Summary

Again, as in 1 Corinthians 12:8–10, Paul gives a list of gifts. Again he emphasizes that God is the source of these gifts. Yet this list differs from the first in that it is carefully ordered, beginning with the most important gift (apostles) and ending with the least important gift (tongues). From the context it is clear that the importance of a gift is determined by its capacity for building up the church (see, for example, 1 Corinthians 14:4–5).

The first three gifts on the list are not activities, but rather people. Although he works through human channels, God is the one who appoints people in positions of service in his church. Apostles, prophets, and teachers are themselves gifts whereby Christ builds up his church (see also Ephesians 4:7, Ephesians 4:11).

Apostles

Even the first three gifts differ with respect to priority. The apostles come first. We might say that the spiritual gifts were given to them in concentrated form, since they themselves were also prophets (Matthew 10:40–41; 1 Corinthians 14:37; 2 Corinthians 13:3), and teachers (1 Timothy 2:7; 2 Timothy 1:11).

When Paul states that apostles have been appointed in the church, he is referring to the universal church, not the local church. The apostles were a small group of men consisting only of the eleven, together with Matthias and Paul. These men were all eye-witnesses of Jesus Christ’s ministry and resurrection (see Acts 1:21–26; 1 Corinthians 15:8) and were set apart and sent by him. Through their testimony the New Testament church came into existence.

Prophets

Together with the apostles, the prophets of the New Testament lay the foundation of the church (Ephesians 2:20). The New Testament prophets included the apostles themselves, Agabus (Acts 11:28; Acts 21:10), a number of prophets in Antioch (Acts 13:1), Judas and Silas in Jerusalem (Acts 15:32), and the four daughters of Philip the evangelist (Acts 21:9).

False prophets were an ever-present threat to the church ever since the time of the Old Testament (see, e.g., Deuteronomy 18:20; Jeremiah 14:14; Micah 3:11; Matthew 7:15; 1 John 4:1). In the early church, the constant danger of false prophets may even have caused the gift of prophecy to fall into disregard (see 1 Thessalonians 5:20).

For more on the gift of prophecy, see the comments under 1 Corinthians 12:10 (Prophecy).

Teachers

The third gift is the teachers. A teacher is a person who imparts previously revealed knowledge and guides people in light thereof. Unlike a prophet (see 1 Corinthians 14:30), a teacher does not wait for a new revelation from God before he speaks. He knows and speaks from the written Word of God. Jesus was not only a prophet. He was also a teacher of the Scriptures. His disciples called him Rabbi (my master or my teacher).

Much of the apostles’ time was devoted to teaching (Acts 20:20; 2 Timothy 1:11). Paul also sees a close connection between being a pastor and being a teacher (Ephesians 4:11).

Miracles and Gifts of Healing

For more on these two gifts, see earlier comments (1 Corinthians 12:9–10). Note that Paul is not speaking of people anymore, as if there are miracle workers and healers who permanently perform these tasks. Rather, he speaks of the events themselves as gifts to the church.

Helping

This is the only place in the New Testament where we read of the gift of helping (although the acts of mercy mentioned in Romans 12:8 may be similar to this gift). The noun can also refer to the person who helps. It is possible that Paul has in mind the deacons and their work.

Administration

The word administering literally refers to the work of steering a ship and is often used in a metaphorical sense, to signify leadership. Those who have this gift are responsible for leading and guiding the church. It is likely that Paul has the church elders in mind (see 1 Timothy 3:1, 1 Timothy 3:5; 1 Timothy 5:17).

Various Kinds of Tongues

It is not for nothing that Paul places various kinds of tongues at the end of the list. This ordering of the spiritual gifts seems to be practically the reverse of the order that reigned in the Corinthian church! Paul clearly wishes to rectify their undue emphasis on tongues. He will do this by directing their attention towards love (1 Corinthians 13:1–13) and by arguing that prophesy is superior to tongues (1 Corinthians 14:1–40).

For more on the gift of tongues, see the comments under 1 Corinthians 12:10 (Various Kinds of Tongues).