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1Co 1:5,30; 2:6-10; 13:2,8 Ge 41:38,39 Ex 31:3 1Ki 3:5-12 Ne 9:20

Verse 8. Word of wisdom] In all these places I consider that the proper translation of logov is doctrine, as in many other places of the New Testament. It is very difficult to say what is intended here by the different kinds of gifts mentioned by the apostle: they were probably all supernatural, and were necessary at that time only for the benefit of the Church. On the 8th, 9th, and 10th verses, much may be seen in Lightfoot, Whitby, Pearce, and others. By doctrine of wisdom we may understand, as Bp. Pearce and Dr. Whitby observe, the mystery of our redemption, in which the wisdom of God was most eminently conspicuous: see chap. ii. 7, 10; and which is called the manifold wisdom of God, Eph. iii. 10. Christ, the great teacher of it, is called the wisdom of God, chap. i. 24; and in him are said to be contained all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, Col. ii. 3.

The apostles to whom this doctrine was committed are called sofoi, wise men; (Matt. xxiii. 34;) and they are said to teach this Gospel according to the wisdom given them, 2 Pet. iii. 15.

2. By the doctrine of knowledge we may understand either a knowledge of the types, &c., in the Old Testament; or what are termed mysteries; the calling of the Gentiles, the recalling of the Jews, the mystery of iniquity, of the beast, &c., and especially the mystical sense or meaning of the Old Testament, with all its types, rites, ceremonies, &c., &c.

3. By faith, ver. 9, we are to understand that miraculous faith by which they could remove mountains, 1 Cor. xiii. 2; or a peculiar impulse, as Dr: Whitby calls it, that came upon the apostles when any difficult matter was to be performed, which inwardly assured them that God's power would assist them in the performance of it. Others think that justifying faith, received by means of Gospel teaching, is what is intended.

4. Gifts of healing simply refers to the power which at particular times the apostles received from the Holy Spirit to cure diseases; a power which was not always resident in them; for Paul could not cure Timothy, nor remove his own thorn in the flesh; because it was given only on extraordinary occasions, though perhaps more generally than many others.

5. The working of miracles, energhmata dunamewn, 1 Corinthians xii. 10.

This seems to refer to the same class as the operations, energhmatwn, ver. 6, as the words are the same; and to signify those powers by which they were enabled at particular times to work miraculously on others; ejecting demons, inflicting punishments or judgments, as in the cases mentioned under 1 Cor. xii. 6. It is a hendyadis for mighty operations.

6. Prophecy. This seems to import two things: 1st, the predicting future events, such as then particularly concerned the state of the Church and the apostles; as the dearth foretold by Agabus, Acts xi. 28; and the binding of St. Paul, and delivering him to the Romans, Acts xxi. 10, &c.; and St. Paul's foretelling his own shipwreck on Malta, Acts xxvii. 25, &c. And 2ndly, as implying the faculty of teaching or expounding the Scriptures, which is also a common acceptation of the word.

7. Discerning of spirits. A gift by which the person so privileged could discern a false miracle from a true one; or a pretender to inspiration from him who was made really partaker of the Holy Ghost. It probably extended also to the discernment of false professors from true ones, as appears in Pet. in the case of Ananias and his wife.

8. Divers kinds of tongues. genh glwsswn, Different languages, which they had never learned, and which God gave them for the immediate instruction of people of different countries who attended their ministry.

9. Interpretation of tongues. It was necessary that while one was speaking the deep things of God in a company where several were present who did not understand, though the majority did, there should be a person who could immediately interpret what was said to that part of the congregation that did not understand the language. This power to interpret was also an immediate gift of God's Spirit, and is classed here among the miracles.

Ver. 8. For to one is given by the Spirit , etc.] Now follows a distinct and particular enumeration of the operations of the Spirit, though not all of them, yet as many as the apostle thought necessary; and which are called the manifestation of him, and which most clearly show him to be the author of them to different persons; the word of wisdom : by which is meant �the manifold wisdom of God�; the wonderful scheme of salvation through the incarnation, sufferings, and death of Christ, in which God has �abounded in all wisdom and prudence�; together with all other deep, mysterious, and sublime doctrines of the Gospel, the knowledge of which were peculiarly given to the apostles in the first place, who have the first office or ministry in the church, by �the spirit of wisdom�; and which they had a faculty, a gift of declaring, opening, and explaining unto others. To another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit ; meaning either knowledge of future events; or an universal knowledge of the Scriptures of truth, and the doctrines contained in them, of the whole mind and will of God therein, which is a distinct thing from saving grace: (see Corinthians 13:2,8,9) and is what was given to the prophets, the second office in the church, by him who is the spirit of prophecy, and by whom the prophetical writings were dictated; and therefore he is the best interpreter of them, and who only can lead into the true knowledge thereof.