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An Explanation of 1 Corinthians 12:8-10 (Endnotes)

1. We use our own translation here primarily because of the lower case and upper case “s” on spirit and because of the names of the manifestations themselves. Close

2. It is “because of the same spirit,” i.e., because of the gift of holy spirit, that a person can receive revelation. The word kata (because of) has a variety of meanings. Bauer’s Greek Lexicon lists two major concepts, with more specific meanings under those, and even more specific meanings under those. For this verse, he notes “the mng. [meaning] ‘in accordance w. [with]’ can also disappear entirely, so that k. [kata] means simply because of, as a result of, on the basis of….” (Arndt and Gingrich, op. cit., A Greek-English Lexicon) p. 407. Close

3. When it comes to spiritual things, God is the primary or “first” cause, and Jesus is the “immediate” cause. For example, God gave the gift of holy spirit to Jesus, who gave it to us (Acts 2:33). God gave the information contained in the book of Revelation to Jesus, who then made sure it was given to mankind (Rev. 1:1). God puts people in the Church as it pleases Him (1 Cor. 12:18), but Jesus is said to actually give the ministries (Eph. 4:7-11). These examples could be multiplied many times, and the Christian should not be confused just because sometimes God is said to do something while other times Jesus is said to do it. Both are sources of the blessings, and at different times both are said to do the same things. Unlike the divided Church at Corinth, God and Jesus always work in harmony. Close

4. We use Lenski here because of the literal nature of his work, and his accurate rendition of “distributions,” which is important to see in order to properly understand verse 11, which uses the verb form of the word diairesis. “The term diairesis appears only here in the New Testament and means, not “diversities” as our versions translate (for the fact that the gifts are diverse is too obvious to require statement), but ‘distributions.’ The gifts are parceled out….” (R. C. H. Lenski, The Interpretation of I and II Corinthians (Augsburg Publishing House, Minneapolis, MN, 1963), p. 495 (We changed the Greek letters in Lenski’s book into English letters). Furthermore, he uses “energizes” in verse 6, which is also used in verse 11, tying the two verses together. Vincent also points out the connection between the distributions verse 6 and verse 11, and notes that although diairesis can be translated “diversities” or “distributions,” the connection with v. 11 favors “distributions” (Marvin Vincent, Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament (Hendrickson Publishers, Peabody, MA), Vol. 3, p. 255). Close

5. In this verse “spirit” refers to the gift of holy spirit, which each believer has received. This section echoes Ephesians 4:3-6, which also encourages believers to be unified and mentions seven important things around which to build their unity, among them one spirit, one Lord, and one God. This is not a reference to the Trinity, which is the three being “one,” it is making the point that all three are involved with spiritual manifestations. Close

6. The word “ministrations” is a plural noun, and means ministries, or services. Close

7. In the Greek text of verse 7, hekastos is the natural antecedent of the ho that begins verse 8. Hekastos is the subject in the sentence, and matches ho in case, number, and gender. Close

8. We use our own translation here for several reasons, but primarily to show the connection between the “distributions” of verses 4, 5, and 6 and the distribution in this verse and to show clearly that “energizes” is a verb (many versions translate it as a noun). Close

9. Verse 12 opens in the Greek with kathaper gar, which means “For just as,” or “For even as,” or “For as,” and almost every version recognizes that fact (the NIV does not). Close

10. These verses contains some manifestations and some ministries. The manifestations of holy spirit are miracles, healing, tongues, and interpretation. The gift ministries are apostles, prophets, teachers, those able to help others (Rom. 12:7), and those with gifts of administration (Rom. 12:8). Close

11. Vine, op. cit., Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary, “another,” p. 29. Close

12. It is not the people who are allos and heteros, but the people as they are functioning, utilizing the manifestations. Close

13. Lenski, op. cit., The Interpretation of I and II Corinthians, p. 499 (We changed the Greek letters in Lenski’s book into English letters). Close

14. Troy Welch, Bible Doctrine 102: A Syllabus (Channel Island Bible College and Seminary, Oxnard, CA), p. 37. Close

15. Raymond Collins, Sacra Pagina: First Corinthians (The Liturgical Press, Collegeville, MN, 1999), p. 451. Close

16. Alfred Plummer and Archibald Robertson, The International Critical Commentary: 1 Corinthians, (T&T Clark, Edinburg), p. 265. We changed the Greek letters to English letters. We assert that God does not vary His vocabulary simply to avoid monotony. He has a divine purpose for what He writes. Close

17. G. G. Findlay, The Expositor’s Greek Testament, (Wm. B. Eerdman’s Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, MI, reprinted 1990), Vol. 2, p. 888. Findlay also makes the following observation, that the first two are through the mind, the second in distinction from the mind, and the third in suppression of the mind. Close

18. God does not name the three groups of manifestations, so different scholars have seen different emphasis in the groups, and “named” them accordingly. We would call the groups, “Revelation; Power; and Worship,” or something similar. Plummer sees the groups connected with “Intellect; Faith, and Tongues” (Plummer and Robertson, op. cit., The International Critical Commentary, p. 265), while Lenski says, “intellect; faith; the tongue” (Lenski, op. cit., The Interpretation of I and II Corinthians, p. 499). Welch groups them as based on the Word, “miracle gifts,” and “sign gifts” (Welch, op. cit., Bible Doctrine 102, p. 37). Close