1 Corinthians 12:1.— The Corinthians seem to have inquired of St. Paul, what order of precedency and preference men were to have with respect to their spiritual gifts; nay, if we may guess by his answer, the question they seem more particularly to have proposed was, whether those who had the gift of tongues ought not to take place, and speak first, and be first heardin their meetings? Concerning this there appears to have been some strife, maligning, and disorder among them, as may be collected from 1 Corinthians 12:21-25; 1 Corinthians 13:4-5 1 Corinthians 14:40. To this St. Paul answers in 1 Corinthians 12-14. First, that they had been all heathen idolaters, and so, being deniers of Christ, were in that state none of them spiritual; but that now, being Christians, and owning Jesus to be the Lord, in an experimental sense, (which could not be done without the Spirit of God) they were all πνευματικοι, spiritual, and so there was no reason for one to undervalue another; as if he were not spiritual as well as himself, 1 Corinthians 12:1-3. Secondly, that though there be a diversity of gifts, yet they are all by the same Spirit; from the same Lord, and the same God; working them all in every one according to his good pleasure: so that in this respect also there is no difference or precedency; no occasion for any one's being puffed up, or affecting priority, upon account of his gifts, 1 Corinthians 12:4-11. Thirdly, That the diversity of gifts is forthe use and benefit of the church, which is Christ's body, wherein the members, as in the natural body, of meaner functions, are as much parts, and as necessary in their use to the good of the whole, and therefore to be honoured as much as any other. The union they have as members in the same body, should make them all equally share in each other's good and evil; should give them a mutual esteem and concern one for another; and should leave no room for contests or divisions among them about their gifts, or the honour and place due to them on that account, 1 Corinthians 12:12-31. Fourthly, That though gifts have their excellence and use, and those who have them may be zealous in the use of them, yet the true and sure way for a man to excel and be preferred above others, is, by enlarginghimselfinChristianlove,andexcellinginthat,withoutwhichaChristian,with all his spiritual gifts, is nothing, ch. 13. Fifthly, In the comparison of spiritual gifts, he gives those the precedency which edify most, and in particular prefers prophesying to tongues. See ch. 14.
Concerning spiritual gifts.— Mr. Locke would render this, as to spiritual men, or men assisted and actuated by the Spirit; and we are warranted, he says, in this version, by a like use of the word in several places of St. Paul's epistles; as ch. 1 Corinthians 2:15 and 1 Corinthians 14:37 of this epistle, and Galatians 6:1. And the context obliges us so to understand it; for if we will have it mean gifts, and not persons, the sense and coherence of the first three verses will be very hard to make out. Besides, there is evidence enough, in several parts of it, that the subject of St. Paul's discourse here is, πνευματικοι, "persons endowed with spiritual gifts," contending for precedency, in consideration of their gifts; (see 1 Corinthians 12:13.) and to what else does he say, ch. 1 Corinthians 14:5. Greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues? Others, however, suppose, that if the second and third verses are read in a parenthesis, the connection of the first with the fourth verse will prove that the addition of gifts is very proper. The church of Corinth was foolishly elated by spiritual pride, which St. Paul endeavoured to mortify and humble; and, in applying his remedy, he begins with reckoning up those various graces, the credit of which they had abused by their indulgence of this unhappy temper. See Locke and Doddridge.