1 Cor 12:20-31
1 Cor 12:20 But now there are many members, but one body.
1 Cor 12:21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you"; or again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you."
1 Cor 12:22 On the contrary, it is much truer that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary;
1 Cor 12:23 and those {members} of the body which we deem less honorable, on these we bestow more abundant honor, and our less presentable members become much more presentable,
1 Cor 12:24 whereas our more presentable members have no need {of it.} But God has {so} composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that {member} which lacked,
1 Cor 12:25 so that there may be no division in the body, but {that} the members may have the same care for one another.
1 Cor 12:26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if {one} member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.
1 Cor 12:27 ¶ Now you are Christ's body, and individually members of it.
1 Cor 12:28 And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, {various} kinds of tongues.
1 Cor 12:29 All are not apostles, are they? All are not prophets, are they? All are not teachers, are they? All are not {workers of} miracles, are they?
1 Cor 12:30 All do not have gifts of healings, do they? All do not speak with tongues, do they? All do not interpret, do they?
1 Cor 12:31 But earnestly desire the greater gifts. ¶ And I show you a still more excellent way.
Hi everyone!! Hope all of you are doing well =) Do you guys remember about this verse (v31) which i promised you guys i will find out the right contextual interpretation?
Ok, if you guys read the whole chunk of text before v31, Paul stresses God's sovereignty in distributing the gifts and believers' responsibility to be content with them, it seems impossible to interpret v31 as an appeal to seek the showier gifts. Paul's repeated point has been that we do not choose or seek the gifts.
Because in the greek text of 'earnestly desire' zeloo usually has the negative connotation of coveting jealously or enviously. Also, because the Greek indicative and imperative forms are identical, the first half of the verse could be translated "But you earnestly desire the greater gifts"(indicative) which seems much more appropriate to the context, both of what precedes and follows. It is consistent with the tone of the letter and the sin of the Corinthians because they clearly prized the showier gifts, the seemingly greater gifts. It would seem ridiculous for Paul to command them to do what they already were eagerly doing.
What the Corinthians needed to seek was a still more excellent way, the way of contentment and harmony that he has been exhorting in chapter 12 and the way of love that he is about to show them in chapter 13. These things they did not have but desperately needed.
Therefore going in line with the whole context of 1 Corinthians, God never asked us to seek the gifts. He instead exhorted us to be contented and seek harmony as well as to love rather than seek spiritual gifts. Hopefully you guys will be able to understand what i've typed. =)
In the meantime do keep each other in prayers and continue to study God's Word everyday.
Imperative - Grammar. noting or pertaining to the mood of the verb used in commands, requests, etc., as in Listen! Go!
Indicative - Grammar. noting or pertaining to the mood of the verb used for ordinary objective statements, questions, etc., as the verb plays in John plays football.
1 Cor 12:21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you"; or again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you."
1 Cor 12:22 On the contrary, it is much truer that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary;
1 Cor 12:23 and those {members} of the body which we deem less honorable, on these we bestow more abundant honor, and our less presentable members become much more presentable,
1 Cor 12:24 whereas our more presentable members have no need {of it.} But God has {so} composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that {member} which lacked,
1 Cor 12:25 so that there may be no division in the body, but {that} the members may have the same care for one another.
1 Cor 12:26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if {one} member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.
1 Cor 12:27 ¶ Now you are Christ's body, and individually members of it.
1 Cor 12:28 And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, {various} kinds of tongues.
1 Cor 12:29 All are not apostles, are they? All are not prophets, are they? All are not teachers, are they? All are not {workers of} miracles, are they?
1 Cor 12:30 All do not have gifts of healings, do they? All do not speak with tongues, do they? All do not interpret, do they?
1 Cor 12:31 But earnestly desire the greater gifts. ¶ And I show you a still more excellent way.
Hi everyone!! Hope all of you are doing well =) Do you guys remember about this verse (v31) which i promised you guys i will find out the right contextual interpretation?
Ok, if you guys read the whole chunk of text before v31, Paul stresses God's sovereignty in distributing the gifts and believers' responsibility to be content with them, it seems impossible to interpret v31 as an appeal to seek the showier gifts. Paul's repeated point has been that we do not choose or seek the gifts.
Because in the greek text of 'earnestly desire' zeloo usually has the negative connotation of coveting jealously or enviously. Also, because the Greek indicative and imperative forms are identical, the first half of the verse could be translated "But you earnestly desire the greater gifts"(indicative) which seems much more appropriate to the context, both of what precedes and follows. It is consistent with the tone of the letter and the sin of the Corinthians because they clearly prized the showier gifts, the seemingly greater gifts. It would seem ridiculous for Paul to command them to do what they already were eagerly doing.
What the Corinthians needed to seek was a still more excellent way, the way of contentment and harmony that he has been exhorting in chapter 12 and the way of love that he is about to show them in chapter 13. These things they did not have but desperately needed.
Therefore going in line with the whole context of 1 Corinthians, God never asked us to seek the gifts. He instead exhorted us to be contented and seek harmony as well as to love rather than seek spiritual gifts. Hopefully you guys will be able to understand what i've typed. =)
In the meantime do keep each other in prayers and continue to study God's Word everyday.
Imperative - Grammar. noting or pertaining to the mood of the verb used in commands, requests, etc., as in Listen! Go!
Indicative - Grammar. noting or pertaining to the mood of the verb used for ordinary objective statements, questions, etc., as the verb plays in John plays football.
posted by Japheth at
1:12 AM
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