Mag. Claudia R. Wintoch
Pauline Epistles II
J.D. King
World Revival School of Ministry
1. Introduction
2. 1.Corinthians 12
2.1.
1.Corinthians 12:1-3
2.2.
1.Corinthians 12:4-11
2.3.
1.Corinthians 12:12-26
2.4.
1.Corinthians 12:27-31
3. 1.Corinthians 13
3.1.
1.Corinthians 13:1-3
3.2.
1.Corinthians 13:4-7
3.3.
1.Corinthians 13:8-13
4. 1.Corinthians 14
4.1.
1.Corinthians 14:1-12
4.2.
1.Corinthians 14:13-25
4.3.
1.Corinthians 14:26-33
4.4.
1.Corinthians 14:34-35
4.5.
1.Corinthians 14:36-40
5. Conclusion
6. Bibliography
1. Introduction
The apostle Paul, author of the
epistles to the Corinthian church, started the church in Corinth during his
second missionary journey (Acts 18). Corinth was “the Las Vegas of the day”[1],
a city of wealth, great philosophers and wisdom and where “all the evils of the
pagan world were on display” (Bray 1999:1). The church was rich in all
spiritual gifts (see 1.Corinthians 1:7), yet problems had arisen with excesses
and men who had risen to prominence and brought dissensions: “The church became
divided into many factions, each with powerful speakers as its leader. Each of
them promoted its own beliefs, and they argued with one another over them”
(Theodoret of Cyr in Bray 1999:3).
The early church father Ambrosiaster
(see Bray 1999:1f) lists ten reasons why Paul wrote this letter: he disapproved
of those wanting to follow a certain leader, the Corinthians were affected by
the love of worldly philosophy, they were frustrated because Paul had not
returned to visit, they had allowed a fornicator among them, Paul needed to
remind them of his previous letter, they were taking each other to court, Paul
refused to accept financial support, they listened to heresy regarding
marriage, they should remain steadfast in the truth and Paul needed to teach
them on virgins.
Paul’s letter has one primary
objective: to teach them how to be in unity and diverse, both at the
same time. This also becomes clear in our chosen passage, chapters 12-14, where
Paul drives home his point in the context of the exercise of spiritual gifts
and manifestations of the Spirit in a worship setting.
2. 1.Corinthians 12
“Can a community hold together and
yet celebrate genuine, rough-and-tumble diversity?” (Fisk 2000:75). Paul
believes it is possible. In chapter 12 he elaborates on the different kinds of gifts, but the same
Spirit (v. 4), using the analogy of the body and its members to drive home
to them how ridiculous it is to all want to exercise one gift at the expense of
the others. “In Paul’s vision, when the
Spirit empowers believers, they become ‘freely bound” – creatively committed to
the needs and interests of one another, and to the dynamic unity of the church”
(ibidem).
2.1. 1.Corinthians 12:1-3
Paul starts out this passage
changing to the new subject of spiritual
gifts (v. 1), probably in response to issues raised in a letter from the
Corinthians. However, in the Greek the word gifts
does not occur. The Greek reads
πνευματικα (pneumatika),
which can be translated “spirituals” or “spiritual things”, also “spiritual
people” is possible.
Verses 2-3 contrast the believers’
present lives with their former lives as pagans, which “would help them to see
the difference between ‘spirits’ and the
Spirit, between ‘inspired utterance’ as such and that which is truly of the
Spirit of God” (Fee 1987:579). The Corinthians were no foreigners to inspired
utterances. The Greek culture had oracles, priestesses speaking for their gods
while in a trance under the influence of gases coming out of the ground (e.g.
Delphi). The Holy Spirit alone would exalt Jesus and enable a person to make
Him alone Lord of his/her life.
2.2. 1.Corinthians 12:4-11
Paul points out that diversity as
well as unity is not only possible, but a characteristic of God they
desperately needed. Paul repeatedly uses the word same[2] and different[3] to make his point, as he lists a number
of spiritual gifts[4] the Holy
Spirit distributes. His list is certainly not exhaustive, as we can see by
other lists of gifts later and in other NT epistles. Paul puts the gift of
tongues and interpretation at the end, since tongues cause the most problems in
the Corinthian church as their ‘most favorite’ gift (see Fee 1987:597f).
Verses 8-10 have been the subject of
wide discussions, especially since the birth of the Pentecostal Movement a
hundred years ago. While the latter have focused on the gifts, and in
particular on tongues, like the Corinthians had, whole denominations rejected
any manifestation of the Spirit altogether to justify their absence in their
midst. Fee (ibidem p. 600) puts it best: “Perhaps the greater tragedy for the
church is that it should have lost such touch with the Spirit of God in its
ongoing life that it should settle for what is only ordinary and thus feel the
urgency to justify itself in this way.”
2.3. 1.Corinthians 12:12-26
Horsley (1998:171) divides this
section into three parts: Paul “first establishes the analogy and draws the
main point about diversity (vv. 12-14), then insists on recognition of the
whole body and its diversity (vv. 15-20), and finally illustrates the
importance of all the parts of the body and their interdependence (vv. 21-26).”
The Corinthians were all part of one body, the body of Christ, yet not every
one of them was to be the same. Paul uses the ridiculous picture of body parts
rejecting their roles and wanting to be something else. However, in their
particular situation there was tension because of internal divisions resulting
from social status, as some considered themselves superior to others (see Fee
1987:609). This passage is therefore not about the superiority of some gifts
over others, but that “some people
consider themselves superior to others” (ibidem p. 612). Paul makes it clear: Its parts should have equal concern for each
other (v. 25b).
2.4. 1.Corinthians 12:27-31
Paul concludes this chapter with
another list of gifts and a number of rhetorical questions that require the
answer “no”. Fisk (2000:82) points out that he “appears to be moving away from
his earlier focus on the more flashy, ‘miraculous’ gifts so cherished in
Corinth. The ‘ranking’ of the first three gifts or offices or functions has led
to a wide variety of interpretations. Is the ranking chronological or
hierarchical, or simply ordinal? Fee (1987:620) holds the viewpoint that “one
has precedence over the other in the founding and building up of the local
assembly.” Others like Ellsworth (1995:206) use the ranking to substantiate
their ridiculous claim that “while the New Testament was being written, God
directed and guided the church by revealing his truth to the apostles and
prophets. When Scripture was complete, their work was done and we now have
embodied in Scripture the truth we need.”[5]
3. 1.Corinthians 13
Between the two chapters on tongues
and spiritual gifts, Paul places this much-loved chapter on love, which is the
foundation for everything said before and after. Horsley (1998:174f) points out
that “it is an integral step in a deliberative argument in which Paul shifts
into the praise of a virtue as an illustration of his exhortation. It has an
exalted style that stands out from its literary context, and should be seen as
a brief encomium, which in ancient
rhetoric was a speech in praise of a hero or, in this case, a virtue.” Paul’s
style makes love “dynamic and relational. Thus Paul may be imitating the
high-blown style in order to parody those who are fond of it” (ibidem p. 175).
3.1. 1.Corinthians 13:1-3
Paul uses exaggeration – all mysteries, all knowledge, all faith –
to show the supremacy of love over everything else. “Possession of charismata
is not the sign of the Spirit; Christian love is” (Fee 1987:633). Verse 3 has
been difficult to interpret. The early church father Augustine (Bray 1999:130)
gives us insight: “Offering one’s body to be burned is not permission to commit
suicide but a command not to resist suffering if the alternative is being
forced to do wrong.”
3.2. 1.Corinthians 13:4-7
Paul praises the virtues of love, at
the same time pointing out to the Corinthians where they are lacking. He uses
fifteen verbs; Fee (1987:636) explains:
“It begins with two positive expressions of love (patience and kindness); these are followed by eight verbs expressing what love is not like or does not do, the last of which is balanced by its positive counterpart … finally, there is a staccato of four verbs, each with the object ‘all things’, two of which pick up the other two cardinal Christian virtues, ‘faith and hope’, and the last of which recalls the first item (patience) by means of its synonym, endurance.”
3.3. 1.Corinthians 13:8-13
Traditionally evangelicals have used
this passage as evidence that the gifts had ceased with the canonization of the
Bible. In the meantime they have slightly adjusted their position, yet
Ellsworth (1995:216f) still writes:
Paul “goes on specifically to connect prophecy and knowledge with the coming of the perfect age, but nowhere does he mention the cessation of tongues in connection with the coming of the perfect. This could very well be Paul’s way of saying the gift of tongues was to cease before the coming of the perfect age … Even though the gift of prophecy ceased, we have in Scripture the essential truths God delivered through the prophets. So the gift of prophecy can be said to continue in Scripture.”
Scholars like Ellsworth base some of
their evidence on the different verbs used by Paul: prophecies will cease
(καταργηθήσονται/katargethesontai),
knowledge will pass away
(καταργηθήσονται/katargethesontai)
and tongues will be stilled
(παύσονται/pausontai).
However, Paul “is not predicting the early demise of tongues; he is simply
avoiding tedious repetition” (Fisk 2000:89). He is pointing out to the
Corinthians that they were not perfected yet, because “in the ecstasy of their
prophecy and glossolalia the Corinthian spirituals must have been experiencing
what they considered a full knowledge or vision of God” (Horsley 1998:178f).
The perfection in verse 10 is not the
Bible, but clearly the fullness of His kingdom that will be established at the
return of Christ. At that time, there will be no more need for spiritual gifts.
4. 1.Corinthians 14
After having discussed diversity in
unity and the foundation of love, Paul now explains how to put both into practice
in their worship services in a practical way. Their goal had to be the building
up of the community, whether believers or unbelievers, and Paul specifically
addresses the issue of tongues. Nowhere else in the New Testament do we find
that topic treated, so that we need to rely on Paul alone
4.1. 1.Corinthians 14:1-12
Paul leads over from chapter 13 so
that they don’t forget its significance: follow
the way of love. He proceeds to contrast the gift of prophecy with tongues.
While tongues is unintelligible by itself, prophecy can be understood and
therefore edify. It is important to keep in mind that “in arguing for prophecy
over tongues for building up the assembly, Paul does not deny the value for the
individual of personal empowerment that such tongues may provide” (Horsley
1998:182). In fact, Paul boasts to speak
in tongues more than all of you (v. 18). He argues that tongues can only
edify if followed by their interpretation.
It is fascinating how many
evangelicals not only deny the reality of this gift for our day, but they even
find ways of ‘explaining away’ the gift of speaking a language unknown to the
speaker:
“It is certainly noteworthy that Paul includes in his discussion of tongues two explicit references to foreign languages … This would seem to have only confused the issue if the gift of tongues was not the ability to speak in a foreign language. As far as I am concerned … my interpretation of this chapter will be from the perspective that the gift of tongues was the ability to speak in a foreign language” (Ellsworth 1995:220).
However, Paul is simply making a
comparison, explaining what it is like when not understanding a language.
Verse 12 literally reads you are zealots for spirits (ζηλωταί
εστε
πνευμάτων/zelotai este pneumaton), which has caused much speculation. The NIV
uses the unlikely translation you are
eager to have spiritual gifts. Paul repeatedly speaks of people’s spirits –
spirits of the prophets (v. 32), my spirit (v. 14-15) etc.. Fee’s
(1987:666) conclusion rings true: “This is Paul’s way of speaking about the
Spirit manifesting himself through their individual ‘spirits’ … they have great
zeal for their own spirits, through speaking in tongues, to be the mouthpiece
of the Spirit.” Paul is simply aiming to focus their zeal into the right
direction.
4.2. 1.Corinthians 14:13-25
Ellsworth’s argumentation, claiming
that tongues was for evangelizing the unbelievers, becomes even less
understandable in this passage, as he summarizes: “There was nothing wrong per
se with speaking in a foreign language in a worship service as long as the
language was interpreted. And there was still the possibility that someone from
another land would walk into a service and need to hear the gospel in his own
tongue.”[6]
(Ellsworth 1995:228). It is a mystery to me how Ellsworth can continue to hold
his viewpoint in light of verses 14 or 18.
Paul certainly encourages prayer with
my spirit as well as with my mind,
the former here being a form of personal praise of God, the latter praise of
God for the sake of others so they can say
“Amen” (v. 16). Paul’s purpose is still “to check the unbridled use of
uninterpreted tongues in the assembly” (Fee 1987:668).
4.3. 1.Corinthians 14:26-33
Paul continues to address specific
issues that had come up in the Corinthians’ assemblies, giving them guidelines
for orderly services, where they seem to have spoken in tongues simultaneously,
without an interpretation for others to understand. We have to be careful with
applying this passage to our churches today, as Paul was addressing a specific
situation. He is not so much teaching them, as correcting them.[7]
He definitely allowed and encouraged tongues in their meetings, as long as they
were interpreted and not disorderly. It was in pagan meetings that chaos and
disorder ruled, yet God's character of peace had to be visible among them (see
v. 33). Horsley (1998:188) understands “the term translated ‘disorder’ in verse
33 means political disorder or party strife … ‘Peace’ is an equally political
term, with connotations for Paul of wholeness, but here it counters, even as it
recalls (for residents of cities such as Corinth), the Roman imperial peace.”
4.4. 1.Corinthians 14:34-35
These two verses have caused much
confusion and abuse of women. While some make them a universal doctrinal
statement[8],
others want to eliminate those verses altogether.[9]
We have to keep the particular Corinthian situation in mind. I have treated
this passage in detail in an earlier paper where I state: “Only three chapters
previously, Paul had laid out guidelines for women to prophesy and pray,
therefore he cannot mean complete silence here. The other two instances of the
Greek word translated remain silent
refer to men – but no one has ever made a case saying men were not allowed to
speak in church“ (Wintoch 2002:7). Wingard (1999:74f) reminds of the cult of
Dionysus, the god of ecstasy, where “the women who participated in this cult
engaged in several rituals designed to invoke a state of ecstasy”, exercising a
multitude of ‘spiritual gifts’.
4.5. 1.Corinthians 14:36-40
Paul concludes by affirming that he
is not writing his own words, but the
Lord’s command (v. 37), adding a strong warning in verse 38. He encourages
them to prophesy – speak intelligibly – rather than speak unintelligible words
the community does not profit from. However, he admonishes them not to go to
the other extreme by forbidding speaking in tongues altogether – a verse that
is constantly being disregarded in churches today.
5. Conclusion
Paul, inspired by the Spirit of God,
speaks into the particular situation of the church in Corinth, where disorder
and excess dominated their worship services, with an unduly emphasis of the
gift of tongues. He therefore describes a wide variety of spiritual gifts,
stressing God's diversity, as well as giving them some guidelines for their
proper use, the most important one being love. Horsley (1998:190) summarizes
Paul’s point with one sentence: It “is a classic conflict between the emphasis
on individual spirituality and concern for development of community.”
It is love that never fails (13:8),
that is patient and kind (13:4), protecting, trusting, hoping and persevering
(13:7). God is love, and we are to love Him and our neighbors. Love should be
the basis of everything, the source for everything, and the motivation for all
we do. We would do well to examine ourselves and our deeds – lest they be void
of love and amount to nothing in the
eyes of our God of love (13:2-3).
6. Bibliography
Bray, Gerald (ed.), 1-2 Corinthians, Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture, Vol. 7, InterVarsity Press: Downers Grove, IL 1999
Collins, Raymond F., First Corinthians, Sacra Pagina Series, Vol. 7, The Liturgical Press: Collegeville, MN 1999
Ellsworth, Roger, Strengthening Christ’s Church. The message of 1 Corinthians, Evangelical Press: England 1995
Fee, Gordon, The First Epistle to the Corinthians, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company: Grand Rapids, MI 1987
Fisk, Bruce N., First Corinthians, Geneva Press: Louisville, KY 2000
Grant, Robert M., Paul in the Roman World. The Conflict at Corinth, Westminster John Knox Press: Louisville, KY 2001
Horsley, Richard A., 1 Corinthians, Abingdon New Testament Commentaries, Abingdon Press: Nashville, TN 1998
Lindemann,
Andreas, Der Erste Korintherbrief, Mohr Siebeck: Tübingen 2000
Pratt, Richard L., I & II Corinthians, Holman New Testament Commentary, Holman Reference: Nashville, TN 2000
Thiselton, Anthony C., The First Epistle to the Corinthians. A Commentary on the Greek Text, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company: Grand Rapids, MI 2000
Wingard, Robert W., Paul and the Corinthians. The Life and Letters of Paul, Abingdon Press: Nashville, TN 1999
Wintoch, Claudia, Women in Ministry, World Revival School of Ministry: Kansas City, MO 2002, [unpublished]
[1] Quote from J.D. King in his class
at World Revival School of Ministry
in the fall of 2002.
[2] 6 times
[3] 4 times
[4] Paul now uses χαρισμάτα (charismata) that is also translated “spiritual gifts”, which is
evidence for the better translation of “spiritual men” in verse 1.
[5] Ellsworth (1995:208) has the
audacity to decide which gifts have ceased and which remain to this day: “The
other gifts Paul mentions in this chapter – the word of wisdom, the word of
knowledge, faith, teachers, helps and administration – would seem to still be
existing in the church today,” as he continues to lay out what these acceptable
gifts might possibly look like today.
[6] Ellsworth’s interpretation is
far-fetched and reminds of the early Pentecostals’ belief that the gift of
tongues was given for world-evangelization because of the imminent return of
Christ.
[7] Ellsworth here has a valid point
since services in some charismatic churches do resemble the Corinthian
situation. He writes: “These guidelines take the wind out of a lot of sails today … Ironically, when we
insist on following these guidelines, the interest in speaking in tongues dies
immediately.” (Ellsworth 1995:230). One has to keep in mind, though, that
Paul’s strict guidelines might be the result of the Corinthians’ specific situation
rather than the norm for all churches.
[8] Surprisingly, Ellsworth (1995:231)
does not take a hardliner’s approach here, but concedes that a particular
situation is in mind
[9] For example Horsley (1998:188f).