12. Whichever word is used, the gift is a "free gift" of the Holy Spirit (like the free gift of eternal life in Rom 6:23, where the same word is used) neither earned nor forced. Furthermore, it is God-given, therefore not man-generated."

TSK: 1Co 12:4 - -- there : 1Co 12:8-11, 1Co 12:28; Rom 12:4-6; Eph 4:4; Heb 2:4; 1Pe 4:10

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Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per Verse)

Barnes: 1Co 12:4 - -- Now there are diversities of gifts - There are different endowments conferred on Christians. For the meaning of the word "gifts,"see the note a...

Now there are diversities of gifts - There are different endowments conferred on Christians. For the meaning of the word "gifts,"see the note at Rom 1:11; compare Rom 5:15-16; Rom 6:23; Rom 11:29; Rom 12:6; 1Co 1:7; 1Co 7:7.

But the same Spirit - Produced by the same Spirit - the Holy Spirit. What those diversities of gifts are, the apostle enumerates in 1Co 12:8-11. The design for which he refers to these various endowments is evidently to show those whom he addressed, that since they are all produced by the same Holy Spirit, have all the same divine origin, and are all intended to answer some important purpose and end in the Christian church, that, therefore, none are to be despised; nor is one man to regard himself as authorized to treat another with contempt. The Spirit has divided and conferred those gifts according to his sovereign will; and his arrangements should be regarded with submission, and the favors which he confers should be received with thankfulness. That the Holy Spirit - the third person of the adorable Trinity - is here intended by the word "Spirit,"seems to be manifest on the face of the passage, and has been the received interpretation of the church until it was called in question by some recent German commentators, at the head of whom was Eichhorn. It is not the design of these notes to go into an examination of questions of criticism, such as an inquiry like this would involve. Nor is it necessary. Some of the arguments by which the common interpretation is defended are the following:

(1) It is the obvious interpretation. It is that which occurs to the great mass of readers, as the true and correct exposition.

\caps1 (2) i\caps0 t accords with the usual meaning of the word Spirit. No other intelligible sense can be given to the word here. To say, with Eichhorn, that it means "nature,"that there are the same natural endowments, though cultivated in various measures by art and education, makes manifest nonsense, and is contrary to the whole structure and scope of the passage.

\caps1 (3) i\caps0 t accords with all the other statements in the New Testament, where the endowments here referred to "wisdom,""knowledge,""faith,""working of miracles,"etc., are traced to the Holy Spirit, and are regarded as his gift.

\caps1 (4) t\caps0 he harmony, the concinnity of the passage is destroyed by supposing that it refers to anything else than the Holy Spirit. In this verse the agency of the Spirit is recognized, and his operations on the mind referred to; in the next verse the agency of the Son of God (see the note on the verse) is referred to; and in the following verse, the agency of God - evidently the Father - is brought into view; and thus the entire passage 1Co 12:4-6 presents a connected view of the operations performed by the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in the work of redemption. To deny that this verse refers to the Holy Spirit is to break up the harmony of the whole passage, and to render it in no small degree unmeaning. But if this refers to the Holy Spirit, then it is an unanswerable argument for his personality, and for his being on an equality with the Father and the Son.

Poole: 1Co 12:4 - -- Gifts signifieth the same thing with habits, or powers, or abilities to actions; our actions being either natural, as eating, drinking, sleeping, &c....

Gifts signifieth the same thing with habits, or powers, or abilities to actions; our actions being either natural, as eating, drinking, sleeping, &c., or moral, or spiritual. These powers are either natural, which are in an ordinary course of providence bred with us, as the infant hath a power to eat, drink, sleep, cry, &c.: or acquired, and that by imitation, or human learning, as the child gets a habit of speaking, or a power to write, understand languages, arts, and sciences: or infused; and those are either merely infused, as faith, love, and all habits truly spiritual are, and therefore called graces, or spiritual gifts of the highest natures; or else such as are obtained by the use of means on our parts, but yet not without the influence of the Holy Spirit of God; such are abilities to pray, preach, &c. There are some common powers, that is, such as those might have, who should never be saved, which might be merely infused, and were extraordinary in those first times of the gospel; such as the gift of tongues, prophecy, healing, &c. These powers, especially such as are not natural and common to all in an ordinary course of providence, nor acquired merely by imitation, or study, or the teaching of others, but infused either in whole or in part, are those which the apostle here calleth gifts: and he saith there is a diversity of them; there was the gift of prophecy, of healing, of tongues, &c.; but he tells them, this diversity of gifts flowed all from one and the same Spirit, the Spirit was not diverse, though his influences were divers.

Haydock: 1Co 12:4-7 - -- There are diversities of grace. Literally, divisions of grace; but all from the same spirit, from the same Lord, from the same God: and all ...

There are diversities of grace. Literally, divisions of grace; but all from the same spirit, from the same Lord, from the same God: and all these gifts are designed, and to be made use of for the profit of the faithful. (Witham) ---

St. Justin Martyr, St. Irenæus, and Origen bear testimony, that these special gifts of the Holy Ghost were not unusual in their time. St. Paul, in order to curb the vanity of such as seemed to be a little puffed up with the gifts they had received, and likewise to comfort those who had received no such spiritual and extraordinary favours, wishes to teach both parties, that the same Holy Spirit distributes these graces according as t hey are more conducive to the welfare of his Church, and the glory of God. (Calmet)

Gill: 1Co 12:4 - -- Now there are diversities of gifts,.... Of spiritual ones, as in 1Co 12:1 which spring from the free grace, and good will and pleasure of God, and are...

Now there are diversities of gifts,.... Of spiritual ones, as in 1Co 12:1 which spring from the free grace, and good will and pleasure of God, and are not owing to the merits of men; and therefore such who have the largest share of them should not boast of them as acquired by themselves, or be puffed up on account of them; and those who have the smallest measure should be content and thankful; for though the gifts are different, some have greater, and others lesser, none have all, but all have some, yet not alike:

but the same Spirit; is the author and giver of all as he pleases; the lesser gifts, and the smallest degree of them, come from the Spirit of God, as well as the greater. Gifts here seem to be the general name for all that follow; and

administrations and

operations are the two species of them; and of these a particular account is afterwards given.

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Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

Geneva Bible: 1Co 12:4 ( 4 ) Now there are diversities of gifts, but the ( d ) same Spirit. ( 4 ) In the second place, he lays another foundation, that is, that these gifts...

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Commentary -- Verse Range Notes

TSK Synopsis: 1Co 12:1-31 - --1 Spiritual gifts,4 are diverse,7 yet all to profit withal.8 And to that end are diversely bestowed;12 that by the like proportion, as the members of ...

MHCC: 1Co 12:1-11 - --Spiritual gifts were extraordinary powers bestowed in the first ages, to convince unbelievers, and to spread the gospel. Gifts and graces greatly diff...

Matthew Henry: 1Co 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 lar...

Barclay: 1Co 12:4-11 - --Paul's idea in this section is to stress the essential unity of the Church. The Church is the Body of Christ and the characteristic of a healthy body...

Constable: 1Co 7:1--16:13 - --III. Questions asked of Paul 7:1--16:12 The remainder of the body of this epistle deals with questions the Corin...

Constable: 1Co 12:1--14:40 - --E. Spiritual gifts and spiritual people chs. 12-14 Paul had been dealing with matters related to worship...

Constable: 1Co 12:4-31 - --2. The need for varieties of spiritual gifts 12:4-31 Paul planned to return to the subject of gl...

Constable: 1Co 12:4-11 - --Diversity in the Godhead and the gifts 12:4-11 12:4 Although there is only one Holy Spirit He gives many different abilities to different people. Ever...

College: 1Co 12:1-31 - --1 CORINTHIANS 12 VII. MISUNDERSTANDING OF SPIRITUAL GIFTS (12:1-14:40) A. SPIRITUAL GIFTS (12:1-11) 1. Influence of the Spirit (12:1-3) 1 Now abou...

McGarvey: 1Co 12:4 - --Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit .

Lapide: 1Co 12:1-31 - --CHAPTER 12 SYNOPSIS OF THE CHAPTER In this and the two following chapters S. Paul discusses Christian gifts and graces. In this chapter he points ou...

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Introduction / Outline

Robertson: 1 Corinthians (Book Introduction) First Corinthians From Ephesus a.d. 54 Or 55 By Way of Introduction It would be a hard-boiled critic today who would dare deny the genuineness o...

JFB: 1 Corinthians (Book Introduction) The AUTHENTICITY of this Epistle is attested by CLEMENT OF ROME [First Epistle to the Corinthians, 47], POLYCARP [Epistle to the Philippians, 11], and...

JFB: 1 Corinthians (Outline) THE INSCRIPTION; THANKSGIVING FOR THE SPIRITUAL STATE OF THE CORINTHIAN CHURCH; REPROOF OF PARTY DIVISIONS: HIS OWN METHOD OF PREACHING ONLY CHRIST. ...

TSK: 1 Corinthians 12 (Chapter Introduction) Overview 1Co 12:1, Spiritual gifts, 1Co 12:4, are diverse, 1Co 12:7, yet all to profit withal; 1Co 12:8, And to that end are diversely bestowed; 1...

Poole: 1 Corinthians 12 (Chapter Introduction) CORINTHIANS CHAPTER 12

MHCC: 1 Corinthians (Book Introduction) The Corinthian church contained some Jews, but more Gentiles, and the apostle had to contend with the superstition of the one, and the sinful conduct ...

MHCC: 1 Corinthians 12 (Chapter Introduction) (1Co 12:1-11) The variety of use of spiritual gifts are shown. (1Co 12:12-26) In the human body every member has its place and use. (1Co 12:27-30) T...

Matthew Henry: 1 Corinthians (Book Introduction) An Exposition, with Practical Observations, of The First Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians Corinth was a principal city of Greece, in that partic...

Matthew Henry: 1 Corinthians 12 (Chapter Introduction) In this chapter the apostle, I. Considers the case of spiritual gifts, which were very plentifully poured out on the Corinthian church. He conside...

Barclay: 1 Corinthians (Book Introduction) A GENERAL INTRODUCTION TO THE LETTERS OF PAUL The Letters Of Paul There is no more interesting body of documents in the New Testament than the letter...

Barclay: 1 Corinthians 12 (Chapter Introduction) The Confession Of The Spirit (1Co_12:1-3) God's Differing Gifts (1Co_12:4-11) The Body Of Christ (1Co_12:12-31)

Constable: 1 Corinthians (Book Introduction) Introduction Historical Background Corinth had a long history stretching back into the...

Constable: 1 Corinthians (Outline) Outline I. Introduction 1:1-9 A. Salutation 1:1-3 B. Thanksgiving 1:4-9 ...

Constable: 1 Corinthians 1 Corinthians Bibliography Adams, Jay. Marriage, Divorce and Remarriage in the Bible. Phillipsburg, N.J.: Presb...

Haydock: 1 Corinthians (Book Introduction) THE FIRST EPISTLE OF ST. PAUL, THE APOSTLE, TO THE CORINTHIANS. INTRODUCTION. Corinth was the capital of Achaia, a very rich and populous city...

Gill: 1 Corinthians (Book Introduction) INTRODUCTION TO 1 CORINTHIANS This was not the first epistle that was written by the apostle to the Corinthians, for we read in this of his having ...

Gill: 1 Corinthians 12 (Chapter Introduction) INTRODUCTION TO 1 CORINTHIANS 12 In this chapter the apostle discourses concerning spiritual gifts, showing the author, nature, use, and excellency...

College: 1 Corinthians (Book Introduction) FOREWORD Since the past few decades have seen an explosion in the number of books, articles, and commentaries on First Corinthians, a brief word to t...

College: 1 Corinthians (Outline) OUTLINE I. INTRODUCTION - 1:1-9 A. Salutation - 1:1-3 B. Thanksgiving - 1:4-9 II. DISUNITY AND COMMUNITY FRAGMENTATION - 1:10-4:21 A. ...

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