Faith by the same Spirit.— In the following chapter, where these gifts are again mentioned, the Apostle explains the nature of the faith here reckoned among the gifts of the Spirit, by calling it a faith which could remove mountains, or such a faith as was attended with a power of controlling nature; alluding to that want of faith with which Jesus upbraids his disciples, where he says, "If ye have faith as a grain of mustard-seed ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place, and it shall remove." Matthew 17:20. The two next gifts, of healing and working miracles, 1 Corinthians 12:10 are two species of the foregoing genus. By healing is meant, that salutary assistance administered to the sick, in a solemn office of the church, as directed by St. James 5:14. Is any sick among you, let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer of faith, that is, the faith mentioned just before, shall save the sick, &c. By working miracles is meant, a more extemporaneous use of the same power, though less confined in its objects. The gifts of healing, χαρισματα ιαματων, properly express gifts belonging to the church as such; and the working of miracles ενεργηματα δυναμεων, implies virtue residing in or immediately given to, the individual or particular agent. Besides, we may observe that gifts of healing was a less degree of miraculous power than the working of miracles, and is expressly intimated so to be, 1 Corinthians 12:28.
Related Commentaries of 1 Corinthians 12:9
1 Corinthians 12:9
9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;