SEV Biblia, Chapter 12:28
Y a unos puso Dios en la Iglesia, primeramente apstoles, luego profetas, lo tercero maestros; luego facultades; luego dones de sanidades; ayudas, gobernaciones, gneros de lenguas.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 12:28
Verse 28. God hath set some in the Church] As God has made evident distinctions among the members of the human body, so that some occupy a more eminent place than others, so has he in the Church. And to prove this, the apostle numerates the principal offices, and in the order in which they should stand. First, apostles] apostolouv, from apo from, and stello, I send; to send from one person to another, and from one place to another. Persons immediately designated by Christ, and sent by him to preach the Gospel to all mankind.
Secondarily, prophets] profhtav, from pro, before, and fhmi, I speak; a person who, under Divine inspiration, predicts future events; but the word is often applied to these who preach the Gospel. See on ver. 8.
Thirdly, teachers] didaskalouv, from didaskw, I teach; persons whose chief business it was to instruct the people in the elements of the Christian religion, and their duty to each other. See on Rom. viii. 8.
Miracles] dunameiv? Persons endued with miraculous gifts, such as those mentioned Mark xvi. 17, 18; casting out devils, speaking with new tongues, &c. See on ver. 8, and at the end of the chapter. Gifts of healings] carismata iamatwn? Such as laying hands upon the sick, and healing them, Mark xvi. 18; which, as being one of the most beneficent miraculous powers, was most frequently conceded. See on 1 Cor. xii. 8.
Helps] antilhyeiv. Dr. Lightfoot conjectures that these were the apostles' helpers; persons who accompanied them, baptized those who were converted by them, and were sent by them to such places as they could not attend to, being otherwise employed.
The Levites are termed by the Talmudists helps of the priests. The word occurs Luke i. 54; Rom. viii. 26.
Governments] kubernhseiv. Dr. Lightfoot contends that this word does not refer to the power of ruling, but to the case of a person endued with a deep and comprehensive mind, who is profoundly wise and prudent; and he thinks that it implies the same as discernment of spirits, ver. 8, where see the note. He has given several proofs of this use of the word in the Septuagint.
Diversities of tongues.] genh glwsswn? Kinds of tongues; that is, different kinds. The power to speak, on all necessary occasions, languages which they had not learned. See on ver. 8.
Verse 28.
God hath set some First, APOSTLES; Secondly, PROPHETS; Thirdly, TEACHERS; After that, MIRACLES; The GIFTS of HEALINGS; HELPS; GOVERNMENTS; Divers kinds of TONGUES.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 28. And God hath set some in the church , etc.] As before the apostle gives an account of the various different gifts of the Spirit, qualifying men for service in the church of Christ, here he enumerates the several offices and officers: first apostles ; as were the twelve disciples, and Paul the apostle; men that were immediately sent by Christ himself, and had their commission and doctrine directly from him; and a power of working miracles, to confirm the truth of their mission and ministry; they were sent into all the world to preach the Gospel, to plant churches everywhere, and to ordain officers in them; they were not confined to any particular church, but had power and authority in all the churches, to preach the word, administer ordinances, advise, counsel, direct, reprove, and censure: secondarily, prophets ; who either had the gift of foretelling things to come, as Agabus and others; or who had a peculiar gift, by divine revelation, of explaining the prophecies of the sacred writings, and of preaching the Gospel: thirdly, teachers ; the same with pastors, elders, and overseers; the ordinary ministers of the word, who have a gift of expounding the Scriptures; not by extraordinary revelation, but by the ordinary gift of the Spirit, in the use of means, as reading, meditation, and prayer; and whose work is to preach the word, administer ordinances, feed and govern particular churches, over whom they are set: after that miracles; which is to be understood, not of some persons, as distinct from apostles, prophets, and teachers, who also had the power of working miracles; but from persons and officers in the church, the principal of which the apostle had mentioned, he passes to things, which belonged at least to some of them; unless it can be thought that there were in those times private Christians, who were neither apostles nor prophets, nor teachers, and yet had a power of doing miracles: then gifts of healing ; the sick, by anointing them with oil, which was only one species of doing miracles; and which was sometimes performed, not only by apostles, and such like extraordinary persons, but by the common elders and ordinary officers of the church: helps : meaning either the ministers of the word in common, who are helpers of the faith and joy of the saints, and are means of increasing their knowledge and spiritual experience, and of establishing them in the truth; (see Acts 18:27 2 Corinthians 1:24) or else such evangelists and ministers of the word as were assistants to the apostles, such as Mark, and Timothy, and Titus; or rather the deacons of churches, whose business it is to take care of tables; the Lords table, the ministers, and the poors, and all the secular affairs of the church; and so are helps to the minister, relieve him, and free him from all worldly concerns, that he may the better attend to prayer, and the ministry of the word. These, whether one or the other, are so called, in allusion to the priests and Levites, who were hyd[sm , helps, or assistants to the high priest, in the burning of the red heifer, and in other things f246 : governments ; some by these understand the same with pastors and elders, who have the rule and government of the church; others lay elders, a sort of ruling elders in the church, as distinct from pastors. Dr. Lightfoot thinks such are intended, who had the gift of discerning spirits. I rather think with Deuteronomy Dieu, that the word designs counsellors; see the Septuagint in ( Proverbs 11:14 24:6) and here intends such as are men of wisdom and prudence, who are very proper persons to be consulted and advised with, by the pastor, elder, or overseer, in matters of moment and importance in the church: diversities of tongues ; such as have the gift of speaking with divers tongues; or of interpreting them, or both. The Vulgate Latin version and some copies add, interpretations of tongues.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 27-31 - Contempt, hatred, envy, and strife, are very unnatural in Christians It is like the members of the same body being without concern for on another, or quarrelling with each other. The proud, contentious spiri that prevailed, as to spiritual gifts, was thus condemned. The office and gifts, or favours, dispensed by the Holy Spirit, are noticed. Chie ministers; persons enabled to interpret Scripture; those who laboure in word and doctrine; those who had power to heal diseases; such a helped the sick and weak; such as disposed of the money given in charity by the church, and managed the affairs of the church; and suc as could speak divers languages. What holds the last and lowest rank in this list, is the power to speak languages; how vain, if a man does s merely to amuse or to exalt himself! See the distribution of thes gifts, not to every one alike, ver. #(29, 30). This were to make the church all one, as if the body were all ear, or all eye. The Spiri distributes to every one as he will. We must be content though we ar lower and less than others. We must not despise others, if we have greater gifts. How blessed the Christian church, if all the members di their duty! Instead of coveting the highest stations, or the mos splendid gifts, let us leave the appointment of his instruments to God and those in whom he works by his providence. Remember, those will no be approved hereafter who seek the chief places, but those who are mos faithful to the trust placed in them, and most diligent in their Master's work __________________________________________________________________
Greek Textus Receptus
και 2532 CONJ ους 3739 R-APM μεν 3303 PRT εθετο 5087 5639 V-2AMI-3S ο 3588 T-NSM θεος 2316 N-NSM εν 1722 PREP τη 3588 T-DSF εκκλησια 1577 N-DSF πρωτον 4412 ADV αποστολους 652 N-APM δευτερον 1208 ADV προφητας 4396 N-APM τριτον 5154 ADV διδασκαλους 1320 N-APM επειτα 1899 ADV δυναμεις 1411 N-APF ειτα 1534 ADV χαρισματα 5486 N-APN ιαματων 2386 N-GPN αντιληψεις 484 N-APF κυβερνησεις 2941 N-APF γενη 1085 N-APN γλωσσων 1100 N-GPF
Vincent's NT Word Studies
28. Hath set (eqeto). See on ver. 18. The middle voice implies for His own use.Miracles. Note the change from endowed persons to abstract gifts, and compare the reverse order, Rom. xii. 6-8.
Helps (antilhmyeiv). Rendered to the poor and sick as by the deacons. See on hath holpen, Luke i. 54.
Governments (kubernhseiv). Only here in the New Testament. From kubernaw to steer. The kindred kubernhthv shipmaster or steersman, occurs Acts xxvii. 11; Apoc. xviii. 17. Referring probably to administrators of church government, as presbyters. The marginal wise counsels (Rev.) is based on Septuagint usage, as Prov. i. 5; xx. 21. Compare Proverbs xi. 14; xxiv. 6. Ignatius, in his letter to Polycarp says: "The occasion demands thee, as pilots (kubernhtai) the winds." The reading is disputed, but the sense seems to be that the crisis demands Polycarp as a pilot. Lightfoot says that this is the earliest example of a simile which was afterward used largely by christian writers - the comparison of the Church to a ship. Hippolytus represents the mast as the cross; the two rudders the two covenants; the undergirding ropes the love of Christ. The ship is one of the ornaments which Clement of Alexandria allows a Christian to wear ("Apostolic Fathers," Part ii., Ignatius to Polycarp, 2.).
Robertson's NT Word Studies
12:28 {God hath set some} (hous men eqeto ho qeos). See verse #18 for eqeto ho qeos. Note middle voice (for his own use). Paul begins as if he means to say hous men apostolous, hous de profetas (some apostles, some prophets), but he changes the construction and has no hous de, but instead prwton, deuteron, epeita (first, second, qen, etc.). {In the church} (en tei ekklesiai). The general sense of ekklesia as in #Mt 16:18 and later in #Col 1:18,24; Eph 5:23,32; Heb 12:23. See list also in #Eph 4:11. See on Mt 10:2 for apostolous, the official title given the twelve by Jesus, and claimed by Paul though not one of the twelve. {Prophets} (profetas). For-speakers for God and Christ. See the list of prophets and teachers in #Ac 13:1 with Barnabas first and Saul last. Prophets are needed today if men will let God's Spirit use them, men moved to utter the deep things of God. {Teachers} (didaskalous). Old word from didaskw, to teach. Used to the Baptist (#Lu 3:12), to Jesus (#Joh 3:10; 13:13), and of Paul by himself along with apostolos (#1Ti 2:7). It is a calamity when the preacher is no longer a teacher, but only an exhorter. See #Eph 4:11. {qen miracles} (epeita dunameis). Here a change is made from the concrete to the abstract. See the reverse in #Ro 12:7. See these words (dunameis, iametwn, glwsswn) in verses #9,10 with glwsswn, last again. But these two new terms (helps, governments). {Helps} (antilemyeis). Old word, from antilambanomai, to lay hold of. In LXX, common in papyri, here only in N.T. Probably refers to the work of the deacons, help rendered to the poor and the sick. {Governments} (kuberneseis). Old word from kubernaw (cf. kubernetes in #Ac 27:11) like Latin _gubernare_, our govern. So a governing. Probably Paul has in mind bishops (episcopoi) or elders (presbuteroi), the outstanding leaders (hoi proistamenoi in #1Th 5:12; Ro 12:8; hoi hegoumenoi in #Ac 15:22; Heb 13:7,17,24). Curiously enough, these two offices (pastors and deacons) which are not named specifically are the two that survive today. See #Php 1:1 for both officers.
