The lectionary passages for Epiphany 2 (Cycle A) include 1 Corinthians 1:1-9. In verse seven, we have the phrase “spiritual gift.” It’s interesting to note which word is used for “spiritual gift”–in this case charisma. This is not the word used in 1 Corinthians 12:1 and 14:1, which both use pneumatikos. A number of interpreters…
In one of the sermons I heard this morning (I attended services at two different churches), the scripture reading was from Ephesians 4:1-12. When Ephesians 4:11 was read, I remembered a discussion I had some time back about whether pastors and teachers here was intended to refer to one group of people. The individual with…
I’m writing a series of devotionals from 1 Corinthians 13 for my wife’s devotional list. The first three entries have been posted. Entries on the devotional list are posted each weekday morning. Understanding Love The Priority of Love Characteristics of Love I Characteristics of Love II Love is Eternal (Update) Love is Boring (Update) Love…
I’m posting my 1 Corinthians audio series on the Pacesetters Bible School Newsletter blog, with the first entry here. You can follow this series either through the “1 Corinthians” keyword or the “Bible Pacesetter Podcast” keyword. The latter is mildly misleading because this podcast is not registered with iTunes, and appears only on the Pacesetters…
Adrian Warnock has quoted a section from Martin Lloyd Jones on the gift of tongues in Acts 2 and 1 Corinthians 12-14. (Thanks for Peter Kirk for linking to earlier parts of this discussion.) There are two comments I would like to make on this issue, both of which relate to the Biblical background material….
(Note: Restored post 8/28/2010. I’m not sure when part of it was lost, but presumably during a database upgrade.) 1Pursue love. Be zealous about spiritual things, but even more that you might prophesy. Greek pneumatika (pneumatika) = spiritual things. Again I suggest “spiritual things”? or “spirituality.”? A thought by thought translation would be: “Pursue love,…
Chapter 13 is placed between 12 and 14 to show the better way, specifically that one doesn’t discern the presence of the Holy Spirit by the visible manifestation or by the level of power that is displayed, but by way in which those gifts are controlled by the Holy Spirit. I’ve used a red font…
Note: I’m using a loose phonetic transliteration of Greek terms throughout. This is just intended to give the reader some guidance as to pronunciation. For reference information on the Greek words cited, see 1 Corinthians 12-14: Greek Terms. Draft translation is from my Totally Free Bible Version project, and is just a draft. 1-3: Character…
This entry provides further comment on Greek words used in my series of posts on 1 Corinthians 12-14. I’m posting this section prior to the entries on each of the three chapters so it will be available for study with them. Note: I am limiting my discussion of these words to their application related to…
These three chapters are the most critical chapters in the Bible in reference to spiritual gifts, and they are not actually primarily intended to teach about them. We tend to read the three chapters separately, especially because 1 Corinthians 13 is such a wonderful composition by itself. Chapter 12 is often treated as an essay…