Rose Murdock's Notes on The Epistles

8: For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; 9: to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10: and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. 11: But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills. 12: For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. 13: For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. ***  Paul listed gifts of the Holy Spirit here, emphasizing that they are given through, according to, or by the same Spirit. He wanted to be sure they un...

14: For the body is not one member, but many. 15: If the foot says, “Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. 16: And if the ear says, “Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. 17: If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? 18: But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired. 19: If they were all one member, where would the body be? 20: But now there are many members, but one body. 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.” 22: On the contrary, it is much truer that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary; 23: and those members of the body which we deem less honorable, on these we bestow more abundant honor, and our less presentab...

27: Now you are Christ’s body, and individually members of it. 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. 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? 30: All do not have gifts of healings, do they? All do not speak with tongues, do they? All do not interpret, do they? 31: But earnestly desire the greater gifts. And I show you a still more excellent way. ***  Continuing his thoughts on all believers being a part of the body, Paul plainly said, “You are Christ’s body, and individually members of it.” We have the honor to be a part of Christ’s body here in the earth today. As individuals, we work together to make up His whole body. We are strengthened when we come together much like a family comes together with other families to make a commun...

1: If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2: If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3: And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing. 4: Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, 5: does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, 6: does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 7: bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. ***  Paul next revealed the “more excellent way” he had just mentioned when talking about the gifts. His discussion here dealt with the motivation and condition of a person’s heart who has, and f...

8: Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away. 9: For we know in part and we prophesy in part; 10: but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away. 11: When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things. 12: For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known. 13: But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love. ***  After listing the attributes of love, Paul stated that love never fails. It, along with faith and hope, will remain. The gifts of the Spirit given for the common good will eventually stop. They are only tastes and portions of the fullness of God—a word of knowledge, prophecy, tongues etc. are given until the perfect comes...

1: Pursue love, yet desire earnestly spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. 2: For one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God; for no one understands, but in his spirit he speaks mysteries. 3: But one who prophesies speaks to men for edification and exhortation and consolation. 4: One who speaks in a tongue edifies himself; but one who prophesies edifies the church. 5: Now I wish that you all spoke in tongues, but even more that you would prophesy; and greater is one who prophesies than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may receive edifying. ***  Paul picked up where he left off at the end of chapter 12, and once again said to earnestly desire spiritual gifts, adding for them to especially desire to prophesy. In this chapter, he explained the operation of the speaking gifts in the church—tongues, interpretation of tongues, and prophecy. He was intent on the Corinthians understanding the proper ...

6: But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking in tongues, what will I profit you unless I speak to you either by way of revelation or of knowledge or of prophecy or of teaching? 7: Yet even lifeless things, either flute or harp, in producing a sound, if they do not produce a distinction in the tones, how will it be known what is played on the flute or on the harp? 8: For if the bugle produces an indistinct sound, who will prepare himself for battle? 9: So also you, unless you utter by the tongue speech that is clear, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air. 10: There are, perhaps, a great many kinds of languages in the world, and no kind is without meaning. 11: If then I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be to the one who speaks a barbarian, and the one who speaks will be a barbarian to me. 12: So also you, since you are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek to abound for the edification of the church . ***  In this sec...